Sites of Memory

Memory sites are public gathering places where people express "a collective shared knowledge... of the past, on which the sense of unity and individuality of a community is built."

The group that visits these sites acquires prior meanings associated with the event, as well as adding new ones. This action is critical for memory site presentation and preservation. Memory sites lose their initial resilience and can fade totally when these groups disperse or disappear. The disadvantage of memory sites is that they serve as a reference point not only for people who have experienced catastrophic events, but also for those who were born decades afterwards.