A/HRC/30/42
than from the mere removal of obstacles to the operation of non-governmental
organizations.
VI. Interventions in the cultural and the individual spheres
92.
In addition to interventions in the domains of official State institutions and in
civil society, those in the domain of culture and individual spheres are required for
long-lasting transformations, including non-recurrence. Culture and personality
structures are, generally speaking, sources of stability and continuity in social
relations, hence, neither one is open to direct and immediate change by legal fiat.
However, this does not imply that they are immune to any change.
A.
Education
93.
In transitional contexts, education has the potential to act as a powerful tool
for non-recurrence. Because of its formative potential, education can contribute to
shaping new norms, mediating between contending narratives of the past and
nurturing a culture of dialogue and democratic citizenship across generations. A
transitional justice approach to education can greatly contribute to contextualizing
the aims of educational reform after conflict and/or repression, with an eye to
strengthening its potential for preventing the recurrence of violations, for example,
by identifying the patterns that fuelled conflict, especially in relation to exclusionary
and authoritarian practices in school systems. 50
94.
Of significant relevance is the teaching of history: if approached as a system
of research rather than a mechanism for simply preserving and remembering data, it
can train citizens in habits of analysis and critical reasoning. 51 In transitional
contexts, historical facts are often manipulated to serve political and ideological
aims through the propagation of one-sided narratives that leave no room for
alternative perspectives. Different groups in society, particularly in ethnically
divided ones, may learn different versions of a shared history that clash signifi cantly
with each other. 52 Similarly, the suppression of historical events, as practised in some
contexts, reinforces the social identities of those who fought against each other. 53
Such practices risk perpetuating divisions and conflicts rather than preventi ng their
recurrence.
B.
Arts and culture
95.
Cultural interventions, such as museums, exhibitions, monuments and theatre
performances, have the capacity to affect not only victims but also the population at
large. 54 In addition to the capacity to engage empathy, there are artistic and cultural
interventions that are ideally suited to “make visible” both victims and the effects of
50
51
52
53
54
See Clara Ramírez Barat and Roger Duthie, Education and Transitional Justice. Opportunities and
Challenges for Peace Building (International Centre for Transitional Justice and UNICEF,
forthcoming).
See A/HRC/27/56/Add.1, para. 34.
See A/68/296.
See Harvey M. Weinstein et al., “School voices: challenges facing education systems after identitybased conflicts”, Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, vol. 2 no. 1, p. 66 (March 2007).
See A/HRC/25/49.
21
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