On Friday, 12 December 2025, a ceremony took place in the historic Belweder Palace in Warsaw to present state decorations to individuals who have played an exceptional role in the development and international outreach of the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS). Acting on behalf of the President of the Republic of Poland, Minister Wojciech Kolarski of the Chancellery of the President conferred the distinctions.
Among those honoured were long-standing members of the ENRS leadership and advisory bodies, recognised for their contributions to shaping the Network’s mission and strengthening dialogue on the history of 20th-century Europe.
The Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta was awarded to Rafał Rogulski, Director of the ENRS, and Prof. Jan Rydel, long-standing Polish Coordinator and former Chair of the Steering Committee.
The Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland was presented to representatives of other ENRS member countries who have for many years co-developed the Network’s scholarly programme: Prof. Matthias Weber, Dr Florin Abraham, Dr Réka Földváryné Kiss, Prof. Attila Pók, and Dr Jerguš Sivoš.
Reflecting on the significance of the ENRS mission, Prof. Jan Rydel remarked: "For 20 years, the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity has been working not only to disseminate knowledge about the dramatic and tragic history of 20th-century Europe, but also to promote the principles and methods of honest dialogue on this subject. History, understood as a sequence of past events, is one, but there are many different ways of remembering the same events and many stories about them. This diversity of memory and narratives is a source of misunderstandings and conflicts, which often reach the level of nations and states. The overarching goal of the ENRS is to promote good practices in de-escalating such conflicts, not by imposing a 'single correct' version of history, but through empathetic dialogue between partners based on the current state of research, allowing them to explain the causes of these controversies and better understand each other."
These distinctions highlight the enduring commitment of ENRS partners to fostering intercultural dialogue and promoting a reflective and multifaceted understanding of Europe’s 20th-century past.
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
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ENRS Steering Committee and Academic Council Representatives Honoured with State Decorations at Belweder Palace, 12 December 2025. Photo by Jan Prosiński
