Cora di Brazzà Foundation sets 2026 Memory Parlor in Philadelphia for July 22–23

The Cora di Brazzà Foundation will host a two-day program at the historic Philadelphia Masonic Temple to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and other milestones in peace-and-justice history. The event will examine intention, conscience, moral responsibility, and historical memory through talks, art, and cross-disciplinary discussion. Why it matters: - The 2026 Memory Parlor uses the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence as a launch point for debates about how declarations shape moral responsibility, political action, and historical memory. - The program brings together ethics, law, religion, philosophy, history, and peace studies in one public forum. - The event also ties U.S. history to Korean intellectual history, nuclear ethics, and questions about environmental rights and human dignity. What happened: - The Cora di Brazzà Foundation announced Shadow of Intention, a two-day interdisciplinary Memory Parlor set for July 22–23, 2026, at the historic Philadelphia Masonic Temple. - The program is timed to several anniversaries, including the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the 125th anniversary of Korean philosopher Ham Sok Hon’s birth, the 30th anniversary of the International Court of Justice advisory opinion on nuclear weapons, and the 25th anniversary of philosopher G.E.M. Anscombe’s death. - Featured participants include Clifton Truman Daniel, Stephen Rapp, Sandra Weber, Korean artist and philosopher Bum Sun Jun, and other invited scholars and public intellectuals. The details: - Day one, Intention and Action, will focus on moral responsibility, political action, and the meaning of intention. - Topics on day one include G.E.M. Anscombe’s philosophy, President Truman’s intention in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and intention in international law and atrocity crimes. - The program will also examine John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry through Brown’s 1859 “Declaration of Liberty.” - Participants will consider how Brown’s declaration may expand natural-rights thinking beyond political liberty to human dignity, stewardship of the land, and environmental rights, including access to clean air and water. - Day two, Asian Perspectives, will examine intention in Buddhist philosophy and Korean intellectual history. - Discussions on day two will address karma, ethical character, and Right Intention in the Noble Eightfold Path. - The program will also look at nuclear issues in East Asia through the lens of peace, moral responsibility, and historical memory. - A key text for day two is Ham Sok Hon’s July 4, 1953 “The Great Declaration,” translated into English for the first time by Dr. Won Kwang Paik. - Ham’s declaration opens with a direct reference to 1776 and links Korea’s search for renewal with broader revolutionary and religious history. - The event will include a display of Violet Oakley’s rare The Holy Experiment, a 1922 folio with 22 colored prints in a limited edition of 500 copies. - The folio presents Oakley’s mural cycle for the Pennsylvania State Capitol, including works from the Governor’s Reception Room and Senate Chamber. Between the lines: - The program frames “intention” as a bridge between private conscience and public consequence. - The title Shadow of Intention signals that declarations and actions can carry mixed motives and unintended outcomes. - The inclusion of Oakley’s work adds a visual argument for the idea that history can move toward unity, conscience, and peace. - The foundation is using anniversaries not as commemorations alone, but as entry points for present-day ethical questions. What’s next: - Registration is required. - More information and registration details are available at shadowofintention.com . - The Cora di Brazzà Foundation will continue its public-education mission around peace and justice history and philosophy. The bottom line: - The 2026 Memory Parlor turns a major Independence Day anniversary into a broader reflection on how societies justify action, remember conflict, and define moral responsibility.