The EuMePo Jean Monnet Network, organized by ELTE RC2S2, held its international closing conference in Budapest, Hungary, between 14-16 June 2023. The EuMePo Conference brought together researchers to explore various aspects of memory politics and remembrance especially in Europe but putting it into an international context. A special feature of the conference was the participation of eighteen students from the Study Tour in European Memory Politics. The conference program encompassed a wide range of presentations and discussions, providing a comprehensive platform for knowledge exchange and critical analysis.
Panel I, funded by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Canada, examined memory politics in a regional perspective, specifically focusing on the potential emergence of a new East-West divide. Panel II, which delved into the theme of commemorating the past across Europe and explored remembrance and memorialization in education. The first day concluded with an IWalk tour led by the Zachor Foundation for Social Remembrance and followed by a Youth Panel funded by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Canada where students and established scholars were engaged in follow-up activities. On the second day, the conference continued with a “sightseeing tour” in the world of automated text analytics presented by the ELTE Research Center for Computational Social Science. Panel IV examined the concept of intergenerational trauma after violence, focusing on memory, narrative, and agency among vulnerable populations. In the afternoon, participants visited the House of Terror to gain a deeper understanding of the local context of memory politics. The day concluded with Panel V, which continued the exploration of intergenerational trauma after violence, emphasizing remembrance, reconciliation, and resilience. The final day of the conference, began with Panel VI, which examined the dynamics of remembrance and amnesia, and the silences within memorialization processes. Panel VII shifted the focus to museums and memorialization, exploring how collective memory is manifested in these spaces. The conference concluded with a field exploration of Hungarian memory politics with a guided tour to the Monument of National Martyrs, Memorial of National Unity, and Liberty Square. Overall, the EuMePo Conference served as a vital platform for interdisciplinary discussions and critical analysis of memory politics, remembrance, and memorialization in Europe.