The National Memory Congress. History Speaks Through Generations (in polish: Kongres Pamięci Narodowej. Historia Mówi Przez Pokolenia)
Main category
B2C
Sub-category
10. Internal Training/Education Event
Watch the event video
Event Description and Key Objectives
"The National Memory Congress. History Speaks Through Generations" is an event we organized for the Institute of National Remembrance (in Polish: Instytut Pamięci Narodowej, abbreviated as IPN), a state unit responsible, among other things, for the protection of national heritage. The event took place at the National Stadium in Warsaw, the largest stadium in Poland, with an area of over 200,000 square meters. Nearly 20,000 people participated in the three-day event, including as much as 70 percent children. The aim of the congress was to build national identity among the youngest and to strengthen civic awareness among adults in the difficult times of the threat from Russia. We wanted to create a platform for intergenerational integration, where grandparents, parents, and children could spend time together in an interesting and engaging way, getting to know the history of their country better. The event won the Meeting Planner Power Awards® 2023 in the Congress category.
Key challenges
We won the tender and started working on the event three weeks before its start, during the Easter holidays, which made logistics very challenging. The immense dedication of El Padre's employees and our well-known and proven subcontractors helped solve our problems. Another challenge was presenting Poland's history, difficult and complex, in a way that would intrigue and engage various age groups of the audience. The solution to this problem was to collaborate with experts in education and storytelling. We worked with IPN branches from different cities, involving over 100 people on the client's side. Managing event participants was also a challenge – each day, there were several thousand of them, mostly children. Therefore, supervisors and adequate capacity were needed. This required excellent work organization, composure, and almost angelic patience, which was provided by the best and longest-serving event managers from our agency, backed by nearly 20 years of industry experience.
Basic information about the event
Name of the organiser
El Padre
Location
Warsaw, Poland
Event duration
13/04/2023 - 15/04/2023
Client
The Institute of National Remembrance (in Polish: Instytut Pamięci Narodowej, abbreviated as IPN)
VOTING LINK
Event results
Creativity
Each group of participants followed a historical path tailored to their developmental capabilities. We also included shared parts of the exhibition. We spoke to children and teenagers primarily in their language, which is through multimedia. We used VR, 3D, audio plays, multimedia projections, cinema halls with surround sound systems and even an interactive globe with mapping. On the other hand, we introduced games known to our grandparents, such as digging for treasures or stamping dog tags, which aimed to integrate older and younger generations. This was our way of presenting difficult historical experiences in an accessible manner that brings educational value but also shows that one can have a great time and build a bond with children without using smartphones or television. We also introduced a space inspired by Speaker's Corner, where we provided a platform for discussion to various social groups and non-governmental organizations. Everyone could join in and have a conversation.
Innovation
Due to the immense interest in the congress and the large number of participants, we created an extensive registration system where one could sign up for a specific exhibition at a given time, selecting a specific number of people (to ensure the flow and safety of participants). In the main, largest hall, we used large LED screens in a non-standard format with integrated greenery and a scenic Polish flag. To improve visibility in the room, the columns in the hall were covered with LED screens displaying the camera feed from the main stage. The attractions themselves, including multimedia exhibitions, an interactive and responsive globe projection, two cinema halls with surround sound, numerous conference rooms with modern scenography, enhanced LED screens, TV lighting, simultaneous translations into several languages, and live streaming, also testify to the event's innovativeness.
Execution
We created eight zones: scientific, historical, workshop, publishing, cinematic, gaming, programming and multimedia. We built a main stage for 750 people with a series of curved screens and a Polish flag corresponding to them. This stage was the venue for debates. Every evening, an award ceremony with a dinner and musical performances took place there. Additionally, there were five smaller stages, each for 250 people. The mentioned spaces were arranged using over 300 square metres of LEDs. While children participated in attractions, we trained parents and teachers on how to talk interestingly about history. We managed a team of 500 people, including client representatives, subcontractors, technicians, etc., across three floors of the stadium and its forecourt, covering a 200,000 square meter area, which we had to perfectly mark and coordinate as our client hadn't had experience in organizing such a huge event before.
Measurable results
We set a goal of 12-15 thousand guests; there were nearly 20 thousand, so the goal was exceeded. Another objective was to increase civic awareness and build a sense of national belonging, which we achieved by creating spectacular and unforgettable experiences, as evidenced by numerous participant comments on social media and positive media reception. Our guests embarked on a historical journey across an area of a thousand square meters, where they viewed a timeline-based history on 900 meters of wall space, enjoying the attractions accompanying this journey at over 20 booths. We managed not only to fine-tune the organization of the project in every detail but also to create an extraordinary atmosphere around it. This garnered us the support of partners, resulting in invaluable engagement from everyone involved in the exemplary execution of this prestigious event.
Communication
A dedicated website was created, along with advertising spots that appeared on the radio, television, and social media (Facebook and YouTube). The event was intensely promoted by the Institute of National Remembrance and the event partners on their social media channels.
Sustainable practices
We mainly used the services of local subcontractors, which helped to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The employees hired for the project were employed under a work contract. We used potted plants for the decoration of the rooms, which were later given to the client's and organizers' offices. For the creation of the scenography, we used reusable multimedia elements, and the walls we built were made of prefabricated materials that can also be used multiple times. After the official meals with the client, we invited the technical crew to have a meal, ensuring that the catering was fully utilized. We did not print brochures; such materials were presented digitally.
