- June 12, 2012
- 289
Declaration of establishing the Forum of Dialogue and Polish-Lithuanian co-operation
From centuries Poland and Lithuania have been bound by history and culture ties. Falling apart of this union would be hard to imagine; of union which is stronger than any other state unit. It is a heritage of the following development periods which reflect on this union: Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Romanticism This is our European tradition.
The age of modernity brought liberation of nations and political diversification of the union at the same time. In the last century not only our countries had to face processes accompanied by human tragedies, and sometimes difficult to overcome.
Free from totalitarianism our independent and democratic countries , both societies and nations at the beginning of new millenium decided to choose the community of free and equal ones by joining NATO and by co-making European Union. This is the present and foundation of our future.
However, the state alliances do not protect us against neighbour disagreement and diplomatic skirmishes. Periodically a bad atmosphere in Polish-Lithuanian relations occurs and creates mistrust and lack of mutual understanding. We cannot give in to rhetoric of bad memories, phobias and biases even in case of difference in opinions between us.
Even in difficult times there were people of good will among us. And today we should appeal to their achievments, to the acute idea of Jerzy Giedroyc and Parisian “Culture” which could’t imagine other option for Poland and Lithuania than good neighbourhood, building of mutual trust and co-operation which would guarantee security of the region. To achievments of Stanislaw Stomma and Czeslaw Milosz. And finally to ideas of John Paul the II who was aware of deep gist of our common traditions.
Polish-Lithuanian relations shouldn’t be official only. Mutual understanding means building of good neighbourhood community as well as of democratic culture and civic civilization. We need actions which would be carried out by civil societies, non-governmental organizations, churches. We need solid information. We need young people exchange, tourism development, artistic, cultural, academic, educational co-operation. We need permanent historical and social discussion. We need common economic undertakings. We need knowledge about each other.
In this intention, we undersigned, the representatives of social, cultural, economic organizations, intellectuals and mass media people decide to establish the Forum of Dialogue and Co-operation. We declare to undertake and support any actions aiminig to mutual understanding, agreement and co-operation between the societies and nations of Poland and Lithuania. We declare to ensure a solid information to the public opinion of our nations and permanent increase of knowledge about each other.
Signatories to the Declaration
- Urszula Augustyniak – historian, professor, principal of Old Polish Culture Department, Historical Institute of Warsaw University (WU),
- Jerzy Axer – classicist, professor, Research Center of Classical Tradition in Poland and Central-Eastern Europe of WU, principal of Interdisciplinary Research Institute „Artes Liberales” of WU, author of College of Liberal Interdepartmental Individual Studies (WU),
- Klaus Bachmann – journalist, politologist, member of the Board of Stefan Batory Foundation,
- Bogumiła Berdychowska – publicist specialised in Ukrainian history of 20th century and Polish-Ukrainian relations, the principal of Minorities Office in Polish Ministry of Culture and Arts in 1989-1994, the principal of grants programm division of National Culture Centre,
- Jacek Bocheński- – writer, former chairman of Polish PEN Club,
- Wojciech Borowik – chairman of Freedom of Speech Association,
- Andrzej Brzeziecki – journalist, chief editor of “New Eastern Europe”,
- Wiesław Caban – historian, professor, vice-chancellor of Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce,
- Jolanta Choińska-Mika – historian, assistant professor, Historical Institute of WU,
- Mirosław Chojecki – activist of democratic opposition, editor, chairman of honour of Freedom of Speech Association,
- Juliusz Chrościcki – historian, professor, Arts History Institute of WU,
- Andrzej Chwalba – historian, professor, former vice-chancellor of Jagielloński University,
- Krystyna Chwin – poet, editor,
- Stefan Chwin – writer,
- Stefan Ciara – historian, assistant professor, professor, Historical Institute of WU,
- Krzysztof Czyżewski – essayist, an organizer of cultural activities, creator of “Pogranicze” Fundation and “Pogranicze” Centre in Sejny, chief editor of “Krasnogruda” magazine,
- Jan Andrzej Dąbrowski – chairman of Eastern Europe College of Jan Nowak-Jeziorański in Wrocław,
- Krzysztof Droba – theoretician of music, Academy of Music in Cracow,
- Robert Firmhofer – historian of philosophy, principal of Science Center of Kopernik in Warsaw,
- Grzegorz Gauden – principal of Book Institute,
- Andrzej Gil – historian, assistant professor, KUL(John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin) professor, vice-chairman of Central-Eastern Europe Institute of Lublin,
- Andrzej Grajewski – historian, journalist, “Gosc Niedzielny”
- Janusz Grzelak – psychologist, professor, democratic opposition activist, vice-minister of education in Tadeusz Mazowiecki government,
- Julia Hartwig – poet,
- Irena Herbst – chairman of Public-Private Partnership Centre Fundation,
- Agnieszka Holland – film director,
- Paweł Huelle – writer, vice-chairman of Polish PEN Club,
- Inga Iwasiów – writer,
- Igor Janke – journalist, publicist of “Rzeczpospolita”newspaper, chief of “Salon 24.pl” portal,
- Jerzy Jedlicki – historian, Polish Academy of Sciences professor,
- Wiesław Juszczak – historian of arts, professor, Institute of Arts of Polish Academy of Sciences,
- Adolf Juzwenko – historian, principal of National Establishment of Ossolinscy,
- Igor Kąkolewski – historian, assistant professor, professor of University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn,
- Joanna Kiliszek – vice-director of Adam Mickiewicz Institute,
- Tomasz Kizwalter – historian, professor, chairman of Science Council of Historical Institute of WU,
- Krzysztof Knittel – composer, professor, chairman of Music Polish Council,
- Maria Koczerska – historian, professor, principal of Historical Institute of WU,
- Michał Kopczyński – historian, assistant professor, professor of WU, Museum of Poland’s History,
- Jerzy Kornowicz – composer, chairman of Polish Composers Association,
- Robert Kostro – historian, principal of Museum of Poland’s History,
- Wojciech Kriegseisen – historian, professor and director of Polish Academy of Sciences Historical Institute,
- Cezary Kuklo – historian, professor, Bialystok University,
- Ryszard Kulesza – historian, assistant professor, Historical Institute of WU,
- Ewa Kulik-Bielińska – principal of Stefan Batory Foundation,
- Marek Kunicki-Goldfinger – historian, Jarosław Kurski – first deputy of chief-editor of “Gazeta Wyborcza” newspaper,
- Włodzimierz Lengauer – historian, professor, vice-chancellor of WU,
- Anna Lewicka-Morawska – historian of fine arts, professor of Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw,
- Paweł Lisicki – chief-editor of “Uważam Rze” magazine,
- Tomasz Makowski – principal of National Library,
- Wojciech Materski – historian, professor, principal of Political Studies Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences,
- Jacek S. Matuszewski – historian of law, professor, Lodz University,
- Andrzej Mencwel – historian of literature and culture, professor of WU,
- Adam Michnik – chief-editor of “Gazeta Wyborcza” newspaper,
- Krzysztof Mikulski – historian, professor, chairman of Polish Association of History,
- Jan Jerzy Milewski – historian, PhD, editor of “Biuletyn Historii Pogranicza”,
- Piotr Mitzner – writer, historian of literature, editor of independent literature during martial law, co-author of “Karta” Centre, deputy of chief-editor of “Nowaja Polsza” magazine, member of the Board of Polish PEN Club,
- Mirosław Nagielski – historian, professor, Historical Institute of WU,
- Zdzisław Najder – historian of literature, journalist, member of Council of Second World War Museum in Gdansk,
- Anna Nasiłowska – writer, general secretary of Polish PEN Club,
- Michał Nawrocki – physicist, professor, Physics Institute of WU,
- Zbigniew Nosowski -Catholic journalist, chief-editor of “Więź” magazine,
- Andrzej Nowak – historian, professor, Historical Institute of Jagiellonski University, chief-editor of “Arcana”,
- Jan Ołdakowski – principal of Warsaw Uprising Museum,
- Włodzimierz Paszyński – Polish teacher, educat,or, educational activist, deputy of Warsaw City President
- Jerzy Pomianowski – writer, journalist, associate of Jerzy Giedroyc, chief-editor of “Nowaja Polsza” magazine,
- Adam Pomorski – translator, essayist chairman of Polish PEN Club,
- Maria Przełomiec – journalist, Andrzej Rachuba – historian, professor, Historical Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences,
- Piotr Rypson – reviewer and historian of fine arts, vice-director of Warsaw National Museum,
- Jolanta Rzegocka – historian of theatre and literature, PhD, Tischner European University in Cracow,
- Arkady Rzegocki – political scientist, assistant professor, Political Sciences and International Relations Institute of Jagiellonski University, Jagiellonski Club,
- Henryk Samsonowicz – historian, professor, president of WU in 1980-1982, minister of national education in 1989-1991, member of Polish Academy of Sciences,
- Paula Sawicka – psychologist, translator, chairman of Association against anti-Semitism and xenophobia “Open Republic”,
- Mirosław Sawicki – activist of democratic opposition, educator, minister of National Education in 2004-2005,
- Jolanta Sikorska-Kulesza – historian, assistant professor, Historical Institute of WU,
- Aleksander Smolar – journalist, political scientist, chairman of Stefan Batory Foundation,
- Iwona Smolka – writer, literature reviewer, vice-chairman of Polish PEN Club,
- Małgorzata Sporek-Czyżewska – co-author and member of the Board of“Pogranicze” Fundation and “Pogranicze” Centre in Sejny,
- Beata Stasińska – editor, chairman of W.A.B. publishing,
- Sergiusz Sterna-Wachowiak — writer, chairman of Polish Writers Association,
- Jarosław Suchan — principal of Fine Arts Museum in Lodz,
- Bogdan Szlachta – historian of political idea, professor, Political Sciences and International Relations Institute of Jagiellonski University, Centre of Political Idea,
- Jan Tęgowski – historian, professor, former principal of History and Political Sciences Institute of Bialystok University,
- Barbara Toruńczyk – chief-editor of “Zeszyty Literackie”,
- Robert Traba – historian, political scientist, cultural studies scientist, Centre of Historical Research of Polish Academy of Sciences in Berlin, Cultural Community “Borussia”,
- Anna Trzeciakowska — translator, Polish PEN Club,
- Wojciech Tygielski – historian, professor, Fine Arts History Institute of WU, former vice-chancellor of WU,
- Tadeusz Wielecki – composer, virtuoso, director of “Warsaw Autumn” Polish Festival of Contemporary Music,
- Andrzej Wielowieyski – Catholic activist, journalist,
- Jacek Wijaczka – historian, professor, principal of History and Archive Studies Institute of Mikolaj Kopernik University in Torun,
- Piotr Wojciechowski – writer,
- Natalia Woroszylska — translator, head of Russian Desk of Polish Radio,
- Kazimierz Wóycicki – journalist, historian, PhD, WU,
- Hanna Wróblewska – fine arts reviewer, head of “Zacheta” Gallery in Warsaw,
- Ludwika Wujec – social activist, activist of democratic opposition, educator,
- Andrzej Zakrzewski – historian of law, professor, principal of Law History Institute of WU,
- Leszek Zasztowt – historian, professor of Eastern Europe Department of WU, principal of Science History Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences,
- O. Maciej Zięba – Dominican, lecturer and member of the Patronage Council Board of Tischner European University in Cracow,
- Andrzej Żbikowski – historian, assistant professor, Judaic Historical Institute.
Tłumaczenie Dorota Szewczyk-Madejewska w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Dorota Szewczyk-Madejewska within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.
