This year, the Polish community in New Zealand will have a unique opportunity to meet representatives of the ‘Przystanek Historia’ Office of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) as part of a new educational project, ‘Przystanek Historia New Zealand’.

‘Przystanek Historia’ is an IPN project which brings Poland’s recent history to life through lectures, film screenings, workshops and the use of modern technology. Projects of this kind are already organised in many places across Europe and beyond, and are now coming to New Zealand for the first time.

The sessions are designed for a range of age groups – from children and young people to adults and senior citizens.

One of the main themes of the sessions will be the ‘Trails of Hope. Odyssey of Freedom’ project, which recounts the extraordinary experiences of Poles during the Second World War and their journey to freedom. Particular attention will be paid to the story of the Poles who found themselves in New Zealand during the war.

The second key topic will be the Battle of Monte Cassino – one of the most significant events in the history of the 2nd Polish Corps under the command of General Władysław Anders. The lecture will be accompanied by a screening of a film dedicated to this extremely important chapter in Polish history.

The educational workshops to be held on:

Thursday 15 October - 10.00am (suitable for adults)

Friday 16 October - 6.00pm (suitable for youth and adults)

Saturday 17 October - 9.00am (suitable for children)

More details to follow.