On 10 December 2025, the symposium “Ćwierć wieku po Giedroyciu. Polska strategia na następne dekady” (“A Quarter Century after Giedroyc: Poland’s Strategy for the Decades Ahead”) took place in Białystok. It was organized by the Faculty of International Relations at the University of Białystok (UwB) and the East Partners association, and brought together leading Polish experts—academics, analysts, and practitioners working on Poland’s Eastern Policy. Among the guests were former President Aleksander Kwaśniewski and former Prime Minister Jan Krzysztof Bielecki.
The main focus of the event was a reflection on the continuing relevance of the ideas of Jerzy Giedroyc and the Kultura circle in the contemporary context of Poland’s relations with the so-called ULB countries (Ukraine, Lithuania, and Belarus), in light of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the increasingly serious threats to the security of Central Europe.
The Institute of Central Europe was represented at the symposium by Dr Bartłomiej Krzysztan, Head of the IEŚ Eastern Team.
Photo: Miłosz Kozakiewicz / Podlaski Urząd Wojewódzki
Strategy Symposium in Białystok: The Contemporary Relevance of Jerzy Giedroyc’s Ideas