Jerzy Giedroyc Day
What role do history and memory play in Central and Eastern Europe today? Which elements of Jerzy Giedroyc’s legacy and the intellectual tradition of the Paris-based Kultura remain relevant to the way we think about Poland and its neighbours? And how do experiences of the past shape relations between the nations of the region today?
These questions will be at the heart of Jerzy Giedroyc Day, taking place on 8 October 2026. The programme includes meetings and workshops for young people, as well as two public debates featuring scholars and experts from Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine and Belarus.
For decades, Jerzy Giedroyc and the circle around the Paris-based Kultura developed a way of thinking about Poland as part of a wider region whose future also depended on its relations with its neighbours. Jerzy Giedroyc Day will provide an opportunity to revisit this intellectual legacy from the perspective of the challenges facing Central and Eastern Europe today.
Programme
3:00–4:30 p.m. | The Intellectual Legacy of Kultura in Shaping Central and Eastern Europe
The debate will feature Bogumiła Berdychowska, Prof. Alfredas Bumblauskas, Taciana Niadbaj and Dr Mykola Riabchuk. The discussion will be moderated by Wojciech Konończuk.
5:00–6:30 p.m. | History versus Memory in 21st-Century Central and Eastern Europe
Dr Łukasz Kamiński, Dr Alvydas Nikžentaitis, Prof. Andrij Portnov and Dr Anton Saifullayeu will discuss the significance of history and memory for contemporary societies across the region. The debate will be moderated by Krzysztof Niewiadomski.
7:00–7:30 p.m. | Piano Recital by Marek Tomaszewski
NOTE: Participation requires a free admission ticket, available from the Polish History Museum website. The number of tickets is limited.
An earlier, closed part of the event will be dedicated to young people. The programme will include, among other activities, a meeting with Anna Bernhardt from the “Kultura” Literary Institute, a Polish Radio documentary entitled The Last Summer in Maisons-Laffitte, a discussion, workshops and a guided tour of the exhibition What Is This Queue For? The Polish People’s Republic Reflected in Music.
