Author: Daphne Weng, Student at the Graduate Institute of Museum Studies, Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA)

Cross-border Synergy & Dialogues: Practitioner Perspectives on Human Rights Collaboration

Preface

Themed “Synergizing for Human Rights: Collaboration between Museums and Communities in the Asia-Pacific Region,” FIHRM-AP Annual Conference 2023 featured strategic collaboration for planning and practices between museums and communities. There were presenters from different backgrounds, including museum professionals, private organization representatives, and independent researchers. Two days prior to the event, our press team had the privilege to interview these experts and academics. We not only learned multi-faceted practices and strategies from different countries, but also heard from presenters from FIHRM-AP member states, in terms of what they expect of this framework and how they see the work accomplished.

Barriers wiped with media & ideas bridged with time

In case studies of human rights education promotion, several institutes take on different media to make serious issues accessible to the general public. For instance, the Suiheisha History Museum from Japan adopts picture books, comics, and Q&A interactive displays for children to relate to the issues from scratch; the Tibet Museum, for another, builds an AR digital display and virtual worship system that break the limits of space and set rituals free from political oppression; Professor Chen Chia-Li from Museum Studies in TNUA talked about the use of five teaching assisting tools developed by the National Human Rights Museum (NHRM); Professor Lin Bao-An from National Penghu University of Science and Technology shared an education-based board game - Exiled Files, adapted from the July 13 Penghu Incident. These are all ways and means for students to better understand human rights issues, while having fun in different learning scenarios.

For practices of cooperation between human rights organizations and communities, Director Pooja Pant of Voices of Women Media, an organization working on women’s human rights issues in Nepal, shared her experiences in the field. She pointed out that the key to working with communities is long-term partnership and mutual trust. This echoed with the feedback from Assistant Professor Phrae Sirisakdamkoengfrom Faculty of Archaeology in Silpakorn University, Thailand, and independent researcher Patporn Phoothong, who suggested that many victims no longer have the courage to speak up, since they have been under oppression with exploitation and intimidation for a long time. Through long-term companionship and care, mutual trust can be rebuilt, which is the first step for victims to regain their confidence and to open up to others again. In the same spirit, Yuan Hsu-Wen, the curator of the A Centenary Dialog exhibition at the National Taiwan Museum (NTM), also emphasized the importance of deepening community ties. The reason that NTM remains a nine-year-long cooperation with migrant workers in Taiwan is due to a mutually-beneficial partnership. It is worth noting that CEO Pant also suggested that when her teams engage with communities, they are mindful that the both sides work with equal power and status. They never mean to act as an organization coming to people’s rescue; instead, it is hoped that, through long-term companionship, they could become part of those communities. In sum, whether the purpose of rights advocacy lies in working with communities to start a dialogue with diverse perspectives or in standing up against authoritarianism and unjust means, museums and institutes will need to spend time standing by the communities to gain their trust, with the both parties held equal rather than one reaching out to help the other. Under this condition, museums can take the initiative to include community members in planning and decision-making, and only in this way can they establish a sustainable and solid partnership.

Resonance, synergy, and symbiosis: multi-channel agitation and reverberation

In terms of feedback on this year’s event, Andi Achdian, Assistant Professor from Sociology Program Study in Universitas Nasional (UNAS), Jakarta as well as Board Member of Munir Human Rights Museum, expressed that he was pleased to exchange ideas with experts from other countries and to draw on practices by different organizations in promoting equal rights and introducing education on relevant topics. In particular, when hearing about the conflict in the Deep South in Thailand, situations in Tibet, and challenges alike in other countries where persecution still exists, he was inspired to learn that there are still people speaking up for victims in the face of adversity. In addition, according to Tadayuki Komai, the Director of the Suiheisha History Museum, the FIHRM-AP annual conference allows face-to-face interactions among scholars, units, and research institute representatives in human rights advocacy; this occasion not only lays the foundation for education on related issues, but also puts into practice the philosophy in the founding declaration of the Zenkoku Suiheisha – “Let there be warmth in human society (Japanese: もっと热かい人の世を).”

Museums can be a means of channeling more attention to equal rights and contemporary issues, but given that there are countries torn by war at the moment, the actions and influence brought by museums seem too ideal and subtle to make a difference. That being the case, the interview with Specialist Norris and CEO Pant helped put behind these anxiety and instability born from the ashes of the war; instead, confidence and hope were rekindled for all units to carry on their work. In an encouraging tone, they pointed out that we never know what community can be reached someday, and we should never overlook any possible actions and changes to be made by viewers touched by our displays and exhibitions. Bear in mind that museums are key to breaking the one-way conversation, which, in turn, could bring diverse viewpoints and discourses to be put into practice; this is how much weight that museums carry, in terms of their roles and functions in human rights advocacy. One great response to this notion can be found in what was mentioned by Dr. Richard Benjamin, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Museum Practice as well as Co-Director of the Centre for the Study of International Slavery at University of Liverpool; in his speech on Soul Power, Dr. Benjamin expressed that it is courageous and bold of museums to work with communities or NGOs and take a specific stand. Sometimes, if these units truly believe that they are doing all the work to pursue a more equal and just future, then it does not hurt to remain a bit naive and enthusiastic, because such beliefs will eventually become an essential driver towards new milestones. On the bumpy road of human rights advocacy, despite the uncertainty that lies ahead, we should keep in mind that changes and opportunities could come from the communities with which we have worked together along the way, and people shall not forget the potential that museums possess to speak up for communities, let alone their effort in human rights advocacy. It is hoped that there will be more people joining forces to synergize for human rights, so that we can march forward hand in hand.