On 10-13 March, the 9th edition of the LRE Forum was held in the historical city of Kraków organised by the LRE Foundation in cooperation with LRE Poland and the city that hosted the event. Over four days, participants engaged in a range of activities aimed at deepening knowledge, gaining new insight and sharing experiences in an international setting that brought together historians, educators, and tourism professionals.
Welcome Reception
On the 10th of March, LRE Foundation members and key partners gathered in Kraków for a Welcome Reception at the Galicia Jewish Museum, located in the historic former Jewish district of Kazimierz. The setting provided a perfect atmosphere to introduce the Forum’s spirit and themes. Welcome speeches were given by LRE Foundation Managing Director Rémi Praud and LRE Poland Director Joanna Roman, creating an introduction for guests to the next three days full of diverse experiences and opportunities that await.
LRE Member Seminar
On the 11th of March, during the first part of the day, the Member Seminar 2025 was organised, an event bringing together members of the LRE Foundation and creating a space for them to share information about recent projects and visions for future activities.The session opened with an overview of the LRE Foundation’s activities, followed by members exchanging experiences, best practices, and key insights.
For the first time, the seminar included two parallel workshops. The first, led by LREF Project Manager Emme Johnson, Nicole Häusler (Senior Tourism Consultant at Mascontour), and Camille Varin (Project Officer at the Normandy Region’s Tourism Department), focused on sustainable tourism practices in WWII heritage tourism. The second, featuring LREF Digital Manager Loïc François, Frédéric Jurie (Professor at the University of Caen), and Błażej Pędzich (Back-End Developer at KERN IT), explored the role of AI technology in WWII history education and memory preservation.
LRE Conference
The LRE Conference, held in the historic building of the Jagiellonian University Collegium Novum, was an event full of inspiring and mind-expanding speeches delivered by guests from historical institutions across Europe. Entitled ‘Resistance to Oblivion: Preserving WWII Memories and Lessons for Future Generations’, the conference addressed important issues related to memory education and the preservation of WWII heritage.
Rémi Praud, Managing Director of the LRE Foundation, and Dr. Paweł Sękowski from the Institute of History at Jagiellonian University, introduced the theme of the conference to an audience of 200 attendees. This was followed by the keynote speech, delivered by Yuriy Savchuk, Director of the National Museum of Ukraine in World War II. His words emphasised the importance of preserving the memory of 20th century history in the face of contemporary conflicts. He also highlight how documenting wars in real time influences future historical narratives.
A panel discussion followed, moderated by Oriol López-Badell, Coordinator of the European Observatory on Memories. This discussion brought together representatives from prominent European institutions dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Second World War to address the issue of keeping memories in a challenged world. Panelists included Adelina Hetnar, Head of the Educational Projects Department of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and State Museum, Victor-Jan Vos, Director Collections and Services, Institute for War, Holocaust- and Genocide studies, and Jan Blažek, International Cooperation Coordinator at Post Bellum.
The conference concluded with a unique panel ‘Generations in Dialogue – The Legacy of WWII Memory’, moderated by Larysa Michalska from the Max Kopfstein Association – Humanity in Action Poland, during which we had the opportunity to hear the moving testimonies of Karolina Maczek-Skillen, Tania Szabo and Noemie Lopian, all of whom are actively working to commemorate their relatives’ stories, in various ways connected to the fate of World War II. The incredible accounts of our guests shed light not only on their families’ history, but also on how the life of the person who inherits such a legacy changes, and made us reflect on the importance of preserving and passing on the memory of such stories.
LRE Gala
To conclude the day, the LRE Gala took place at the Home Army Museum in Kraków, where guests gathered for a festive dinner. Participants were welcomed by Managing Director of the LRE Foundation Rémi Praud, followed by a speech from Chairman of the LRE Foundation Ed Kronenburg. The dinner was enhanced by a thought-provoking keynote speech by Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywiński, Director of Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and State Museum, drawing attention to the importance and complementarity of expanding our knowledge regarding the WWII events and conducting commemoration activities. The evening culminated in a joyous ceremony welcoming and celebrating the new members of the LRE Foundation network.
LREXPO
On the 12th of March, the annual LREXPO – a tourism trade fair took place, where members of the LRE Foundation had extensive networking opportunities. The event allowed our members and partners to share ideas and best practices, as well as to explore new collaborations between tourism institutions aiming to expand their offerings with fresh destinations and services.
Site Visits
Approaching the end of the LRE Forum 2025, on 13th of March participants visited one of the most important places preserving the memory of Nazi crimes committed during WWII against oppressed nationalities, especially Jews – the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and State Museum. The guided tour was an opportunity to learn about the history of the camp and the prisoners held here, the vast majority of whom died in the camp. Walking through this remembrance site, confronting its history and reflecting on its significance was not easy. However, sharing this experience with our colleagues, partners and members, made it extremely meaningful and enriched our consciousness.
During the Forum, participants also had the opportunity to take part in educational walks around Kraków, during which they learnt about its history, particularly during the Second World War, and to visit the Oskar Schindler’s Emalia Factory Museum, presenting the fate of Krakow under occupation and the story of Oskar Schindler himself. Particularly important was a guided tour in the footsteps of the Krakow ghetto, which operated here between 1941 and 1943. The tour shed light on the functioning of the Nazi system and the machinery of extermination, targeting the Jews.
FAM Trips
In addition to the LRE Forum 2025 activities, international tour operators had the chance to participate in a Familiarization Trip to Berlin, Kraków, and Warsaw.
With the support of Visit Berlin, a first group of Tour Operators spent three days in the German capital, exploring significant historical sites and gaining valuable insights. Highlights included a guided visit to the former Tempelhof Airport and its exhibition, “Ready for Takeoff – 100 Years of Tempelhof Airport,” as well as tours of the Allied Museum and the Topography of Terror Museum, where participants learned about the Nazi rise to power and the subsequent regime of terror. Other visits included the Berlin-Karlshorst Museum, the Blindenwerkstatt Otto Weidt, and a walking tour through the area where Jewish families once lived.
After three full days in Berlin, the FAM trip continued in Kraków, where, with the support of the Kraków Tourism Alliance, the tour operators took part in activities related to the LRE Forum 2025.
The final stop of this year’s FAM trip was Warsaw, supported by MROT – Tourism Organisation of the Mazovia Region. The visits included the Warsaw Rising Museum, a WWII and city highlights tour of the Old Town, the Museum of Warsaw, the Institute of National Remembrance, the Palmiry National Memorial and Museum, and the Modlin Fortress.
