What’s On
Collective Memories at UN House!
Collective Memories in Fostering Unity: Heritage, Refugees, and Community-Led Research at UN House Scotland
We are pleased to announce that the Collective Memories in Fostering Unity project has established its base at the United Nations House in Scotland. This has also initiated a collaboration on a research-led group comparing survey and interview results, focusing on heritage and the British descendants of Polish soldiers in Fife and Scotland. I will compare these findings with UN Refugee Policy to develop a community-led framework and grassroots recommendations for enhancing policy on present-day refugee integration.
The project will begin in February 2026. To join, please email: [email protected]
Lecture: Memory Crafted in Stone
The Polish Paratroopers’ Mosaic of St Andrews as a Material Representation of Collective and Mediated Memory
Join Us: Film Screening & Q&A – God Bless Montgomery
You are invited to a special film screening of God Bless Montgomery, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director, Geertjan Lassche.
Date & Time: Saturday, 23rd August 2025, at 6:00 PM
Location: Polish SPK House, 11 Drummond Place, Edinburgh, EH3 9PJ
This event is an excellent opportunity to connect with the stories and memories of the Polish paratroopers and explore their legacy, which is central to our Collective Memories in Fostering Unity project.
R.S.V.P. here: Film Screening & Q&A Registration
Join us to celebrate history, heritage, and the power of collective memory in shaping understanding across generations.
Gen. Sosabowski Celebration Weekend 2025
Join us for a special weekend honouring General Stanisław Sosabowski and the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade.
Through music, film, stories, and community activities, we will celebrate the shared Polish–Scottish history and remember the legacy of those who trained in Scotland before Operation Market Garden. Help us capture community stories and insights about Polish heritage and refugee integration. Your participation will shape Scotland’s Future and celebrate these shared histories.
We warmly invite you to visit the Gen. Sosabowski Polish Paratroopers Memory Hall at the Polish Club in Kirkcaldy. This exhibition proposal and design was created in collaboration with the Collective Memories in Fostering Unity project and the Polish Consulate in Edinburgh, celebrating the bravery, stories, and heritage of Polish paratroopers and their descendants in Scotland.
Friday, 22 August
6.30pm
Scottish Polish ceilidh: 1940s style evening with Polish soldiers and Scottish lassies: https://ScottishPolishCeilidh.eventbrite.co.uk
Simpson Institute, 47 Main Street, Upper Largo, Fife KY8 6EN.
Saturday, 23 August
6pm
Film God Bless Montgomery and Q&A with Geertjan Lassche: https://FilmScreeningMontgomery.eventbrite.co.uk
Polish SPK House, 11 Drummond Place, EH3 9PJ
Sunday, 24 August
10am
Opening ceremony prepared by Polish Scouts at Kincraig Point: https://OpeningCeremonyKincraig.eventbrite.co.uk
11am
Registration and number collection for Gen Sosabowski Race opens.
Elie Holiday Park at Shell Bay, Fife KY9 1HB.
12.00pm
Gen Sosabowski Race – following in the footsteps of the soldiers of Gen. S. Sosabowski, who trained in Fife prior to Operation Market Garden and other battles of the Second World War.
Registration: https://www.entrycentral.com/sosabowski
Number collection: Elie Holiday Park at Shell Bay, Fife KY9 1HB.
Medals will be presented to the runners as they cross the finish line.
1.30pm
Presentation of trophies to the winners of Gen Sosabowski Race.
Elie Holiday Park at Shell Bay (Main Hall), Fife KY9 1HB.
2pm
Remembering local stories linked with Gen. S. Sosabowski and 1 Independent Parachute Brigade: a story of his grandfather by Dr Kinloch: https://LocalStoriesSosabowski.eventbrite.co.uk
Elie Holiday Park at Shell Bay (Main Hall), Fife KY9 1HB.
Exhibition of Sosabowski posters by the Polish History Club and the Polish School of gen. Sosabowski in Glasgow.
Elie Holiday Park at Shell Bay (Main Hall), Fife KY9 1HB.
Collective Memories in Fostering Unity – take part in our survey
Elie Holiday Park at Shell Bay (Main Hall), Fife KY9 1HB.
4pm
Gen. Sosabowski Memory Hall – exhibition opening.
Polish Club in Kirkcaldy, Bennochy House
Digitisation Sessions at OnFife Collections Centre
Students from the University of St Andrews led by Collective Memories staff recently participated in a series of digitisation sessions at the OnFife Collections Centre, working with the Polish Soldiers’ Collection.
During these sessions, participants gained hands-on experience in:
Collection documentation
Handling and care of historic objects
Data acquisition for 3D digitisation
These practical sessions provide invaluable skills for heritage preservation and digital curation, ensuring the stories of Polish soldiers in Scotland are accessible and preserved for future generations.
The digitisation sessions are proudly supported by Scotland’s Future and StARIS, highlighting the importance of collaborative projects in heritage, learning, and research.
Collective Memories at Polish Scottish Forum organised by the Consulate General of Poland in Edinburgh, the Scottish Council on Global Affairs, the Faculty of Advocates and the Citizens Rights Project
The Collective Memories Project was invited as a keynote panelist at the Polish-Scottish Forum, held in Edinburgh this June.
The forum provided an important platform for dialogue on Poland’s upcoming EU Presidency, as well as discussions on security, geopolitical priorities, and the diverse ways in which Poland and Scotland can strengthen cooperation across culture, business, education, and civic society.
Event: Polish Scottish Forum
Date: Saturday 14th June 2025
Time: 09.30 – 17.00
Venue: Faculty of Advocates, Mackenzie Building, Old Assembly Close High Street Edinburgh EH1 1QX
Organisers: Consulate General of Poland in Edinburgh, SCGA, the Faculty of Advocates and the Citizens Rights Project
As Poland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union comes to an end, the Consulate General of Poland in Edinburgh in collaboration with Scottish Council on Global Affairs, the Faculty of Advocates and the Citizens Rights Project is organising an event to assess the achievements of this presidency, and their longer term consequences.
The event is aimed at participation from a wide range of leading voices from within the Scottish society (including the Polish community in Scotland), together with a select number of contributors from Poland. The purposes of the event are the following:
- to consider the wider geopolitical and security issues facing Poland, and how the UK could support and work with Poland on those issues
- to provide a forum for policy makers, academics, politicians, media, civic society leaders in Scotland to discuss with Polish experts the current issues facing Poland, ways of encouraging greater contact and co-operation between Scotland and Poland
- to provide information about current Scotland-Poland links in various sectors, education, business, cultural, civic society, and to consider how those might be developed and supported.
The event is free, but ticketed. Click here to book a ticket.
Programme:
9.30 Registration (coffee/tea)
10.00 Introductory session: Overview of Poland today and the current issues facing Poland, Q & A
- Dr Przemysław Biskup, Polish Institute of International Affairs
- Prof Aleks Szczerbiak, University of Sussex
11.05 Morning break
11.30 The Polish presidency of the EU, 2025: achievements, consequences, future challenges
- Prof Agnieszka Legucka, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland
- George Byczynski, Chief Operating Officer of Anders de Wiart Associates and founder of “British Poles” website
12.30 Lunch
13.30 Future UK and Scottish cooperation with Poland
UK, Scottish and Polish government representatives
14.30 Discussion, Q & A with Polish and UK/Scottish government speakers from earlier sessions.
15.00 Afternoon break
15.30 Panel session on current and future Poland-Scotland links:
Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Royal Society of Edinburgh, Collective Memories in Fostering Unity Project (University of St Andrews), Polish Cultural Society in Aberdeen, Polish Schools.
Q&A
16.30 Closing remarks
Collective Memories Invited to ‘Super’ Exhibition
Polish-Origin Artists at Pittenweem Arts Festival 2025
We are thrilled to share that the Collective Memories in Fostering Unity project has been invited to participate in the upcoming ‘Super’ exhibition, organized by Scottish artists of Polish heritage and supported by the Polish Consulate in Edinburgh.
The exhibition showcases the work of six talented artists, each exploring their personal and artistic journeys while reflecting on themes of identity, heritage, and memory. Together, their works create a rich tapestry of experiences and perspectives that highlight both individual creativity and shared cultural roots.
Will there be unexpected connections or recurring themes? You’ll have to visit to discover! This is a unique opportunity to engage with contemporary art inspired by Polish-Scottish heritage and to see how collective memory continues to shape creative expression.
For descendants of Polish soldiers who would like to join the Collective Memories project and take part in our survey, copies of the survey will be available at The Art Rooms during exhibition opening hours—just ask the staff.
Exhibition Details:
The Art Rooms, Pittenweem
47 High Street, KY10 2PG
5–13 April
10 AM – 4 PM daily
We warmly invite everyone to explore this inspiring exhibition and celebrate the stories and artistic voices of the Polish-Scottish community.
Collective Memories at the Opening Ceremony of Poland’s 2025 EU Presidency in Edinburgh
Earlier this year, the Collective Memories Project was honoured to take part in the opening ceremony in Edinburgh marking the beginning of Poland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2025.
The event brought together key figures from Scottish and Polish public life, celebrating the enduring ties between the two nations and exploring new opportunities for cooperation in culture, education, and civic engagement.
During the ceremony, representatives of the Collective Memories Project had the opportunity to discuss the project’s aims and impact with Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture. The conversation highlighted shared interests in cultural diplomacy, heritage preservation, and community-led storytelling—themes central both to Scotland’s external cultural relations and to the Collective Memories initiative.
The exchange reinforced the project’s commitment to fostering dialogue between heritage, memory, and identity, especially within the context of Polish–Scottish shared histories. It also underscored how grassroots cultural projects can contribute to European conversations about inclusion, migration, and collective remembrance.
As Poland prepares to take on its EU Presidency, the event in Edinburgh symbolised not only a moment of diplomatic significance but also a renewed spirit of collaboration—bridging past and present, and connecting local heritage with European values.
From the Soviet Gulag to Arnhem: A Polish Paratrooper's Epic Wartime Journey
A book launch with Nicholas Kinloch
The Scottish-Polish Cultural Association is delighted to invite you to a special book launch with Nicolas Kinloch, a University of St Andrews alumnus.
Join us as Nicolas presents his new book, From the Soviet Gulag to Arnhem: A Polish Paratrooper’s Epic Wartime Journey, which tells the extraordinary story of his grandfather—a paratrooper of the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade, formed in Fife, Scotland. The book explores his harrowing journey from Soviet captivity to his pivotal role in Operation Market Garden and the Battle of Arnhem.
📅 Date & Time: Feb 12, 2025 07:00 PM London
📍 Location: Zoom
This is a unique opportunity to delve into an incredible chapter of history and honour the legacy of those who fought for freedom. We look forward to seeing you there!
Invitation to Polish Descendants: Join Us in Kirkcaldy to Honor the Legacy of the Polish Paratroopers
We warmly invite all Polish descendants to join us in Kirkcaldy to celebrate and preserve the legacy of the Polish paratroopers. Your participation in the Collective Memories in Fostering Unity project will help honour the invaluable contributions of your ancestors to Scotland’s history.
Collective Memories in Fostering Unity Participates in Commemorative Events Honouring General Sosabowski and the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade
To mark the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Edinburgh hosted events to honour General Stanisław Sosabowski and the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade (1IPB). The ceremonies, organised in collaboration with various Polish and Scottish partners, included participation from the Polish Gen Sosabowski 6th Airborne Brigade from Kraków (6BPD) and the British 16th Air Assault Brigade Combat Team. These two military units continue the legacy of the 1st IPB and the 1st Airborne Division, whose soldiers fought together in Operation Market Garden in 1944.
The Collective Memories in Fostering Unity project was proud to be part of this occasion, presenting its goals and inviting the descendants of Polish paratroopers to get involved. The project aims to preserve and share the stories of Polish veterans and their families, helping to deepen the understanding of their enduring legacy and their contributions to Scotland.
Fife remains a key area of remembrance for the Polish paratroopers, who trained and were stationed there during WWII. Many veterans returned to Fife after the war, settling and starting families, and their descendants continue to be part of the local community. Numerous descendants attended the commemorative events to honour General Sosabowski and the 1st IPB.
We warmly invite all descendants of Polish soldiers to join the Collective Memories in Fostering Unity project. Watch the video and help us preserve this important heritage for future generations.