Designed by Noémi Levy-Aksu and Derya Bozarslan from the Truth Justice Memory Center (Hafıza Merkezi), this workshop focuses on confronting the past and establishing a common ground for remembrance by bringing together the overlapping layers of memory in Diyarbakır’s Sur district—including the traces of Armenian, Assyrian, Kurdish, and other communities. The aim is not only to commemorate lost lives but also to reunite narratives within the space that have been suppressed, erased, or disconnected from one another.
In a city shaped by war, destruction, and migration, the workshop aims to strengthen the bond that young people build with memory, the past, and one another. Through walks, oral narratives, and spatial stops, participants will strive to hear the pluralistic voice of peace and coexistence once again in streets that have witnessed the silence of 1915, the darkness of the 1990s, and the destruction of 2015.
In this regard, the workshop views confronting the past as a vital part of today's democratic culture; it aims to build peace through the practices of remembering, listening, and thinking together.
The most significant output of the workshop will be a collective memory walk and a digital memory map that documents the multi-layered history of Sur and brings together the testimonies of different communities. Throughout the walk, participants will create their own testimonies through voice recordings, notes, photographs, and short videos, which will later be integrated into a shared memory atlas. The workshop will also be documented with videos and photos that highlight how youth engage with memory and the role of confronting the past in the peace process. The walk will conclude with a silent commemoration at the Armenian Cemetery; by bringing together the losses of different communities in a shared silence, this commemoration will contribute to the social foundation of peace through the practice of "mourning together." Thus, the project will not only trace the remains of the past but also reveal the transformative and restorative power of collective remembrance through today's youth.
Language: Kurdish, Turkish, and English
Participation: Open to youth aged 18-35.
Capacity: 25 people
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