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Darmstadt, Krzyżowa, in January 2025.

Preamble

This manifesto is the voice of civil society, the voice of those numerous organizations and entities on both sides of the border that have contributed for many years to shaping the Polish-German neighborhood in a united Europe.

Close, mutually trusting and friendly Polish-German relations are crucial to the future of both our countries. Huge challenges are piling up before us: strengthening European security and defense policy in the face of Russia's war in Ukraine, rampant populism, the crisis of liberal democracies and the growing polarization of societies. Added to these are the crises of climate change and migration.

November 2024 marked the 35th anniversary of the historic reconciliation mass in Krzyżowa. As a result of the deliberations and discussions held there, we remind the governments in Berlin and Warsaw of the great importance of expanding and promoting Polish-German civil society cooperation. We consider the efforts made so far in this field to be insufficient. This manifesto takes into account the demands of the Copernicus Group and other actors involved in and supporting civil society contacts in Poland and Germany.

Read more: More courage and determination for a better future - Manifesto of Polish-German Civil Society

In the foyer of the Palace in Krzyzowa (2nd floor), you can now see the extraordinary exhibition "JAZDA! Ways of Becoming," which is the fruit of an international youth exchange from Poland, France and Germany. The exhibition touches on important and timely topics of identity, migration and memory culture, posing questions that concern us all:
👉 How to find your way in the world?
👉 Can borders - physical and mental - be crossed?
👉 What is solidarity in modern times?

As part of the 2023 project, young volunteers and students worked together to analyze their own experiences and reflections around these questions. The result of their work is this unique exhibition - presented for the first time in June 2024 in Friedland, Germany, and now open to the public in Krzyzowa. The exhibition will remain here for three months before traveling further - to France.

We cordially invite you to visit the exhibition at the Palace in Krzyzowa - it's a great opportunity to see how young people from different countries look at the world and build common narratives about the past, present and future.

The exhibition can be visited until the end of May.

Read more: Visit the exhibition "JAZDA! Ways of Becoming" in Krzyzowa

What made Krzyżowa a symbol of German-Polish reconciliation? What were the beginnings of the construction of this place as a space for dialog, education and remembrance?

These and many other questions are answered in a moving conversation between Aureliusz Marek Pędziwol and Maryna and Michał Czaplinski, board member of the Krzyżowa Foundation and member of the Foundation's Honorary Council. It is a meeting full of memories, personal reflections and a deep conviction of the strength of the civic community.

There are many topics in the conversation that relate not only to Krzyżowa's past, but also to the city's current mission and future. The interviewees remember the defining moments of the place - both on a symbolic level and on a very concrete level: human decisions, daily work and community involvement.

🔹 Why has Krzyżowa become a place of encounter?
🔹 What role did the civic grassroots initiative play on both sides of the Oder?
🔹 How can historical memory create trust between nations?

This is a remarkable story about how history influences our present and how we can live it wisely. Important words are also spoken: “We will go to Krzyżowa if the Poles invite us” - a symbolic sentence that reminds us that true reconciliation cannot be one-sided. It must be based on mutual respect and a willingness to engage in dialog.

We invite you to read the interview - it is an important voice in the debate on remembrance, responsibility and the future of Europe:

https://forumdialogu.eu/

Read more: “We will go to Krzyżowa if the Poles invite us” - an extraordinary conversation about the history...

A meeting took place on February 6, 2025, attended by the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Krzyzowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe, Dr. Grzegorz Warzocha, and the Foundation's Managing Director, Dr. Robert Żurek. A councilor of the Lower Silesian Parliament and friend of Krzyzowa, Slawomir Piechota, also joined the discussion. The meeting was held to discuss the possibility of further cooperation between the Foundation and the Lower Silesian Marshal's Office.

During the meeting, which was attended by Lower Silesian Marshal Pawel Gancarz, representatives of the Foundation thanked the Marshal for the fruitful cooperation with the Marshal's Office to date, and presented proposals for its further strengthening.
Mr. Marshal Pawel Gancarz expressed his appreciation for the activities of the Krzyzowa Foundation and its impact on the development of the region. He enthusiastically accepted the invitation to visit Krzyzowa, a sign of his commitment to deepening cooperation in the future.

Read more: Meeting with the Marshal of Lower Silesia Paul Gancarz