Lieu de Mémoire Closes 2024 with a Focus on Roma History and Memory
The Lieu de Mémoire is concluding 2024 with a series of events dedicated to reflection and education, reinforcing its role as a key site for historical transmission. After the success of its Varian Fry exhibition, which drew over 8,200 visitors, the institution joined the regional “Month for the Roma” initiative, offering a range of programs to deepen public understanding of Roma history and contemporary issues.
On November 2, Théophile Leroy, a doctoral researcher, delivered a lecture on the persecution of “nomads” and Roma before and during the Second World War. The event attracted an engaged audience of around 60 attendees, highlighting a lesser-known chapter of wartime history. A week later, William Acker, General Delegate of the National Association of Citizen Travelers, led a discussion on the discrimination that Roma communities continue to face today. His insights prompted a thought-provoking exchange on the persistence of prejudice in modern society.
The Lieu de Mémoire also hosted a professional training day on November 13, bringing together educators and cultural practitioners from the Clermont region. The event, titled “Memory of Roma Persecution: Music, Orality, and Transmission,” featured scholars and Roma artists who shared their expertise on teaching and preserving the Roma community’s experiences. For the educators in attendance, the day provided fresh perspectives and tools to approach this sensitive history with younger audiences.
Throughout the year, the Lieu de Mémoire has expanded its scope, connecting past and present through a lens of tolerance and social justice. Its focus on themes such as prejudice, racism, and discrimination underscored the institution’s commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue around difficult histories.
The closing weeks of the year are marked by the ongoing Sillages exhibition, a mobile installation created by the National Museum of the History of Immigration. Exploring themes of migration and cultural resilience, the exhibition is available for free viewing until December 20.
In an effort to make the exhibition more accessible, the Lieu de Mémoire has extended its December schedule. For the first time since its opening, the site is welcoming individual visitors midweek, offering free self-guided visits on Wednesdays and guided tours on Thursdays and Fridays.
The Lieu de Mémoire au Chambon-sur-Lignon received the European Heritage Label in 2019.
