17 October 2025

The Sybir Memorial Museum honored with the Award in the Živa Competition

On October 10, 2025, during the 11th Živa Award Gala in Trebinje, the Sybir Memorial Museum was awarded with Special Recognition for Creativity.

The Živa Award is one of the most prestigious museum recognitions in Europe, honoring the best museums and cultural heritage sites in Slavic countries. The Živa Award, which name refers to the Slavic goddess of life, vitality, and fertility, is intended to reflect the idea of revitalizing and promoting cultural heritage. The nomination was the result of a visit by jurors Eleftheria Vlachou and Olga Honchar to the Białystok museum in July 2025.

The Mayor of Białystok, Tadeusz Truskolaski, emphasized during the press conference:

– This is another international distinction for the Sybir Memorial Museum. The year 2025 is rich in international events and recognition of the work, ideas, and ideals of the Sybir Memorial Museum — on the one hand, the idea of remembrance and commemoration of the victims, and on the other, solidarity and cooperation.

The director of the Sybir Memorial Museum, prof. Wojciech Śleszyński, added:

– We were awarded for creativity and ability to combine historical narrative with contemporary communication.

The Special Recognition for Creativity is one of the most challenging categories, as it evaluates innovation, the emotional impact of the message, and a modern approach to history. In justifying this year’s award, the jury highlighted the museum’s imaginative presentation of historical research and narrative, and the way the museum connects them with the memories of participants and witnesses. It was also highlighted that the museum’s creative portrayal of emotions hidden in seemingly ordinary objects, the unique scenography, and the strong emphasis on human emotions and empathy, based on solid scientific documentation and historical accuracy. The jury also highlighted the role of the Sybir Memorial Museum in encouraging dialogue between generations and nations.

The event, attended by over 140 participants from 13 countries, was accompanied by the international conference Echoes of Heritage and the Future of Museums providing a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and inspiration for museum representatives from across Europe. Representing the Sybir Memorial Museum, Sylwia Szarejko, PhD, curator at the Scientific Department – Research Institute of the President Seweryn Nowakowski, presented the institution’s work, presenting its innovative approach to combine historical memory with modern tools of museum narrative. The presentation was warmly received by participants, who repeatedly emphasized the unique character and profound emotional impact of the Museum’s permanent exhibition. The institution received numerous recognitions for its originality, consistency, and commitment to fostering dialogue about the difficult history of Sybir.

This recognition, awarded by a jury composed of 16 experts from Slavic countries and representatives of the European Museum Academy, confirms the growing international status of the Sybir Memorial Museum, its innovative approach to telling difficult history, and demonstrates the highest quality of Polish museums. It also provides an opportunity for new partnerships and common European and global educational and exhibition projects.

The Museum’s recognition is both a great honor and a motivation for further work, development and the search for new forms of presenting remembrance and heritage.