The Memory of the Encounter Award is a unique distinction. Created as a one-time honor specifically for Janusz Makuch, it was established by the Christians and Jews “Covenant” Club and the Award Committee of the Fr. Stanisław Musiał, SJ Memorial Award to recognize his decades-long commitment to fostering dialogue, promoting Jewish culture, and creating spaces that encourage conversation and mutual understanding.

The inscription on the award diploma describes the distinction as an expression of appreciation for Makuch’s “infectious sense of wonder, enthusiasm, and passion for encounters that restore memory and bring the present to life.”

It also recognizes his role in “giving voice once again to what had remained unheard for years” and his “courage to listen, even when listening is not easy.”

Four Decades of Commitment

The Club and the Award Committee—chaired by the Rector of the Jagiellonian University—noted that the award was presented “not for a single initiative, nor for a single festival, but for the entirety of Janusz Makuch’s life’s work.”

“There are individuals whose achievements transcend conventional categories,” said Prof. Piotr Nawrocki, President of the Christians and Jews “Covenant” Club. “We felt that Janusz Makuch’s work deserved a separate, exceptional distinction. For nearly four decades, he has shown that memory has meaning only when it leads to encounter, dialogue, and mutual understanding. This award was created to express precisely that idea.”

Accepting the award, Janusz Makuch dedicated it to Benzion Miller, the renowned cantor who passed away last year and who performed on numerous occasions during successive editions of the Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków.