Memory, commemoration and memory activism

events Programme

In the first quarter of 2025, we implemented a two-part series of events dedicated to memory activism, which took place in Warsaw (20–21 February) and Krakow (27 March). Both meetings were aimed at different audiences – from scholars and educators to artists and activists – and aimed to build a space for dialogue on memory, commemoration and civic engagement in contemporary Europe.

A two-day workshop at the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews brought together heritage professionals, NGO representatives, educators and young and intermediate researchers. The meeting was co-organized with a grassroots academic initiative focused on the subject of the Holocaust. The aim of the workshop was to support the exchange of experiences and research results on memory activism. It was organized in cooperation with a grassroots initiative of young and intermediate researchers who strive to build a supportive environment for early and intermediate researchers working on Holocaust-related topics from different methodological and institutional perspectives. It was an opportunity to introduce the topic of memory activism to this group and network, present the research results conducted by some of the consortium partners in the framework of a previous EU-funded project and train them in methods and approaches based on memory activism. The workshop programme included seven thematic sessions, a field session and workshops led by the Zapomniane Foundation. Topics discussed included memory activism related to places and spaces (e.g. former ghettos), maps activating social engagement (e.g. Yizker Bicher as Holocaust testimonies), as well as challenges related to identifying and commemorating unmarked burial sites of Holocaust victims. In the evening of 20 February, participants attended the launch of Justyna Majewska’s book “Mury i kratki. Przestrzenie getta warszawskiego” at the Jewish Historical Institute.

The second part of the series took place in Krakow and was addressed to artists, curators, social activists and people working with cultural heritage. The event began with a theatre performance “Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła / Poland Is Not Yet Lost”, followed by a training session and a moderated discussion with the creators of the performance, led by Dr. Aleksandra Kumala. Participants discussed the role of art in shaping social memory, the possibilities and limitations of artistic interventions, and how artistic activities can become a form of civic engagement. The meeting ended with a networking session.

The series of workshops was an important element of the ReActMem project, supporting transnational dialogue on memory activism, art, and heritage. The meetings created a space for the exchange of experiences, initiated new relationships, and deepened reflection on contemporary challenges related to collective memory and its commemoration.

📸 Vira Kosina