In addition to healing of memories workshops, our organisation periodically holds information and awareness-raising events, as well as more informal get-togethers, both for members and wider audiences.
TWO HEALING OF MEMORIES WORKSHOPS: ONE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THE OTHER FOR PRISON INMATES
In October 2024, a healing of memories workshop for the general public was held at the Centre d’accueil Clairefontaine in Belgium, a stone’s throw from the Luxembourg border. It brought together an audience from diverse backgrounds, accompanied by a team of our facilitators and hosted by Michael Lapsley, who was visiting Luxembourg.
Each participant was able to experience, or re-experience, this method created and tested in South Africa, but open to people around the world. In a tranquil setting, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, participants were able to revisit their own life journeys, to recognize the wounds and traces they have left behind, and to move forward, each at their own pace, on their healing journey. A gentle approach and active listening add a human dimension to the process that greatly encourages personal growth, both in terms of self-care and attention to others.
The group photo, taken at the end of the workshop, testifies to the warm atmosphere that developed between participants over the weekend.
Another Memory Healing workshop was held ten days later at the main Luxembourg prison (CPL). Thanks to the positive collaboration of the CPL management and services, and our partnership with the prison chaplaincy, some ten inmates were able to fully experience the workshop over three days. As on previous occasions, the engagement of the participants and their willingness to share their life stories and listen to the experiences of their fellow inmates were particularly touching and encouraging. Their comments at the end of the workshop clearly illustrate the positive impact of this experience. Here are a few examples:
– The workshop helped me overcome my problems and calm my fears.
– It’s heartwarming to be able to share, it’s like floating towards the light.
– I received many gifts and met new brothers with whom I can share.
– A very good experience that has given mé strength and courage.
LAUNCH OF THE FIRST AFRICAN-LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF MICHAEL LAPSLEY’S MEMOIR
Luxembourg is known as a cosmopolitan country where you can hear and speak almost any language in the world. This autumn, Michael Lapsley and Healing of Memories Luxembourg put the spotlight on a language that’s not so common in our region: Swahili. On the occasion of the launch of the translation of his memoir into this language widely spoken in East Africa, and published thanks to a collaboration between the Healing of Memories group in Goma (DRC) and our association in Luxembourg, Michael Lapsley spoke about his life and the origins of the Healing of Memories method. The audience was given an opportunity to hear the sound of the Swahili language as a member of the audience read an extract from the book.
Members of the Congolese and Ugandan communities in Luxembourg said how important this translation is to them: to be able to read Michael Lapsley’s account in their own language, and to be able to share his story and message with communities that might not read the book in French or English. This version joins the dozen editions already published since 2012, further extending the reach of Michael Lapsley’s message of peace and healing for people around the world.
2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Where the light enters
Healing of Memories Luxembourg held its Annual General Meeting on June 8, 2024. The meeting reviewed the activities of 2023 (see the Activity Report here), the outlook for 2024 and the relevant budgets. These items were approved by the members present. In addition to dealing with the usual statutory issues, the meeting voted to renew the executive committee. The outgoing members were all re-elected, and welcomed a new member, Laurent Lepany, also elected unanimously. The committee now comprises 9 members (see here).
The Wound is Where the Light Enters
As in 2023, our association took the opportunity to organize an event open to the general public. This year, it was the exceptional screening of a high-quality documentary film: The Wound is Where the Light Enters, by Indian-born director Dheeraj Akolkar. The film focuses on the experiences of 15 young Ugandans born of rape during the LRA and Kormojong conflicts in northern Uganda, who create a performance art piece based on their painful stories and memories. The experience itself, and the way it was filmed, make for a deeply moving documentary that is particularly meaningful in the healing of memories context.
Following the screening, we were fortunate to be able to exchange views via livestreaming with the film director and a trustee from Grace International, the organization behind the project presented in the short film. Our appeal for donations for Grace International raised over EUR 1,000, which our association topped up to EUR 1,500.
The presence of an interpreter, Georgia Darke, and our brand-new simultaneous translation equipment enabled everyone to fully enjoy the film and the ensuing discussion, despite some technical difficulties.
Thank you message from GRACE International :
Sincere thanks for your incredibly generous donation to GRACE from your film screening event in June.
This will really help extend the work of GRACE.
Many thanks again, and hopefully we can continue to keep in touch and find future opportunities to collaborate.
Best,
Rachel Canty
Global Reconciliation, Advocacy and Community-Building Engagement
in war-affected regions
SPECIAL EVENT ON 1 JULY 2023 :
A SUCCESS STORY
On the occasion of our Annual General Meeting
On 1 July 2023, at HOM-Luxembourg’s Annual General Meeting, we used a new format, which proved highly successful! It consisted of 2 parts:
– for members, the statutory General Meeting
– for the general public, launch of the
association’s new film and a personal
testimony.
The public part was packed out, and the whole event ended with a very enjoyable opportunity for socialising.
2023 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The AGM was attended by almost half our members and a number of others, interested in the association’s work. It provided an opportunity to take stock of our past activities and our prospects, and to note the extent of the work accomplished and in progress, as well as the soundness of our finances. You will find the 2022 Activity Report on this website.
“HEALING THE WOUNDS OF THE PAST” EVENT
A successful film launch
The short documentary film “Healing the wounds of the past: A project takes shape in Luxembourg” was premiered in the presence of its director, Eileen Byrne. A large audience was able to appreciate and comment on the film, which is sure to be a very useful means of publicising our work.
Personal testimony from Guy Dockendorf
The screening of the short film was followed by a talk by Guy Dockendorf, President of the International Mauthausen Committee, on the work of remembrance of the Nazi period and the Second World War in Luxembourg and other countries by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations, around the question “Is it possible to heal the wounds of the past?” The work done by camp survivors and their descendants is clearly linked to the work we do to raise awareness of the impact of the past on our present lives, and how to free ourselves from its painful aspects.
Photo gallery:
2022 Annual General Meeting
On 17 September 2022, Healing of Memories Luxembourg held its ordinary Annual General
Meeting in Luxembourg city.
The meeting opened with an account of the
10-day facilitator training session held in Cotonou in July 2022, which was the opening event of a renewable 5-year programme.
This major project for the promotion and development of healing of memories in francophone Africa is run jointly by the Institute for Healing of Memories (South Africa) and
Healing of Memories Luxembourg, with the support of the Partage Luxembourg Foundation
as well as the financial backing of the Luxembourg Government and the Foundation of the Grand-Duke and Grand-Duchess. You will find further details on the dedicated page.
The AGM participants approved the 2021 general and financial reports and elected the new
committee. All outgoing candidates were re-elected unanimously: Angela Borges, Patrick
Byrne, Paul Chahine, Esméralda Chupin, Javier García, Marie-Christine Ries, Valdemar Santos
and Cécile Thill.
The AGM ended with a Q&A session, followed by some food and drinks to end on a lighter
and informal note.
Healing of Memories Luxembourg – 2021 General Meeting
Healing of Memories Luxembourg held its first Ordinary General Meeting on 26 June 2021, barely seven months after its official establishment, which occurred at the Constituent Meeting on 28 November 2020.
The General Meeting took place in a warm andrelaxed atmosphere and was an opportunity to provide the members in attendance with an overview of the activities carried out by the Luxembourg / Europe Healing of Memories Support Group during the 12 years since Michael Lapsley’s first visit in 2008, and the work done by the new association since it was founded last November (see 2020 Activity Report).
Despite the difficult conditions resulting from the pandemic, the group made the most of 2020 to put in place the new structure. At the same time, its ‘routine’ activities continued, including a reunion of the participants of the December 2019 healing of memories workshop, held during the pandemic’s summer lull; a large number of facilitator training sessions at three levels, mainly by videoconference and moderated by Michael Lapsley from South Africa; preparation work for an online workshop, scheduled for 3-4 July 2021; co-facilitation of online workshops with co-workers from the Montreal Centre for Services in Restorative Justice; and preparations for a training programme for facilitators in French-speaking Africa, to be launched in July 2022.
The General Meeting was also an opportunity:
— to introduce the executive committee members elected in November 2020 for a period of two years (*), each of whom led a part the meeting;
— to provide an overview of the new organisation’s financial situation, while pointing out that the 2020 accounts were those of the former group and had already been approved at ACAT-Luxembourg’s AGM, held by videoconference on 24 April 2021;
— to remind everyone of what the healing of memories process involves – workshops open to anyone wishing to explore their personal wounds, based on painful memories, and take a first step towards healing; participants in the General Meeting watched a short film illustrating this, which was recently produced by the Montreal healing of memories group.
The General Meeting ended on a more informal note, with snacks and drinks.
(*) Patrick Byrne, chairman; Cécile Thill, secretary; Esméralda Chupin, treasurer; Javier García Alves, projects coordinator; Angela Cardoso Borges; Paul Chahine; Marie-Christine Ries; Valdemar Santos.