World Copernican Congress 2023
In 2023, marking the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus, a unique event was held in Poland: the First World Copernican Congress. Its main objective was to present the current state of research into the life and work of this eminent scholar and astronomer, as well as his impact on the development of science, culture and the arts.
The Congress was international in scope and followed a multi-stage format, taking place in four sessions across three academic centres: Toruń, Kraków and Olsztyn. Its aim was to present the latest research on Copernicus's life and work and explore his influence on the development of science, culture and the arts.
Schedule of Main Events
19–21 February 2023 – Toruń: Opening of the Congress
19–21 February 2023 – Toruń: Opening of the Congress
The official opening of the Congress took place on 19 February, the anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus's birth, which is also celebrated as the Nicolaus Copernicus University Day in Toruń. The celebrations began with a Holy Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist, where a commemorative plaque was unveiled in the Copernican Chapel. Following the service, the academic procession laid flowers at the monument to Nicolaus Copernicus in Toruń's Old Town Market Square.
At 11:00 a.m., the ceremony moved to the Nicolaus Copernicus University Assembly Hall, where speeches were delivered by, among others, Przemysław Czarnek, Minister of Education and Science, and the following university rectors: Professor Andrzej Sokala, Rector of Nicolaus Copernicus University; Professor Jacek Popiel, Rector of Jagiellonian University; Professor Jerzy Przyborowski, Rector of the University of Warmia and Mazury; and Professor Krzysztof Mikulski, Director of the Centre for Copernican Studies.
A highlight of the opening ceremony was a lecture delivered by Professor Philip James Edwin Peebles.
The celebrations marking the 550th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus's birth were accompanied by an exhibition entitled "Of All Books, the Most Worthy of Reading... Around De revolutionibus", co-organised by the University Library. Hosted in the interiors of Toruń's Old Town Hall, the exhibition featured the oldest editions of Copernicus's De revolutionibus..., including the first and second Nuremberg editions, both published in 1543. It also presented a large number of exceptionally valuable incunabula and early printed books illustrating the historical and intellectual context in which the astronomer's life's work, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, was created. In addition, visitors could explore a rich selection of twentieth-century editions of what is regarded as the world's best-known scientific book. The exhibition concluded with an extensive display of graphic works illustrating the iconography associated with Copernicus.
- Concert by the Toruń Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Lithuanian conductor Dainius Pavilionis, on 18 February 2023 – link
24–26 May 2023 – Kraków
As part of the Kraków programme of the World Copernican Congress in 2023, sessions were held by the Philosophy Section, entitled "The Copernican Legacy", and the Economics Section, entitled "On Money". The proceedings opened with a lecture entitled "Nicolaus Copernicus's Theory of Relativity", delivered by Father Professor Michał Heller.
The Philosophy Section comprised three thematic panels. The first, entitled "The Impact of Copernicus: On the Evolution of Worldviews", explored the influence of the Copernican Revolution on both scientific and popular conceptions of the world, as well as the transformations in the ways in which it has been perceived. The discussion brought together philosophers, historians, anthropologists, theologians and literary scholars.
The second panel, "Revolutions in Science", focused on the nature of the Copernican Revolution and, more broadly, on major turning points in the development of science. Participants included philosophers, scholars of science, historians of science and psychologists.
The third panel, entitled "The Anthropic Principle", examined the concept of the anthropic principle, which was first formulated during the Copernican Congress in 1973. The discussion brought together philosophers, cosmologists and mathematicians.
The starting point for the proceedings of the Economics Section, "On Money", was a reconsideration of Nicolaus Copernicus's treatise Monetae cudendae ratio, which addressed the value of money and monetary reform. This historical reflection on the astronomer's economic ideas provided a basis for discussion of contemporary challenges and the future of monetary policy.
The debate brought together distinguished representatives of the academic community, practising economists and representatives of leading financial institutions. On the second day of the proceedings, Professor Mirosław Bochenek of the Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń delivered a lecture entitled "T. Gresham, M. Copernicus or N. Oresme? On the History of the Law of Inferior Money", scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Professor Magdalena Osińska and Associate Professor Michał Polasik, both representing Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, also made significant contributions to the discussions within the Economics Section.
Both sections provided a forum for interdisciplinary reflection on the legacy of Nicolaus Copernicus, demonstrating the continuing relevance of his intellectual achievements in the context of philosophical and scientific transformations in our understanding of the world, as well as contemporary economic issues and the functioning of monetary systems.
21–24 June 2023 – Olsztyn
The third instalment of the World Copernican Congress took place from 21 to 24 June 2023 in Olsztyn, at the University of Warmia and Mazury, as well as at other locations associated with Nicolaus Copernicus's life and work in the region of Warmia.
The programme focused primarily on the astronomer's biography and on museum and conservation issues relating to the preservation and protection of material artefacts associated with his activities and achievements. The choice of Warmia as the venue for the Congress was particularly significant, as Copernicus spent approximately 40 years of his life in this region. This provided an opportunity for an in-depth examination of his life, scientific and administrative activities, as well as the ways in which the Copernican heritage is documented, researched and protected.
The Olsztyn programme opened with a lecture by Professor Karl Galle of Washington, entitled "An Astronomer and His Castles: The Scientist as Public Servant in Copernicus's Era and Our Own".
In the following days, the proceedings were organised into two thematic sections. The first, the Biographical Section, was devoted to the life and work of Nicolaus Copernicus. It began with topics relating to his childhood, youth and education, and continued with a series of thematic panels and discussions examining successive stages of the astronomer's life, his activities and the circumstances in which he conducted his research. One of the issues addressed was the discovery of Nicolaus Copernicus's grave, discussed in a panel entitled "The Discovery of Nicolaus Copernicus's Grave: A Media Fact or a Scientific Fact?".
The second section focused on museum and conservation issues. Participants discussed the material heritage of Copernicus, surviving artefacts associated with the astronomer, and initiatives aimed at their preservation, conservation and promotion.
An important feature of the Olsztyn programme was its extension beyond the university setting, with some sessions held at locations directly associated with Copernicus's time in Warmia. Meetings and discussions took place, among other venues, at the Museum of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn Castle and at Lidzbark Warmiński Castle. This enabled participants to gain a deeper understanding of the historical and cultural context of the astronomer's activities and of the sites that form an important part of the region's Copernican heritage.
The Congress programme also included artistic events paying tribute to Nicolaus Copernicus. Concerts and other cultural initiatives combined reflection on the scholar's achievements with the promotion of science and culture.
A special highlight on the final day, 24 June, was the Copernican Festival, held on the academic campus of the University of Warmia and Mazury. The festival brought the spirit of the Congress together with the popularisation of knowledge and science, while also symbolically welcoming the beginning of the summer holidays.
The Olsztyn instalment of the World Copernican Congress offered an opportunity to explore Nicolaus Copernicus not only through the lens of his astronomical achievements, but also in terms of his biography, public service and the material heritage he left behind in Warmia. The combination of academic sessions, meetings at historic sites associated with the astronomer and cultural events created a multifaceted setting for exploring and promoting knowledge of Copernicus and his era.
12–16 September 2023 – Toruń
Accompanying Events and Closing of the Congress
The September programme in Toruń featured a number of accompanying events and initiatives celebrating the legacy of Nicolaus Copernicus and bringing the World Copernican Congress to a close.
The programme included:
- The 41st Meeting of the Polish Astronomical Society – link
- The Copernican Debate: "Does Copernicus Make Us Spin?" – link
- A culinary event entitled "Eat Like Copernicus" – link
- An exhibition of works by Marek Żuławski from the collection of the University Museum – link
- The launch of the Copernican Integration Centre – link
- The establishment of the International Copernican Research Centre – link
- A piano recital by Mateusz Krzyżowski – link
Official Closing Ceremony
The Congress officially concluded on 15 September 2023, during a ceremony marking the culmination of the year's celebrations and academic events.
Read more about the closing ceremony
Sections
The 'Cultural studies' section
The 'History of astronomy' section
The 'History of medicine' section
The 'Cultural studies' section
- About the section
- Idea of the Section
- Programme
- Keynote speakers
- International Program Committee
- Organizing Committee
- Section partners
About the section
The conference "Nicolaus Copernicus and the Culture of Remembrance" is divided into three modules addressing the issues of
- historical memory,
- literature,
- the history of arts.
The common denominator for these three perspectives is memory studies, which is one of the most rapidly growing, interdisciplinary areas of research in the world. Just as memory studies is multifaceted and interdisciplinary, rooted in different disciplinary and national traditions, so is the definition of memory itself encompassing cultural, social, collective memory, as well as memory culture that includes cultures of remembering and commemorating.
The aim of the conference is to re-read/define the figure of Copernicus through the prism of the memory of him, the legacy of the figure present in various European and non-European cultures. It is not a matter of reaching back to Nicolaus Copernicus, his life and work, but to the memory of him and his work, to the various forms of his presence in literature or the arts, in popular culture, in space, symbols, memorabilia and so on. We pose a question about the presence of the Copernican past and history in various cultural texts, and about his representations in collective and individual memory.
Idea of the Section
This approach, focusing on the culture of memory, allows us to trace the presence of "Copernicus" in cultural texts regardless of their nature and the purpose for which they were created. Whether these will be, for example, cognitive purposes (as in the history of science), aesthetic purposes (as in the case of literature, arts and other works of artistic activity), political purposes (as in the case of monuments or the presence of the astronomer in propaganda texts), is a separate issue here, although one that also requires consideration. A comparative approach will bind together the whole of this international undertaking.
We have divided the conference into three modules, each with a profile theme. This division is primarily heuristic and organizational, and reflects disciplinary divisions. What binds the whole together is the memory cultures. All questions are of a working and exemplary nature. They do not exhaust the list of possible problems. hey are only meant to be an invitation and encouragement to own research within the framework of a given panel, and at the same time as an inspiration for research on the issues posed in other modules.
- Anthropology Section: The panel will center on issues related to socially and culturally oriented studies of the memory of Copernicus. The idea is to combine the history of knowledge and the studies of memory cultures, with a particular focus on elements of popular culture (comics, film, posters, or even stamps), collective memory, intergenerational transfer of knowledge, intercultural and political conflicts around this figure, or finally the history of memorial sites (including monuments or commemorative plaques, anniversaries, etc.).
- Literary Studies Section: The panel will primarily address the presence of the figure and the legacy of Copernicus' thought and ideas in literature and dramatic arts. A distinctive feature of the panel will be a comparative approach, juxtaposing different European traditions (while representatives and experts on each culture will be conference participants), as well as a systematic approach in diachronic terms, showing evolution and change. The issue of selecting and using the language and other means of artistic expression, aesthetic issues, but also the values associated with Copernicus, will be hallmarks of the panel.
- History and Art Section: Two co-occurring perspectives will come into view in the panel. On the one hand, we will address approaches taken by art history, i.e. the history of artistic realizations and transformations of Copernican ideas, as well as the commemoration of the figure of Copernicus himself. On the other hand, the panel will focus on the critical and artistic confrontation with this legacy along with its presence and relevance today. Historical questions, just as throughout the entire conference, will be inextricably linked with those that are relevant to the contemporaries.
Programme
Keynote speakers
prof. Pamela Smith (Columbia University, USA)
prof. Rens Bod (University of Amsterdam)
prof. Hubert Łaszkiewicz (University of Warsaw)
prof. dr Renato de Oliveira Brito (The Catholic University of Brasilia, Brazil)
prof. dr hab. Michał Kokowski (Polish Academy of Sciences)
International Programme Committee
prof. dr. L.W.M. (Rens) Bod (Universiteit van Amsterdam, Holland)
prof. dr hab. Zbigniew Chojnowski (University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland)
dr hab. Adam Kola, prof. UMK (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland)
dr hab. Joanna Kucharzewska, NCU prof. (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland)
prof. dr Renato de Oliveira Brito (The Catholic University of Brasilia, Brazil)
prof. dr hab. Jan Wiktor Sienkiewicz (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland)
prof. Pamela Smith (Columbia University, USA)
Organizing Committee
prof. dr hab. Cezary Bronowski (Department of Italian Literature and Literatures in Spanish, NCU Institute of Literary Studies)
prof. dr hab. Zbigniew Chojnowski (Department of Polish Literature, University of Warmia and Mazury)
dr Mateusz Hübner (Polish Academy of Sciences)
mgr Michał Kłosiński (The Copernicus' House)
prof. dr hab. Adam Kola (Department of Slavonic Literatures, Institute of Literary Studies, NCU)
dr hab. Joanna Kucharzewska, prof. UMK (Faculty of Fine Arts, NCU)
dr Marcin Lutomierski (Scientific Publishing House of the Nicolaus Copernicus University)
prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Mikulski (Department of History of Early Modern Period and German Countries, NCU Institute of History and Archive Studies)
prof. dr hab. Wojciech Piasek (Department of Methodology, Teaching, and the History of Culture, NCU Institute of History and Archive Studies)
prof. dr hab. Jan Sienkiewicz (Department of 20th Century Art in Central Europe and in Exile, NCU Faculty of Fine Arts)
dr Renata Skowrońska (The Polish Historical Mission at the University of Julius Maximilian in Würzburg)
dr Michał Targowski (Department of History of Early Modern Period and German Countries, NCU Institute of History and Archive Studies)
prof. dr hab. Robert Traba (Institute of Political Studies PAS)
prof. dr hab. Maciej Wróblewski (Department of Anthropology of Literature and New Media, Institute of Literary Studies, NCU)
Section Partners
The 'Education' section
About the section
Section "Copernicus in the 21st Century - Workshop on Useful Tools in Modern Education and Popularisation of Science" is a set of practical workshops for teachers, educators, science popularisers and students. During the workshop, participants will learn about and perform various tasks and activities they can use in their work with children and young people.
The event is held exclusively in Polish.
Section partners
Programme
Organizing Committee
Anna Krygier
Magdalena Kończewska
Contact to the organisers: temat.edukacja@gmail.com
The 'History of astronomy' section
- About the section
- Section partner
- Programme
- Keynote speakers
- Speakers/Abstracts
- International Program Committee
- Organizing Committee
About the section
The conference "Copernicus and Astronomy: Continuity, Reform, and Dissemination" will be held in Toruń from 11 to 16 September 2023. It is organized as part of the World Copernican Congress celebrating the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus, and hosted by Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, the Institute of History of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw and the Polish Astronomical Society. The Congress will include a sequence of scientific conferences held in Kraków (May 24-26, 2023), Olsztyn (June 21-24, 2023), and Toruń (September 11-16, 2023).
The conference, organized by the Institute of the History of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences, aims to review the state of research on pre-Copernican astronomy, the Copernican astronomy and its early reception. It will consist of three panels: 1. The legacy of Ptolemy's astronomy and the Alphonsine Tables; 2. Copernican astronomy; and 3. The early reception of heliocentric astronomy. 50 scholars from around the world will attend the conference.
Section partner
Programme
Keynote speakers
F. Jamil Ragep: Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University, Canada (Professor Emeritus)
Michael Shank: University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA (Professor Emeritus)
Robert S. Westman: University of California San Diego, USA (Professor Emeritus)
Speakers/Abstracts
International Programme Committee
Massimo Bucciantini, Università di Siena, Włochy
Christián Carlos Carman, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Argentyna
Benno van Dalen, Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Niemcy
Miguel Ángel Granada, Universitat de Barcelona, Hiszpania
Richard L. Kremer, Dartmouth College, USA
Robert G. Morrison, Bowdoin College, USA
Pietro Daniel Omodeo, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, Włochy
Josefina Rodriguez-Arribas, Instytut Historii Nauki Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Polska
Jarosław Włodarczyk, Instytut Historii Nauki Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Polska
Organizing Committee
Barbara Bienias, Institute of the History of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland, Warsaw
Dominika Gołaszewska-Rusinowska, Centre for Copernican Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Maciej Jasiński, Institute of the History of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland, Warsaw
Andrzej Niedzielski, Institute of Astronomy, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Justyna Rogińska,Institute of the History of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland, Warsaw
Jacek Soszyński, Institute of the History of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland, Warsaw
The 'History of medicine' section
- The 'History of medicine' section
- Main organiser of the section
- Section Partners
- Programme
- Organising Committee
O The 'History of medicine' section
The conference entitled. "Travel and learning: medical educational travel, knowledge transfer and cultural exchange in Central Europe over the centuries" is intended to provide a forum to examine from a historical and sociological perspective the impact of medical educational travel in Polish and German cultural and historical space. The period under study will cover different historical eras: from early modern times to around 1989.
Poznań University of Medical Sciences
Heinrich Heine Universität, Düsseldorf
“Bridging the Baltic: Medicine in the Baltic Sea Region” Network
Main organiser of the section
Section Partners
Programme
Organising Committee
Katarzyna Pękacka-Falkowska (Poznań – Toruń)
Joanna Nieznanowska (Szczecin)
Nils Hansson (Düsseldorf)
Fritz Dross (Erlangen)
The 'Medicine' section
About the section
The medical section entitled 'From Copernicus to the present day' presents the profiles and achievements of the most eminent representatives of the medical world associated with the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region from the 15th to the 21st century. The inspiration for this initiative is of course Nicolaus Copernicus, who was also a practising physician. The astronomer studied medicine in Padua, which at the time boasted excellent professors. The knowledge and skills Copernicus acquired were used to treat some of the most prominent figures in his circle. This practice became a cause for reflection on the state of medical knowledge in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region in the past.
The section has a popular science character and is addressed to all interested in the history of medicine and the progress of human civilisation. The organisers of the section are employees of the Nicolaus Copernicus University Medical College in Toruń.
The section consists of a series of lectures on topics from the world of medicine - both contemporary medicine and the history of the region and humankind as a whole. Participants will have the opportunity to hear about Copernicus as a physician and the great scientist Samuel Soemmering. Profiles of other local doctors will also be presented, including Nobel Prize winner Tadeusz Reichstein, a researcher of steroid hormones and vitamin C. The history of the development of surgery, homoeopathy and the treatment of animals in the past will be presented.
The event is held exclusively in Polish.
Main organiser
Programme
Honorary patronage
The event was held under the honorary patronage of the Vice-Chancellor for the Medical College, Prof. Kornelia Kędziora-Kornatowska.
Patrons of the section
The 'Youth' section
About the section
The section is organised by the City of Toruń and the Board of Education in Bydgoszcz. The event will summarise three nationwide educational competitions organised as part of the celebrations of the 550th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus' birth:
- The "School of Copernicus' Friends" project
- Competition for teachers in the scenario of classes on Nicolaus Copernicus
- National Knowledge Contest on Nicolaus Copernicus.
The aim of the section is not only to celebrate the 550th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus' birth but also to develop pupils' talents and passions, to arouse and develop their interest in history, astronomy, physics, geography, mathematics, medicine and economics. The organisers also aimed to support the development of students' talents, promote their achievements, and support teachers and schools.
The event is held exclusively in Polish.
Section organizers
Programme
Patrons and sponsors
