00:03This in this case is Terca Esperanza, a space for memory, open for memory in Bogotá.
00:08And it's somewhat important because it compiles a series of experiences in memory building.
00:13from various groups, victims and relatives of victims, specifically from peacebuilding in the city.
00:41From the Center for Memory, Peace and Reconciliation, the position is also to create precisely a narrative
00:49It is that this narrative is plural, and this plural narrative implies that a place of memory
00:56receive all the victims and all the angles that may exist around the construction of a narrative
01:09which is not only a story of memory, but also a story of nation.
01:13The Memory Center has two ways of building exhibitions.
01:18One of these is memory initiatives, which are exhibitions or exhibition projects.
01:23that come directly from the public, from groups of victims and relatives of victims.
01:28What we did in curatorial terms in this exhibition was to generate four nodes or four curatorial axes
01:35in which what we did was group them as cases of armed conflict in Bogotá,
01:41emphasizing not only the victimizing events, but precisely the processes of memory construction
01:47of those victims and of those people who have contributed to the historical memory of Bogotá,
01:53not so much at the institutional level, but precisely through citizen initiatives.
02:11Under the previous regime, culture was conceptually fragmented with the argument that is absolutely false.
02:20that this recognized the diversity of Colombia.
02:23The explicit inclusion of the word heritage is a direct blow to the "guoquismo" movement.
02:30and to the ideologization of culture, which we are fighting against here.
02:35The State has the responsibility to conserve, restore, protect, and transmit the nation's cultural heritage.
02:45The problem with official memory is that official memory is what we are seeing.
02:49and it is left to the whim, decision, and political preference of whoever is in government at the time.
02:58But we are not talking about the government in power, we are talking about the duty of memory of a State.
03:03And that implies that the State must guarantee that all organizations,
03:09that all victims of the armed conflict also have a say in what is told,
03:17in what is narrated, in what is done.
03:19Our position is that every time censorship is applied to an object, to a narrative,
03:28Well, that same Social State of Law, the same organizations, and the same citizens.
03:33They are also the ones who should be pushing to ensure that this is protected.
03:37Of course, we have had confrontational situations, even with law enforcement.
03:43even with students who come and say, I don't understand why you say this.
03:47And what has been proposed is, then, let's discuss it, let's talk about it based on some very important premises.
03:55We need to consult precisely the groups, the collectives that are part of all these social struggles
04:03and also to the population, perhaps, to also carry out that pedagogy with the population
04:11so that perhaps if they are not organized, they will understand the importance of these spaces existing.
04:17I also maintain that dismantling these spaces will not be enough to ruin or hinder a struggle that
04:29It is historic.
04:38In a conflict that has lasted more than 60 years, there are no absolute truths, no official histories.
04:44What we really have are countless stories that tell what the war has generated.
04:50What Bogotá does, from the Center for Memory, Peace and Reconciliation, and from different entities, is to gather and give voice to these issues.
04:55to those stories.
04:57Remembering is an exercise and a responsibility that belongs to everyone, but not to impose one version of history.
05:02history,
05:02but to contribute to strengthening democratic practice.
05:34If they want to bring their belongings, if it is the desire of the people to remove their belongings and bring them,
05:40We can, in this exhibition that we are in right now, which is Stubborn Hope,
05:46There is a display case for those objects, if the public wants to promote any kind of action
05:51where they believe the Center for Memory, Peace and Reconciliation can support them,
05:56We are very willing to have that conversation.
06:11It's a replica of Carlos Pizarro's jacket, and this replica was commissioned for an exhibition that was
06:19here in 2017,
06:22which was called "Remember," was one of the objects that were here and that I was precisely looking for in that discussion,
06:31Let's say, regarding what the assassinations, the major assassinations, and the murders of political leaders have entailed,
06:38what it has meant for democracy in this country.
06:40This is, let's say, like the original design of Bernardo Jaramillo's presidential campaign poster,
06:45But the poster, let's say, wasn't printed in the eighties, it's not an original print,
06:50but it is a reprint that is done specifically, and therefore, more closely,
06:55which is a copy of the one that was there, the one that is in the National Museum.
06:59In the event that we can, let's say, if someone else wants to have some of those objects here at the Center
07:07Memory,
07:08We can even consider the idea of exhibiting with the authors who are,
07:13with the exhibitions where this bag was displayed, even making the index cards,
07:19with that information about what is happening and why they come to this place as well.
08:05Thanks for watching the video.
