The Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson invited the governments of more than 40 countries to take part in the Stockholm International Forum: Truth, Justice and Reconciliation on 23–24 April. The conference discussed how truth and justice are related to reconciliation.

The conference gave governments, the research community and professional groups concerned the opportunity to exchange views and experience on the subject of reconciliation. When is reconciliation possible, how can it be achieved and by what means?

The last decade in particular saw a growing call for accountability, not just from states, but also from individuals at all levels, following authoritarian rule and massive human rights violations. No one is beyond the reach of justice. Truth commissions and ad hoc international tribunals have been established.

Yet we do not know enough about how reconciliation works in complex political, social and psychological processes. The conference did not pretend to present any solutions but hopefully contributed to deeper insights into the arduous and long-term character of reconciliation. Although there are no models, we have examples to learn or to draw inspiration from. The conference examined ways in which reconciliation initiatives can be created, how societies can be involved and mobilised and ultimately whether and how former enemies can find common ground and live together after intractable conflicts.

Reconciliation raises moral and existential dilemmas and touches all parts of society: How much truth can a society digest about its past, how far can the quest for justice be carried, without jeopardising the prospects for future reconciliation? Individuals are faced with many choices – to seek revenge, to forget or to forgive – in their efforts to come to terms with the past.

The focus of the conference this year was truth, justice and reconciliation but our endeavours to encourage education about the Holocaust continue unabated, as does the relentless fight against intolerance, racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia. Learning the lessons of the past is a never-ending task.