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On 9 October, the 15th session of the International Committee of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation was held at the Auschwitz Memorial. It was attended by representatives of the countries supporting the Foundation’s efforts to preserve the Auschwitz Memorial.
Opening the session, Józef Wancer, Chairman of the Foundation’s Financial Committee, who chaired the meeting, said: “The last meeting of the International Committee here at the Auschwitz Memorial took place three years ago. The fact that we can be here, in the Memorial that we strive to protect, is very meaningful. For me personally, it is of great importance, as my grandmother and her three children were murdered here. We act today to ensure that such a tragedy can never happen again.”
Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywiński, Director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and President of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, stated: “The work we began together more than 15 years ago is of immense importance. We see that the world is changing in unpredictable ways. We do not know what will happen in a few months. True peace can only be born upon the foundation of memory.
"When I spoke many years ago about memory being the key to the future, I often heard that these were words the director of the Auschwitz Memorial had to say. Today, however, it is clear how crucial they are for us in facing all the risks that the future may bring. For me, the year 2024 was only half a year, as afterward I focused almost exclusively on organizing the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. I believe that anniversary was likely the last major international gathering of the post-war era. For today, we no longer live in a post-war era. At this particular time, the world needs a clear and strong voice coming from this place. In my opinion, the role of memory will only grow in these difficult times. I thank you for your support and for your presence.”
Wojciech Soczewica, Director General of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, presented a report on recent activities, including additional educational projects implemented thanks to financial resources raised – importantly – outside the Endowment Fund.
“A very important project we are supporting is the creation of a permanent exhibition of camp art. The exhibition plan is ready, and preparatory work is scheduled for the next seven years. In the former camp kitchen building at Auschwitz I, we will create an exhibition showing works created by prisoners in the camp as well as those made after the war by Survivors. They reveal many emotions faced by people in the camp world. A significant portion of the estimated $24 million budget has already been secured. Among the private donors are Evonik Industries and the Alfred Landecker Foundation. The digitization process will be supported by Google,” said Soczewica.
He also highlighted other initiatives: “We are continuously developing the project of live online guided visits. We have added new languages: Czech, Japanese, Ukrainian, and Russian. Guided tours are now available in 11 languages. More and more young people are taking part, as well as Holocaust museums, institutions, and schools that have incorporated the online visits into their programs. Importantly, many participants have said that this experience makes them want to come in person to the Memorial even more. Another project for the future is ‘Picture from Auschwitz,’ whose aim is to create a virtual film location, a digital replica of the site, which will serve filmmakers who, for conservation reasons, cannot work in the authentic post-camp space.”
He further emphasized: “It is important to mention the support of the International March of the Living in the amount of $150,000, thanks to which the conservation of all approximately 8,000 children’s shoes in the Museum Collections has been completed.”
The Foundation’s financial report was presented by Vice President of the Board, Łukasz Rozdeiczer-Kryszkowski. In 2024, the Foundation provided nearly 22 million PLN for conservation work at the Auschwitz Memorial, and in 2025 this amount will rise to nearly 25 million PLN. In addition, Tomasz Walczak, Partner at Deloitte, reported on the results of the audit of the financial statement carried out by KPMG.
An important part of the meeting was the report on conservation work at the Memorial carried out with the support of the Foundation. Deputy Director of the Museum responsible for conservation, Rafał Pióro, explained: “The Museum has a competent, experienced team that carries out all conservation work. In 2024, we completed 13 conservation projects and spent just over 21 million PLN. This year, we are implementing 11 projects, and to date we have already spent 16 million PLN. All work is carried out according to the highest conservation standards. This is confirmed by expert bodies, academic communities, as well as by the Monuments Protection Office, which supervises the work.”
He added: “I would also like to emphasize the importance of documentation, which we produce during all conservation work. Our task is to secure and preserve the original, historical objects connected with the functioning of KL Auschwitz. Equally important, however, is documenting what we do. For the future, this documentation will be a crucial confirmation that we are indeed dealing with authentic objects. At any time, anyone who needs to will be able to verify what was done, how, and to what extent – in various forms, not only illustrative but also with substantive justification.”
Agnieszka Tanistra-Różanowska, head of the Global Conservation Plan, presented information about the current projects, including work on historic buildings and the ruins of gas chambers and crematoria at Auschwitz II-Birkenau, the conservation of wall paintings at Auschwitz I, and the preservation of victims’ belongings such as suitcases and children’s shoes.
She emphasized: “The documentation of conservation projects is constantly being developed, not only photographic – also with the use of drones – but also through the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM), in which we preserve various data about the site and the buildings under conservation. The implementation of the BIM project was recognized at the InfraBIM 2025 conference. The Museum, as the commissioning institution, received an award in the InfraLIDER competition precisely for the use of this technology in the conservation of historic post-camp buildings.”
In addition to hearing reports on the Foundation’s activities, members of the International Committee also had the opportunity to personally observe the conservation of a historic brick bathhouse in sector BIa of Auschwitz II-Birkenau.
Finally, the International Committee members took part in the opening of the exhibition Prussian Blue by Yishai Jusidman.
The Auschwitz Museum, as a contracting authority, received an award at the InfraBIM 2025 conference for its implementation of the Building Information Modeling (BIM) project in the conservation of historical buildings at the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp.
The project, "Implementation of BIM in the Lifecycle of Facilities Located on the Grounds of the Former KL Auschwitz II-Birkenau", which has been carried out at the Auschwitz Museum for several years, received a distinction in the infraLIDER competition in the “contracting authority” category. The main award went to the Central Communication Port, and a second distinction was given to the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways.
"Being recognized alongside such large-scale public clients in the fields of construction, strategic infrastructure, and digitization is very meaningful for us," said Agnieszka Tanistra-Różanowska, head of the Global Conservation Plan.
BIM (Building Information Modeling) is a process of creating and managing data related to a building, from its design and construction to its use and conservation. BIM utilizes a digital representation of a building’s physical and functional characteristics, allowing for more accurate planning and project management.
"The implementation of BIM has been consistently carried out at the Museum since 2017 by an interdisciplinary team within the Master Plan for Preservation. Thanks to the work and commitment of the MPP specialists, the Museum has developed a system that supports its conservation projects aimed at preserving the remains of the camp," said Tomasz Zemła, who supervises the project and is responsible for implementing BIM technology in the Museum.
"At the Auschwitz Museum, BIM – a methodology originally developed for the construction industry – is being applied to the protection of historical structures. The Museum seeks to make full use of all available tools and technologies to ensure the most comprehensive and faithful documentation of the buildings under its care. Applying BIM at such a scale, in such an advanced and consistent manner tailored to a specific group of historical structures, is pioneering in the field of heritage conservation in Poland. This makes the recognition we received all the more valuable," emphasized Tanistra-Różanowska.
The work of the Master Plan for Preservation is financed by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, which manages the Perpetual Fund established to preserve all remains of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz.
InfraBIM is the largest event on digital construction in Central and Eastern Europe. During the conference, held in Kraków from June 10–12, topics such as construction digitization, BIM, innovation, and the future of the construction industry were discussed.
On 25 June, the 20th meeting of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation Council took place at the PZU headquarters in Warsaw.
The mission of the Foundation is to secure the process of preserving the authentic remains of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau and to support the educational activities of the Memorial.
At the beginning of the meeting, a moment of silence was observed to honor Marian Turski, an Auschwitz Survivor who passed away on February 18, 2025.
Opening the meeting, Council Chairman Marek Zając thanked Hanna Machińska, Chair of the PZU Foundation Council, for making it possible to organize the meeting at the company’s headquarters. From this year, PZU will support the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation in the field of accounting and HR services.
The President of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation and Director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywiński, emphasized the importance of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, which took place on January 27. The event was attended by a group of over 50 Survivors and nearly three thousand guests from all over the world, including delegations from over 50 countries led by royalty, presidents, prime ministers, ministers, and diplomats.
'It was an unprecedented undertaking for the Museum. Importantly, it was possible to achieve not only what everyone could see during the anniversary, both on-site and on TV broadcast. What was particularly important was that there were no political speeches during the event, and all attention was focused on the words of the Survivors. During the preparations for the anniversary, discussions were also held regarding, among other things, support for a new exhibition project, a permanent exhibition of camp art, which we want to create in the former camp kitchen building at Auschwitz I,' said Director Cywiński.
'Prisoner art carries a very heavy emotional element, showing how the process of dehumanization took place in the camp. This permanent exhibition will certainly help visitors understand this dimension of the tragedy of Auschwitz,' emphasized Cywiński.
The Museum holds the largest collection of camp art created by prisoners during the camp’s operation, as well as that created after the war by Survivors. The implementation of the project will be possible thanks to fundraising activities carried out by the Foundation.
As stressed by the Director General of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, Wojciech Soczewica, most of the funds needed to create this exhibition—both for the conservation of the building itself and for preparing the exhibition—have already been secured. 'The digitization of the artworks will be supported by Google, and the implementation of the entire project will take several years. We will certainly be able to report on progress in this very special project, which has attracted great interest from donors, during future meetings,' he said.
Wojciech Soczewica also spoke about the development of the online visitation project “Auschwitz. In Front of your Eyes,” which has been expanded to include new languages for multimedia materials.
During the meeting, a new project supported with additional Foundation funds was also discussed: a virtual film location that will help creators of feature and documentary films. This project was presented at this year’s market during the Cannes Film Festival.
It should be emphasized that funds for educational activities carried out by the Foundation do not come from the profits of the Perpetual Fund, which supports only conservation work.
Agnieszka Tanistra-Różanowska, head of the Master Plan for Preservation, presented information on current conservation projects, both concerning historical buildings in the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp and the conservation of objects belonging to Auschwitz victims, such as suitcases and shoes.
'Project documentation is also being continuously developed, both in the Geographic Information System (GIS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM). The implementation of the latter project was recognized at the InfraBIM 2025 conference. The Museum, as the contracting authority, received an award in the InfraLIDER competition precisely for the use of BIM technology in the conservation of historic camp buildings,' said Agnieszka Tanistra-Różanowska.
This year, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation plans to spend nearly PLN 25 million on conservation work carried out at the Museum. Last year it was nearly PLN 22 million.
During the meeting, the Council approved the substantive report on the Foundation’s work for 2024, as well as the annual activity and financial plans. The members of the Foundation Council also approved the Foundation’s financial statement for 2024.
The Council members also thanked Deloitte, which for over a decade has been supporting the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation pro bono in the field of accounting and HR services.
Spain has decided to double its contribution to the Perpetual Fund of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, which enables the preservation of the authenticity of the remains of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. Spain’s support now amounts to 200,000 euros.
On June 10, 2025, representatives of the Foundation and the Ambassador of Spain to Poland, Ramiro Fernández Bachiller, signed the official confirmation of the donation.
In 2024, the value of the Foundation’s Perpetual Fund exceeded 180 million euros. Since 2012, the Foundation has transferred over 148 million PLN to the Museum for conservation efforts, including 22 million PLN in 2024 alone.
Spain is among the countries whose citizens most frequently visit the Auschwitz Memorial and Museum. In 2024, more than 78,000 people from Spain visited the site.
The Museum also cooperates with the Spanish company Musealia on the traveling exhibition dedicated to the history of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp titled “Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.” The exhibition, currently on display in Canada, has been seen by over 1.5 million people at various locations around the world.
Spain is also home to the Honorary Consul of the Auschwitz Memorial Diplomacy of Remebrance, Enrique de Villamor y Soraluce. His work focuses on presenting exhibitions about the history of Auschwitz and organizing study visits to the Memorial for students and teachers. The University of Burgos hosts the Chair of Human Rights and Democratic Culture – the world’s first university chair established in close cooperation with the Auschwitz Museum.
The mission of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation is to fund the Masterplan for Conservation – a long-term program aimed at preserving all camp remains. The overarching goal of this effort is to preserve the authenticity and clarity of the post-camp space for future generations as faithfully as possible.
Croatia has become the 41st country to support the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation's Perpetual Fund. This funding enables the preservation of the authenticity of the remains of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. Croatia’s contribution will amount to 230,000 euros and is part of a joint pledge from the countries of the former Yugoslavia totaling one million euros.
The agreement was signed on 7 April 2025 at the Croatian Embassy in Warsaw in the presence of Nina Obuljen Koržinek, Minister of Culture and Media of Croatia.
'Croatia played a key role in the over two-year-long process of building a coalition of countries supporting the Foundation’s efforts in the Balkans. I especially want to express gratitude for the personal involvement of Ambassador Tomislav Vidosevic. His support helped build close relations with the Croatian authorities,' emphasized Wojciech Soczewica, Director General of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation.
During the meeting, Croatia reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating the realization of the joint post-Yugoslav exhibition in Block 17 on the grounds of the former Auschwitz I camp. The discussion also included plans to implement the “Auschwitz. In Front of your Eyes” project, which enables online guided tours of the Memorial. This initiative will help spread awareness of the history of the German Nazi Auschwitz camp and commemorate its victims in Croatian schools.
The aim of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation is to finance the Global Preservation Plan – a long-term program to preserve all camp remains. The guiding principle behind this work is to preserve the authenticity and of the post-camp space for future generations.
Since 2012, the Foundation has transferred over 148 million PLN to the Museum for conservation work, including 22 million PLN in 2024 alone. The value of the Foundation’s Perpetual Capital surpassed 180 million euros in 2024.
In recent years, the Foundation has also sought to support the Museum’s educational activities with additional funds. Donors have contributed over 3 million euros for this purpose. These funds are being used for the development and expansion of the online tours platform “Auschwitz. In Front of your Eyes” and for the training of guides.
