Memory and Migration. Documentation and Presentation of Migration in Memory Institutions

The Historical Museum of the National Museum and the Center for Cultural Heritage Presentation invite you to the one-day conference Memory and Migration.

Migration is one of the most widely discussed topics today, affecting virtually all local and global societies. Both its forms—emigration and immigration—shape not only the communities and spaces  people leave but also those they join. The study, course, and reflection of migration have long moved beyond academic theory into the sphere of public discourse. Countries with a strong migration history play a key role in sharing this issue with the public through their cultural and memory institutions. The Czech Republic, too, has its own historical and contemporary experiences with migration, both individual and in waves. Understanding both past and present migration is therefore one of the most pressing societal challenges, including in the Czech context.

The conference aims to explore research, collection, and presentation opportunities related to the topic of migration in museums, academic institutions, and the education sector. Contributions are welcome that highlight ways of addressing migration—both past and present—not only in the Czech and international museums and universities but also in schools and the civic sector. The event will also present case studies of projects designed to engage the general public, as well as audience responses to exhibitions, databases, online platforms, educational programs, and other projects related to the topic.

Discussions will cover both theoretical approaches that define how migration is studied and specific case studies from individuals and institutions, bringing migration trajectories to life through real-world examples.

We will be particularly interested in the following (and possibly other) thematic areas:

• Approaches to presentation of migration in memory and other cultural, educational and civic institutions
• Creation of physical and virtual collections and documentation of the memory of migration
• Methodological approaches to migration and its actors
• Migration in educational and public engagement programs aimed at various groups of native and non-native residents
• Interactive platforms and databases related to voluntary or forced migration

If you are interested in participating in the conference, you may register via the following link. Participation is possible either actively, by presenting a paper, or passively, without a presentation. Selected contributions will also have the opportunity to be published in a peer-reviewed museological journal.

Program:

• 8:30–9:00 | arrival, registration
• 9:00–12:00 | presentations
• 12:00–13:30 | break
• 13:30–16:30 | presentations II

A more detailed seminar program will be specified.

Venue: Historical Building of the National Museum, Room 102

Contact: centrum@nm.cz

Participation is free of charge.

The conference is the output of the project National and Cultural Identity of Czech Communities in Ukraine in the 19th – 21st Centuries in the Movable Cultural Heritage of the Czech Republic within the NAKI III program.

If you are interested, please register below by 30. 5. 2025.