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Today, 8 July, 2021, at the Central Museum of Prisoners-of-War’s Facebook was held the final of the 13^th edition of the National Competition for Historical Project "Before it's not too late". Our Museum  was the main organiser of it, with support in realization of the task from the Starosta Office of Nysa County. The contest was held under the honorary patronage of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport, Prof. Piotr Gliński, the Opole Voivode, Adrian Czubak, and, the Marshal of Opole Voivodship, Andrzej Bula, as well as, under .The media patronage was provided by Radio Opole, Radio Doxa, "Nowa Trybuna Opolska", and "Nowiny Nyskie".

The video broadcast of it is possible to be seen at out YouTube channel:

This year were submitted 98 works by 325 students and teachers from 14 provinces. The competition jury, composed of: Dr. Iwona Konopnicka - Chairwoman (Opole University), Dr. Ewelina Klimczak (the CMJW), Dr. Renata Kobylarz-Buła (the CMJW), Monika Sobczak (the CMJW), Dr. Kamil Weber (the CMJW) assessed 96 projects, and awarded the following:

• First Prize: Jakub Bysiewicz from Liceum Ogólnokształczące im. Jana Twardowskiego from Dębica for the project In searching of traces of the Battle of Kałużówka, supervised by Edward Dudziak (184 pts.)
• Second Prize: Aleksandra Domańska, Wiktoria Lesiak, Anastazja Tomaszewska from II Liceum Ogólnokształcącego im. ks. J. Twardowskiego in Dębica for the project Women in the forced labour camp of Pustków, in footsteps of Julia Najuch. An account of the family of ex-prisoner of the labour camp, supervised by Mariusz Wiech (180,5 pts.)
• Third Prize: Mateusz Zmarzły and Maciej Krajanowski from Samarządowe Liceum Ogółnoksztacące im. C.K. Norwida in Stalowa Wola for the project Sometimes it is worth to listen intently to the silence of tombstones..., supervised by Jolanta Łyczakowska (178,5 pts.)
• Distinction: Gabriela Bal, Daria Gumulak, Weronika Pych, Kinga Szlachta from II Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Jana Twardowskiego in Dębica for the project. The Battle of Pszczyna – the true story, supervised by Mariusz Wiech (176,5 pts.)

Additionally, the authors of two also highly other works, have been awarderd with special prizes:

The Prize of Director of the Central Museum of Prisoners-of-War, Dr. Violleta  Rezler-Wasielewska, goes to: Bartosz Łapkowski, Emilia Wieczorek and Julia Wiater from I Liceum Ogólnokształcącego im. ks. Stanisława Konarskiego in Rzeszowie for the project To prevente from forgetting: the Rzeszów forced labour camp, supervised by Marcin Świętoń.

The Prize of President of the Jury, Dr. Iwona Konopnicka, goes to: Gabriela Sierak, Izabela Czosnyka i Andrzej Mleczko from Zespół Szkół Muzycznych im. I. J. Paderewskiego in Tarnów for the project magdeburski.pl.

Tutors of the winning projects were additionally awarded with book prizes. All participants received commemorative diplomas, while authors of the most original works received additional publications of the Central Museum of Prisoners-of-War. In this way, the Jury appreciated the high substantive level of the projects, historical knowledge and the skills of their authors in gathering, processing and popularising information. The submitted projects are proof that even in the difficult time of the pandemic, it is possible to conduct reliable scientific research, create a valuable work in cooperation with others, or even stimulate the activity of the local community, and all this may concern the seemingly difficult subject of sites of remembrance.

We would like to thank everyone who participated in our event and invite you to follow our website for information about the next edition of the competition.

The competition was made possible thanks to many institutions, organisations and businesses. Among them were:

Andrzej Buła – Marshal of the Opole Province

Wiesław Skrzypek – Forest Inspector of the Tułowice Forest Inspectorate

and

Łukasz Sowada – Chairman of the Opole City Council

Tomasz Karpiński – Mayor of the Łambinowice Community

Urszula Gawor – President of the Katyn Family Association in Opole

Iwona Konopnicka – Chairperson of the Association of Friends of the Central Museum of Prisoners-of-War

Andrzej Kruczkiewicz -  Starost of Nysa County

Irena Chamielec – President of the Association of Poles Victimized by the Third Reich, the Opole Branch.

Henryk Kosidło – President of the Opole Office of the Polish Society of War Veterans and Former Political Prisoners

Rafał Bartek – Chairman of  The Opole Regional Assembly

Our sincere thanks to everyone!

The results of the competition can be found in the file attached below.