The text consists of the excerpts from the transcript of Michal Bojanowski's conversation with Yuri, Olena, Nataliya and Yeva.

The February through the whole year

I don't know what day it is today... The three hundred and sixty days of February? For us, it's still February. I've been in Krzyzowa for almost a year now. Everyone who has lived here has a similar feeling, even the children - there has been no spring, summer or autumn. February is still ongoing. 

Gratitude

Each of us could talk about our personal dramas, but on this anniversary we would like to thank you for everything we get from you. We live in Krzyzowa, we are really comfortable here. We appreciate what the foundation does for us - because it does way too much! We have everything you can think of, but we dream of returning home, to our homes. And that nothing more bad would ever happen there. 

A memorial in Krzyzowa

When all this is over, I think, there will be another monument in Krzyzowa. During World War II, the anti-Hitler underground was established here. Now, a stop for Ukrainians who are escaping from the war has been set up here. I hope that the memory of the help we received here will not be forgotten. 

First time behind the wheel

The war found us in different places. It found me at home. I had a driving license, but I had never driven a car for good. I decided to run away. I took my daughter and a friend with her child. I drove more than two thousand kilometers with them until I came to Krzyzowa.

Yesterday, representatives of our Foundation Dr. Robert Żurek - Managing Director, Member of the Board, Dr. Anna Poznańska - Director of Communications and International Cooperation and Dr. Anna Quirin - Managing Director of Freya von Moltke-Stiftung für das Neue Kreisau were guests of Dariusz Pawlos - Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Germany.
Many thanks for the invitation and the conversation.
We are looking forward to further cooperation and further meetings at the Embassy or during events and projects organised by Krzyzowa.

From January 23 to 27, 28 students from Henriette Breymann Comprehensive School and Zespół Szkół Techniczno-Ekonomicznych met for the first time for an exchange in Kreisau. First on the agenda were integration games, language animation and getting to know the history and place of Krzyżowa. In workshops, the participants dealt with the topic "Identity - European Identity" and, as an "activist group", chose social topics that were particularly relevant to them and worked on them in small international groups.

A Polish-German youth exchange between Wladyslaw Broniewski High School in Koszalin and Freiherr-vom-Stein-Schule from Rösrath lasted from 23.1.23 to 27.1. The exchange involved 30 students. 

The exchange focused on topics related to first aid. On this occasion, the students were able not only to acquire the necessary knowledge of lifesaving, but on this occasion also to get to know better their peers from the neighboring country. On the last day of the exchange, participants worked together to create a creative and multithreaded short film about their experiences with the subject.

On 6th to 10th of February 2023, three schools from Poland, Ukraine and Germany met in Krzyżowa. Of 20 students and pupils from Willy Brandt Gesamtschule from Marl (near Dortmund) led by teachers Kartharina and Christoph met with people from the School Complex in Krzepice, (20 students and pupils with teachers Alina and Basia) and with the Ukrainian school "Steam" from Dnepr, (25 students with teachers Yana, Liliia and Svitlana).

From 6-11.02.2023, Krzyżowa was visited by a group of very young people (8-13 years old) from Poland, Germany and Ukraine who came to discover and develop their talents in circus, sculpting, music and cooking.

The days were full of excitement and the activities supported getting to know each other! The exchange culminated with a trip to the trampoline park and to the slope in Rzeczka, where we were able to encounter real winter and go sledding.

During a school exchange between Częstochowa and Ludwigshafen, young people took part in workshops on identity, overcoming stereotypes and reconciliation after the Second World War.

In a special question and answer session called "Everything you would like to know about Poland and Germany but haven't had a chance to ask", questions were asked about the school system, favourite foods or contemporary social challenges such as racism.

On 4-5 February 2023, the first meeting of the Artistic Council of the Konrad and Paweł Jarodzki Artistic Residency Programme took place in Krzyżowa.

Artistic Residency is a new, long-term project carried out by the Krzyzowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe together with 66P Subjective Cultural Institution from Wrocław. The aim of the programme is to run an international residency for socially engaged artists in Krzyzowa in the spirit of Konrad and Paweł Jarodzki's values. The programme is intended to serve international artistic exchange and promote a culture of dialogue and understanding. During the meeting, the Council not only worked out the details of the new programme, but also became acquainted with the historical heritage and activities of the Krzyzowa Foundation.

The Konrad and Paweł Jarodzki Artistic Residency Programme was established thanks to a donation from Renata and Rafał Jarodzki and Dorota Jarodzka-Śródka.

We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of August Wilhelm (AuWi) Heckt (†18.02.2023), co-founder of the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe, former member of the Foundation Council and in recent years member of the Honorary Council, who together with his wife Maria formed the backbone of the Dortmund-Wrocław relief effort in the 1970s and 1980s.

To his wife, family and friends we are sending condolences at this tragic time.

WE ARE EXTENDING THE RECRUITMENT!

The Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe (Poland), Milan Šimečka Foundation (Slovakia) and the Anne Frank Centre (Germany) would like to invite teachers and educators from Poland, Slovakia and Germany to participate in an anti-discrimination education workshop which will take place in Krzyżowa on 24-27.04.2023.

For whom? How can you benefit from taking part in the workshop?

We live in an increasingly multicultural society. In everyday life, at school and at work, we meet different people, people with different opinions, raised in a different tradition or representing different social minorities. Perhaps you as a teacher also have young people with a migration or refugee background in your class. In any case the  workshop will provide you  with the tools and skills necessary to better understand and respond effectively to diversity in the classroom, but also to manifestations of discrimination. During the workshops we will also encourage you to explore the possibility to organise an international school exchange and create partnerships with teachers and educators from other countries. It will be an opportunity to work on the anti discrimination topic in an international setting.

This event is aimed at youth workers in non-formal education institutions and teachers from Poland, Germany and Slovakia who would like to receive professional support in organising the international school exchange and in responding effectively to the needs of young people by conducting anti-discrimination education. The international dimension of the workshop makes it possible to share experiences and good practices in different countries, which is why the workshop is conducted in English and a communicative level of use of this language by participants is required. 

We invite you to the International Bibliodrama Workshop in Krzyzowa today - August 2024.
Each congress is an opportunity to meet leaders from Europe, learn new methods and experience bibliodrama in an international and multi-faith group of its enthusiasts.
Remember this date!