The second edition of the Małopolska Heritage Protection Forum 2025 is behind us! Representatives of public offices, experts, local government officials and private owners of historic monuments once again gathered at the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków to exchange experiences and discuss heritage protection.
The Małopolska Heritage Protection Forum, of which we are a proud co-organiser, took place on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, at the premises of the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków. The event was prepared by the Małopolska Institute of Culture at the initiative of the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Region and gathered a wide circle of people connected with heritage protection — both local government representatives and specialists as well as private owners of historic monuments.
The event opened with a welcome address to the assembled guests by Monika Gubała — Director of the Department of Culture and National Heritage at the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Region, Tomasz Kosecki — Director of the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków, and Tomasz Włodarski — Director of the Małopolska Institute of Culture in Kraków.
Prof. Jacek Purchla then delivered the inaugural lecture entitled “The Future of the Past”, in which he emphasised the immense importance of heritage, the essence of which lies in people. Immediately afterwards came the culminating moment of this year’s Forum — the presentation of the European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra 2025 to the Małopolska Cultural Heritage Days in the “Civic engagement and awareness-raising” category. The award was presented to Tomasz Włodarski — Director of the Małopolska Institute of Culture in Kraków.
During the artistic part of the programme, guests had the opportunity to watch a unique animation “Limanowa. Illuminated”, prepared from over 100 archival photographs and recordings. The event was enhanced by live music performed by the jazz quartet of Miłosz Skwirut and the Ludwik Mordarski Regional Ensemble LIMANOWIANIE.
After the official part, participants moved on to thematic panels addressing key issues related to heritage protection. Discussions covered, among other topics, municipal heritage registries — their possibilities and limitations — as well as heritage conservation programmes. The panels, led by experts from the National Heritage Institute and the Department of Culture and National Heritage of the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Region, provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and present best practices.
We warmly thank all participants for taking part in the Forum. We are delighted that our Museum could once again serve as a space for discussion on such an important topic — one that, given the mission of our institution, is extremely close to our hearts — namely the protection of heritage.
We invite you to view the photo report from this event:
