The campaign, launched by Poland’s Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, calls on participants to remember those who fought for the nation’s freedom but whose names and stories have been lost to time.
In Poland, memory is more than history
“Even the greatest flame begins with a tiny spark - especially the Flame of Remembrance,” the campaign message says.
“The traces of past heroes are still among us. Names have faded, deeds have blurred, but the earth still bears their marks. History, sealed in graves, calls out for remembrance.”
The initiative is closely tied to All Saints’ Day and the following All Souls’ Day, when Poles traditionally visit cemeteries to light candles for the departed.
This year, scouts, schoolchildren and families are being encouraged to craft symbolic hearts from red-and-white ribbons – the colours of the Polish flag – to decorate candles and place them at the graves or memorials of soldiers who died defending their homeland.
Photo: PAP/Marcin Obara
A shared duty to remember
Culture Minister Marta Cienkowska has urged the public to join the effort, describing remembrance as a shared moral duty. “As long as its flame burns, their traces will never disappear,” reads the ministry’s appeal. “Light a Flame of Remembrance where those lie whose names we do not know, but to whom we owe our freedom.”
Marta Cienkowska (photo: PAP/Marcin Obara)
Deputy Minister Maciej Wróbel emphasised that the project is aimed particularly at young people - school pupils, scouts, and their teachers - to help them connect with the stories of those who shaped modern Poland.
The light that bridges past and present
Participants are invited to share photographs and details of where their candles were lit. The Polish History Museum, a partner in the campaign, has prepared free educational materials, including lesson plans, creative activities, and an online lecture to help schools take part.
“The Flame of Remembrance connects the past with the present,” the organisers say. “In its light, we can see the faces of those who came before us; in a moment of silence, we can hear their voices again.”
In Vilnius, Lithuania, candles were lit and flowers were laid to commemorate All Saint's Day as part of the "Light of Remembrance" initiative (photo: PAP/Valdemar Doveiko)
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Source: Radio Poland/IAR/X/@kultura_gov_pl