News
The director of Auschwitz Museum awarded with French Ordre des Palmes Académiques
The director of the Auschwitz Memorial, Dr. Piotr M.A. Cywiński, was bestowed the Knight's Cross of the French Order of Academic Palms. It was awarded by the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on recommendation of the minister of education, higher education and research Najat Vallaud-Belkacem.
The Order of Academic Palms was instituted in 1955 by the then Prime Minister Edgar Faure on the model of the honorary title being awarded from 1808. Therefore it is the oldest exclusively civilian French distinction. The order is awarded to eminent personalities from the French education system as well as to foreigners who actively contribute to promote the French culture in the world.
Dr. Piotr M.A. Cywiński spent part of his studies in France. Since 2011 he has been a board member of the Maison d'Izieu Memorial. He participated in many conferences in France, and is also the author of several publications which appeared in that country.
In 2014 the Auschwitz Memorial was visited by 54,250 visitors from France. France is also one of the donor countries of the Perpetual Capital of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, whose goal is to preserve the authentic remains of the Nazi German Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp. The French support amounted to € 5 million.
