‘DO IT! – European Youth Conference about Democracy’
Gdańsk – Berlin, 27th September – 4th October 2009
Would you like to meet the people who have changed Europe?
Do you know why it was not possible to travel freely to all European countries before?
Have you ever heard of the Round Table and the Fall of Berlin Wall in 1989?
Do you care about the world around you? Are you a student aged 18?
If you are, come, join and “DO IT’ with us during our ‘DO IT! – European Youth Conference about Democracy”. With us, you will explore all those issues, you will learn not only what Modern European Democracy is but also visit the places where it was born.
We will welcome you in Gdansk, the home of the people who cared enough to make the Round Table negotiations happen, the home of Solidarity. We will also take you to Berlin, the place where the ultimate symbol of Communism, the Berlin Wall, ceased to exist in 1989.
These few days may change your life! Filled with various workshops, meetings, tours and events you will be able to see with your own eyes the outcome of those dramatic historical circumstances.
This unique event was invented and planned by the young people from 6th Grammar School in Gdansk and Felix - Mendelsohn - Bartholdy – Gymnasium in Berlin in cooperation with the European Solidarity Centre (Poland) and Gesellschaft fur Europabildung (Germany).
What do you need to be able to come?
Certainly bags of enthusiasm and positive thought! If you are under 18 you will need the assistance of a companion who has already had his/hers 18th birthday. You will need to pay for your travel to Gdańsk and also the return fare from Berlin. All other costs will be covered by us.
We cannot wait to see you!
Please notice that the funding for travel costs depends on the quantity of applications and limited financial capabilities of organizers.
Conference-Patronage: Prof. Dr. Gesine Schwan
Dear young people,
My best wishes to you and congratulations on the idea to reflect on the events that changed the face of Europe so radically twenty years ago in the context of an international youth conference with the title "DO IT" taking place in Gdańsk and Berlin.
The fall of Communism in the history of Europe after 1945 began in 1980 with the Solidarność movement in Poland and was continued by the peaceful revolutions in the former East Germany and other former socialist countries. The peoples in Eastern Europe put an end to their undemocratic regimes, and together we are now on our way towards a Europe that is to serve the causes of peace and democracy. For this reason, the day that saw the fall of the Berlin Wall - 9th November 1989 - is a date that will go down in history.
The subsequent work of the Round Tables at all levels, which prevented bloodshed and initiated German unification, is a convincing proof of democratic action that is unprecedented in German history. Therefore, I am very pleased that you will address this particular issue during your study group meetings to draw conclusions for your own future actions. Please use this opportunity to practise your skills in public appearance and critical debate. You should also practise your courage to speak out against authoritarian views or prevailing majority opinions. Learn how to use your knowledge of history to argue in a positive way. Thus, you will be well on your way to adopting a democratic behaviour and to help democracy become established in everyday life.
I take the motto of your conference, "DO IT", to be a marvellously motivating invitation to act, to get involved, to participate. With this in mind, I wish you a successful time and many new insights. Yet I also wish you a cheerful time and many enjoyable hours in Gdańsk and Berlin, two cities of eminent importance to European history!
Prof. Dr. Gesine Schwan
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