25/09/2021
World Heritage & Education Initiative
Objectives & Purpose
‘If we join hands and if we do things right. If we maintain our dignity and if we continue to appeal to the better angels, progress will be made’.
‘Museums have a obligation to provoke reflection, rethinking and rebalancing’. ‘Museums help us to deal with the dark-side of history, not just emotionally and personally, but in a way that helps us build a just and equitable society’.
1/14 | Seismic Shift in Information.
'The invention of the printing press, with movable type fanned religious wars in the 16th century. The onset of telegraphy, photography, and the power-driven printing press in the 19th century created mass journalism that fulminated nationalistic passions and world wars. The invention of the internet and social media has created extremism, populist and revisionist divisions, fuelled by targeted propaganda, dividing humanity. (James Billington, Librarian of Congress).
2/14 | Propaganda & A Disenfranchised Generation.
'One of the challenges we have in generating a constructive conversation about how we solve our problems with identity. Is because, what people see on the Internet and television, is bereft of context and chooses to ignore history completely'. (Lonnie Bunch III, Smithsonian).
3/14 | Confronting a Hallucinated Reality.
'We live in a fabricated reality where the visible world became nearly meaningless once the screen world became people’s window on the world. People still move about in the physical world but live in the electronic one. The result is mass hallucination'. (Edwin Curtin, Global Research).
4/14 | A Global Threat to Our Humanity.
‘We have the opportunity to improve our relations with the United States - We live in an increasingly fragmented world that tends to generate two opposing trends: An outward force of disunity marked by the rise of populism, violence and exclusionary nationalism. A global threat to both our humanity and our economy'. (Spanish Government Minister, Arancha Gonzalez Laya)
5/14 | Empowering our Institutions & Museums.
'The custodians of national identity, The educators of civics and citizenship. To regain control of an authentic voice of reason, justice and equity, to powerfully and impactfully shape a nation and heal a generation'. (David Skorton, Smithsonian)
6/14 | Truth being the Oxygen of Hope.
The Inspiration of Freedom'. 'Neither a Hero nor a Villain', 'No other person changed the face of the earth so radically'. 'We must confront the root causes of systemic inequality buried deep in our economic and political systems', anything else is the continued warping of our history by omission'. (Darren Walker, Columbus Heritage Coalition, Lonnie Bunch III).
7/14 | The Power of Authenticity.
'It's in all his writings'. An accurate, authoritative, horizontal & inclusive examination of history. Debunking the romanticized fiction of Irving and indoctrinated muses of Zinn that have misinformed generation after generation'. (Prof Emerita, Dr Carol Delaney).
8/14 | Supporting Governments - Lasting Change
'We are now discovering—painfully and much too slowly—that deep conflict between cultures is in many ways being fired up rather than cooled down by this revolution in communications, as was the case in the 16th and 19th centuries'. (James Billington, Librarian of Congress).
9/14 | Impact....! Cultural Philanthropy Matters.
The custodians of the national identity, the educators of citizenship, civics and influencer's in our classrooms, family dining tables, company boardrooms and our lawmakers. (David M Rubenstein, NMAH)
10/14 | 1 Billion Online
By 2022, The Smithsonian will build on its unique strengths to engage and to inspire more people, where they are, with greater impact, while catalyzing critical conversations on issues affecting our nation and the World'. (Smithsonian, Strategic Plan 2022).
11/14 | A Revolving Dynamism.
Rotations every 5 years, creating the collaborating opportunity for Governments, Institutions and Thought Leaders to stimulate and acknowledge our collective progress.
12/14 | Advocacy & Deep-Rooted Challenges
Global Thought Leaders, Scholars, Historians & Educational Pioneers. Advocates of an inclusive history, the story of all of us. Restoring dignity and sensitively addressing some of societies most deep-rooted challenges.
13/14 | Dynamic Exhibitions, Diverse Inspiration.
The opportunity to explore, express and connect with ourselves and others, through Performance Art, Street Theater, Temporary and Travelling Exhibitions. Permanent Institution Explanations & Online Educational Programs.
14/14 | A Historic Collaboration
Between the Governments & Institutions of The United States, Spain and Italy, to share in the legacy that binds us, the outcomes that divide us and the collective need to build a better democracy.
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