Monuments and racist heritage in public areas

First phase of the project

The first phase of the project involved commissioning a study from professors Mohamed Mahmoud Mohamedou and Davide Rodogno of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID). This study identified the monuments and symbols present in public areas within the City of Geneva referring to personalities who encouraged racism, in particular anti-black racism, and colonialism.

This first phase, overseen by the Agenda 21 – Sustainable City Service and the External Relations and Communication Service, was monitored by a working group comprising representatives of the Collectif Afro-Swiss (CAS), the Carrefour de réflexion et d’action contre le racisme anti-Noir (CRAN), the Université populaire africaine en Suisse (UPAF) and various services of the City of Geneva. This group determined the scope of the IHEID study and accompanied its implementation until its publication on 1 March 2022.

Second phase of the project

The second phase of the project aims to define the solutions that could be introduced to meet remembrance needs while combating the racism represented by the monuments identified, and to implement these solutions gradually within a framework of open dialogue which will continue to bring together all the associations directly concerned by the issue.

By the end of 2022, the first tangible actions will be opened to consultation by the City of Geneva, calling on the civil society, the academic and political milieus, the heritage sector and the public administration of the City, the Canton and any other municipalities interested.

In the meantime, the City intends to promote the ongoing thought process publicly through temporary artistic happenings focusing on certain monuments. These events, still to be defined, should help make the general public more aware of these issues.

Events

Between March and May 2021, four public events were organised by the City of Geneva to initiate dialogue on the issue, within the framework of Equality Week and Anti-Racism Week in the City of Geneva, bringing together different cities facing similar situations at the Musée d'ethnographie de Genève (MEG).

To accompany the launch of the second phase, two round tables will be held on 7 March 2022 at the Maison de la Paix, as part of the Geneva International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH), and on 23 March 2022 as part of Anti-Racism Week in the City of Geneva.

From January 25 to June 20, 2024, the Geneva Library and the House of History of the University of Geneva are organizing, as part of the Délices meetings, a cycle entitled "Colonial Geneva? Memories and heritage".

From May 3, 2024 to January 5, 2025, the Geneva Museum of Ethnography (MEG) is organizing a temporary exhibition entitled "Memoirs. Geneva in the colonial world".

For more information on the events that took place and to rewatch them, you can consult:
• the 2021 Equality Week program;
• the replay page for Anti-Racism Week 2021 as well as its program;
• the page dedicated to the round table that took place at the MEG in May 2021;
• the dedicated video page for the 2022 edition of the FIFDH;
• the replay page for Anti-Racism Week 2022.
 

An audio documentary series, entitled “Decolonizing the city” and supported by the Agenda 21 – Sustainable City Service, was produced by Chahut Média on the theme.

Realisations

Discover all the actions carried out so far within the framework of the project:

• August Christoph Carl Vogt (1817-1895): following renovation work on the Bastions university building initiated by the Canton of Geneva, the bust of Genevan scientist and politician Carl Vogt has been temporarily removed from its usual location, in front of the entrance to the building. In March 2023, an information panel was installed near the site to inform the population about it. The panel can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.

Project management

The approach was initiated as part of the 2020 town hall year of Mr. Sami Kanaan, Administrative Advisor in charge of culture and digital transition. It is managed by the Agenda 21 – Sustainable City service, jointly with the Department of Culture and Digital Transition. 

Rectification

Contrary to the indication appearing in the study cited above and in the database of geographical names of the canton of Geneva consulted at the time of its writing, according to the Order of the Council of State in force of 06.07.1988, the Rue Butini does not honor a family, including Ami and Jean-François Butini cited in the study, but Adolphe-Pierre Butini (1792-1877).