A permanent Municipal-Museum Cooperative Group has been set up to coordinate joint development. Besides Mayor Janusz Chwierut of the city of Oświęcim and Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum Director Piotr M. A. Cywiński, it includes specialists on investment, promotion, and tourism. The group arose as a joint initiative of the mayor and the Museum director.

“Until now, there has sometimes been a lack of even the most basic kind of cooperation that is vital to both the city and the Museum,” said Chwierut, adding that “cooperation between the city and the Museum on a partnership basis is not only possible, but downright essential.”

“The discussions that have begun offer the hope that things that were previously difficult or unrealistic will now be different,” said Cywiński. “There really are a lot of subjects that we should talk about,” he added. “A lot can be done for the sake of development as long as that development is mutually understood and accepted. There has been a crying need for this so far, and everyone has lost out.”

The first meeting of the permanent working group took place at the Museum Auschwitz. During the session, Director Cywiński presented an analysis of tourism at the Memorial. Afterwards, those in attendance discussed the priorities for the group’s work. Following this first August meeting of the group, others will follow on a regular basis.