Memorialization and Intercommunity Dialogues

Since 2015, ACT launched an oral history project to collect the stories of the missing and people’s war memories. More than 300 interviews were conducted, some were audio recorded and filmed. ACT developed methodology and protocols for the collection and archiving process, with particular consideration for ethical issues.

 

Fushat Amal

In order to pay tribute to the missing and disappeared persons and to generate a better understanding of the conflict, ACT has created the online memorial FUSHAT AMAL (which means “Space for hope” in Arabic) that aims to reclaim the identities of the missing persons and reaffirm the right to know their fates and whereabouts.

The initiative consists of collecting information about the missing persons and dedicating a space for each of them on a digital memorial that displays - if available - biographical information, photos and information about their disappearance.

Other than being a public virtual repository of information on the missing, Fushat ‘Amal provides the families of the missing persons with the opportunity to express their personal experiences. ACT visits them in their homes and listens to their stories.

 

Map of Memory

In 2018, ACT launched a MAP of MEMORY where visitors can learn about the main events of the Lebanese war and watch or listen to people’s memories and experiences of the Lebanese conflicts. 

ACT organizes story-telling forums where the stories collected within the project are presented to the public. The encounters are planned to allow the participants to share their stories with one another and look together for ways to work toward increased understanding of the other. It focuses on raising their awareness on the many aspects of their joint history and encourage them to acknowledge the suffering of the other.

 

Inter-generational Oral History Project

ACT also raises awareness among the generations who did not live through the war by engaging them in an inter-generational oral history project about the war. 

After attending a one-day training the youth interview the families of the missing people and people who lived through the war to collect their stories. The stories they collect are used to create the space dedicated to the missing on the online memorial and are added to the map of memory.

These stories are also presented to the public during story-telling forums to create opportunities to hear ‘other’ voices, to initiate dialogues among groups and communities and to encourage them to develop common understanding.