Wacław Felczak Institute of Polish-Hungarian Cooperation is a Polish institute focused on Polish-Hungarian cooperation established pursuant to the Act of 8 February 2018.[1] The institute bears the name of professor Wacław Felczak, a historian, scholar of Central Europe and Polish-Hungarian relations, as well as a Carpathian courier during WWII.
Description
editIn accordance with the act, the institute is a state-owned legal entity, headed by the council and director. The council of the institute is composed of members appointed from among individuals that stand out for their knowledge of Polish-Hungarian relations, as well as specialists whose knowledge, experience or authority guarantee the proper performance of the institute's tasks.
By his decision of 1 August 2018, the prime minister of Poland, appointed Maciej Szymanowski as the institute's director:
The tasks of the institute include:
- transmitting the importance of the Polish-Hungarian tradition to the young generations;
- strengthening cooperation and forging new contacts between the representatives of the young generation, especially in culture and sports;
- supporting scientific cooperation, research and education initiatives and projects aimed at encouraging the mutual learning of the languages, cultures, history and politics of the two countries;
- supporting innovation in Polish-Hungarian cultural, economic, and political institutions in order to strengthen the competitiveness of both countries;
- funding or co-funding Polish-Hungarian cooperation initiatives;
- analyzing historical, economic, and social changes in Europe that may affect the security and development of Poland and Hungary.
The institute extends its auspices over research and journalism initiatives, offers a scholarship and translation program, and a program of teaching Hungarian in Polish schools and Polish in Hungarian schools. In Krasiczyn Castle near Przemyśl, the institute organizes a Polish-Hungarian Summer University – School of Leaders,[2] and in Budapest – a Summer Visegrad Academy[3] at the National University of Public Service in Budapest. The institute also publishes a trilingual online portal: kurier.plus, and engages in publishing activity. Since 2022, it has also organized a knowledge competition for high school students entitled "Poland-Hungary – A History of Friendship".[4]
The institute is partnered in Hungary with the Wacław Felczak Foundation, established in 2018 by the Hungarian government. The objective of the foundation, like that of the institute, is to further develop Polish-Hungarian cooperation.[5]