On Wednesday, July 16 of this year, the employees of our Institute were honored with Medals for Long Service - state medals bestowed by the President of the Republic of Poland in recognition of exemplary, exceptionally conscientious performance of duties resulting from professional work in the service of the State.

“The nature of change... with botany into the future”. This year's (already sixtieth) Congress of the Polish Botanical Society was held under this guiding theme, bringing us into the next centenary year of the Society. It was also an occasion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Silesian Branch of the PTB. Katowice hosted us with hot weather. I wonder if it was as hot in 1989, when the 48th PTB Congress was just held in Katowice?

The LX Congress of the Polish Botanical Society (Polskie Towarzystwo Botaniczne) in Katowice (29.06.-04.07.2025) is behind us. This year it was held under the motto “The nature of change... with botany into the future”. In the not-too-distant future we will share our memories... In the meantime, however, we will focus on a special moment.

Indeed, 100 years ago, by the will of Władysław Count Zamoyski, his mother Jadwiga and his sister Maria, the Zakłady Kórnickie Foundation was established in our town. According to the Act of July 30, 1925 on Zakłady Kórnickie, the last owners of the Kórnik estates transferred all their property to the Polish nation. This act defined the objectives of the Foundation. And although the Foundation in its original form disappeared from the map of Poland for many years, since 2001 it has continued the traditions of the Foundation from the interwar period.

Election of new members of the Polish Academy of Sciences took place on Thursday, June 26. In accordance with the Act on the Polish Academy of Sciences, members of the Academy are elected by the General Assembly of the Academy from among scholars who have distinguished themselves with special scientific achievements and authority in the scientific community, and have a good reputation. Membership of the Academy is for life. The body consists of no more than 350 scholars.