On 16 May 2023, the IPN headquarters were visited by representatives of the Estonian archives and institutions of memory. It was an opportunity for the IPN to share experience in the area of justice in the transition period, archival research and commemoration of the victims of both German and Soviet totalitarian regimes. The visit at the Institute was organized by the IPN Office of International Cooperation.
The guests were welcomed by the Deputy President of the IPN Prof. Karol Polejowski, who presented the IPN mission and stressed the significance of persecuting the communist perpetrators as well as commemorating the victims of the oppression. He underlined that our similar experiences of the past make our cooperation friendlier and easier, and removing communist relics from the public space in Poland has intensified after the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The meeting was attended by heads of Estonian institutions in charge of remembrance policy including the National Archivist of Estonia Priit Pirsko, the Director of the Estonian Institute of Historical Memory Meelis Maripuu, Ph.D., the Director of the Estonian National Museum Kertu Saks, the Board Member at Saaremaa Museum Rita Valge, the Director of the Estonian War Museum – General Laidoner Museum Hellar Lill, the representative of the Research Centre and Museum of Crimes of Communism at Patarei Martin Andreller, a representative of the Polish Embassy in Tallin Sławomira Borowska-Peterson and Katarzyna Tomczyńska-Zdulska from the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Reaching the young generation is for us an important challenge. That’s why our New Technology Division created an interactive game that is now recommended for the educators to include in the school’s curriculum, said Prof. Karol Polejowski
The Director of the IPN Office of International Cooperation Agnieszka Jędrzak discussed initiatives aimed at promoting Polish history abroad, and focused on the “Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom” project as a model for remembrance policy. She mentioned also about the new immersive version of the exhibition displayed at the Congress of National Remembrance that attracted over 20.000 people.
Marzena Kruk, the Director of the IPN Archive, presented its activities including the records management and their availability. The Estonian guests expressed their interest in exchanging copies of archival documents and cooperation regarding research and publications.