Memory and History

Getting involved...
WITNESSES’ MEMORY
historians’ questions 

Enter the historian's workshop!

With microphones and cameras in hand, we will meet people who have been involved in various solidarity movements from the 1970s to the present day. What motivated them? What were the concrete effects of their mobilisation? How can their words and experiences be reproduced in a historical documentary? How can their words be analysed in the light of archival sources?  

The "History and Memory" workshop allows you to go behind the scenes of historical research, to learn the methods of interviewing historical witnesses, to understand the relationship between the historian and the memory of the actors of the past, and to acquire skills in digital storytelling. Finally, you will create a short historical film - (6-7 minute video)- mixing the voice of the witness with your own to contextualise their experience, while enriching the narrative with archival material.  

A series of two-month workshops organised between September 2023 and April 2024 for secondary II students (but also open to secondary I students) as part of the classroom curriculum. 

Educators and teachers are invited to contact the workshop leader, Renata Latała 
renata.latala@unige.ch

Workshops' facilitator and coordinator Renata Latała


Below you will find information about our workshops and events.

Tous ensemble! Tous ensemble! – La rue solidaire


Les dernières décennies du XXe siècle ont été marquées par de nombreuses mobilisations solidaires dont les acteurs et les actrices sont encore parmi nous. En descendant dans la rue, en marchant côte à côte, ils et elles cherchent à dénoncer les injustices, à manifester pour la paix, à défendre les libertés ou à protester contre telle ou telle mesure. Les courts métrages présentés questionnent ces engagements au travers de rencontres avec les témoins et la lecture de documents d’archives.
Une séance de projection des films documentaires réalisés par les élèves de la classe de IVe du collège Calvin a eu lieu le 18 avril 2024 dans le cadre du Festival Histoire et Cité 

Organisation et conception :  
Renata Latała (University of Geneva)
et Robin Majeur (Collège Calvin)

Swiss Solidarity During the Cold War



We invite you to watch short historical films made by 4th grade high school students of the College Calvin in Geneva between January and March 2021.
These films are the personal work of students who, by means of an original and duly contextualised testimony, propose their personal reflection on commitment in the context of the Cold War.
These short films were presented at the University of Geneva on 6 May 2021.  

Preparation and coordination:  
Renata Latała (University of Geneva)
et Robin Majeur (Collège Calvin)