The event was attended by, among others: the Deputy Mayor of the city of Białystok, Rafał Rudnicki, and the Voivode of Podlasie, Jacek Brzozowski, PhD, who ceremonially presented state awards to the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society guides for their outstanding social work in the field of tourism and sightseeing.

As the Director of the museum, Professor Wojciech Śleszyński stressed: ‘It is also your museum, and we are a community. Without your work, ours would not be so productive.’

As guides, you have the opportunity to deal with the problem of popularizing history every day — said the Voivode. — Popularization is the ability to reach the recipient while remaining faithful to scientific facts. This is the most difficult task you can set yourself — task that requires excellent skills, passion and talent — he added.

The main assumption of the project organized by Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society is the integration of Polish tourist guides and the expansion of competences through the exchange of experiences. This year, participants reflected on the issues of coexistence between people of different cultures and nationalities. Part of the Forum are workshops and lectures. Karolina Mosiej-Zambrano from the Sybir Memorial Museum delivered her speech. She raised the important issues related to the exhibition of difficult historical topics, especially related to the tragedy of Siberia.

Finally, the guides visited the permanent exhibition and took part in the ‘Light of Remembrance’ as part of the celebration of the 84th anniversary of the first mass deportation.