How can museums move beyond symbolic gestures to actively practice decoloniality? With over 400+ members in 80+ countries, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC) supports museums, heritage sites and memory initiatives in advancing inclusive historical narratives, confronting colonial legacies, and fostering social justice.
Drawing on the rich experiences and varied approaches of ICSC members, this ICOM Talk highlighted diverse, context-specific approaches to decoloniality and introduce practical methodologies developed to support museums in practicing decoloniality. With contributions by: Justine di Mayo, Elena del Hoyo and Parusha Naidoo. We also welcomed two of the participants of the 'Addressing the Silences' project: Dr. Jenn Edginton, Museum Director at the Illinois State Museum, and Jose Burgos, Chief External Affairs Officer bij het Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
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About the speakers
Justine Di Mayo is a transitional justice specialist with 18 years of experience in post-conflict settings, primarily across the MENA region. Her work is grounded in a strong commitment to locally driven and participatory approaches to truth-seeking, justice, and reconciliation. Over the course of a decade living and working in Lebanon, she co-founded and led a human rights organization focused on documenting the missing and disappeared, supporting affected families, and fostering community-based dialogue and reconciliation. She has provided technical support to civil society organizations on community-led documentation, psychosocial support, women’s participation in peacebuilding, and grassroots memorialization as tools for reparation and local healing. Since 2021, Justine has served as Senior Program Manager at the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, managing the Europe and West Asia and North Africa networks. In this role, she supported museums and heritage sites in correcting exclusionary narratives, promoting recognition of historical injustices and their lasting impacts, and creating spaces for critical reflection and dialogue to strengthen social cohesion.
Parusha Naidoo is passionate about sharing stories of meaningful impact, transformation and connection. With close to 10 years of working in transitional justice and peacebuilding, Parusha has extensive experience in project management and design, community consultations, primary research, training facilitation and monitoring, evaluation and learning. Her work at ICSC has spanned thematic areas of forced migration, political regression and racial justice and she has co-led projects in Sudan and the Gambia related to supporting the participation of local civil society organizations in transitional justice processes. As communications manager, Parusha works at the intersection of programs, evaluation, advocacy and development.
She holds a M.A. in Global Affairs, with a specialization in Peace Studies, from the University of Notre Dame (USA) and an Honors Degree in Justice and Transformation from the University of Cape Town (South Africa). Prior to joining ICSC, Parusha worked at the Life & Peace Institute in Kenya and in South Africa she worked at various entities including the Restitution Foundation, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation and the Human Sciences Research Council.
Elena del Hoyo specializes in transforming memory-centered and heritage-based grassroots organizations and institutions into agents of social change. She approaches critical heritage as a combative discipline with the power to intervene in existing power dynamics and navigate increasingly complex social contexts, amplifying voices often excluded from dominant historical narratives. With extensive experience supporting and implementing global initiatives across Asia-Pacific, Latin America, MENA, and Europe, she holds expertise in co-creational, inclusive, and bottom-up approaches to member and stakeholder engagement and participation. Elena has also managed sub-granting processes for dozens of organizations, providing guidance throughout the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of their projects.
With an academic background in memorialization, critical heritage studies, and international affairs, she is particularly interested in dissonant heritage, the ethics of commemoration, and the contemporary political uses of the past.
Dr. Jenn Edginton (she/her/hers) has over 20 years of experience working in museums. She is currently the Museum Director at the Illinois State Museum. Her work and research focuses on working collaboratively with communities to create new experiences in museums, and Indigenizing museums and museum practices. She firmly believes museums should be for everyone and can be places of healing, hope, and joy.
Jose Burgos is the Chief External Affairs Officer at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. He is a public servant, strategist, and community builder leading statewide outreach efforts that connect people to nature, culture, and belonging. A former teacher and Champion Coach award winner, he brings the same relational mindset to public service: listen deeply, act with care, and build trust that lasts.