The idea of the first part of the project “KICK FOR EUROPE – Football in Poland and Germany – a European journey through time” was to bring Polish, German and Jewish youth and their national organizations together and integrate them through workshops, lectures and games devoted to the national pride and sport. It was co-organized in cooperation with the German Sports Association Iron Man from Gogolin, Poland and the German Foundation Lernort Stadion e.V. from Berlin.
As Cukunft we were responsible for coordination of organizational aspects (transportation, booking meals, renting venues, finding Polish schools in Warsaw partnering in the project, planning, communication with Polish schools, promotion, ect.) as well as the Jewish content of the seminar (lectures, workshops, inviting Jewish presenters, communication with Jewish organizations – such as Makabi Warszawa Sports Club, Lauder Morasha Jewish School, Jewish Community of Warsaw and JCC Warsaw.
The final realization took place between 23 and 27 September 2019, when 20 teenagers from Rostock (Germany) and Warsaw (Poland) participated in educational activities at the most beautiful places to study – the Jewish Community Centre – JCC Warsaw, Polin Museum and the PGN Polish National Stadium next to the Vistula River.
The activities for students from Polish and German schools were devoted to former and contemporary Polish and Jewish live (politics, socio-cultural challenges, German-Polish-Jewish stereotypes, Antisemitism and Islamophobia) in Poland as well as Polish-German-Jewish history from the perspective of sport. We also didn’t forget about integration activities and games such as learning basic phrases in Polish and German languages and sightseeing of Warsaw stadiums and monuments with a guides. At the end of the seminar Polish and German youth created at the JCC Warsaw a poster presenting their vision of Poland and Germany future relations.
It was presented by students at a closing session that took place on the Missisipi Boat in front of special guests from the Warsaw Jewish Community (i.e. President WJC-Leszek Piszewski), Cukunft Jewish Association, Klamra Foundation, the German embassy in Poland, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Allianz Kulturstiftung and TUI Stiftung, organizations that covered most of expenses, especially. costs of students’ travel and participation. Thanks to generous support of EVZ-HIA 2019 Grant we as Cukunft Jewish Association could cover costs of transportation, coordination, promotion ect. that enabled us to bring Jewish content to the Polish-German part of the project.
It is good to mention that in this part of the project we planned to paint with Dariusz Paczkowski from Klamra Foundation a historical mural with logo of former Polish-German-Jewish sports clubs (Legia Warszawa, Makabi Warszawa, Hasmonea) next to the one of Warsaw stadium. The idea of the mural was to unite our nations via football where Antisemitic and Xenophobic behavior and slogans are present the most. Unfortunately we didn’t get a permission to paint the mural. We had to postpone this idea for other future occasion.
*Cukunft’s participation in this project was generously supported by the Foundation EVZ. It does not represent an expression of opinion by the Foundation EVZ. The authors bear the responsibility.
**Action Projects are independent initiatives of Humanity in Action Fellows and Senior Fellows that address social and human rights issues around the world.
