Dr Bartłomiej Bydoń participates in the international debate “The Horizon of Evil. Memory in Education as the Foundation of Future Decisions”
On 10 May 2025, Dr Bartłomiej Bydoń, Head of the Research Section at the Katyn Museum, took part in the international debate “The Horizon of Evil. Memory in Education as the Foundation of Future Decisions”, organised by the Stutthof Museum in Sztutowo to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi Stutthof concentration and extermination camp. Representatives of memorial institutions from Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Norway participated in the discussion. The debate focused on the significance of remembering war, genocide and crimes against humanity for contemporary historical education and for fostering civic and moral values.
During the discussion, Dr Bartłomiej Bydoń highlighted the responsibility of museums to preserve and communicate historical truth, as well as to educate society in distinguishing truth from falsehood. He emphasised that museum professionals have a duty to demonstrate where the boundary between good and evil lies, arguing that evil stems from a lack of proper education and a susceptibility to manipulation. Referring to the Katyn massacre, he reminded the audience that its victims came from different religious backgrounds and social groups, and were murdered solely because they had been regarded as a threat to the totalitarian regime.
The debate provided an important forum for the exchange of experiences between representatives of museums and memorial institutions from different countries. It focused on the role of historical education in fostering responsibility for the future and in counteracting manipulation and hatred.
