At the beginning of June, it was time once again: during the Pentecost weekend, nearly 50 men, women, and children gathered in Krzyżowa for an extended weekend – lasting until Monday.
This has become something of a tradition – these gatherings have been taking place for over 10 years – and each year, both long-time “experts” of Krzyżowa and new faces return to the most renowned village in Lower Silesia. Originally envisioned by educators and meeting organizers as a “weekend without a program,” the combination of structured activities and free time has now become the standard – bringing smiles year after year.
Read more: “Friends of Krzyżowa” Gathering 2025
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My name is Agata and I have been working at the International Youth Meeting Center of the Kreisau Foundation for two and a half years. During this time, I have already organized many projects and youth encounters. But this time, as a participant in the #Youth4Peace program from 3 to 10 May 2025 in Berlin, I was able to experience the importance of international exchange in a new - and at the same time familiar - role.
Together with 80 young people:
→ from the Balkans, where states do not always act in the interests of its own citizens,
→ from Central Europe, where in various countries - including Poland - the rights of national minorities, queer people, people with disabilities and people with a migration background are violated,
→ from Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, where war is still raging
→ from the USA, where anti-democratic movements are becoming ever louder,
Read more: Youth4Peace
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From April 7th to 11th, 2025, the annual meeting of students and teachers from the partner schools I LO in Brzeg (Poland) and St. Benno-Gymnasium in Dresden (Germany) took place in Krzyżowa. The partnership between the institutions has been ongoing for four years, and every year young people meet in Krzyżowa to jointly develop intercultural dialogue, build friendships, and exchange ideas for joint projects. This year's meeting, led by Martyna Sidorowicz, was assisted by two interns: Emilia Jacober and Sarah von Moltke, and what was the result?
Generally speaking, it was a wonderful experience and everyone gained something from it, whether it was experience in speaking English or new friendships - summarizes Sarah von Moltke.
Participating in this meeting was extremely satisfying and brought me many benefits. I gained valuable knowledge about Krzyżowa and its history, and the exchange with other participants was very inspiring. I particularly appreciate the opportunity to make new contacts and improve my language skills - said Emilia Jacober.
What do the evaluation surveys indicate? 100% of respondents from Brzeg and 90% from Dresden noted that the project increased their level of knowledge regarding communication and cooperation in a group, and they indicated the most valuable aspects of the entire exchange included: meeting foreign friends and breaking the language barrier, integration with other people, and learning about other cultures and languages.
Was anything missing from the program? Of course, time, which is why the partners are already planning another joint meeting today.
Let's hope it will be in Krzyżowa :)
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