On 10 December 2024, a seven-day seminar entitled ‘Remembrance, Understanding, Future’ will commence in Krzyżowa and Wrocław, uniting young participants from the Western Balkans—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia—alongside their peers from Poland and Germany.
The aim is to bring closer the experience of Polish-German reconciliation after the Second World War, overcoming the burdens and traumas of the past, and to identify contemporary examples of Polish-German dialogue, in order to reflect together with the participants on whether and to what extent they can be an inspiration for other nations seeking to understand each other despite a burdensome past.
Key Themes and Activities
Participants will engage in workshops, lectures, and study visits focusing on:
- Polish-German relations from 1939–1989 and into the present (2024),
- Grassroots dialogue initiatives carried out under challenging conditions during the communist era,
- The history and significance of Krzyżowa as a site of reconciliation, including the organization of the historic Reconciliation Mass,
- The work of the Polish-German Handbook Commission,
- Poland’s role and experience in European integration,
- Strategies for using communication to challenge prejudice and counteract misinformation.
Participants will also visit significant historical and cultural sites, including:
- The Quarter of Mutual Respect / Quarter of Four Faiths in Wrocław,
- The Zajezdnia History Centre, showcasing Wrocław's post-war history,
- The Gross-Rosen Museum in Rogoźnica, a former Nazi concentration camp,
- The Silesian Museum in Görlitz, reflecting shared Polish-German heritage.
Regional and International Significance
This year marks the fourth edition of the event, following successful sessions in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The seminar was suspended in 2020 due to pandemic-related reasons. Its organisation was only possible thanks to a joint initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Krzyżowa Foundation. The seminar welcomes 23 participants from nine countries, including a member of the Polish delegation representing Ukraine.
In this context, we are truly pleased to report that the initiative to reactivate the project was noted and highlighted in Joint Declaration on Reaffirming Good Neighbourly Relations and Regional Cooperation on the Occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Berlin Process - at the Summit held in Berlin, 14 October. The aforementioned document encourages countries to support youth initiatives, such as “the renewed German-Polish Western Balkans initiative in Krzyzowa/Kreisau” and to support youth exchange and reconciliation between young persons from the Western Balkans Six and partner countries.
The seminar was funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Wrocław.
