Waldemar Rataj received a nomination for the acting Director at the Museum of Poles Saving Jews.
Waldemar Rataj is a lawyer – political scientist, specializing in strategic management and social communication, in particular in public administration of cultural institutions and museums.
In the years 1993–1999 he cooperated with professor Michał Kulesza in developing the concept and implementation of the state decentralization reforms. In years 1999–2001, he was active for the Oświęcim Strategic Development Program and participated in the creation of the Oświęcim Academy and the Oświęcim Human Rights Award John Paul II. He was also an adviser to the Ombudsman on the right to public information. He co-founded the program and institution of the Pro Publico Bono Award.
He managed the work of an expert team, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, which developed the concept of the Museum Management Academy program (implemented in 2010-2011 by the Palace Museum in Wilanów). In the years 2011-2019, as the proxy of the Director of the National Institute of Museology and Collection Protection, and then the main specialist-coordinator, he managed the Institute’s program work. In the years 2006–2020 he cooperated with the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace in Wilanów in the field of development work, including in particular social education and creating the civic space of the Museum (recently employed as the chief development specialist). He is a member of several museum councils (the Museum of Independence in Warsaw, the Air Force Museum in Dęblin and the Castle Museum in Łańcut) and a member of the jury of the ‘Izabella’ Museum Award of the Wielkopolska Province.
Since 2013, he cooperates with the Local Government of the Podkarpackie Voivodship in matters of culture of remembrance and protection of the national heritage. Currently, he is the plenipotentiary of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship for the Strategy of Heritage and Development of Podkarpackie.
He is the founder and president of the Wigry College Foundation and the co-creator and collaborator of many social works and organizations like: The Genius Loci Association, the Wielkopolska Memorial Culture Resursa, the Borderland Heritage Academy – the Culture Society of Remembrance Prince Adam Stefan Cardinal Sapieha.