The organization of exhibitions in partnership with Romanian and foreign institutions represents another priority for the CNSAS in order to raise the public awareness with regard to the repressive actions of the communist regime against innocent civilians. Exhibitions are usually organized as travelling exhibitions. Up to now, such exhibitions have been presented in many Romanian cities, such as Bucharest, Iaşi, Braşov, Cluj-Napoca, Timişoara, Constanţa, Oradea, Sibiu and other. For example, “The Securitate - an instrument of dictatorship”, „Second Life in Communism”, „Out of the Box. My Youth in Communism”, “The Writers’ Manuscripts in the Securitate Archives”, “Searching Freedom. Heroes without Glory” were well received by the general public in Romania.  

Another dimension of CNSAS strategy targeted the advancement of communist studies in Romania in the larger European context through projects coordinated by House of European History (HEH), Brussels, European Parliament, the last major project was „Restless Youth. 70 years of Growing up in Europe” (February 2019 – February 2020). 

A fruitful and sustainable collaboration was developed with Post-Modernism Museum Association (PMMA), Romania, which produces and promotes contemporary culture projects and develops cultural and visual arts research programmes like ”Mass culture in the «Golden Age» (1964-1989) – Cîntarea României & Cenaclul Flacăra”, „Rock Museum Archive” and other.

Educational Programs

At the same time, a Section of Educational Programs has been developed within the department in order to disseminate the results of the research carried out within CNSAS and contribute to the democratic consolidation in Romania via educational projects aimed at the younger generations and teachers of history.

The educational programs are oriented towards the organization of educational events, the participation in summer schools and the development of the tutoring program for students and master students, at the CNSAS headquarters or in the amphitheatres of the universities. The activities were carried out on the basis of partnerships concluded with the faculties in the fields of social sciences, humanities and arts in Romania and abroad, thus participating in the process of practical training of students, masters and doctoral students. These programs are integrated into a system of academic collaboration.

In addition, through the profile department, CNSAS provided support for students and teachers from the pre-university environment, organizing debates and interactive workshops in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Sibiu.

Photos taken during the internships, at the CNSAS headquarters

At the same time, the witness accounts by the victims of the communist dictatorship that access their files in the CNSAS archive represent precious testimonies for the future generations. In order to collect and preserve such memories, CNSAS has established in the year 2010 an Oral History Centre that bears the name of the late Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu, the initiator of Law 187/1999 and a prominent figure of the struggle for unveiling the crimes and violations of human rights of the former Securitate.

The Oral History Centre - CNSAS