Visit of the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Moldova
The Mieroszewski Centre hosted Cristian Jardan, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Moldova, who accompanied President Maia Sandu during her official visit to Poland.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss ways of deepening cooperation between Poland and Moldova, particularly in the areas of historical memory, research into twentieth-century heritage, and countering disinformation.
During the discussions, it was emphasized that history in Central and Eastern Europe is no longer solely the domain of academic research. Increasingly, it has become a tool of information warfare. Russia consistently exploits historical narratives to undermine the sovereignty of states in the region, legitimize its imperial policies, and destabilize societies through disinformation and the manipulation of collective memory.
For this reason, commemorating the victims of Soviet repression, conducting rigorous research on the experience of totalitarianism, and protecting archives and historical testimonies are today not only symbolic and moral imperatives, but also strategic ones. They constitute one of the foundations for building resilient, informed democratic societies capable of identifying and countering hostile information narratives.
The talks also addressed opportunities for institutional cooperation in the implementation of educational, research, and cultural projects that strengthen regional dialogue, foster a shared understanding of history, and enhance the information resilience of societies in Central and Eastern Europe.
“The visit of the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Moldova to the Centre went beyond standard diplomatic protocol. It was an opportunity for an in-depth and candid discussion on ways to support Moldova in activities related to broadly understood memory policy,” emphasized Dr. Maciej Wyrwa of the Mieroszewski Centre.
“We cooperate with the Moldovan Council of Memory, which is responsible for developing strategies and coordinating activities in this field. Mutual visits have allowed us to better understand both the scale of needs and the wide range of possibilities for further cooperation. The memory of Soviet repression is undoubtedly what unites us.”
In 2026, the 80th anniversary of the famine caused by the authorities of the Soviet Union in Moldova will be commemorated—a tragedy that claimed between 150,000 and 200,000 lives. We want to tell the story of this tragic experience in Poland, while at the same time presenting Polish history in Moldova. An important topic of the discussions was also the strengthening of existing memory institutions and the creation of new ones in Moldova. Poland has rich and unique institutional experience in this area, which we wish to share with our Moldovan partners.
These activities are fully in line with the mission of the Mieroszewski Centre, which aims to support dialogue, research, and international cooperation in the region, and to build lasting foundations for stability, security, and the democratic development of Poland’s eastern neighbourhood.
