From June 7-9, Collegium Civitas in Warsaw hosted the PIASA 9th World Congress on Polish Studies, co-organized by the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America (PIASA) and Collegium Civitas. Over 200 participants from the USA, Europe, and Asia – scholars from various disciplines – participated in more than 50 thematic panels. The conference was held under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Dariusz Wieczorek.
The congress theme, “Poland in the World,” was inspired by significant anniversaries in Polish history, including the June elections, Poland’s accession to NATO, and the European Union. Distinguished guests included Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski, who delivered the opening lecture “Poland in the World,” Mayor of Warsaw Rafał Trzaskowski, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Andrzej Szeptycki, PIASA President Prof. Robert Blobaum, and Rector of Collegium Civitas Prof. Stanisław Mocek.
The congress provided a forum for discussions on social sciences, humanities, and economics. The organizers prepared 53 thematic panels covering topics such as literature, art, history, political science, international relations, and security. Among the panelists were members of the Collegium Civitas academic staff, including Prof. Paweł Dobrowolski, Prof. Marek Cichocki, Dr. Agnieszka Nitza-Makowska, Dr. Jens Boysen, Dr. Katarzyna Maniszewska, Dr. Paulina Piasecka, Dr. Monika Nowicka, Dr. Łukasz Tolak, Dr. Muhammad Kamran, and MA Katarzyna Skiert-Andrzejuk.
During the event, the PIASA Awards were presented at a ceremony held at the Museum of Polish History, attended by Director Dr. Robert Kostro, among others. Dr. Janusz Onyszkiewicz, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and one of the architects of Poland’s path to NATO, delivered a speech titled “25 Years in NATO – the Role of Poland in the Trans-Atlantic Community.”
The congresses are held annually, alternating between the USA and Poland. In previous years, PIASA has been hosted by Jagiellonian University, the University of Warsaw, the University of Gdańsk, and the University of Białystok. At the end of the congress at Collegium Civitas, PIASA announced that the 2025 congress is planned to be held at Columbia University in New York.
More information about the PIASA Awards at www.civitas.edu.pl/en and www.piasa.org