CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS: Stories on the Personal and Collective Significance of Memorialisation

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The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is launching a call for contributions for articles and multimedia stories related to the theme of memorialisation.

Illustration: BIRN

As we continue to grapple with the legacy of past conflicts and atrocities, the importance of memorialisation and acknowledging the victims of war crimes cannot be overstated. Through this call, we hope to shed light on the various ways that communities, governments, and civil society are grappling with this difficult history.

This call is inspired by BIRN’s Bitter Land Mass Graves Project, a unique multimedia resource about mass graves from the Yugoslav wars. We encourage contributors to read the project’s reporting for inspiration, and to submit stories that build upon and expand on these findings.

We invite journalists/photo-journalists, photographers, videographers, and multimedia storytellers to submit stories that explore topics such as:

  • The significance of memorialisation in different cultural and political contexts
  • The challenges and controversies surrounding memorialisation efforts
  • The ways in which communities and individuals are reclaiming and preserving their histories and memories
  • The role of technology in finding and investigating mass graves
  • The impact of mass graves on families and communities, and the efforts to seek justice and accountability
  • The role of civil society and non-governmental organisations in advocating for the recognition and commemoration of mass graves.

Contributions can be in the form of written articles, photo essays or any other multimedia format. Please note that all contributions will be subject to editorial review and selection.

To submit a contribution, please email us at [email protected] with the subject line Call for Contributions on Memorialisation with a brief pitch or synopsis of your story, along with any relevant background or supporting material.

Please note that the deadline for this project is short and contributions will need to be submitted by April 12, 2023.