Doors will open at 13:30, allowing time to grab a cup of coffee or tea before taking a seat.

A brief overview of the conference’s objectives and themes.

Rémi Praud, Managing Director, LRE Foundation

Dr. Paweł Sękowski, representative of the Jagiellonian University (Institute of History)

The keynote will explore how the memory of WWII interacts with ongoing conflicts, focusing on the war in Ukraine and its documentation by historians and museums. This session will highlight the critical role of preserving historical narratives while building the memory of contemporary events, questioning how these layers of memory coexist and what risks emerge when new wars potentially overshadow the past. It will also examine how documenting wars in real time shapes future narratives and reflects evolving cultural memory practices. 

Yuriy Savchuk, Director of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War

This panel will examine the enduring responsibility of preserving WWII memory, the importance of continuing to uncover untold stories, and the challenges posed by rising intolerance and antisemitism. The discussion will explore how institutions and researchers balance the preservation of historical narratives with the need to educate and engage diverse audiences today. Drawing on examples, this session will consider how collective memory can remain a powerful tool for reflection, education, and justice.

• Adelina Hetnar, Head of the Educational Projects Department of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and State Museum – Poland 

• Victor-Jan Vos, Director Collections and Services, Institute for War, Holocaust- and Genocide studies (NIOD) – The Netherlands 

Moderator: Oriol López-Badell, coordinator of the European Observatory on Memories (EUROM – Spain) 

A 30 minutes break to grab a cup of coffee or tea

Representatives from the second, third, and possibly fourth generations will share their experiences of inheriting and interpreting WWII memory. This session will explore the emotional and societal responsibilities of carrying these stories forward, as well as the innovative ways families and communities ensure that historical awareness remains impactful and relevant today.

• Tania Szabo, daughter of SEO member Violette Szabo 

• Karolina Maczek, granddaughter of General Maczek 

• Noemie Lopian, daughter of Holocaust survivors Dr Ernst Israel Bornstein and Renee Bornstein 

Moderator: Larysa Michalska, Max Kopfstein Association / Humanity in Action Poland