Will you be a part of the Interpret Europe conference 2025 from 11 to 14 April in Sulejowek, Poland?
Are you thinking about joining us for our next conference in April at the Józef Piłsudski Museum at Sulejówek.? Then here are many good reasons to do it!
Warsaw, often described as the ‘Phoenix City‘, has risen from the ashes of near-total destruction during World War II, reflecting the resilience and determination of the Polish people. This spirit of revival is deeply ingrained in Poland’s national character, shaping a culture of perseverance, innovation, and pride. This is evident in the meticulously reconstructed Old Town, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in vibrant cultural hubs like the POLIN Museum and the Warsaw Uprising Museum. The city’s dynamic blend of historic preservation and modern growth stands as a testament to Poland’s enduring strength and vitality. This and much more will be on our menu for the pre-conference tour and in some of the study visits – see the links below.
As always, there will of course be lively and enriching exchanges between colleagues in presentations and workshops. And we will also approach the conference topic in a variety of ways during our study visits, experiencing very different places in and around Warsaw.
These excursions offer a unique opportunity to engage directly with historical sites, cultural landscapes, and the narratives that have shaped them. Our study visits are designed to inspire, educate, and connect you with the essence of heritage interpretation. Join us in meeting small and large heroes, antiheroes and villains, famous or largely unknown.
What do apples have to do with the conference theme? and what tales does a river tell? Immerse yourself in the stories of people who were capable of great things in exceptional situations or who achieved incredible things despite great adversity. What strength was mustered by the population so that the Old Town of Warsaw can now be a UNESCO World Heritage Site? What stories and fates are connected to the Jewish history of Warsaw and what can they teach us today? Why is it so important to understand that the woman we all know as Marie Curie was not simply called Marie Curie but Marie Skłodowska-Curie? We look forward to going on a search for clues with you!
To ensure a personalised and engaging experience, each study visit has limited capacity. We encourage you to register early to secure your preferred options. You can find out more here:
https://www.interpreteuropeconference.net/study-visits/
We are also delighted that we have secured wonderful, inspiring keynote speakers. Marcin Napiórkowski, acting director of the Polish History Museum, will approach the question, Why do we still need heroes? Towards a polyphonic culture of memory. While Anna Kowalczyk, author of the bestseller, ‘The Missing Half of History. A Brief History of Women in Poland’, will raise the question, Where are our heroes? Maria Luz Martínez Seijo, member of the Spanish Congress and Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, will cover the broader European perspective. She will share with us the results of her and her colleagues’ work on Multiperspectivity in remembrance and history education for democratic citizenship. And Jurn Buisman, Secretary general of ICOMOS and member of Interpret Europe’s supervisory committee, will take us on a journey on how contested history related to monuments, sites and landscapes can be reinterpreted, approached and geared towards stimulating discussion.
These keynotes will be complemented by a special event. We are very much looking forward to a cinema evening with Sacha Dench, known as the ‘Human Swan’, who was named UN Ambassador for Migratory Species. She will take us on one of her trips with a focus on heroes and villains in the natural world and is looking forward to discussing the award-winning conservation film, Flight of the Swans, with us.
You can read more about our keynote speakers here: https://www.interpreteuropeconference.net/keynote-speakers/
If you would like to extend your stay in Poland, why not join the pre-conference tour in and around Warsaw: https://www.interpreteuropeconference.net/pre-conference-tour/.
You could also join the post-conference trip to Masuria – ‘Land of a thousand lakes’ – a serene region in northeastern Poland, celebrated for its stunning natural beauty. This will be the perfect place to help us relax after the intense conference days, and we can continue to enjoy informal chats with old friends and new by the tranquil lakes and in charming villages. Find out more here: https://www.interpreteuropeconference.net/post-conference-tour/
Do you want to know more about this year’s exciting event and how to register? You will find everything here: https://www.interpreteuropeconference.net/
And if you have any further questions, please contact our conference organizer, Anna Wachowiak, at: a.wachowiak@mjpws.pl
More general requests about the conference can be sent to IE’s Event Coordinator: bettina.lehnes@interpret-europe.net
We hope to see you soon in Poland for #iecon25!
To cite this article: Lehnes, Bettina (2024) ‘Heroes, anti-heroes and villains‘ in Interpret Europe Newsletter 4-2024, pg.23-24. Available online: https://interpret-europe.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Newsletter-2024_4.pdf
