The Objectives of the Wacław Felczak Institute

 Our cooperation is based on the following pillars:

• In the spirit of the Visegrad Declaration[1] in which the representatives of the present-day Visegrad Group committed themselves to establishing a democratic social order based on respect for fundamental human freedoms, economic liberties, the rule of law, tolerance, and spiritual, cultural, and moral traditions. The leaders emphasized that the development of Central Europe and cooperation with other countries depends on the consistent building of civil society.
• Based on the Friendship and Good Neighbourly Cooperation Agreement[2] between the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Hungary which recalled the centuries-old traditions shared by the two nations, expressing the need to expand and strengthen European solidarity. The document stressed the importance of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law—values defined as undeniable elements of Europe’s heritage and recognized as the foundations of freedom, justice, and peace.
• Professor Wacław Felczak[3] remains a lasting inspiration and model for Polish Hungarian cooperation. Throughout his life, he was a committed advocate of honest dialogue, reliable historical research, and sincere discussion. Thanks to his knowledge of the Hungarian language and realities, he organized a courier network for the Polish government-in-exile and acted as its emissary. After 1957, he began his academic career at the Jagiellonian University, focusing mainly on the history of Hungary and the South Slavic nations. To this day, Professor Felczak symbolizes loyalty and dedication to Polish Hungarian relations.

Goals of the Institute

• To support efforts for the protection of fundamental human freedoms, economic liberties, the rule of law, tolerance, intellectual and cultural traditions, and moral values.
• To promote and broaden European solidarity, and to strengthen our common security through initiating and supporting social dialogue.
• To encourage fair and respectful debate on historical disputes between the nations of Central Europe, based on mutual respect and freedom of belief.
• To foster strong Polish Hungarian relations in order to enhance the internal cohesion of Central Europe and the European Union.
• To promote cooperation between non-governmental organizations of both nations and support institutions that operate based on the principles defined in the Institute’s mission.
• To promote cultural and academic ties and facilitate mutual exchange.
• To help overcome persistent negative stereotypes in both nations by supporting independent educational initiatives.
• To facilitate dialogue and contact between independent Polish and Hungarian civil platforms and opinion-forming communities.

Scope of Activity

• Organizing public, cultural, and academic events.
• Supporting independent non-governmental initiatives.
• Promoting and facilitating cooperation between Polish and Hungarian NGOs, sister cities, and independent media outlets.
• Supporting university cooperation between Poland and Hungary and backing student-led initiatives.
• Producing publications on public, cultural, and historical topics.
• Assisting in the preparation of educational materials aimed at improving Polish Hungarian relations.
• Supporting independent research that positively influences the development of Polish Hungarian ties.
• Active participation of our staff and collaborators in public debates and media discussions.
• Promoting and disseminating knowledge about Polish history, culture, and economy in Hungary and vice versa—promoting Hungarian history, culture, and economy in Poland.

Team

Dr Jakub Wiśniewski

Director of the Institute

Dr Jakub Wiśniewski holds a PhD in political science from the University of Warsaw. He graduated in international relations from the University of Łódź and also studied sociology and social policy at the University of Surrey in London. He is the author of publications on European models of the welfare state.

He began his professional career at the Office of the Committee for European Integration, later joining the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). At the MFA, he twice served as Director of the Department of Foreign Policy Strategy. From 2014 to 2016, he was the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the OECD. Later, he became Vice President of the GLOBSEC organization. From January 2024 to April 2025, he served as Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for foreign policy strategy, economic cooperation, development coordination, human rights, and relations with Latin American countries.

Dr Wiśniewski has also served on the scientific and advisory boards of several institutions, including the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), the Western Institute, the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW, 2010–2015), and the Institute of Central and Eastern Europe. From 2010 to 2013, he was a member of the Polish Czech Forum. He currently sits on the boards of OSW and the Western Institute.

In 2014, he was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit for his contributions to strengthening and developing European integration.

Since April 2025, he has served as Director of the Wacław Felczak Polish-Hungarian Cooperation Institute. He is an enthusiast of Hungarian culture and considers himself a proud Central European.

Director Wiśniewski is married and has three children. He is a fan of Bob Dylan’s music, including his precursors and some of his followers

Dr habil. Miklós Mitrovits

Historian, Polish Studies Scholar

Dr Miklós Mitrovits is a specialist in the history of Central and Eastern Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries, with particular expertise in political, economic, and cultural relations between Poland and Hungary.

His academic achievements include four monographs in Hungarian and one in Polish, as well as co-authoring three books in Hungarian and three in Polish. He is also the editor of three volumes of documents in Hungarian and the translator of three books and many academic articles.
He serves as the editor of the Bibliotheca Hungaro-Polonica series. Dr Mitrovits is also co-editor and scriptwriter of two full-length historical documentaries.

Importantly, he is the originator of the educational project POLHUNATION (Polish Hungarian Education Project), within which approximately 20 short historical films have been produced. Dr Mitrovits has delivered lectures at nearly one hundred academic conferences in Hungarian, Polish, and English.

Since 2015, he has coordinated the academic exchange program between the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Polish Academy of Sciences. Since 2017, he has been involved in the work of the Polish Hungarian Historical Commission of both academies.

Dr Miklós Mitrovits was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland in 2014. In 2023, he received the Henryk Wereszycki and Wacław Felczak Honorary Award, and in 2025, he was honored with the Pro Cultura Minoritatum Hungariae Award.

In 2025, Dr Mitrovits began cooperating with the Wacław Felczak Polish-Hungarian Cooperation Institute.

Documents

Rozporządzenie Prezesa Rady Ministrów o powołaniu Międzynarodowej Rady Instytutu

Rozporządzenie w sprawie udzielania dofinansowań

Rozporządzenie w sprawie udzielania stypendiów

Sejm RP podjął uchwałę o powołaniu Instytutu im. Felczaka