User:Reconcilation/sandbox

Study Centre for National Reconciliation

The Study Centre for National Reconciliation was founded by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in April 2008. The most important tasks of the Study Centre are to research, collect, record and document diverse materials or historic heritage from the area of the violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms, and diverse forms of violence in all three totalitarian systems in Slovenia in 20th century, i.e. fascism, Nazism and communism. The institution collects, documents and publishes the testimonies of political prisoners, exiles, the dissidents, and others victims of totalitarian systems. Based on the collected materials, Study Centre started publishing a series of publications entitled Dokumenti in pričevanja (Documents and Testimonies). At the Study Centre, are also preparing data bases, such as The data base on political convicts in Slovenia in the 1945–1955 period, and The base of newspaper articles on communist violence.

The aim of the Institute’s work is also to co-operate with educational institutions in the preparation of lessons, tools and other materials from the recent Slovenian history, and to inform the public of the results of studies on violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms in Slovenia in the 20th century. The Study Centre wishes to help in creating the possibilities for balanced cultural development, and to assist in ensuring conditions for national reconciliation through its approach and set tasks.

The Study Centre aims its work also at the wider European area. Slovenia, as a member of the Council of Europe, is committed to respect or effectively fulfil the requirements of Resolution No. 1096 of the Council of Europe on measures to dismantle the heritage of former communist totalitarian systems (1996), and Resolution No. 1481 on Need for international condemnation of crimes of totalitarian communist regimes (2006). Based on the Prague Declaration, Study Centre actively co-operate in forming the Platform of European Memory and Conscience which will connect related European institutions, create collections of sources, and educational programmes, and also strive for access to archives, and for organising a Memorial Day for the victims of totalitarianism. On 2nd April 2009, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on European conscience and totalitarianism, which in a more detailed manner determines the relationship of European institutions to totalitarianisms of the 20th century, and further provides legal basis for functioning of national institutions in this area. The Platform of European Memory and Conscience was formally founded in Prague on October 14, 2011. Mag. Andreja Valič Zver is one of the four members of the Executive Board.