Finally! The already 15th edition of the Visegrad Summer School was officially opened on Monday, hosting 43 participants from Central and Eastern European countries.
It was a moment as magical as in the preceding 14 years, when Danuta Glondys, director of Villa Decius Association, gave a warm welcome to the participants, special guests and partners of the ongoing Visegrad Summer School. She expressed special thanks to the last-mentioned and put emphasis on the precious potential of the first-mentioned. Bogusław Sonik, member of the Villa Decius Association, confirmed towards the participants: “You are the greatest tresure of our region!“ He reminded them that they as young intelligent people have a special task to fulfil – to learn and to become competitive at the European market, to become “as good as or even better than the West“. The Visegrad Summer School, of course, is intended to assist them and prepare them for fulfilling this task. “I beg you to fly high!“, Bogusław Sonik finalized.
Andrzej Kulig, Deputy Mayor of Krakow, appreciated that “the projects by this Villa co-shape the image of Krakow“ in a very positive sense. According to him, the Villa Decius as a centre of humanism, polical debates and the unfolding of various ideas, and the city of Krakow as a political centre being quite close to the West both profit from each other and make up an excellently fitting couple. Furthermore, the Deputy Mayor wished the students unforgettable experiences, an interesting, tense and creative time to spend in Krakow – and that they may be inspired by their teachers.
Grzegorz Lipiec, councillor of Malopolska Voivodship, emphasized: “European integration is still important for this part of Europe.“ He highlightened the role of local authorities and likewise appealed to the participants: “You are the future elite, you will decide what will happen to your countries. And do networking! Friendship is very important in politics after all.“ Pointing to Brexit and all the other huge challenges Europe has to face nowadays, Grzegorz Lipiec encouraged the participants to really do learn. Because: “Europe is waiting for you!“According to him, the Visegrad Summer School will have done a great job in the case that afterwards everyone will be able to say: “Yes, I'm better off thanks to this event.“
We are Central Europe! (Visegrad Summer School – reflections on 15 years)
„What is the definition of Central Europe? Does it exist? Or is it only a fiction?“ With these questions once asked by the Slovakian ambassador in Poland 15 years ago, Magdaléna Vášáryova – lecturer at the CEVRO (Prague) – started her implementations about how the V4 should be seen within Europe. She uttered strict indisposition towards the term “Ostmitteleuropa“ when refering to V4 countries. Instead, she stated the following: “We are Central Europe! Central Europe is right here. This is, how we [the V4] should identify ourselves and how we should make ourselves visible. … We don't have to prove that Central Europe exists.“
Moreover, Magdaléna Vášáryova underlined the high importance for Poles, Czechs, Slovakians and Hungarians to cooperate. According to her, one should have in mind how cooperation between these nationalities worked some decades ago: “We only met in Moscow, under strong supervision.“ Now, the doors to free dialogue and cooperation are theoretically open. But Magdaléna Vášáryova made aware of the fact that there are still deficiencies to overcome, amongst them the still reminded dark chapters of the mutual history. In this regard, she appreciated how the Visegrad Summer School helps to break the mistrust betweeen the Central European nations and how it operates in a direction far averting from what she called the most dangerous attitudes: passivity, indifference to history and not caring about the proceedings of Europe and the European Union. Vášáryova stressed the importance of the Visegrad Summer School in many respects – and also the importance for the participants to realize that the VSS shall bring them “not only a wonderful time to spend in one of the most wonderful cities of Poland. It's not only about friendships, not only about love stories and so on. It's about winning knowledge and experience in a very few days.“
Wishing more concentration on a creative atmosphere and on how to encourage “wild debates“ as part of the VSS, she thanked for 15 years continuation of this valuable educational programme. „Long live Visegrad Summer School!“, Vášáryova finalized.
Recognized merit
What a great surprise and what a great honour! In recognition of director Danuta Glondys' fruitful work for the Villa Decius Association and, in this regard, likewise for the city of Krakow, she was presented with the Cross Order of Merit of Malopolska by the councillor of Malopolska Voivodship Grzegorz Lipiec during an unexpected interruption of the “normal“ inauguration programme. Grzegorz Lipiec wished all the best for future projects and future development of the Villa Decius. “I hope it will turn into a legend“, he uttered. But maybe it already is one within V4?
by Jill-Francis Käthliz
