To Gdnynia Conference DAY 3

Since we had to leave early on a bus to Gdynia at 8:00, the sun had not risen early enough for me to run. Running in the dark on cobblestones can be dangerous to one’s ankles. Injury is never an option to take. Play it safe and you can keep running. Stupidity keeps you on the sidelines!

We boarded the bus to Gdynia soon after 8:00. The ride took us from Gdansk through Sopot (richest of the tri-city area with a Porsche dealer) and then to Gdynia. This is Monika’s home town. She arranged for us to meet at the Mariner’s College where there is a beautiful hall, complete with electronic translation. It was a large marble lined hall with nautical motifs all around. The Civic Voices banner was prominently hung to the right and on the screen was the Civic Voices slide. There were four seats on the stage, one for me, one for Monika, one for the vice-mayor of Gdynia, and one for a professor of history. Conference Day 3 started at 9:30! Larry and I both signed in to the conference. We assume that we will get paid for our work now!

The vice-mayor spoke first. He described city governance as a ‘consent of the governed’ lesson. Whatever the people want, that’s what Gdynia gets. He mentioned the economy of the area that is growing – economic freedom! He also talked about the growing number of NGOs that have formed and have solved problems in and around the city – freedom of association. Taking care of the different sections of the city was a difficult chore – so many interests and trying to be fair to all was the most problematic – multiparty system.

Madam professor spoke next and she eloquently described the struggle of 1980 and the beginnings of Solidarity. She described the events of that year by categorizing them into five themes that were powerful as the unrest unfolded. The first theme was UNITY. Of course the name of the union speaks powerfully about that theme. Next was RESPECT of every human being – human rights. This matched directly with Ackerman and A Force More Powerful! Her fourth theme was PRAYER and the power of the Catholic Church in Poland supporting the people of the union. This became the backbone of the movement. Her last theme was much broader but I have seen it each time I have been in Poland – the inherent GOOD of the people of Poland. Certainly the Poles saw this struggle as good against evil as Ronald Reagan and Americans did too.

Then it was my turn to speak. Monika had added to and changed the focus of my remarks a bit. But I compared what the two previous speakers said and transitioned from the values of the past to the values of the present. I reiterated the concepts of democracy that we all need to teach our students and that we must link one or two of those concepts to each interview. A also discussed some classroom techniques and a strategy to help them collect at least three interviews by the end of the school year.

Then Monika reviewed the general program over the next three years. Then a break for coffee and tea with sweet pastries made and served by the culinary school on the premises!

Wanda spoke about her observations and also related an oral history project she completed when in college. Her class made a documentary about a man that tried to assassinate Hitler before WW II started. Very interesting! He failed, of course, but think of the world today without WW II. Whoa!

Wanda’s talk paved the way for the introduction of a film made in Gdynia with students that will be unveiled to the world later this month. We got a sneak preview of the film today. It was an excellent example of students interviewing activists that were there in 1970 when the workers went on strike only to be violently dealt with. There were interviews of those who were hurt, shot, and of those who saw the dead, killed by the communist forces militia. Students commented on the grave markers and the memorials of those who died protesting against the totalitarian regime. It was very well done. We should look into this for showing in the US in the future. It does need subtitles, though.

Lunch was served in the student union ‘club’ area of the building. Hot soup in bread bowls, different kinds of meats and pastries were served Smorgasbord style. We had our last English conversations with one of our interpreters, Dorota. She was wonderful.

We spent the afternoon stuck in traffic for 2 and a half hours which should have taken 30 minutes! We were able to discuss quite a number of topics with Wanda, who lives in Berlin. Topics ranged from the Holocaust and how it is taught in Germany to, “Your 26 (Her birthday is today! We sang at lunch!) and you don’t have your driver’s license!”

We are having our farewell dinner tonight at a nearby restaurant. A few of the teachers have already had to leave, but most are staying until tomorrow. It should be a lovely evening of eating and toasting to our mutual success!