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15th session of the International Committee of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foudation
On 9 October, the 15th session of the International Committee of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation was held at the Auschwitz Memorial. It was attended by representatives of the countries supporting the Foundation’s efforts to preserve the Auschwitz Memorial.
Opening the session, Józef Wancer, Chairman of the Foundation’s Financial Committee, who chaired the meeting, said: “The last meeting of the International Committee here at the Auschwitz Memorial took place three years ago. The fact that we can be here, in the Memorial that we strive to protect, is very meaningful. For me personally, it is of great importance, as my grandmother and her three children were murdered here. We act today to ensure that such a tragedy can never happen again.”
Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywiński, Director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and President of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, stated: “The work we began together more than 15 years ago is of immense importance. We see that the world is changing in unpredictable ways. We do not know what will happen in a few months. True peace can only be born upon the foundation of memory.
"When I spoke many years ago about memory being the key to the future, I often heard that these were words the director of the Auschwitz Memorial had to say. Today, however, it is clear how crucial they are for us in facing all the risks that the future may bring. For me, the year 2024 was only half a year, as afterward I focused almost exclusively on organizing the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. I believe that anniversary was likely the last major international gathering of the post-war era. For today, we no longer live in a post-war era. At this particular time, the world needs a clear and strong voice coming from this place. In my opinion, the role of memory will only grow in these difficult times. I thank you for your support and for your presence.”
Wojciech Soczewica, Director General of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, presented a report on recent activities, including additional educational projects implemented thanks to financial resources raised – importantly – outside the Endowment Fund.
“A very important project we are supporting is the creation of a permanent exhibition of camp art. The exhibition plan is ready, and preparatory work is scheduled for the next seven years. In the former camp kitchen building at Auschwitz I, we will create an exhibition showing works created by prisoners in the camp as well as those made after the war by Survivors. They reveal many emotions faced by people in the camp world. A significant portion of the estimated $24 million budget has already been secured. Among the private donors are Evonik Industries and the Landecker Foundation. The digitization process will be supported by Google,” said Soczewica.
He also highlighted other initiatives: “We are continuously developing the project of live online guided visits. We have added new languages: Czech, Japanese, Ukrainian, and Russian. Guided tours are now available in 11 languages. More and more young people are taking part, as well as Holocaust museums, institutions, and schools that have incorporated the online visits into their programs. Importantly, many participants have said that this experience makes them want to come in person to the Memorial even more. Another project for the future is ‘Picture from Auschwitz,’ whose aim is to create a virtual film location, a digital replica of the site, which will serve filmmakers who, for conservation reasons, cannot work in the authentic post-camp space.”
He further emphasized: “It is important to mention the support of the International March of the Living in the amount of $150,000, thanks to which the conservation of all approximately 8,000 children’s shoes in the Museum Collections has been completed.”
The Foundation’s financial report was presented by Vice President of the Board, Łukasz Rozdeiczer-Kryszkowski. In 2024, the Foundation provided nearly 22 million PLN for conservation work at the Auschwitz Memorial, and in 2025 this amount will rise to nearly 25 million PLN. In addition, Tomasz Walczak, Partner at Deloitte, reported on the results of the audit of the financial statement carried out by KPMG.
An important part of the meeting was the report on conservation work at the Memorial carried out with the support of the Foundation. Deputy Director of the Museum responsible for conservation, Rafał Pióro, explained: “The Museum has a competent, experienced team that carries out all conservation work. In 2024, we completed 13 conservation projects and spent just over 21 million PLN. This year, we are implementing 11 projects, and to date we have already spent 16 million PLN. All work is carried out according to the highest conservation standards. This is confirmed by expert bodies, academic communities, as well as by the Monuments Protection Office, which supervises the work.”
He added: “I would also like to emphasize the importance of documentation, which we produce during all conservation work. Our task is to secure and preserve the original, historical objects connected with the functioning of KL Auschwitz. Equally important, however, is documenting what we do. For the future, this documentation will be a crucial confirmation that we are indeed dealing with authentic objects. At any time, anyone who needs to will be able to verify what was done, how, and to what extent – in various forms, not only illustrative but also with substantive justification.”
Agnieszka Tanistra-Różanowska, head of the Global Conservation Plan, presented information about the current projects, including work on historic buildings and the ruins of gas chambers and crematoria at Auschwitz II-Birkenau, the conservation of wall paintings at Auschwitz I, and the preservation of victims’ belongings such as suitcases and children’s shoes.
She emphasized: “The documentation of conservation projects is constantly being developed, not only photographic – also with the use of drones – but also through the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM), in which we preserve various data about the site and the buildings under conservation. The implementation of the BIM project was recognized at the InfraBIM 2025 conference. The Museum, as the commissioning institution, received an award in the InfraLIDER competition precisely for the use of this technology in the conservation of historic post-camp buildings.”
In addition to hearing reports on the Foundation’s activities, members of the International Committee also had the opportunity to personally observe the conservation of a historic brick bathhouse in sector BIa of Auschwitz II-Birkenau.
Finally, the International Committee members took part in the opening of the exhibition Prussian Blue by Yishai Jusidman.
