Program areas at VOC
Human rights - voc studies human rights in countries like cuba and venezuela, where Communism has led to widespread oppression. Through research, partnerships, and public outreach, voc aims to shed light on the human rights violations carried out by these regimes. Our recent efforts included publication of a groundbreaking "torture in cuba" report, analyzing 181 Victims tortured by the regime in the last 12 months, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods, which serves as the most comprehensive examination of havana's human rights crimes to date.
Victims of Communism museum - in june 2022 voc opened the world's first museum dedicated to telling the story of all 100 million Victims of Communism. Located two blocks from the white house, the museum features three permanent galleries, temporary exhibits, interactive games and films designed to reach younger audiences, and versatile event space. Exhibits bring witness stories to life, making the museum a valuable resource for students and international visitors. Temporary exhibits have included "tiananmen 1989," "cuban communist prison and "vaclav havel: from dissident to president."
Education - voc's educational initiatives focus on equipping educators with the tools to teach about Communism. We host continuing education seminars, in-service professional development workshops for middle and high school teachers, and provide interactive presentations for teacher and students on streamable learning. Voc published an expanded 4th edition of its curriculum. Voc's 3,600+ seminar and workshop alumni now reach more than 354,300 students in their classrooms each year. Voc's award-winning witness project mini-documentary series tells the cautionary and inspiring narratives of men and women who have witnessed Communism firsthand, giving a human face to the staggering number of Victims. They have received over one million views on youtube.china studies - voc's china studies program aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the chinese communist party's (ccp) aggressive nature and its threats to us national security. Through the annual china forum, scholarly research, and advocacy initiatives, voc brings together experts to discuss key issues in us-china relations. The program also focuses on exposing human rights violations carried out by the ccp, with a particular emphasis on uyghur forced labor in xinjiang. Our research exposed new evidence of forced labor in xinjiang, generating vast global media coverage and swift action from the u.s. and international policy communities.
Government relations - voc educates state legislatures, congress, the administration, and the diplomatic community through our educational programming, bipartisan congressional caucus, briefings, rallies, and congressional testimony.
Memorial - voc maintains the Memorial statue.
Witness program - focus on the ideology, history, and legacy of communist regimes through our witness project documentaries, public events, exhibitions, and educational videos. Voc's award-winning witness project mini-documentaries give a human face to the staggering number of Victims and force viewers to confront the human cost of Communism. All videos are housed on youtube, shared widely on social media, and screened internationally at conferences, film festivals, and high-profile events.