WHY MEMENTO?
The podcast that explores forgotten history and the duty of remembrance to fight against discrimination and indifference
I am Alice, a sound engineer, and 2020 marked the beginning of my adventure as an entrepreneur. I chose to offer my sound engineering services under the name "Les Belles Fréquences" , thus offering my skills for a variety of audio projects, whether podcasts, radio, audiovisual or musical productions.
Beyond my professional work, I also have a passion for personal sound creation. This is how I gave birth to Memento, a sound collection where I share my own creations around forgotten history, the duty of memory in order to fight against discrimination and indifference.
In our contemporary society, we are constantly confronted with the consequences of forgetting and indifference. Tragic events from the past continue to impact our present, but too often, we are tempted to relegate them to the dustbin of history. However, history teaches us that the ghosts of the past do not disappear so easily. They continue to haunt our societies, reappearing in new forms and fueling the injustices and prejudices that persist.
Memento is based on three fundamental pillars: tolerance, the duty to remember and the fight against indifference.
Tolerance, in its deepest form, manifests itself as a full acceptance of the differences that characterize each individual, whether cultural, religious, linguistic or ideological. It involves refraining from criticizing the thoughts, attitudes and behaviors of others, thus promoting a benevolent and respectful approach. Tolerance does not mean blindly accepting any behavior or ideology, but making informed choices about what is morally and ethically acceptable. It is through the recognition and appreciation of diversity that we can move towards more harmonious coexistence.
Showing tolerance, refusing speeches that incite hatred, racism, anti-Semitism, directly prevents the repetition of history and thus guarantees a better future, peaceful coexistence between communities and therefore a more peaceful society. Because yes, history has shown us how far hatred can lead, how far intolerance of difference can go.
Why is it important not to forget? Why should we preserve and enrich the collective memory of past events, give a voice to those who have been forgotten, teach and transmit the most important historical periods but also the lesser-known ones? The duty of remembrance is a fundamental principle that implies the collective responsibility to remember and commemorate past events, especially those marked by tragedies and injustices, in order to learn from them and prevent them from happening again.
The third pillar of Memento is the fight against indifference.
Yes, it is essential not to forget the past so as not to repeat the mistakes and atrocities of the past, but it is equally fundamental not to lose sight of the privilege we enjoy. We live in a region where human rights are widely respected and peace is relatively stable. This awareness should encourage us not to forget that many populations in the world continue to suffer persecution, violence, conflict and war. The struggles for identity, security and fundamental rights of vulnerable populations must be recognized and supported. As citizens, it is our duty to engage and make the voices of those in difficulty heard, paying particular attention to their needs and providing support where it is needed. In my opinion, this is the fight against indifference.
Indifference creates an environment in which abuse can continue with impunity, without question or intervention. It is a passivity that allows perpetrators to act without fear of consequences.
How do we move from indignation to indifference?
When images and stories of suffering are broadcast continuously, it can cause emotional saturation and desensitization of viewers. Initial emotions of outrage can fade, giving way to a sense of helplessness or apathy. When human tragedies are reduced to numbers, the gravity of the situation becomes more abstract. This creates emotional distance, making it difficult to connect with individual victims. Protracted conflicts, often trivialized by the media, can become normalized in public perception when reported only through simple facts.
The media therefore have a role to play: by choosing how to present the facts – by humanising the victims or focusing on sensationalist aspects – they can encourage compassion or reinforce indifference.
The fight against indifference is the battle of our time, a daily battle for the recognition of human dignity and the affirmation of our shared values. It is a call to action, to refuse complicit silence and to embrace solidarity and compassion. By refusing to look away from injustice and oppression, we stand up as defenders of justice and equality. It is by listening attentively to marginalized voices, by bearing witness with empathy to their struggles and by acting with determination for their cause that we become the architects of a more just and inclusive world.
By becoming aware of our shared history and recognizing the diversity of experiences and perspectives, we can build a more tolerant future.
