As part of the celebrations preceding the ceremonial inauguration of Karol Nawrocki, Ph.D., for the office of the President of the Republic of Poland, he took part in the presentation of the  IPN “Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom” exhibition which portrays the effort of the Polish Armed Forces during World War II and the tells the tales of Polish civilians scattered all over the world.

The project is a materialization of the goals Mr. Nawrocki announced taking the Institute of National Remembrance helm in 2021: historical diplomacy, new ways of teaching history and connection between nations.

"Taking leadership of the Institute of National Remembrance four years ago, I promised to look after everything that constitutes the essence of its work: archive, search and identification, research and educational projects. However, I also said I would like to see the Institute of National Remembrance become the institute of the nation's future and focus on the young generation. Standing before you today, I feel I succeeded," said Karol Nawrocki in his last speech as the IPN head.

The event featured a multimedia presentation of the project which Karol Nawrocki initiated as one of his first decisions after taking office as the President of the Institute of National Remembrance. The exhibition is an expression of his commitment to inform the world about the fate of Poles during World War II.

The took place in front of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph the Betrothed at 52/54 Krakowskie Przedmieście Street in Warsaw.

The "Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom " initiative, is a form of commemoration of the fate of hundreds of thousands of Poles who fought for the independence of Poland and other countries occupied by the German Reich. By making a significant contribution to defeating Germany, they also proved to the whole world that they were ready to defend their right to sovereignty amid extremely tough military and political conditions.

By means of the project the Institute of National Remembrance is fulfilling its mission of disseminating this knowledge about Polish history as well as shaping patriotic attitudes, especially in the context of the 20th century Polish struggle for independence. As an initiative promoting remembrance, it also aims to restore the memory of the heroism, sacrifice, and the fate of Polish soldiers and civilians fighting for freedom on all the fronts of World War II.

Moreover, the “Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom” project is also a response to the growing need to counteract historical disinformation about Poland's role during World War II. The exhibition also tells the story of how the soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces fought side by side with their allies for our freedom and that of other nations. In this context, the “Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom” project shows the global dimension of the Polish military effort during World War II – from Siberia, through the Middle East, Africa, and Italy, to Western Europe.

The exhibition, which lies at the heart of the project, has already reached over 120 locations on five continents – in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East – reaching a diverse international audience and promoting ‘Polish history, heritage and values around the world. In many cases, it was the first time that foreign audiences had the opportunity to find out so much about Polish history.

Exhibition openings, including  those constituting part of Congresses of National Remembrance in Warsaw, Gdańsk, Rzeszów and Poznań, have often been accompanied by a series of research-based and educational activities, including the publication of books, educational materials, and the organization of concerts, competitions, meetings and conferences. The project further entails collecting testimonies of Poles' wartime migration: photographs, documents, as well as the restoration of forgotten memorials such as monuments or cemeteries located worldwide. The project has reached millions of  people, and its message – based on truth and the testimonies of our heroes – has received global recognition.

The exhibition, presented next to the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, has been prepared in the form of a multimedia installation. Its main element is a 17-meter-long panoramic screen, presenting animations based on colorized photographs obtained from archives all around the world. The images are complemented by texts and quotations presenting not only the profiles of the soldiers who won battles of Narvik, Tobruk, Monte Cassino, Ancona, Bologna, and the Battle of Britain, but also of outstanding commanders such as General Władysław Anders, General Stanisław Maczek, and General Stanisław Sosabowski.

It is also worth noting that the project was planned and launched at a dramatic moment in contemporary history – in February 2022, coinciding with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It was then that the IPN decided that it must not only remind people of the past, but also sensitize the public to contemporary forms of totalitarianism, point out the historical sources of today's threats, and remind people of the power of freedom and the right of nations to self-determination.

The event is being organized on the eve of Karol Nawrocki taking office as the President of Poland. The presentation of the exhibition is a symbolic summary of his mission as the President of the IPN. It is also an expression of his continued commitment to building a community of memory, disseminating knowledge about the fate of Poland and Poles, and strengthening historical awareness in the public sphere.

Journalists are asked to contact rzecznik@ipn.gov.pl by 4 August 2025, 9:00 a.m. for accreditations.

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