On 26 January 2026, at the headquarters of the Institute of National Remembrance in Warsaw, the Deputy President of the IPN, Prof. Karol Polejowski, met with the Minister of Culture of Moldova, Cristian Jardan.
The Moldovan Minister of Culture focused on the shared historical experiences of Poland and Moldova—countries that suffered under totalitarian regimes. Although this year marks the 35th anniversary of Moldova’s independence, public knowledge about Stalinist deportations and the Great Famine remains insufficient. The Moldovan authorities are planning to establish an institution modeled on Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance, which would be responsible for cultivating and safeguarding national memory. Minister Cristian Jardan expressed interest in the organization and functioning of the Institute in various aspects, particularly its research activities. Both sides affirmed their willingness to pursue mutual cooperation.
During the meeting, the Director of the Office of International Cooperation, Katarzyna Dryńska, presented the structure and activities of the Institute, with particular emphasis on its international operations. Subsequently, the directors of other IPN Offices outlined the activities of their respective units.
The Director of the IPN Archive, Marzena Kruk, presented the specific characteristics of the archival holdings and the Digital Archive system, and invited the Minister to a a study visit to the Archive. The Director of the Historical Research Office, Sebastian Pilarski, Ph.D., discussed the Institute’s research activities, focusing on its central projects. Meanwhile, the Deputy Director of the Office for Commemorating the Struggle and Martyrdom, Joanna Sulej-Piskorz, spoke about commemorative plaques and monuments, as well as the protection of the graves of veterans and war victims in Poland and abroad.
The activities of the Office of Search and Identification, in the context of preserving the memory of the so-called “cursed soldiers,” and the CODIS system were presented by the Office Deputy Director, Anna Szeląg, and the Deputy Head of the Identification Department, Rafał Michliński. The CODIS system (Combined DNA Index System) is a tool supporting the IPN’s Genetic Material Database. It enables the effective use of data registered in the Database in accordance with the Institute’s statutory objectives and tasks.
The meeting with Minister of Culture Cristian Jardan took place as part of the visit of the President of Moldova to Poland and was organized by the IPN Office of International Cooperation.
See also: Visit of representatives of Moldovan memory institutions to the IPN’s “History Point"