Restituting Memory: Education, Transmission and Memory Activism

events Programme

The event series Restituting Memory: Education, Transmission and Memory Activism was organised by CEJI – A Jewish Contribution for an Inclusive Europe in Brussels as an opportunity to present the methodologies and outcomes of the ReActMem project. Held on 18 and 27 June 2026, the programme created a space for dialogue and knowledge exchange between educators, researchers, cultural practitioners, activists, and representatives of civil society organisations.

The first event combined a conference with an educational workshop. It opened with Memory Restitution in Educational Settings, facilitated by teacher, project coordinator, and cultural advisor Sabiha El Youssfi. Drawing on her long-term experience of working with young people, the workshop explored methods of teaching difficult histories and connecting historical memory with contemporary issues such as discrimination, exclusion, and violence. Participants were introduced to the educational methodology developed through these projects and heard testimonies from former participants who reflected on their personal experiences.

The second part of the programme focused on presenting the results of the ReActMem project. Speakers introduced selected partner initiatives, including Researchers on the Border and LABA Barcelona, alongside examples of memory activism, heritage work, and community-based initiatives. Presentations were delivered by Nathalie Kertesz (LABA Barcelona), Aga Jabłońska (Urban Memory Foundation), Natalia Judzińska (Researchers on the Border), and Dr Aleksandra Janus (Zapomniane Foundation).

The second dissemination event took place during the annual gathering of the Golem Belgium collective, which brings together people engaged in contemporary Jewish cultural life and initiatives addressing antisemitism and discrimination. The presentation of the ReActMem project provided a starting point for discussion on the role of community-led memory practices in strengthening Jewish communities and fostering a vibrant contemporary Jewish cultural life.

Both events were held in French and English with simultaneous interpretation, enabling participation by audiences from different professional and cultural backgrounds. The series contributed to disseminating the results of the ReActMem project, encouraged knowledge exchange, and demonstrated how education, memory activism, and cooperation between organisations can support more inclusive and critically engaged approaches to history and contemporary social challenges.

📸 Annabelle Betz, Stéphanie Lecesne Patey CEJI