Activities
Maribor WWII International Research Centre
The Maribor WWII International Research Centre was founded as a non-profit institution of private law in accordance with a memorandum to which the Republic of Slovenia and the Russian Federation were both signatories in February 2018. The aim of this joint memorandum is to develop good relations between the two countries in the hope of preserving historical memory about the great war and of these two nations’ struggles against the Nazi and fascist aggressors. The two nations aim to remind visitors about the horrors of Nazism and fascism and emphasize that preserving the historical memory of Slovenia’s and Russia’s efforts, and that closely studying questions of our common history remain the only means of addressing neo-Nazi uprisings and other forms of extreme thinking.
Since its very foundation on 5 December 2017, the Maribor IRC has researched the crimes of WWII along with a wide range of museums, research centres, institutions of science and culture, NGOs, representatives of academic communities, and with individual experts from Slovenia, Russia, and other countries. Over the past 2 years, the Maribor IRC has worked with the Russian embassy and the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Slovenia to hold 6 international conferences, attended by renowned researchers, historians, military strategies, and other public workers from 15 countries.
The Maribor IRC’s mission is in the following
Studying
Studying questions about WWII with an emphasis on preserving historical memory of the battle waged by the people of two countries against Nazi and fascist aggressors, and of the horrors committed by the Nazis and fascists during the great war, with the purpose of preventing the repeated rise of neo-Nazi and other harmful extremist ideologies.
Contribution
Contributing to the materialization of joint cultural and historical projects between the Republic of Slovenia and the Russian Federation.
Collaboration
Collaborating with museums, research centres, further institutions of science and culture, NGOs, representatives of academic communities, experts, local researchers, and other individuals interested in the topics listed above from Slovenia, Russia, and other countries.
Video presentation
The whole project is designed not only to serve as the site of a memorial, but primarily as a site of learning and education. It must remind us and shock us, at the same time its obligation must be to encourage optimism and the desire for a better future.
Events
International conference of veterans’ organizations from the Russian Federation and Slovenia
Maribor, 2000 Slovenija
Online Conference “PATH TO COMMON VICTORY- 75 YEARS OF A GREAT FEAT”
Partners
At the embassy’s request, the Maribor IRC and Museum is increasing its consortium of partners and concluding agreements with organized Russian and other foreign authoritative research and educational institutions, specialized NGOs, the National Liberation Museum, the University of Maribor, the Russian Historical Society, the Russian archival institute, and many others.