As 2025 comes to a close, the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity reflects on a remarkable year—the organization's 20th anniversary—and the projects, events, and initiatives that made it so important.
This milestone year began with the Czech Republic's transition from observer to full member of the Network, strengthening the commitment to dialogue and remembrance across Europe. Since its founding in 2005, the ENRS Secretariat has led over 230 projects across 32 countries, collaborating with more than 550 partner institutions.
The 80th anniversary of the end of World War II shaped much of the year's work. The #WWII80YearsAfter campaign culminated in the release of a comprehensive educational animation designed for teachers and educators, translated into multiple languages to help students understand the causes, course, and consequences of the war. In January, a powerful animation for International Holocaust Remembrance Day featured the concentration camp drawings of artist Mieczysław Kościelniak—works that symbolize resilience, survival, and the power of memory.
Two major conferences on WWII remembrance took place—in Bucharest in May and Budapest in June —bringing together educators, academics, and memorial site representatives to discuss challenges in teaching younger generations about this transformative period. The flagship ‘Genealogies of Memory’ conference also focused on WWII, exploring What Remains from the Second World War? in Berlin this September.
The 13th European Remembrance Symposium convened in Helsinki, where participants reflected on the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act and its impact on diplomacy, security, and human rights. In June, the Network celebrated its 20th anniversary with a gala in Warsaw, honouring everyone who has contributed to the organization's mission over two decades.
The Remember. August 23 campaign took on special significance this year with the theme The Wounds Can Be Healed, focusing on intergenerational trauma and the long-term effects of totalitarian violence. The campaign featured expert contributions from Dr. Yael Danieli on healing after massive traumatization, as well as insights from Professor Michał Bilewicz, a social psychologist and author of “Traumaland”, a book examining the social effects of violence and collective memory. Educational materials explored how trauma echoes across generations.
The traveling exhibition Between Life and Death. Stories of Rescue during the Holocaust reached new audiences at the Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg, Bad Ischl in Austria, and Dublin, Ireland. We're already planning tours to the United Kingdom and United States for next year, stay tuned!
The Hi-Story Lessons platform continued to grow with new educational resources, animations, interactive tools, and lesson plans in seven languages. Throughout the year, the platform hosted over seven webinars on diverse topics including teaching the aftermath of the Great War, the power of samizdat, iconic WWII photography, Holocaust denial and distortion, and Russia's weaponization of WWII history in its aggression against Ukraine.
We also launched our first B-SHAPES Summer School for Educators in Zgorzelec/Görlitz, exploring borders, landscapes, and photography as teaching tools. This interdisciplinary program brought together teachers and educators for workshops on border studies, border walks, and photography with professional experts. Participants gained practical methods and free educational materials for incorporating these approaches into their classrooms.
Student programs flourished throughout the year. Sound in the Silence took place in Pruszków, Poland, where high school students from different countries explored the often-overlooked history of Dulag 121 transit camp and the civilian experience during the Warsaw Uprising. Through artistic workshops with professionals from various disciplines, participants connected the past with their present-day questions and experiences.
The In Between? project brought university students to the German-Polish border, exploring local histories shaped by the turbulent 20th century. Participants produced a new podcast, Bridging Borders: Voices from Görlitz and Zgorzelec, documenting stories about this unique borderland shaped by both division and cooperation.
Freedom of Speech Beyond Borders launched its first edition, with students exploring Cold War-era samizdat and tamizdat culture through archival research in Bremen, Prague, and Maisons-Laffitte. Participants created six original zines reflecting on censorship, resistance, and underground publishing—now available on the ENRS website.
This year we ventured into new territory with three competitions. Grandparents. Grand Stories invited participants to explore personal and family stories from WWII. To attract participants and highlight the importance of preserving these stories, ENRS released its first narrative video spot exploring intergenerational trauma and the lasting impact of WWII—a new format for the organization's storytelling approach. The Grand Stories: Journalism Awards challenged journalists worldwide to examine what remains from the war today. The Borders Calling photo competition for high school students is still accepting entries through 31 January 2026.
As we step into our third decade, we extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has contributed to these achievements—our dedicated team, our partners, inspiring speakers, and enthusiastic participants. Your commitment has made it possible to build bridges of understanding across generations and borders.
Entering 2026, the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity remains committed to expanding our reach, deepening historical inquiry, and strengthening the connections that unite European nations through dialogue and remembrance.