How do we, as individuals and societies, confront and learn from the uncomfortable truths of our shared history, especially when they involve acts of immense cruelty?

Leopold II's legacy forces us to grapple with the uncomfortable truth that progress and barbarity can coexist, often perpetrated by the same figures or systems. Reflecting on this helps us understand the complexities of historical narratives and the importance of critical inquiry, rather than accepting sanitized versions of the past. It prompts us to consider our own roles in confronting injustice, both historically and in contemporary contexts, and to question narratives that glorify power without acknowledging its human cost.