The appeal “Let us defend our heritage together!” – an initiative to digitize Polish archives created by the Polish state and its institutions during the period II of the Polish Republic (today in the resources of Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine) – was submitted at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
Our common interest is the protection of Polish archives created by the Polish State and its institutions during the period II of the Polish Republic. The valuable resources for us after the war remained behind our east border – Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine. Digitization is primarily intended to safe our heritage. So we search to make digital copies so that they can be made available to researchers of past and genealogists already in Poland.
Therefore, on 14 September this initiative was transferred to the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Recovery of the resources indicated in the appeal is not legally possible in accordance with the rule of territorial affiliation in force in the archives. Digitalisation of the Polish resource, which is understandable, is besides not a precedence of neighbouring countries. Therefore, the social concern was to put this issue in public space and present it to the government.
The action was supported by over 30 entities – scientists and social organizations and associations. Among them are nationwide organizations, local, border and patriotic societies. It should be stressed that the protection of Polish resources outside our borders is not only a substance of Kresowians and their descendants, but besides of all Poles.
I give my sincere thanks to those who supported the initiative. However, this is only the beginning of the road. It's worth working together. I encourage you to send a signed appeal to the Ministry by further environments, print and advance media and social media activities, inform and influence politicians who appear in our local communities.
Below is the content of the appeal.
Let us defend our heritage together!
Organisation of the initiative
Tomasz Kiejdo
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