On 27 July, at the Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents, representatives of the authorities of the Małopolska (Lesser Poland) county and the Oświęcim district signed an agreement for the county to take over the running of the museum from 1 August.
“We were able to work out a joint project between the Marshal’s Office and the Oświęcim District Head, in which it is difficult to find a place where anyone loses. Everyone gains in some sense,” emphasised Małopolska County Marshal Witold Kozłowski in his speech.
“Weighing all the pros and cons, the board of the Oświęcim district, as well as the council, decided that it would be better for the development of this place, given the experience of the Marshal’s office in running cultural institutions, if the institution in charge was the Małopolska County. We have worked out the details, and today the agreement is on the table,” said Oświęcim District Head Andrzej Skrzypiński.
MEP Beata Szydło, who initiated the creation of the museum, told those in attendance that she very often hears in various places, not only in Warsaw, voices mentioning the Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents as one of the most beautiful and modern museums in Poland.
“Let us be proud of this facility. I hope that it is now entering a new phase, that it will develop even more dynamically, that it will be a meeting place for all residents, because this is one of the reasons why it was established. We want to show here the history of our land, the history of our ancestors, but we also want to talk about the future,” said Beata Szydło.
Małopolska County Board Member Iwona Gibas, responsible for culture and tourism in the Marshal’s Office, recalled that Małopolska currently has 23 cultural institutions. The Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents will be the 24th such institution from 1 August.
“I think that thanks to the fact that you will be part of the Małopolska family of cultural institutions, we will also be able to show all of our potential and wealth, and exchange experiences, thanks to which our residents will be able to see the enormous potential that lies dormant in our Małopolska culture,” said Iwona Gibas.
The agreement to hand over the running of the Remembrance Museum in the presence of Museum Director Dorota Mleczko was signed by the Marshal of the Małopolska County Witold Kozłowski, Małopolska County Board Member Iwona Gibas, Oświęcim District Head Andrzej Skrzypiński and his deputy Paweł Kobielusz. The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage retains co-organisation of the museum.
Moments later, a letter of intent to create a Roma History and Culture Centre in Oświęcim was signed by Witold Kozłowski, Marshal of the Lesser Poland County, Iwona Gibas, Board Member, and Roman Kwiatkowski, president, and Józef Jochymczyk, vice-president, of the Association of Roma in Poland.
