European Solidarity Centre

Solidarity means a commitment and a challenge. It is a commitment for the authors and participants of the events of August 1980 in Gdańsk and in Poland; and it is a challenge for the future generations and for those for whom freedom, dignity and justice remain a dream. Sustaining memory about the moral message of the "Solidarity" movement and the creative delivery of its legacy to our posterity, indicating how current and universal it is - these are the main tasks of the European Solidarity Centre.

The Centre strives to achieve the first goal - the retrospective one - with a modern and interactive museum describing how the events initiated by the strike at the Gdańsk Shipyard started a domino effect - liquidating the communist system in the entire Central and Eastern Europe, also affecting other regions of the world. It will be supported by the multi-media archive and library, securing the legacy of "Solidarity", which nowadays is scattered and sometimes neglected. Through expositions - including mobile exhibitions travelling throughout the world - the European Solidarity Centre wants to enhance the memory of history, which seems to be weakening in Europe and which is necessary for building a European identity.

The other - prospective - goal is to transfer the legacy of "Solidarity" to the future, delivering it to the next generations of young people, not only Poles. Showing solidarity, caring for the common good, building a deeper community of ideas while respecting diversity as values that are not anachronistic, which are a creative challenge, worthy of energy and skills. This is why education is very important for the Centre. Even now the European Solidarity Centre is working on it: organising workshops for young people from all over Europe and seminars for young Poles, arranging a series of lectures and discussions, and preparing a training offer for teachers and local leaders.

As a cultural institution, the European Solidarity Centre creates cultural events and stimulates artistic activities related to subjects concerning very broadly defined solidarity. It organises concerts and festivals as well. In November 2007 the Centre inaugurated a film review entitled "All About Freedom", which presents various film forms speaking about freedom in the modern world. It has also organised a screenplay contest. The European Solidarity Centre is a scientific research institution as well, analysing the issues of freedom especially the achievements of the "Solidarity's" peaceful fight for justice, democracy and human rights to share these achievements with those who are still deprived of these values. Moreover, the Centre is a forum for public debate not only about history, but also about current objectives. And these objectives include civil society, integrated Europe and peace.

The European Solidarity Centre goes beyond politics and it is not associated with any party. It promotes deeper values, shared by Poles despite their differing political opinions. The intention of the creators of the European Solidarity Centre is to make it a centre for cooperation and integration. Even now, many organisations and institutions from Poland and abroad approach the Centre with various proposals for joint projects. Private persons approach us as well. Every contact is priceless. This is more than just studying the past or presenting it in an attractive way. This is a way to create metapolitical connections between people for whom August 1980 is not a closed story. This idea brings a network of interpersonal solidarity to the map of the independent Republic of Poland, of the solidarity which still is the most universal Polish product of the best quality in the world.

Father Maciej Zięba

Director of the European Solidarity Centre