Stakeholders’ Meeting

events Programme

Urban Memory Foundation organised a two-day meeting in Gdańsk dedicated to the exchange of knowledge and experiences related to rescuing, interpreting and activating difficult heritage. The event brought together project partners, NGO representatives, museum professionals, educators, researchers, community leaders and memory activists from several European countries. Through study visits, working sessions, curatorial meetings and participation in a commemorative ceremony, participants explored different approaches to public remembrance and heritage engagement.

The first day focused on institutional learning and project exchange. Participants visited the European Solidarity Centre, where they took part in a guided tour of the permanent exhibition and discussions on civic engagement, community participation and democratic heritage. These conversations provided an opportunity to reflect on how museums and cultural institutions can connect historical narratives with contemporary social action.

In the afternoon, participants gathered at the Amber Museum for a project working session. Partners shared experiences from their ongoing activities, discussed challenges related to difficult heritage and exchanged examples of good practice. The meeting also included discussions on the development of the Rescue Memory Handbook, as well as reflections on new approaches to commemoration, including green commemorations and initiatives connected to the Jewish cemetery in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz.

The second day focused on curatorial practice and community-based remembrance. At the Museum of the Second World War, participants explored exhibition strategies dealing with complex and contested histories. Discussions with Mateusz Jasik, Deputy Director for Public Outreach, addressed questions of institutional responsibility, curatorial independence and the pressures that museums may face when presenting politically sensitive historical narratives.

The programme continued with a visit to the Museum of Gdańsk and a curatorial tour of the exhibition Our Boys, led by curator Andrzej Hoja. The visit encouraged reflection on public responses to difficult historical subjects and on the responsibilities involved in presenting controversial or emotionally charged histories.

The meeting concluded with participation in a commemorative ceremony at the historic Jewish cemetery in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz. Participants learned about the history of the cemetery and ongoing efforts to restore its visibility and significance. A particularly meaningful contribution came from Rebecca Lillian, a descendant of people buried at the cemetery, who shared her personal perspective on the site and its importance for descendants of Gdańsk’s Jewish community. The programme also included the El Malei Rachamim memorial prayer, presentations of local commemoration initiatives and an artistic performance by saxophonist Mikołaj Trzaska together with the ensemble Remont Pomp.

For those who wished to continue the exchange, the event concluded with an optional Shabbat service and shared dinner at the synagogue. By combining institutional perspectives, grassroots initiatives and community-led remembrance, the meeting strengthened collaboration among participants and contributed to the development of new approaches to heritage preservation, memory work and civic commemoration across Europe.

Photos: Łukasz Głowala, Michalina Kurdelska - MIIWŚ, Aga Jabłońska.