The meeting that took place in Kraków on 20-21st August, 2018, and it was a second workshop of a series called “Let’s Talk About Europe” of the “Liberal Dialogue for Europe” project that will be developed in Poland in 2018. The main aim of this project is to facilitate a dialogue with ordinary citizens, through a series of public consultations/workshops, about the main challenges the European Union in currently facing. This will result in a widely informed road which liberals in Poland (and the broader ALDE party) can follow towards determining their strategy for the European elections of 2019.
Around 40 participants from Germany and Poland participated in this event.
The word of welcome before the workshop was given by Jerzy Meysztowicz, Kraków MP who focused on the up-coming European elections and role of liberals in shaping new, open agenda for Europe.
Later, the introduction to the topic was given by Monika Rosa MP, who also participated in last workshop “Liberal Dialogue for Europe” in Ruda Slaska and Sopot. Monika Rosa briefly explained her own Silesian identity as being deeply European. Silesia is a borderland area and borders that cross that territory have changed at least three times during the 20th century.
The workshop was moderated by Magdalena Brukwinska and Artur Buszek.
The workshop consists of three interactive exercises. Their aim was to identify main topics that are important for European citizens these days. The main focus of this workshop was identity of the Europeans, especially vis a vis their national identity, but also compared with the US American identity. Again, one of the most important issue discussed was Russia as the threat of the stability and development of the EU.
The workshop lasted 2,5 hrs and after it the participants were invited for a dinner where the discussion continued in an informal setup.
Second part of the event took place in the Oscar Schindler Factory, Exhibition Kraków under Nazi Occupation 1939–1945 is located in the former administrative building of Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory at 4 Lipowa Street, where participants reflected on the topic of the EU as a successful peace project. The participants tried to answer a question: How in the midst of global crises can the EU offer a 21st century alternative to conflict resolution? The discussion was led by Adam Szlapka MP, President of the Parliamentary Group of the Future of the EU. It was followed by a lunch discussion of the Liberal Manifesto for 2019.
