Newsletter Krzyżowa 2/2020
NEWSLETTER
2/2020
Ladies and gentlemen,
when we sent you the last issue of the Newsletter, we didn't think that the next one would come out under such difficult circumstances. Meanwhile, since mid-March, due to the coronovirus pandemic, the International Youth Meeting Centre had to suspend its teaching and educational activities, the exhibitions and the palace are closed due to the regulations resulting from the prevention of the epidemic. Krzyżowa is quiet and empty. Like never for 30 years it can not carry out its mission.
The Managing Director, Dr. Robert Żurek, writes about the situation of the Foundation in the "Krzyżowa Forum" section. And in this issue you will find very interesting comments on the current situation, written by members of the Foundation's bodies. We would like to thank everyone who in these demanding circumstances found time to write for us.
In this issue we also write about the great loss. Dr. Ewa Unger - a person with great merits in building friendly Polish-German relations, long-term president of the Wroclaw Catholic Intelligentsia Club - died on 15 March. Ewa Unger had a very important function in the history of the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe; she was a co-founder of the Foundation and a long-time chairman of the Board. Annemarie Franke from the Supervisory Board of the Krzyżowa Foundation recalls Ewa Unger in the "Krzyżowa Forum" section.
Further in the Newsletter you will also find information about projects and initiatives that took place in Krzyżowa at the beginning of the year.
Despite the difficult circumstances that affect all of us regardless of latitude and uncertainty about how our nearest future will develop, we would like to wish you a peaceful Easter. It will be a different time than usual - perhaps without your loved ones by your side, more modest and not so joyful, but let it bring us hope that even after a hard and difficult time a better tomorrow will come.
Newsletter Editors
when we sent you the last issue of the Newsletter, we didn't think that the next one would come out under such difficult circumstances. Meanwhile, since mid-March, due to the coronovirus pandemic, the International Youth Meeting Centre had to suspend its teaching and educational activities, the exhibitions and the palace are closed due to the regulations resulting from the prevention of the epidemic. Krzyżowa is quiet and empty. Like never for 30 years it can not carry out its mission.
The Managing Director, Dr. Robert Żurek, writes about the situation of the Foundation in the "Krzyżowa Forum" section. And in this issue you will find very interesting comments on the current situation, written by members of the Foundation's bodies. We would like to thank everyone who in these demanding circumstances found time to write for us.
In this issue we also write about the great loss. Dr. Ewa Unger - a person with great merits in building friendly Polish-German relations, long-term president of the Wroclaw Catholic Intelligentsia Club - died on 15 March. Ewa Unger had a very important function in the history of the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe; she was a co-founder of the Foundation and a long-time chairman of the Board. Annemarie Franke from the Supervisory Board of the Krzyżowa Foundation recalls Ewa Unger in the "Krzyżowa Forum" section.
Further in the Newsletter you will also find information about projects and initiatives that took place in Krzyżowa at the beginning of the year.
Despite the difficult circumstances that affect all of us regardless of latitude and uncertainty about how our nearest future will develop, we would like to wish you a peaceful Easter. It will be a different time than usual - perhaps without your loved ones by your side, more modest and not so joyful, but let it bring us hope that even after a hard and difficult time a better tomorrow will come.
Newsletter Editors
KRZYŻOWA FORUM
Between yesterday and tomorrow - a crisis that can become an opportunity | Robert Żurek
Recently, I looked into the report from the February’s Foundation Board meeting. We planned in detail a very promising year there - with a record number of projects and visitors. We even complained a bit that a very busy period is appearing on the horizon while we were hoping to slow down after the jubilee year.
Now, just a few weeks later, this report is read like a document from a distant, alien world. Instead of planning how to use resources most efficiently so that our team is not overloaded with managing a large number of projects, we are thinking about how to save the Foundation from imminent collapse.
Between March and June, 69 multi-day projects were to take place in Krzyżowa, in which nearly 3,000 people were to participate. Mostly they were Polish-German school exchanges. All these meetings had to be canceled in consequence of a coronovirus pandemic.
Farewell to Dr. Ewa Unger (20.10.1926 – 15.03.2020) | Annemarie Franke
On one of the weekends in January 2020, about 70 employees and volunteers of the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe, from three decades, celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Foundation in Krzyżowa. Everyone was asked to send their souvenir photos from the time they worked in Krzyżowa. The meeting organizers wanted to prepare a presentation of these photographs for a festive evening. In numerous photos from the 90s you could see Ewa Unger among colleagues. It was understandable, at that time she was the chairman of the foundation's board and at the same time she worked socially in the Foundation's office in Wrocław and regularly participated in working session, meetings and public events in Krzyżowa. Participants of the jubilee meeting gave Ewa Unger written wishes and greetings, which reached her in the form of a several-page letter. The recipient read these words in full awareness, several times, with joy, although she did not know all the authors personally. Today we know that this letter was a symbolic farewell and thanks - thanks for 30 years of existence of the institution that would not have been possible without Ewa Unger, one of the great, important and distinguished women in the history of Krzyżowa.
On one of the weekends in January 2020, about 70 employees and volunteers of the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe, from three decades, celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Foundation in Krzyżowa. Everyone was asked to send their souvenir photos from the time they worked in Krzyżowa. The meeting organizers wanted to prepare a presentation of these photographs for a festive evening. In numerous photos from the 90s you could see Ewa Unger among colleagues. It was understandable, at that time she was the chairman of the foundation's board and at the same time she worked socially in the Foundation's office in Wrocław and regularly participated in working session, meetings and public events in Krzyżowa. Participants of the jubilee meeting gave Ewa Unger written wishes and greetings, which reached her in the form of a several-page letter. The recipient read these words in full awareness, several times, with joy, although she did not know all the authors personally. Today we know that this letter was a symbolic farewell and thanks - thanks for 30 years of existence of the institution that would not have been possible without Ewa Unger, one of the great, important and distinguished women in the history of Krzyżowa.
IN THIS ISSUE
Pandemic and German-Polish relations | Agnieszka Łada
The current crisis will affect most areas of our lives. It will also affect German-Polish relations. It may turn out to be a big challenge for them, but, like any change, it may also have a creative element in some areas. This is not the time for crystal-ball gazing, what, when and how exactly something will happen in the Polish-German relations. There are more questions than answers. But in order to be able to look for solutions to the problems that will arise in the future - the one that is closer and a little bit farther away - it is possible to name them today, even if only by calling their respective areas. (...)
There are many questions. The list above is incomplete, the problems described very generally, probably each of the Readers could add more than one question-anxiety to this list. This is good, because it remains open. And it shows one thing - how rich the network of Polish-German relations is and how it is worth taking care of.
The current crisis will affect most areas of our lives. It will also affect German-Polish relations. It may turn out to be a big challenge for them, but, like any change, it may also have a creative element in some areas. This is not the time for crystal-ball gazing, what, when and how exactly something will happen in the Polish-German relations. There are more questions than answers. But in order to be able to look for solutions to the problems that will arise in the future - the one that is closer and a little bit farther away - it is possible to name them today, even if only by calling their respective areas. (...)
There are many questions. The list above is incomplete, the problems described very generally, probably each of the Readers could add more than one question-anxiety to this list. This is good, because it remains open. And it shows one thing - how rich the network of Polish-German relations is and how it is worth taking care of.
Pandemic and the situation of education in Poland. The future of international youth exchanges| Anna Kizeweter
(...) I believe that our Foundation will be able to meet the needs of society, support teachers and students in finding themselves in the new reality, expressing their own opinions, feelings, and trust someone again. The International Youth Meeting Center is able to build a Tönniesian community and give rise to Aristotelian friendship. It is especially today that we should be aware that young people, regardless of the situation, deserve a chance to discover themselves. And just like in the last 30 years of our activity, we should give them space to experience victories and defeats and the opportunity to devote to common tasks, exercising imagination.
I would like to see the Foundation, with its educational experience, as a participant in creating a new education model, with all its empathy and the desire to strengthen the individual to become a better citizen of the world, aware of their strong points and able to build bridges. Even online.
(...) I believe that our Foundation will be able to meet the needs of society, support teachers and students in finding themselves in the new reality, expressing their own opinions, feelings, and trust someone again. The International Youth Meeting Center is able to build a Tönniesian community and give rise to Aristotelian friendship. It is especially today that we should be aware that young people, regardless of the situation, deserve a chance to discover themselves. And just like in the last 30 years of our activity, we should give them space to experience victories and defeats and the opportunity to devote to common tasks, exercising imagination.
I would like to see the Foundation, with its educational experience, as a participant in creating a new education model, with all its empathy and the desire to strengthen the individual to become a better citizen of the world, aware of their strong points and able to build bridges. Even online.
Will the pandemic change the school youth exchange in Germany? | Joanna Szaflik-Homann
Schools in Germany, as well as in Poland, have switched to the distance learning. Students receive sets of tasks to solve them at home, sometimes communication with teachers is supported by chat or video conferences.
The isolation order has enormous consequences not only for the operation of the schools but also for school exchange projects. International meetings are canceled, students and teachers must stay at home. This is obviously a huge loss for everyone who was eagerly awaiting meeting young people from other countries. Certainly some meetings will be postponed, others may never take place.
However, on the other hand, a global pandemic forces everyone - including teachers and students - to find creative ways to cope with such an unusual situation. It is therefore worth asking yourself to what extent the current experience will change the face of international cooperation of schools. This new situation may result in new methods of using many interactive tools. It is to be hoped that remote communication methods will diversify and enrich traditional school exchanges in the future.
Schools in Germany, as well as in Poland, have switched to the distance learning. Students receive sets of tasks to solve them at home, sometimes communication with teachers is supported by chat or video conferences.
The isolation order has enormous consequences not only for the operation of the schools but also for school exchange projects. International meetings are canceled, students and teachers must stay at home. This is obviously a huge loss for everyone who was eagerly awaiting meeting young people from other countries. Certainly some meetings will be postponed, others may never take place.
However, on the other hand, a global pandemic forces everyone - including teachers and students - to find creative ways to cope with such an unusual situation. It is therefore worth asking yourself to what extent the current experience will change the face of international cooperation of schools. This new situation may result in new methods of using many interactive tools. It is to be hoped that remote communication methods will diversify and enrich traditional school exchanges in the future.
What does the pandemic mean for non-formal education and NGOs in Poland? | Agnieszka Janik
The COVID-19 pandemic, despite being a relatively new phenomenon, will certainly change the world. We see the beginning of the global economic crisis and the accompanying political and social changes. All this will also change the situation of NGOs and the activities they are offering. (...)
In the long-term perspective, the effect of the crisis will be a cautious attitude of participants to exchange programmes and training, because of their concerns about their own health. Unfortunately, the effects of closing not only borders but also societies are already visible, manifesting themselves in increased xenophobic sentiments and closing in on their familiar and safe group. This will require NGOs to focus on intercultural and global education as well as human rights promotion. The challenge will be to transform the social energy visible in the multiplicity of aid initiatives into sustainable structures to strengthen social coherence.
The COVID-19 pandemic, despite being a relatively new phenomenon, will certainly change the world. We see the beginning of the global economic crisis and the accompanying political and social changes. All this will also change the situation of NGOs and the activities they are offering. (...)
In the long-term perspective, the effect of the crisis will be a cautious attitude of participants to exchange programmes and training, because of their concerns about their own health. Unfortunately, the effects of closing not only borders but also societies are already visible, manifesting themselves in increased xenophobic sentiments and closing in on their familiar and safe group. This will require NGOs to focus on intercultural and global education as well as human rights promotion. The challenge will be to transform the social energy visible in the multiplicity of aid initiatives into sustainable structures to strengthen social coherence.
Non-formal education in Germany still without a protective umbrella | Ole Jantschek
Due to the coronavirus threat, all companies stopped providing services in March or adapted them to the current reality - for the sake of health protection and for the sake of solidarity with people who are particularly vulnerable to the virus. According to current information, educational institutions will be closed by the end of April. However, it is already clear that many projects will not take place long after this period and groups will still cancel their bookings.
Public funders make every effort to make their funds available without unnecessary bureaucracy. This does not change the fact that the losses incurred by many entities threaten their existence. This is because all other income, such as fees from participants or rental income, is completely lost. (...)
The crisis will certainly change the field of civic education. At the moment, the most visible change is the rapid increase in digitalization. Following the motto "better online than never", many institutions have started to offer virtual events. In time, we will see what will remain as art for art's sake and what will turn out to be successful ventures. One of the key questions is how stationary offers in meeting houses and virtual formats will alternate in the future.
Due to the coronavirus threat, all companies stopped providing services in March or adapted them to the current reality - for the sake of health protection and for the sake of solidarity with people who are particularly vulnerable to the virus. According to current information, educational institutions will be closed by the end of April. However, it is already clear that many projects will not take place long after this period and groups will still cancel their bookings.
Public funders make every effort to make their funds available without unnecessary bureaucracy. This does not change the fact that the losses incurred by many entities threaten their existence. This is because all other income, such as fees from participants or rental income, is completely lost. (...)
The crisis will certainly change the field of civic education. At the moment, the most visible change is the rapid increase in digitalization. Following the motto "better online than never", many institutions have started to offer virtual events. In time, we will see what will remain as art for art's sake and what will turn out to be successful ventures. One of the key questions is how stationary offers in meeting houses and virtual formats will alternate in the future.
How to prevent fears and the atomisation of society during a pandemic | Bishop Waldemar Pytel
We have become participants and witnesses of an extraordinary experience. The global epidemic not only stopped us on the run and excluded from our daily activities, but also forced us to reflect and perhaps redefine our priorities.
It's understandable that we are afraid, especially of losing our health and work. The virus of fear is spreading faster than the coronavirus, fuelled by successive media news and uncertainty, which does not allow us to determine anything in the long term. We do not know how long the epidemic will last, it is hard to even imagine its effects. Thinking about them, it causes fear, sometimes anger and even aggression. All the more so, we should be sensitive to such states, we should notice them and stop them before they gain momentum. The worst is uncertainty - how long will it take?
We have become participants and witnesses of an extraordinary experience. The global epidemic not only stopped us on the run and excluded from our daily activities, but also forced us to reflect and perhaps redefine our priorities.
It's understandable that we are afraid, especially of losing our health and work. The virus of fear is spreading faster than the coronavirus, fuelled by successive media news and uncertainty, which does not allow us to determine anything in the long term. We do not know how long the epidemic will last, it is hard to even imagine its effects. Thinking about them, it causes fear, sometimes anger and even aggression. All the more so, we should be sensitive to such states, we should notice them and stop them before they gain momentum. The worst is uncertainty - how long will it take?
International volunteering in Krzyżowa during a pandemic - our wonderful girls have hands full of work
Corona has affected the daily lives of each and every individual in the earth, including our pedagog Tabitha from Germany and our volunteers Seda from Turkey and Antonina from Russia, who have been staying in Krzyżowa Foundation for months. The following sentences will tell you their daily lifes and how they try to turn this challenging situation into a common good for the society and the foundation. Not to forget mentioning about the generous helps and supports of our other employees, we hope our stories bring you inspiration and strength towards the solidarity in these difficult times.
VIDEO
Corona has affected the daily lives of each and every individual in the earth, including our pedagog Tabitha from Germany and our volunteers Seda from Turkey and Antonina from Russia, who have been staying in Krzyżowa Foundation for months. The following sentences will tell you their daily lifes and how they try to turn this challenging situation into a common good for the society and the foundation. Not to forget mentioning about the generous helps and supports of our other employees, we hope our stories bring you inspiration and strength towards the solidarity in these difficult times.
VIDEO
109th birthday of Freya von Moltke. Maryna Czaplinska on Radio TOK FM
We encourage you to listen to the podcast from the programme "Weekend morning - Maciej Zakrocki" on Radio TOK FM.
Podcast: Freya von Moltke - preserving the heritage of the Kreisau Circle was her priority [broadcast in Polish].
On March 29th, the 109th anniversary of Freya von Moltke's birthday, Maciej Zakrocki's guest was Maryna Czaplinska, a member of the Krzyżowa Foundation Council.
Freya von Moltke was born on March 29th 1911, in Cologne. She was a German lawyer, an activist of the anti-Hitler opposition, a member of the Kreisau Circle, wife of Helmuth James von Moltke, the last owner of an estate in Krzyżowa.
We encourage you to listen to the podcast from the programme "Weekend morning - Maciej Zakrocki" on Radio TOK FM.
Podcast: Freya von Moltke - preserving the heritage of the Kreisau Circle was her priority [broadcast in Polish].
On March 29th, the 109th anniversary of Freya von Moltke's birthday, Maciej Zakrocki's guest was Maryna Czaplinska, a member of the Krzyżowa Foundation Council.
Freya von Moltke was born on March 29th 1911, in Cologne. She was a German lawyer, an activist of the anti-Hitler opposition, a member of the Kreisau Circle, wife of Helmuth James von Moltke, the last owner of an estate in Krzyżowa.
How do monuments tell about the past? || A summary of the project Monuments of Remembrance 1918-2018
Monuments are objects that have been placed in visible places in public space to pay tribute to the deserved, to preserve the memory of particularly important events, or to restore the memory of the forgotten. Sometimes, however, they become an element of conscious manipulation and are meant to change the way people perceive the past.
To bring closer the knowledge about the ways in which monuments can be used to learn about history and therefore to better understand the role of memory in shaping identity and values is the aim of the project Monuments of Remembrance 1918-2018.
Among participants of the project were school students, scientists, experts in the field of public history, historical and civic education and teachers from Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania.
As part of the project, the website www.monuments-remembrance.eu was created, which contains information on 300 selected monuments from the four countries mentioned above. Their descriptions have been specially prepared to highlight not only what the monuments depict, but how their significance has changed over the years.
Monuments are objects that have been placed in visible places in public space to pay tribute to the deserved, to preserve the memory of particularly important events, or to restore the memory of the forgotten. Sometimes, however, they become an element of conscious manipulation and are meant to change the way people perceive the past.
To bring closer the knowledge about the ways in which monuments can be used to learn about history and therefore to better understand the role of memory in shaping identity and values is the aim of the project Monuments of Remembrance 1918-2018.
Among participants of the project were school students, scientists, experts in the field of public history, historical and civic education and teachers from Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania.
As part of the project, the website www.monuments-remembrance.eu was created, which contains information on 300 selected monuments from the four countries mentioned above. Their descriptions have been specially prepared to highlight not only what the monuments depict, but how their significance has changed over the years.
We recall the winter art projects in Krzyżowa
Outside the window - spring, but we recall with sentiment, winter and international art projects in Krzyżowa.
This year's winter projects were attended by over 90 participants, including children and young people from various backgrounds, both internationally and socially. Five-day workshops in Krzyżowa gave children and young people from special schools, orphanages and family foster care centres the opportunity to experience different forms of artistic expression, stimulating cognitive development, the ability to express themselves creatively and discover the world.
Outside the window - spring, but we recall with sentiment, winter and international art projects in Krzyżowa.
This year's winter projects were attended by over 90 participants, including children and young people from various backgrounds, both internationally and socially. Five-day workshops in Krzyżowa gave children and young people from special schools, orphanages and family foster care centres the opportunity to experience different forms of artistic expression, stimulating cognitive development, the ability to express themselves creatively and discover the world.
Young people help. Ecological educational toys for Bangladesh from Krzyżowa
What can be created in Krzyżowa during international youth workshops? Among others, ecological educational toys for children from the largest refugee camp in Cox's Bazaar in Bangladesh.
At the end of 2017 Bangladesh had to receive about one million Rohings who were fleeing death from neighboring Myanmar (formerly Burma). 55% of the camp's population are children and it was with their education in mind that the idea was born to make toys for children in Bangladesh together during workshops in Krzyżowa.
The toys were created at the beginning of the year as part of 3 international inclusion projects involving children and young people from private primary schools, special schools and centres supporting children and young people in foster care.
What can be created in Krzyżowa during international youth workshops? Among others, ecological educational toys for children from the largest refugee camp in Cox's Bazaar in Bangladesh.
At the end of 2017 Bangladesh had to receive about one million Rohings who were fleeing death from neighboring Myanmar (formerly Burma). 55% of the camp's population are children and it was with their education in mind that the idea was born to make toys for children in Bangladesh together during workshops in Krzyżowa.
The toys were created at the beginning of the year as part of 3 international inclusion projects involving children and young people from private primary schools, special schools and centres supporting children and young people in foster care.
IYMC prepared an online offer for participants of school exchanges
A situation of isolation is difficult for everyone. In times of social distancing, it is important to look for ways to get closer together - now digitally and across borders, to take time to reflect and, above all, to find a way to express yourself as a mechanism for dealing with this situation.
Responding to these needs and challenges, the IYMC has prepared a series of 6 webinars in English on the subject of creative writing, webinars will first of all be dedicated to young people who were to come to Krzyżowa this year as part of the school exchange, but were unable to do so because of the epidemic risk. Webinars will be conducted in small German-Polish groups of young people from interested schools. The online seminars will be based on the exchange of experiences of the participants, will strengthen their language skills, but most importantly, they will encourage personal reflection and learning tools to express themselves through creative writing.
A situation of isolation is difficult for everyone. In times of social distancing, it is important to look for ways to get closer together - now digitally and across borders, to take time to reflect and, above all, to find a way to express yourself as a mechanism for dealing with this situation.
Responding to these needs and challenges, the IYMC has prepared a series of 6 webinars in English on the subject of creative writing, webinars will first of all be dedicated to young people who were to come to Krzyżowa this year as part of the school exchange, but were unable to do so because of the epidemic risk. Webinars will be conducted in small German-Polish groups of young people from interested schools. The online seminars will be based on the exchange of experiences of the participants, will strengthen their language skills, but most importantly, they will encourage personal reflection and learning tools to express themselves through creative writing.
For the first time in 30 years our centre will be empty! We need your help to continue our mission!
The Krzyżowa Foundation has been carrying out its educational activities for 30 years. As a non-profit organization we do not earn money, but only thanks to grants and co-funding we can provide the center and pay salaries to our employees. However, when we do not carry out projects, we do not conduct youth exchanges, we have no sources of income.
The Krzyżowa Foundation has now found itself in a very difficult situation - not being able to carry out its mission and statutory tasks for some time there are no sources of income. We already know that in the most intense months of work - March, April, May, June - our centre will be empty.
Every next day in this situation is uncertainty of our employees. We are making savings, but we do not hide the fact that your help is necessary to survive this difficult time for us all.
We will be very grateful for any amount that you decide to share with us. We would also like to remind you that donations can be paid into the account of the Krzyżowa Foundation.
For 30 years we have been building civil society and working for the understanding between nations. We hope that thanks to your help, we will still be able to realize our mission!
The Krzyżowa Foundation has been carrying out its educational activities for 30 years. As a non-profit organization we do not earn money, but only thanks to grants and co-funding we can provide the center and pay salaries to our employees. However, when we do not carry out projects, we do not conduct youth exchanges, we have no sources of income.
The Krzyżowa Foundation has now found itself in a very difficult situation - not being able to carry out its mission and statutory tasks for some time there are no sources of income. We already know that in the most intense months of work - March, April, May, June - our centre will be empty.
Every next day in this situation is uncertainty of our employees. We are making savings, but we do not hide the fact that your help is necessary to survive this difficult time for us all.
We will be very grateful for any amount that you decide to share with us. We would also like to remind you that donations can be paid into the account of the Krzyżowa Foundation.
For 30 years we have been building civil society and working for the understanding between nations. We hope that thanks to your help, we will still be able to realize our mission!
Fundacja „Krzyżowa” dla Porozumienia Europejskiego
Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe
Krzyżowa 7, 58-112 Grodziszcze, Poland
tel: +48 74 85 00 300, fax: +48 74 85 00 305
Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe
Krzyżowa 7, 58-112 Grodziszcze, Poland
tel: +48 74 85 00 300, fax: +48 74 85 00 305
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