La memoria de los huesos, by Facundo Beraudi

For over forty years, Argentina’s forensic archaeology team has been recovering and identifying the remains of missing persons in more than thirty countries. This documentary highlights the exceptional scientific work carried out by the archaeologists in the field, and highlights the vital role played by this research in bringing hope to the families of the missing. Restoring the identity of the victims enables their relatives to begin the process of mourning and remembering.

The screening is opened by a conference at 5.30 pm:

Archaeology, law and forensic science

For many years, archaeologists and anthropologists have been working with legal experts to study the traces left behind by mass crimes.

Conference from 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm: ‘Pushing back the frontiers of archaeology: forensic sciences in the service of human rights’ by Sévane Garibian and Luis Fondebrider

Sévane Garibian is a professor of law at the Universities of Geneva and Neuchâtel. She specialises in the legal treatment of contemporary mass crimes. In her research on the law and State crime, she draws on history, forensic archaeology and issues of memory. (presentation in French)

Luis Fondebrider is a forensic anthropologist. Founder of the Argentine forensic archaeology team, he has developed a field methodology that is used throughout the world to document and study mass graves resulting from mass violence. His fieldwork includes the missing from the dictatorship in Argentina, genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo and mass graves in Ukraine. (presentation in English)

The lecture will take place in the Aula of the University of Neuchâtel on 1 March, free admission.