Olga K.

A diary from the 13th MitOst Festival [Olga Konovalova]

Since 2003 activists in fields of cultural, language and civic exchange in East Central Europe, which are members of an association MitOst, meet annualy – each time in a different city – and develop themselves in different topics. Get to know MitOst here: www.mitost.org.

And read here a diary from the 13th International MitOst Festival written by Olga Konovalova:

„An old green train #115O that passes daily through Lviv and goes to Ivano-Frankivsk, or Stanislau (an old name of the city which I like more). It goes slowly without stops through the villages, endless picturesque fields and dense forests as it gives time specially for enjoying the landscape. The train has its typical knock sound which I missed in European trains. I ask the train conductor to bring me glass of tea in metal glass-holder, which is possible to find only in trains of post-soviet countries. I was drinking sourse by source the tea, enjoying the landscape and thinking what is waiting on me at MitOst festival. I was going without any expectations or knowledge what is going to happen and looking forward to discover the city, the festival and organization itself. Continue reading „A diary from the 13th MitOst Festival [Olga Konovalova]” →

New historical sources – a meeting

Community archives are archival initiatives, which are independent from the state activities. They are a new place, where you can look for unknown historical sources. You can find there e.g. family photos, private documents and diaries. Polish scientists consider sources of community archives to be very important for researches with new approaches, e.g. every day life, cultural life and social life.

On October, 24 they met in Warsaw (Museum of History of Polish Jews – Polin) at the 1st Meeting of Community Archives (www.archiwa.org). Continue reading „New historical sources – a meeting” →

I am looking for a good catchword [Marta Gałązka]

At the weekend parliamentary election takes place in Poland. It is a good moment for the analysis of political campaigns.

„Citizens decide” („Obywatele decydują”), „I love Poland” („Kocham Polskę”) and „We can do it” („Damy radę”) are new catchwords of political parties. It could not be antything wrong, but these slogans are slogans of ngo’s projects or other organizastions. Are there conscious actions or spin doctors’s inattention during electoral campaigns? Continue reading „I am looking for a good catchword [Marta Gałązka]” →

Poznaj sąsiada – „Nie ma jak Lwów…”

O różnych obliczach miasta Lwowa, inteligenckim, przedsiębiorczym, kulturalnym, historycznym i pamiętającym Lwowie przeczytacie mój artykuł na portalu www.podrozystka.pl. „O życiu we Lwowie powstały piosenki (np. „Tylko we Lwowie” Szczepka i Tońki), filmy („W ciemności” A. Holland), napisano tomy wspomnień i publikacji. Wielu starszych Polaków wspomina to miasto z czułością i wielu nie chce mierzyć się z jego teraźniejszością. Nic dziwnego, bo po co niszczyć cudowny obraz żyjący we wspomnieniach. A Lwów się zmienia.” Continue reading „Poznaj sąsiada – „Nie ma jak Lwów…”” →

Space to grow

Why growth is so important? Lack of growth leads to stagnation. Obsession of innovation is the other extreme. On June, 11 (2015) I participated on lectures dedicated to growth and space to growth within an independent Ted event. The event had a title „Space to grow”. I especially enjoyed the lectures of Magdalena Kozłowska-Deć, Hoang Minh Ngo and Dawid Sokołowski. Continue reading „Space to grow” →

Pozegnanie Joy w Parku, 2001

The 90s: American Peace Corps in Poland

Did you know that the volunteers of the American Peace Corps were working also in Poland? I worked on a one-year documentary project about their work. Effects of the project are a bilingual publication and a bilingual Web-presentation: www.korpus.karta.org.pl (pl) and http://korpus.karta.org.pl/?lang=en (en). Some collected photos you can see here. Continue reading „The 90s: American Peace Corps in Poland” →

Teaching materials to human rights

Teaching human rights is a challenge for people from different fields and institutions. That’s why the Centre of Human Rights Education of the University of Teacher Education in Lucerne is organising the Human Rights Education Symposium in Lucerne. The topic of the Symposium in 2012 was the developing of teaching materials on human rights education. Continue reading „Teaching materials to human rights” →

Civil society and civic life in Poland

To support relationships between nations the knowledge of journalists should be supported. Get to know this great initiative! Before the European Football Championship 2012 more than 20 journalists of different German media went to Warsaw, Kiew and Charkow to get to know more about the civic life in the countries and preparation to the Championship. Continue reading „Civil society and civic life in Poland” →

Network of cultural and civic activists – MitOst

The Society MitOst is a living network of cultural and civic activists in Eastern and Central Europe. Every year member meet at different cities in the region. A member can be everyone, who is interested in the culture and civic life in the region. The meetings have the name „Festival” and have different topics. E.g. the 9th Festival of MitOst took place in České Budějovice from 28.9.2011 till 2.10.2011. The topic of this MitOst – Festival was new forms of engagement. There were many people who are engaged for a balanced life. Continue reading „Network of cultural and civic activists – MitOst” →

Lipiec 2006 Theodor Heuss Kolleg

Popularisation of democratic values by the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg

The Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg was a funding programme of Robert Bosch Foundation. This collegue supported popularisation of democratic values among young people from East Central Europe. I was a member of the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg from May 2005 till July 2006. The photos present the finish of the collegue in July 2006 in Berlin. Continue reading „Popularisation of democratic values by the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg” →