ANTHROPOLOGIST SANDRA ROJO FLORES: “THE PRESERVATION OF MEMORY IS THE ESSENCE OF RECONCILIATION”
Sandra Rojo Flores, anthropologist at the Observatory of Cultural Prospective, Granada University,
How do you see the initiative to create the museum of the Rif?
This is very important and positive initiative for several reasons. It will no doubt contribute to preserving the memory of the region and consolidating reconciliation. What caught my attention in this scientific symposium is the strong academic participation, in addition to the participation of a large number of people who share love for and work for the interest of the region. This is very important because, even in Spain, we are not used to such participation in meetings that deal with this kind of subjects.
During the symposium, the question of Moroccan archives abroad was raised. Do you think it’s time for Morocco to ask for its archives back from Spain or other countries?
I think that Morocco has the right to access its archives. This issue should not be a subject of conflict or confrontation. On the contrary, this heritage must be shared to the benefit of both the Moroccans and Spaniards, for one simple reason: we cannot deny or overlook the common memory and the long history shared by the two countries.
How can the preservation of memory consolidate reconciliation?
The preservation of memory is the essence of reconciliation. Indeed, overcoming the problems of the past necessarily requires the recognition of this past to integrate it in the local, national or even the international heritage. If we do not recognize the past, we risk making the same mistakes again.