Memorial: Dark Memories Bring Light to the Former USSR

25 February 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of Nikita Khrushchev’s secret speech at the XX Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In that speech, Khrushchev denounced human rights abuses committed under his predecessor Joseph Stalin’s regime, opening the door to a process of rehabilitation for millions of victims. It triggered a wave of hope, but also catalysed events such as the 1956 Hungarian uprising and the subsequent Soviet backlash.

In commemoration of this watershed moment in history, the Right Livelihood Award Foundation is pleased to launch its new series of podcasts with the voice of Nikita Lomakin, a researcher working with Russian Laureate organisation Memorial.

Memorial, which received the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’ in 2004, is at once a social movement, a historical archive, and a human rights umbrella organisation. Created 26 years ago, Memorial collects oral memories and artefacts from victims of terror and their families, working to make sure that the history’s lessons are not forgotten nor its mistakes repeated. In the podcast, Nikita shares his insight on why preserving individual and collective memories can bring light to both the past and the present.

Click here to listen to our first podcast!