On 23 August 2026, the Divine Mercy Shrine in Keysborough (Melbourne) and the Shrine of the Queen of Poland (Sydney) hosted the presentation of the Institute of National Remembrance exhibition “Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom” and a screening of “The Trail of Hope. The Battle of Monte Cassino”, Episode V – “Victory”, directed by Tomasz Łysiak. The event was organized by the Nasza Polonia Association.
“Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom” is an international project of the Institute of National Remembrance devoted to the fate of Poles during the Second World War – soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces, deportees, refugees and civilians whose wartime experiences took them far from their homeland. A special place in the project is given to the story of the Polish Army under General Władysław Anders, whose soldiers travelled thousands of kilometers while fighting for the freedom of Poland and other nations.
The project was launched on 18 March 2022 at the Royal Castle in Warsaw by the then President of the IPN, Karol Nawrocki, Ph.D. “Trails of Hope” tells the story of Poland’s struggle, wartime displacement and the unbroken hope of regaining a free homeland. Through its international reach, the project brings this history to Polish communities and local audiences around the world.
The presentation of the exhibition in Australia has a particularly significant dimension. One of the important Australian chapters of this story is the history of MS “Batory”, the Polish ocean liner which, during the Second World War, was used among other vehicles to transport soldiers, refugees and evacuees, becoming one of the symbols of the wartime fate of Poles scattered across the world.
The exhibition also recalls the post-war experiences of Poles who found a new home in Australia. They included soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces, civilians and participants in the Warsaw Uprising. Over the following decades, successive generations built a strong and active Polish community in Australia, preserving the memory of their family histories, Poland’s struggle for independence and their ties with the homeland of their ancestors.
The presence of the “Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom” project in Australia also carries a symbolic significance. Thanks to events organized on this continent, the IPN project has now reached all six continents, becoming a truly global story of the experiences of Poles during the Second World War, their journey towards freedom and the power of memory passed down from one generation to the next.
The event in Keysborough will provide an opportunity to commemorate the history of Poles whose wartime experiences took them thousands of kilometers from their homeland, while also highlighting how their heritage has survived and continues to be preserved by successive generations of the Polish community in Australia.
The event was organized by the Nasza Polonia Association, and the exhibition has been prepared by the IPN Office of International Cooperation.