“From Silence to Memory: Archives and Human Rights in Guatemala and Beyond”

University of Oregon, October 24, 2013

In 2005, a massive amount of documentation belonging to the former Guatemalan National Police was discovered. Among other types of data, it contained invaluable information on systematic human rights violations during the 36-year civil war that ravaged that country. The National Police Historical Archive (AHPN) has become a central piece in the efforts to find truth, justice, and reconciliation in Guatemala, and its work is attracting world-wide attention from archivists, librarians, scholars, activists, and human rights organizations.

The University of Oregon is proud to announce the publication of the English translation of the report From Silence to Memory. Revelations of the AHPN, originally published in Spanish in 2011, and to present the premiere of a documentary on the AHPN produced by Gabriela Martínez (UO School of Journalism and Communication), that tells the amazing story of this archive. A stellar line-up of speakers will highlight the importance of the work conducted by the AHPN and will reflect on the connections between the preservation of archives, the construction of collective memories, and the fostering of a culture of human rights in Guatemala and elsewhere.

Program

3:00-4:00 p.m. Knight Library Browsing Room

“‘From Silence to Memory’: Revelations of the Archivo Histórico de la Policía Nacional.”

Chair: Stephanie Wood (University of Oregon)

Panelists:

Jean Franco (Columbia University)

Gustavo Meoño (National Police Historical Archive, Guatemala)

Kent Norsworthy (University of Texas, Austin)

4:00-5:00 p.m., Knight Library Browsing Room

Philip H. Knight Dean of Libraries Distinguished Lecture

“The Role of Archives in Strengthening Democracy and Promoting Human Rights.”

Trudy Peterson, consulting archivist and former Acting Archivist of the United States.

5:00-6:00 p.m., Reception in Knight Library Browsing Room

6:00-7:30 p.m., 221 Allen Hall

Presentation of the documentary Keep Your Eyes On Guatemala by Gabriela Martínez (Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon)

Introductory remarks by Peter Laufer, James Wallace Chair in Journalism

Screening of documentary

Q&A with film director and other guests.

These events are sponsored by the University of Oregon Libraries, the Network Startup Resource Center, the Latin American Studies Program, the School of Journalism and Communication, and the Oregon Humanities Center