Nearly a thousand scientists, teachers, students and history lovers from Poland and abroad gathered the largest historical congress which took place in Białystok on September 17-20, 2024. Discussions and panels were held around six big topics and the leading slogan was "Man is the creator of history". There were also interesting accompanying events and celebrations of important anniversaries. The organizers of the Congress were the Polish Historical Society and the University of Białystok.
As organizers, we are satisfied. I think we have made a good mark in the history of the city, the region and the history of our University - emphasizes prof. dr hab. Cezary Kuklo from the Faculty of History of the University of Białystok, Vice-president of the Polish Historical Society and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 21st General Congress of Polish Historians in Białystok.
About the congress of historians, topics and panels, accompanying events, the University of Białystok are talked about by: prof. dr hab. Cezary Kuklo, (University of Białystok), prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Mikulski - President of the Polish Historical Society (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń), prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Zamorski (Jagiellonian University), prof. dr hab. Robert Litwiński (Maria Curie-Skłodowska University), prof. dr hab. Jarosław Kita (University of Łódź) and dr Wojciech Walczak (University of Białystok).
During the ceremony, letters to the audience were read out from the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda, the Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska and the Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia. Their authors emphasized the symbolism of the date of the beginning of the Congress (September 17 marks the 85th Anniversary of the Soviet aggression against Poland), the uniqueness of the place – Białystok, as well as the long, over a hundred years of history of the Congresses.
An important point of the ceremony was also the presentation of state decorations to distinguished historians. This group included, prof. dr hab. Cezary Kuklo from the Faculty of History of the University of Bialystok, who received the Officer's Cross of the Order of Restituta Polish from the hands of the advisor to the President of the Republic of Poland. Prof. Cezary Kuklo is also the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Congress.
I am very happy that the University of Bialystok can be a co-organizer of this wonderful event. I would like to thank the Polish Historical Society, its authorities, for the decision made - the best possible - that the Congress is taking place here in Białystok at the University of Białystok. It is an expression of trust but also appreciation of our community, a strong team of historians - emphasized the Rector of the University of Bialystok, prof. Mariusz Popławski.
In addition to Polish historians, the congress was also attended by scientists from abroad who deal with Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. Among them was the British historian prof. Robert I. Frost, who on September 16 - the day before the official start of the Congress - received an honorary doctorate from the University of Białystok.
Another important event during the congress was the Historian's Gala organized on the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Polish Historical Society. The ceremony was attended by among others: Minister of Science and Higher Education Dariusz Wieczorek.
The 21st General Congress of Polish Historians was held under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda. The Main Strategic Partner of the Congress was the Voivodeship of Podlasie and the Strategic Partner was the City of Białystok.
Institutional partners: General Directorate of State Archives, Institute of National Memory, Polish History Museum and POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews.
The media partners of the event were the Polish Press Agency, Polish Radio Białystok and TVP Białystok.
The task was co-financed from the state budget under the program of the Minister of Education and Science called "Excellent Science" - support for scientific conferences.
