For several days, a wave of protests has been sweeping through Poland over the ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal on the incompatibility of the current provisions on abortion with the Constitution. The scale and nature of these protests, as well as the reactions of people and circles reluctant to them, indicate that we are dealing with a continuation and escalation of the process of polarization of our society, which has been going on for many years and which is increasingly threatening the good future of all of us. The Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe, working for the peaceful coexistence of nations, social groups and individuals, observes this process with growing pain and anxiety.
Abortion is a very controversial topic that evokes extremely strong emotions. Modern democracies have not yet found model solutions that would satisfactorily protect both life from conception and women's right to subjectivity and self-determination. It is precisely due to the conflicting, polarizing potential of disputes over abortion, as well as the fundamental difficulty in developing appropriate legal solutions, that this topic should be approached with great responsibility.
Read more: Statement of the Management Board of the Krzyżowa Foundation in connection with the wave of...
94 years ago, on 20 October 1926, in the Królewska Huta (since 1934 Chorzów), Ewa Elżbieta Unger was born - long-time president of the Wrocław Club of Catholic Intelligentsia, co-founder of the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe and long-time president of the Foundation's Board.
Dr Ewa Unger died a few months ago, on 15 March 2020. Due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic at that time, the funeral ceremonies were very intimate and not everyone who wanted to farewell to Ewa Unger could do so. That is why we are already announcing a ceremony which will allow us to commemorate Dr Ewa Unger - a person so important for the Krzyżowa Foundation and for everyone involved in Polish-German reconciliation - in a larger group.
Read more: ||SAVE THE DATE|| Ceremonies commemorating Dr Ewa Unger - Wrocław, Krzyżowa, 13 March 2021
6 years after the idea of introducing the Vredzamee School programme to Poland in the form of the Schools of Dialogue (an idea that came to the mind of Edward Skubisz, a Dutchman living in Poland), it was possible to organise a training course preparing teachers, trainers and coaches for the practical implementation of the programme.
On 9-10 October, Hans Scheltema, a psychologist and trainer representing the CED Groep institution which has been implementing the programme in the Netherlands for over 20 years, was a guest at Krzyżowa. He conducted this two-day training in English with the support of two great translators - Ms Magdalena Mańko-Kuzaj and Mr Jacek Mażulis.
Read more: Schools of Dialogue - training - 9-10.10.2020
Recently, personnel changes have taken place on the board of our very close partner, the Kreisau-Initiative Association from Berlin. After 10 years, Ole Jantschek resigned from the position of chairman of the board. (Ole Jantschek is at the same time vice-chairman of the Council of the Krzyżowa Foundation). The new chairman became Paweł Prokop, who joined the board of Kreisau-Initiative in September 2019.
We would like to thank Ole Jantschek very much for our joint initiatives and fruitful cooperation, which culminated last year's jubilee celebration for both our organisations. We wish the new Chairman good luck!
Read more: Changes in the Board of the Kreisau-Initiative Association
