Pitești, 23 August – Platform in cooperation with The Prison Memorial in Pitești opened the “Century of Martyrs” international exhibition on Wednesday, featuring figures of martyrs persecuted by totalitarian political regimes. The event took place on the occasion of the European Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Totalitarian Regimes.

Participants in the speech were Sergiu Rizescu, former political prisoner, Wojciech Bednarski, curator of the exhibition and Dragoș Ursu, historian. The following discussion was moderated by Maria Axinte, founder of the Pitești Prison Memorial.

The exhibition is the result of an extensive collaboration between various institutions brought together by the Platform of European Memory and Conscience. The Pitești Prison Memorial contributed to the exhibition with the biography of Valeriu Gafencu, a political prisoner who was also imprisoned in Pitești, known in Romania as the “Saint of Prisons” for his deeply spiritual attitude during his years in prison and for his martyrdom in the prison of Targu Ocna.

The exhibition presents the stories of 27 men and women who dedicated their lives to serving God, people and society.

We owe a special thanks to the Polska Fundacja Narodowa for their support in bringing this exhibition to life.