Representatives of central and local government, cultural institutions, the uniformed services, and experts from Poland and abroad gathered in Kraków for the 4th International Congress on Heritage Security (KOBED’26). The Polish Aviation Museum once again had the honour of co-organising this prestigious event, playing an active role in both its preparation and its substantive proceedings.
On 8–9 June 2026, Kraków hosted the 4th International Congress on Heritage Security (KOBED’26) – one of Poland’s most important events dedicated to the protection of cultural heritage in the face of contemporary threats.
The main organiser of the KOBED’26 congress was the Institute for Heritage Security. The event was organised in collaboration with the Polish Aviation Museum, which once again acted as co-organiser and host for part of the congress proceedings. The Wawel Royal Castle was also a co-organiser. The partners included the most important institutions involved in the protection of cultural heritage, security and crisis management.
The high standing of the event was underscored by the honorary patronage granted by state institutions responsible for culture and security. The congress received honorary patronage from, amongst others, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, the Ministry of National Defence, and the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Voivodeship. The event’s patrons and partners also included institutions from the public administration, the academic community and the field of cultural heritage protection.
The participants of the Congress were officially welcomed by representatives of the organisers and of central and local government authorities. Among the hosts of the event was Tomasz Kosecki, Director of the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków, who emphasised the importance of cooperation between institutions responsible for the protection of national heritage and the need to build effective security systems in the face of new challenges and threats.
Director Tomasz Kosecki also chaired the Congress’s opening session, entitled ‘The protection of cultural heritage in the context of the responsibilities of municipalities and districts’. The discussion focused on the role of local authorities in safeguarding cultural heritage and on cooperation between the institutions responsible for its protection. The panel was attended by Monika Gubała, Director of the Department of Culture and National Heritage at the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Province, Dr Katarzyna Piotrowska from Kraków City Council, and Michał Krasucki, Capital City Conservator of Monuments in Warsaw.
During his speech, the Museum Director invited the Congress participants to visit the Polish Aviation Museum’s latest permanent exhibition, ‘Downwind and Upwind – Civil Aviation’. This is the largest exhibition dedicated to civil aviation in Poland, presented in the new Hangar No. 5, which was honoured with the Sybilla 2025 Award in the category “New and modernised permanent exhibitions”. This is a historic success for the Polish Aviation Museum and a testament to the work of the entire team involved in the project.
The programme for the first day of the Congress focused on issues relating to the protection of cultural heritage during wartime, cooperation between public authorities in crisis situations, the cybersecurity of cultural resources, the challenges facing museums in the face of armed conflict, and fire safety in historic buildings. Participants also discussed historical experiences in the protection of monuments and new solutions for safeguarding heritage.
The second day of the Congress was devoted to the presentation of best practices and experiences from both Poland and abroad. Discussions on the protection of cultural heritage during wartime, using Ukraine as an example, civil-military cooperation, modern technologies used in the protection of monuments, and education and the building of institutional resilience took centre stage. The programme was further enriched by workshops and panels on the practical aspects of preparing cultural institutions to operate in crisis situations.
For many years, the KOBED International Heritage Security Congress has served as an important forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience between representatives of the worlds of culture, science, administration and the security services. For the Polish Aviation Museum, the opportunity to co-organise this event once again was not only an honour, but also a confirmation of our institution’s active role in efforts to protect cultural heritage.
We would like to thank all participants, speakers and partners for their attendance and commitment. We believe that the conclusions and recommendations developed during KOBED’26 will contribute to the further strengthening of cultural heritage protection systems in Poland and Europe.
