Event

The Maine Tribal State Truth and Reconciliation Initiative, which hopes to host their own TRC, screened Greensboro: Closer to the Truth at a meeting of the Convening Group in October to help them develop some group cohesion and alignment of purpose. Lisa Magarrell of the International Center for Transitional Justice attended the meeting to help support the dialogue about developing a mandate they could all agree on. The meeting was a huge success and the group ended up presenting their draft Declaration of Intent to Maine's child welfare agency. This was the outcome of a pivotal discussion about how to engage with the state in the matter of a Truth and Reconciliation initiative of the event organizers explained: “The discussion that evolved during this two-day retreat really shaped the vision and hope for how the Tribes and State can join together to undertake the TRC together. The members of the Tribal communities are prepared to trust the truth-seeking process and invite the state child welfare agency to co-sign the Declaration of Intent.” This was an extremely significant decision that will “create opportunities for the State and Tribes to understand the context of past relations and how this context has impacted child welfare practice and relations between State and Tribal communities,” wrote one organizer. Screenings of the film in the five Tribal communities will begin in March 2010 to recruit participation in and feedback on the process.

Organizers explained that the small group to write the Declaration that followed the screenings was invaluable. “It laid the foundation for the convening group to move forward with both an understanding of the truth and reconciliation process and increased group cohesion,” one organizer explained. “This event really helped convening members align their intentions.” They moved forward in a spirit of full collaboration.