On Friday, October 25, 2024, we had the pleasure of attending the final gala of the international essay competition "Women in Resistance", held at the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum in Leipzig. This competition was one of the many initiatives within the three-year project “Female Stories Unheard – European Remembrance of Women in Resistance Against National Socialism”, carried out in collaboration with Bildungswerk Sachsen (Leipzig) and Antikomplex (Prague).
Out of the essays submitted, the jury selected 10 outstanding works, with three earning a spot on the podium:
🏅 1st Place: "Invisible Resistance: Batsheva's Story" by Shania Timpe (Germany)
🥈 2nd Place: "Dolly. Buried in Time" by Amelia Maj (Poland)
🥉 3rd Place: "I Am a Woman – I Know. A Lesson on Femininity" by Weronika Doburcka (Poland)
Read more: Final of the "Women in Resistance" Essay Contest
From October 21 to 26, 2024, 60 students from Środa Śląska (Poland), Kamionka Buska (Ukraine), and Saterland (Germany) came together for an engaging week at the International Youth Meeting Center in Krzyżowa. Through language and integration games, tours of Krzyżowa, and self-organized evening activities, they built meaningful connections and got to know one another better.
The program included excursions to Świdnica and the Polish partner town of Środa Śląska. During creative workshops, participants explored elements of folklore from their three countries, designing their own interpretations on bags. Scrapbooking sessions provided an opportunity to craft memory albums using various natural papers and materials.
Read more: Youth Exchange Środa Śląska – Kamionka Buska – Saterland
From October 13 to 19, 2024, Krzyżowa hosted the “Young Leaders” project, organized by the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe with financial support from the German Consulate. The initiative aimed to equip young leaders with essential skills and knowledge to foster effective and empathetic collaboration with youth and children who have experienced displacement, migration, or refugee status.
Key Objectives
The project focused on developing leadership competencies, gaining international experience, and acquiring practical knowledge in psychological and social support. Participants had the opportunity to exchange views and build connections with peers from various countries who shared similar life challenges. The program emphasized resilience, creativity, and nurturing self-confidence, empathy, and hope.
Read more: “Young Leaders” Project in Krzyżowa (October 13–19, 2024)
Since 2023, the historic House on the Hill has been undergoing renovation.
Thanks to the support of our partners—particularly the Freya von Moltke Foundation, the Willy Robert Pitzer Foundation, and the Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Foundation—the first phase of renovation has been successfully completed. This included drying and insulating the basement, insulating and restoring the facade, replacing the roof, and renovating the wooden veranda.
Currently, the second phase is underway, focusing on the renewal of all installations (water, sewage, heating) and the adaptation of the room layout on the first and second floors to the new utilization concept. In spring, plastering will take place, wooden floors and stairs will be restored, and the building will be prepared for the third phase: furnishing and finalization.
In 2024, an essential element of this comprehensive renovation—the replacement of electrical installations—was financed and completed with funds from the National Freedom Institute (Narodowy Instytut Wolności). This included electrical works, new wiring with sockets, an alarm system, surveillance, telecommunication networks, and antenna installations.
NIW funding amount: 250,000 PLN
Read more: House on the Hill - undergoing renovation
