On 20 October 2025, the Institute of National Remembrance hosted a delegation from Kazakhstan, en route to an academic conference at the Jagiellonian University. The delegation included: Professor Natalia Kalashnikova of the L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Astana, Head of the Department of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan; Vitaliy Khmilevsky, President of the Association of Poles in Karaganda; and Timur Dzhumurbayev, representative of the youth movement of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan.
During their visit, the guests met with representatives of the Institute’s Historical Research Office, the IPN Archive, and the National Education Office and were acquainted with selected areas of the Institute’s work.
Professor Jan Szumski, representing the IPN Historical Research Office, presented the research conducted on Poles in Central Asia as part of the Institute’s Central Research Projects, with particular emphasis on the “Poles in Russia and the Soviet Union” project.
Mariusz Żuławnik Ph.D., Deputy Director of the IPN Archive, provided an overview of the Archive’s activities, highlighting in particular its collaboration with international institutions and archives as a vital source of historical documentation and valuable artefacts. Marcin Majewski Ph.D., Head of the Department of Archival Research and Source Editing, spoke about the significance of joint source publication initiatives with international partners in scholarly projects carried out by the IPN Archive.
Professor Natalia Kalashnikova emphasised Kazakhstan’s strong commitment to preserving historical memory, noting the role of the President and state institutions in this domain. She highlighted the contribution of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, whose mission is to unite the country’s multiethnic society into a cohesive nation, fully aware of its roots. She further noted that numerous aspects of Kazakhstan’s past, including the fate of Poles exiled to the region, ought to be researched further.
The meeting concluded with a presentation by Karol Litwin, Head of the Educational Projects Department of the National Education Office. He described the Office’s mission as communicating the current state of historical research in a manner accessible and engaging to younger audiences. He outlined several educational initiatives aimed at supporting Polish diaspora institutions and schools abroad, as well as the distribution of educational materials and games produced by the Institute. He also referred to the Institute’s dedicated educational website, which offers a wide range of downloadable resources, including thematic educational folders and exhibition panels. Director Żuławnik highlighted the importance of the Archive Full of Remembrance project in acquiring valuable documents and artefacts from private collections.
The visit was organised by the IPN Office of International Cooperation.