Immortalizing Sacred Spaces

This virtual conversation explores how sites of mass tragedies are transformed into places of remembrance, featuring a speaker from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. The discussion will cover the challenges and decisions involved in designing these spaces within spatial, social, and political constraints, as well as the role of impacted communities in their development. Following the presentation with a Q&A segment, participants will then share their own experiences visiting any similar places of remembrance throughout the world. This program invites people who have an interest in urbanism, architecture, preservation, placemaking, and a general use of public spaces.

Paweł Sawicki, is a press officer and educator at the Auschwitz Memorial. He is responsible for the social media activity of the Memorial followed on different platforms by over 2.5 million people. He is the editor-in-chief of the monthly online magazine Memoria & co-ordinator of the “Auschwitz. Not far away. Not long ago” exhibition project at the Museum. He is also co-author of the “On Auschwitz” podcast & author of the album Auschwitz-Birkenau. The place where you are standing… that compares 1944 images from Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp with the authentic site of the Memorial today.