Report. European School Club at Adam Mickiewicz Secondary School in Poznan

Transcription

1 European School Club at Adam Mickiewicz Secondary School in Poznan Club authorities Chairman: Beata Kamińska Deputy: Katarzyna Sawińska Secretary: Katarzyna Roszak Members: Joanna Butkiewicz, Jordan Jasiński Teacher in charge: Henryk Józefowski Clubs objectives The club was founded in order to spread information about Europe, the European Union, the Council of Europe, NATO, the challenges that are to be faced by modern Europe and European integration. We would like to contribute to understanding pluralism encompassing similarities as well as differences, mutual tolerance and respect. We also aim at making people aware of the relationship between Europe and the rest of the world, need of cooperation, breaking stereotypes as well as developing among the members future European citizens the feeling of responsibility, especially for peace, human rights protection, environmental protection and cultural heritage. Our history European Club was founded in 1995 following the initiative of Henryk Józefowski, who was also responsible for organizing international students and teachers exchanges in our school. The activity of the club was launched with the opening of an exhibition To be or not to be on 20 March The students of Adam Mickiewicz Secondary School have been contributing to creating common European Home for a long time cooperating with their peers from Berlin (15 years) and Varberg, Sweden (14 years). Hence the foundation of the club was a conscious action leveled at formalizing the activities of the club and acquiring the possibility to participate in different sessions, workshops, conferences and contests related to the topic of Europe in Poland as well as abroad. Clubs activities The club has been working for 9 years. Our members have inspired and organized numerous events. We can really boast about what we have achieved. We have organized meetings with politicians as well as people working in the field of culture; these include: - Marek Zieliński (MP), - Professor Władysław Bartoszewski, - Wojciech Kruk (Senator), - Tadeusz Mazowiecki (MP), - Henryk Bereska (a poet and translator of Polish literature from Berlin), - Rev. Wacław Oszajca (poet), - German writers from Stuttgart, - Ryszard Grobelny, the Mayor of Poznań, - Rev. Professor Michał Czajkowski - member of Permanent Judaism Dialogue Committee of the Episcopate of Poland, member of Polish Council of Jews and Christians, - Leopold Sokołowski a former prisoner of a concentration camp in Gross-Rosen, - Members of families awarded by Righteous Among the Nations (Professor Franciszek Raszeja, Rev. Adam Sztrak), - Members of Związek Sybiraków (an association of families whose members were sent to Siberia), and Rodziny Katańskie (families whose members were murdered in Katyń), - Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki the chairman of Judaism Dialogue Committee of the Episcopate of Poland, - Ilona Dworak-Cousin (a writer from Israel), - Candidates for the post of the Mayor of Poznań, - Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz Minister of Foreign Affairs, - Günter Verheugen European Union Enlargement Commissioner, - Participants of Warsaw Uprising from Wielkopolska region, Wanda Błeńska the leper-ridden s mother

2 We have also participated in numerous workshops, conferences and meetings: - Bocholt (VDFG & FAFA Congress), - Katowice (National Meeting of European Clubs), - Sonnenberg (Home, Nation, Europe how many motherlands do we need), - Warsaw (European Club Forum), - Świnoujście (I Youth Forum organized by Swedish Baltic Institute), - Oleśnica (II European Days in Oleśnica), - Berlin (International Youth Meeting organized to commemorate the 10 th anniversary of pulling down Berlin Wall), - Warsaw (Conference Through Education to Europe ), - Sweden, European Youth Center in Eksjo (II Youth Forum - organized by Swedish Baltic Institute), - Warsaw ( European Club Round Table ) organized by Polish Council of European Movement, - Poznań (conferences organized by the European Education and Research Center and the Western Institute), - Stockholm Olga Gajdzińska, the chairman of European Club, accompanied Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek in a working visit connected with taking over the presidency in the EU by Sweden, - Wiesbaden I European Forum Jan Szczodrowski, - Warsaw III European Club Round Table September 2001, - Konin European Club Forum accompanying European Days in Konin (September 2001), - Przemyśl XVIII Polish-wide European School (October 2001), - Warsaw - (Conference Through Education to Europe ) organized by Robert Schuman Foundation (December 2001), - Poznań (Conference Sharing Competences in EU the tasks and responsibilities) organized by the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2002, - Berlin an official opening of an exhibition prepared by Berlin school Gustav Heinemann Christian Responsibility of Ideas and Actions, which was presented in German Parliament. Special guests of the event included: the daughter of the former President and his granddaughter Christina Rau the wife of the present German President Johannes Rau, Walter Momper the President of Berlin Parliament. The students of our school and the students of Gustav-Heinemann-Oberschule were jointly responsible for musical setting of the event, 26 November 2002, - Poznań IV Regional Round Table of European School Clubs, 28 November 2002, - Warsaw - IV Round Table of European School Clubs in Polish Parliament, 7 December 2002, - Konin a conference which summed up European Youth Meetings project as well awarding the finalists of Euro contest, 17 December 2002, - Poznań a panel discussion Europe but what participated by Józef Oleksy and Professor Wilczyński organized by European Integration Center of Adam Mickiewicz University, 29 January 2003, - Poznań a panel discussion Europe but what with Lech Wałęsa organized by the European Integration Center of Adam Mickiewicz University, 26 February 2003, - Berlin the opening of an exhibition about Holocaust Black Box in our partner school Gustav- Heinemann-Oberschule. The event was participated by the former President of Berlin Parliament and the former senator Hanna-Renate Laurin, who was also guest of our school in The students of our school and the students of Berlin school were jointly responsible for musical setting of the event, 27 February 2003, - Interiada organized by the Ministry of Education, the Minister of European Referendum and Rower Błażeja (a popular TV youth program), April 2003, - Warsaw participation in European Forum in My School contest organized by a monthly European Union, May 2003, - Poznań three culture meeting Across Boundaries participated by Michael Schudrych the Rabi of Warsaw and Łódź, Imam Selim Chazbijewicz, Bishop Marek Jędraszewski organized by Wyższa Szkoła Humanistyczna i Dziennikarstwa, 15 October 2003, - Warsaw a conference Through Education to Europe organized by Robert Schuman Foundation, 26 October 2003, - Poznań a panel discussion with Bishop Professor Tadeusz Pieronek and Senator Professor Edmund Wittbrodt Europe but what organized by European Integration Center of Adam Mickiewicz University, 29 November 2003, - Poznań a meeting with the representatives of the European Region Council, 28 November 2003, - Poznań Scena Verbum of Teatr Nowy a meeting with Szewachem Weissem the Ambassador of Israel and Sobol a writer, 1 December 2003, - Poznań Polish-wide celebration of VII Christian-Jewish Dialogue Day, January 2004, - Poznań - Europe but what a panel discussion with Professor Rita Suessmuth, the former speaker of the Bundestag and Marek Król the editor-in-chief of Wprost (a popular weekly), organized by European Integration Center of Adam Mickiewicz University, 28 January 2004, - Poznań Europe but what a panel discussion with Tadeusz Mazowiecki and Jan Kułakowski organized by the European Integration Center of Adam Mickiewicz University, 12 March 2004, - Poznań Central European Countries Days organized by a Poznań Secondary School, - Poznań Teatr Wielki an event organized by the Marshal Council of Poznań to celebrate Polish accession to the European Union with the participation of he partner regions of Wielkopolska, 30 May 2004,

3 - Poznań a solemn unveiling of a commemorative board on the occasion of Polish accession to the European Union as well as raising European Union flag in front of the office of the Marshal of Poznań by the members of the school s club, - Varberg Sweden a visit to our partner school Peder Skrivares Skola; participation in the jubilee of the 15 th anniversary of cooperation between the schools. The event was honoured by the presence of the Polish Ambassador in Sweden first deputy Artur Habant, 2-9 May 2004, - Poznań a meeting with President Aleksander Kwaśniewski Strong Poland in strong and solid Europe, 19 May 2004, - Berlin Gustav-Heinemann-Oberschule, participation in a meeting with CDU president Angela Merkel, during which an invitation to our school was passed to the president, 26 May 2004, - Poznań participation in Commemorative March on the occasion of the 60 th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland, 17 September 2004, - Poznań participation in a meeting with Professor Władysław Bartoszewski in the Western Institute, 21 September 2004, - Poznań participation in the celebrations devoted to the 65 th anniversary of creation of Polish Underground Army organized by Światowy Związek Żołnierzy Armii Krajowej, Okręg Wielkopolski (the World Association of Soldiers of National Army for Wielkopolska Region), 27 September 2004, - Poznań participation in a debate Europe, but what... Christianity and Islam in religious and political dialogue featuring Rev. Professor Jean Benjamin Sleiman the Archbishop of Baghdad as well as Professor Selim Chazbijewicz the Imam of the University of Warmia and Mazury, 7 October 2004, - Poznań a visit to NATO airport in Krzesiny following the invitation from Światowy Związek Żołnierzy Armii Krajowej (the World Association of Soldiers of National Army), 19 October 2004, - Poznań participation in a meeting with Krzysztof Mroziewicz a journalist and commentator of Polityka (a popular Polish weekly) and Polish Television who delivered a paper A Journalist in a Global Village, organized by Wyższa Szkoła Humanistyczna i Dziennikarstwa, 17 December 2004, - Poznań the members of the club take part in a funeral of colonel Stefan Ignaszak a soldier of Armia Krajowa, 15 January 2005, - Poznań participation in Days of Judaism, January 2005, - Poznań participation in a debate Europe but what featuring Hanna Suchocka the Ambassador of Poland in the Vatican and Marcin Libicki a member of the European Parliament, 2 February 2005, - Poznań participation in a conference of Strong Poland in Strong Europe series featuring Jan Truszczyński - the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dariusz Szymczycha the Minister of the President of Poland Office, organized by the Marshal Office, 16 February We have also cooperated with our German partner school in Berlin preparing a joint exhibition Poles and Germans much closer than we think. The exhibition was presented in Poznań, Berlin, Rzepin, Słubice, Bonn the Bundestag, Krzyżowa, Wrocław, Dreieich, Oleśnica, Gniezno, Soest, Torgelow, Berlin Steglitz, Borcken, Konin, Frombork, Pułtusk, Hannover and Poznań. The members of our club were responsible for the musical setting of the exhibition openings in all the places mentioned. We have prepared: - Polish-German Days on the occasion of the exhibition opening as well as an ecumenical meeting of the students from Poznań, Berlin and Varberg, - European Youth Meeting on the occasion of the 10 th anniversary of the students and teachers exchange between Poznań and Berlin and the 9 th anniversary of the exchange between Poznań and Varberg, - European Impressions a performance prepared together with the Historical Club presented in the school, the Old Market Square in Poznań when the European flag was granted to the city by the Council of Europe, - Jewish Culture Day in our school we helped to prepare an ecumenical service in the Cathedral in Gniezno for the Rotary Club Members from Poland and Germany, - A conference Through Education to Europe, together with Robert Scuman Foundation from Warsaw, - Presidential pre-elections organized within the constraints of Young Vote action, together with the School Student Council, - 1 st European Club Forum of Wielkopolska, together with the European Information Center for Wielkopolska, - An international students concert, in which 107 students and teachers from Sydney, Adelaide, Berlin and Poznań took part, - A happening Against corruption in front of our school a Polish-wide action, - A solidarity appeal with the victims of the terrorist attacks in New York, - General pre-elections within the constraints of Young Vote action, together with the School Student Council, September 2001, - The presentation of the exhibition Poles and Germans much closer than we think in the city library in Konin on the occasion of European Days in Konin (October 2001), - The program of the visits of our partner schools from Berlin and Varberg, 7-13 October 2001, - International conference Racism, Violence, Holocaust, which was participated by the students from Berlin, Varberg (Sweden), secondary schools from Poznań and our school, October 2001, - 2 nd European Club Forum for Wielkopolska, together with the European Information Center for Wielkopolska,

4 - A meeting with the members of Związek Sybiraków (an association of families whose members were sent to Siberia), and Rodziny Katańskie (families whose members were murdered in Katyń) Christmas on the Inhuman Earth, January 2002, - Jewish and Israel Culture Day in Adam Mickiewicz Secondary School, 15 May 2002, - The program of the visits of our partner schools from Berlin and Varberg, 6-13 October 2002, - A debate with all candidates for the post of the President of Poznań, 23 Ocotber 2002, - Regional pre-elections organized within the constraints of Young Vote action, 24 October 2002, - 3 rd European Club Forum for Wielkopolska, together with the European Information Center for Wielkopolska, 15 November 2002, - Roman Brandstatter Day one of the greatest contemporary writers, a meeting of Ocalić od zapomnienia wielkich Wielkopolan ( to help the great Wielkopolska figures from being forgotten ) series, together with the School Student Council, 21 March 2003, - A meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz and the discussion Poland in the European Union the role and tasks, 23 April 2003, - A meeting with Günter Verheugen European Union Enlargement Commissioner, 27 May 2003, - School European referendum organized within the constraints of Young Vote action, 6 June 2003, - A help in organizing Regional European Union Contest for agricultural schools Polish Agriculture after European Union Accession organized by the European Center of Szczecin University, 25 October 2003, - A help in organizing the General Regions Convention and the General AER Convention organized by the General Office in Strasburg as well as the Marshal of Poznań Office, November 2003, - A meeting with teenagers from Lancashire County the winners of The Most Youth Friendly Region contest in Adam Mickiewicz Secondary School during the General AER Convention, 26 November 2003, - A help in organizing a charity concert for Palium hospice, 12 December 2003, - A Youth Anti-corruption Table together with the Local Citizen Group cooperating with the Against Corruption program, 16 March 2003, - Kazimiera Iłłakowiczówna day of Ocalić od zapomnienia wielkich Wielkopolan ( to help the great Wielkopolska figures from being forgotten ) series, together with Proscenium (a school theatre club), 25 March 2004, - The school s European Parliament pre-elections organized within the constraints of Young Vote action media coverage by a Dutch channel, 7 May 2004, - A solidarity appeal with the victims and the families of the tragedy in Bieslan in Osetia, 7 September 2004, - The celebration of Ocalić od zapomnienia wielkich Wielkopolan ( to help the great Wielkopolska figures from being forgotten ) series to commemorate the 60 th anniversary of Warsaw Uprising featuring the participants of the Uprising from Wielkopolska region, 23 September 2004, - The revisit of the students and teachers form Sweden and Germany to our school, 25 September 2 October 2004, - Ukraine Solidarity Day in Adam Mickiewicz Secondary School, 30 November 2004, - 4 th European School Clubs Forum together with the Wielkopolska Region Office, 10 December 2004, - The school s action Adoption from the Distance since February 2005 we have taken care of one of the children by affected by the tsunami, 28 January 2005, We have made the cooperation between schools of Poznań, Berlin and Varberg come true. Together with the school in Berlin we have held a students and teachers exchange with schools in Thailand and Australia. We have sent some letters of gratitude to the figures of political scene for their personal contribution to making Poland a member of NATO: Lech Wałęsa, Jerzy Buzek, Maciej Płażyński, Bronisław Geremek, Zbigniew Brzeziński, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Bill Clinton, Helmut Kohl, Javier Solana, Jerzy Giedroyć, Jan Nowak- Jeziorański. We passed a letter to Prime Minister Göran Persson in which apart from the congratulations on taking over the presidency in the EU we have included some information about the activities of our school club connected with the European Union. We passed a letter of gratitude care of Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and the Ambassador of Ireland Thelma Doran to all the Irish people who voted for Polish accession to the European Union. We have sent some letters of gratitude to the figures of political scene for their personal contribution to making Europe united again: Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Leszek Miller, Marek Borowski, Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, Danuta Hübner, Jan Truszczyński, Józef Oleksy, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Hanna Suchocka, Jerzy Buzek, Jan Kułakowski, Romano Prodi, Gerhard Schröder, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Göran Persson, Günter Verheugen. We cooperate with the European Integration Center for Wielkopolska, the European Research and Education Center, Polish Writers Association, Polish-Israeli Friendship Association, Jewish Commune in Poznań, Frauen Iniciative in Berlin. The upcoming events and activities include: - meetings with the figures of political and cultural life, - participation in the Adoption From the Distance project organized by Caritas and TVP (national Polish Television), - a joint meeting of our students and the students from Berlin school with German President Horst Köhler,

5 - organization of a happening Against Corruption, - organization of meetings with MP candidates, - organization of pre-elections in our school, - reproduction of a play presented by the prisoners of Dachau Concentration Camp on the 60 th anniversary of liberating the camp, - organization of a meeting with Euro MPs. Our achievements: - an honourable mention in Our European Club contest organized by the Ministers Council Office for a work about our club, - a diploma for the participation in a PRO PUBLICO BONO contest announced by Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek, - 1 st place in the regional final of a Euroschool in the Internet contest organized within the constraints of The Internet at Schools the Project of the President of Poland program, - an honourable mention in Polish final of Euroschool in the Internet contest of the President of Poland patronage, - an honourable mention in European Song Review organized by Konopa European School Club in Inowrocław, - members of the school club being one of the winners of Euro contest organized by the Regional Development Agency in Konin within the constraints of EUROpean Secondary School Youth Meeting for Wielkopolska Region, 17 December 2002, - Henryk Józefowski the teacher in charge of the school club being awarded Europe s Friend title in European Personality category of the Social-Economic Eurocontest, AMICO EUROPARADE A.D organized by PRO EUROPA Association and the honourable title Przyjaciel Radiowej Jedynki of First Channel of Polish Radio. Our website: