During the Remembrance and Future Forum, we talk about the most important challenges and dilemmas of today, issues which are essential from the point of view of Wrocław, Poland, and the whole of Europe. We seek answers to these questions, drawing inspiration from the post-war history of our city.
We notice that the challenge of the times is the progressive division and disintegration of communities. This concerns both the local dimension, the capital of trust in everyday social relations, as well as the phenomenon called (still exaggeratedly) the “Polish-Polish” war, or finally, the crisis of the European community. We think that experiencing post-war Wrocław can be a good starting point for a discussion on these issues. This experience includes the trauma of war, the painful process of population exchange, the massive destruction and oppression of the communist state, but also the rebuilding from the ruins, the decades of the establishment of a new community, and the transformation of Wrocław into a Polish city open to the world, the history of Polish-German reconciliation and the history and ethos of “Solidarity”. All this gives us faith that crossing divides is possible. This is what we want to learn from.
It is also about the meeting. We believe that cooperation, friendship, reconciliation, and community life begin with the meeting. Last year the pandemic got in the way, and most of the events were held on-line. This year we have decided to strive to make our meeting real and personal. This is why the Remembrance and Future Forum has taken the form of intimate discussions, workshops, and accompanying projects, so that both the speakers and the audience can perceive each other as conversation partners.
