Kalniete: Parliament supports funding for memorial to victims of totalitarianism in Brussels

Today, October 22, the European Parliament voted by a convincing majority to support the proposal of the European Parliament's History Group to include funding in the 2026 EU budget for a memorial to the victims of 20th-century totalitarian regimes in Brussels. It is planned to be built next to the European Parliament on the Solidarność 1980 esplanade, based on the Echo in Time project by Tszwai So, an architect at the British firm Spheron Architects.

Sandra Kalniete MEP (Latvia), emphasizes: "The European Parliament played a leading role in the creation of the House of European History. Now it is time for the next step, to create a European-wide memorial dedicated to the victims of 20th-century totalitarian regimes - fascism, Nazism, and communism. The Parliament's vote to allocate funding confirms our unwavering joint commitment to preserving historical memory and defending democracy, human dignity and the rule of law. It sends a powerful message that Europe remembers the dark history of the 20th century and its victims. It is our shared history that continues to guide us in our decisions about our common future.”

The creation of the memorial in Brussels is being organised by the non-governmental organization Memory and Conscience Platform, which works closely with the European Parliament. The Parliament's History Group unanimously supports the memorial and is committed to helping to implement it in practical terms – not only by cooperating with officials from the Brussels region and city, but also by helping to attract funding from European Union funds.

"The idea of architect Tszwai So, winner of the 2023 architectural competition for the Memorial to the Victims of Totalitarianism, is impressive. It is similar to the memorial in Riga at the Museum of Occupation, where the signatures of women imprisoned in the Gulag, embroidered on imprisoned Mērija Stakle's handkerchief, have been transferred to metal with documentary precision. Tszwai So intends to give a voice to those repressed by the communist regime by documenting and reproducing their letters to loved ones on the square's pavement. With humble respect, he gives a voice to millions of people who will speak to us in different languages from the past," says Sandra Kalniete.

More about the memorial project: https://memorialbrussels.eu/