The aim of the program, implemented since 2006, is to foster attitudes of openness towards racial, ethnic and religious differences as well as prevent intolerance and discrimination. We want to contribute to 'disarming' xenophobia and prejudice enrooted in our culture and language, to expand the volume and scope of initiatives in Poland that directly address manifestations of intolerance and xenophobia and increase professionalism of organizations conducting such activities.
We provide grants to NGOs for diverse education and cultural projects that recover and discover the roots of a multinational Poland and preserve a common multicultural heritage, especially that of Polish Jews. We also support art projects that provide a new voice in the discussion about Polish anti-Semitism and Poland's tolerance and intolerance, as well as projects opposing acts of xenophobia and racism. We provide assistance to develop projects’ proposals, as well as opportunity to share experiences and cooperate with peer organizations. This is facilitated by our partner organization: ę Society of Creative Initiatives which organizes workshops for grantseeking organizations, administers a webpage www.dlatolerancji.pl and a discussion forum, and documents and promotes best projects funded in the program. Another program partner, Encounters Association for Education and Culture, is responsible for evaluation of projects and assessment of their impact on local communities.
In 2007, in the competition's second edition, 226 organizations submitted letters of intent – nearly twice the number in the preceding year. We invited the authors of 39 projects to workshops in Warsaw (March 22-24). The workshops contributed to new cooperation among the organizations and the improvement and elaboration of original projects’ concept. The participants had an opportunity to meet and discuss with people whose activities are important voices on otherness, tolerance and recovering historical truth (meeting with Bożena Szroeder from the Borderland Foundation in Sejny, discussion on the power of stereotypes with Jacek Leociak Ph.D., a researcher from the Warsaw University as well as the Holocaust Institute of the Polish Academy of Science, and with Prof. Joanna Tokarska-Bakir and Zuzanna Radzik on the film by Artur Żmijewski, A Pole in the Closet).
After the workshops, we received 34 applications. The committee of experts recommended for funding all submitted projects (8 of them continue activities that received grants in the first program edition in 2006). The great majority of supported projects concern the heritage of Polish Jews, Polish-Jewish relations and the problem of anti-Semitism, and are based on discovering the past of one's local homeland – town, city or region. For most participants, this meant filling in historical gaps, i.e. learning about forgotten or muted facts. Fascination with Jewish culture intertwined with the efforts to face the history of the Holocaust and, what was most difficult, to learn about different attitudes of Poles toward those issues in the past and present. In addition to activities concerning Polish-Jewish matters, we also supported a project exploring Russian roots in the city of Łódź and photography workshops for Roma children in Szaflary that resulted in a photography exhibition traveling throughout Poland.
In 2007, the program was financed by funds from the Ford Foundation (PLN 267,230.52), Taube Foundation for Jewish Life and Culture (PLN 67,425.10) and the Open Society Institute, including grant from Human Rights and Governance Grants Program, OSI-Budapest.
The Shared and the Different
|
Association of Belarusian Students
Białystok |
Ethnographic Laboratory The Jews of Podlasie: Troubled Memory part 2 – a research camp for Belarusian students and youth: workshops introducing participants into the history of Jews in eastern Białystok region, recording interviews with individuals who still remember their Jewish neighbors, evening discussion and meetings (continuation of project implemented in 2006). |
PLN 10 000 |
Auschwitz Jewish Center
Oświęcim |
My Former Neighbors – a series of workshops for young people on the history of the Jewish community in Oświęcim and, more broadly, the common history of Poles and Jews; also a series of open lectures and debates on the Jewish history, religion and culture, Polish-Jewish relations and xenophobia in contemporary Poland (Discussions on Tolerance). |
PLN 8 000 |
Civis Polonus Foundation
Warsaw |
My Multicultural Town – a project for young people from Sokołów Podlaski: making a film about the past of Sokołów, organizing workshops on the Jewish culture (‘Daily life in a Multicultural Town’) and documentary film screenings (continuation of project implemented in 2006). |
PLN 10 000 |
Foksal Gallery Foundation
Warsaw |
We Were Here: the Chasid Jews – a photography project of Tadeusz Rolke: documenting the sites in Poland and Ukraine where traces remained of Chassidim who were living there before the Holocaust; also documenting projects of other organizations implemented in the framework of the Program for Tolerance; outdoor photography workshops for young people in a selected community (jointly with ę Society of Creative Initiatives). |
PLN 9 000 |
Yakiza Foundation of Culture
Bydgoszcz |
Let’s Meet In a Synagogue – a series of high school students’ initiatives to rediscover the history of Stary Fordon district of Bydgoszcz: genealogy, history and photography workshop, collecting ’oral histories‘ and records of the past, reconstructing the fate of the Jews who once lived here, large-size photography exhibition, a klezmer music concert and a meeting at the table of project’s participants and guests. |
PLN 8 000 |
City Foundation
Suwałki |
Together and Apart – a series of arts and education activities for young people interested in the Jewish culture and the history of Jews in Poland: music workshop, drama workshop (Dybbuk by Szymon An-ski, directed by Avishai Hadari), lectures on literary and audiovisual evidence of the Holocaust and open meetings for all interested parties as well as film screenings. |
PLN 9 000 |
University of Białystok Foundation Universitas Bialostocensis
Białystok |
The Jewish Heritage Trail in Białystok – documenting and marking sites related to the history of the Białystok Jews (from 1658 till World War Two), publication of a trail brochure and map, building an interactive website, education and art events connected with the Trail: film screening, exhibitions, lectures. |
PLN 8 000 |
Committee for the Protection of Monuments of Jewish Culture
Tarnów |
The Tarnów Cheder – seeking and documenting traces of Tarnów Jews (photographs of remnants of mezuzahs, wall inscriptions, registration of testimonials of local people who remember their Jewish neighbors) and an exhibition of compiled findings; project targeting high school students (grant funded by the Taube Foundation). |
PLN 8 250 |
Hear the Heart International Association
Łódź |
A 3D Mosaic: A Journey in Time and Space part 2 – a continuation of the project from 2006 implemented by youth from a day care community centre: learning about the history and culture of communities that once made up the city of Lodz: Jews, Russians and Germans. The second part of the project is dedicated to Russian culture: a series of workshops on culture and tradition, arts and photography activities, making a documentary film that is to denude stereotypes. |
PLN 9 200 |
Voluntary Fire Brigade
Orla |
With a Synagogue in the Background – preparing a photography exhibit devoted to history of the Jewish community, which once constituted a majority of Orla's residents; opening a unique site to visitors – an 18th century synagogue in Orla. |
PLN 5 000 |
Stołpno Voluntary Fire Brigade
Międzyrzec Podlaski |
Authentic Voices of the Past – rediscovery and awareness building of the Polish-Jewish history of Międzyrzec Podlaski: workshops for young people (journalism, photography, film-making), collecting documents, photographs and testimonials submitted by community members (including descendants of Jewish survivors), making a short film about town former residents, building a history portal of Międzyrzec (grant funded by the Taube Foundation). |
PLN 10 000 |
Radom Scientific Society
Radom |
Kiliński's Laboratory – rediscovery of the forgotten history of Radom: research into the past of the Jewish community in Radom (particularly the fate of individual histories of students and teachers of the Friends of Knowledge Society Grammar School); related cultural initiatives: outdoor drawing and photography workshop, exhibition, collecting photographs from home archives, developing a map of the historic centre of Radom, review of documentary and feature films under the theme of With Radom in the Background. |
PLN 10 000 |
Theatre and Education Association Theater Center Station Szamocin
Piła |
The Grand Season Night – production of a theatre play based on Bruno Schulz’s writings; related cultural events, e.g. Schulz books exhibition, screening of films depicting his literary work, films and plays based on his works, debates on tolerance. |
PLN 8 000 |
Educator Association
Łomża |
Multicultural Path – training a group of 20 teachers who will conduct classes on the multicultural history of the Podlasie Province with particular attention to Polish-Jewish relations: workshops, study tours, developing school multicultural education projects, student activities and teacher experience sharing (in partnership with the Teacher Training Centre in Łomża; grant funded by the Taube Foundation). |
PLN 8 750 |
Education for Development Association
Lubaczów |
The Third Element or Discovering the Atlantis – restoring the memory of the Jewish community in Lubaczów, one of the three communities in the town before World War Two – beside Poles and Ukrainians): collecting testimonials from Holocaust witnesses, symbolic restoration of the Jewish Ghetto boundaries and the outline of the synagogue, radio programs in Your Lubaczów local radio station. |
PLN 8 000 |
Step Association of Education and Progress
Warsaw |
The Roma Click – an education and arts project for Roma children in Szaflary: pinhole photography workshops, hand making of pinhole cameras out of cardboard boxes, making illustrations to a selected Roma fairy tale inspired by the landscape of the Roma settlement, workshop conducted by Roma children for their Polish peers (one of the schoolrooms will be turned into a big camera obscura), preparations of a roadshow of children’s art (presented among others in Warsaw, Jastrzębie Zdrój and Stary Sącz). |
PLN 9 800 |
Venae Artis Association of Education and Culture
Łódź |
Tenement – project built ’around‘ one of the Łódź tenement houses, whose history embodies the history of the entire city (built by Jews, it witnessed the prosperity of its tenants and their later tragedy): young contemporary tenants in cooperation with a local history teacher and students from a nearby school and under the professional guidance of a journalist re-discover the history of the house and its former inhabitants. |
PLN 7 500 |
Homo Faber Association
Niemce |
Singer at Ulanów – education and arts project involving young people in Ulanów designed to help rediscover the history of their community: developing and production of a film based on a short story by Isaac Bashevis Singer Lemel and Cypa, screenings in small towns near Lublin (grant funded by the Taube Foundation). |
PLN 7 425.10 |
Movement for Earth Association of Socio-Ecological Initiatives
Siemiatycze |
Images of Memory – re-discovery and awareness building of the Polish-Jewish history of Siemiatycze: collecting photographs and memorabilia, recording the recollections of senior citizens, poster campaigns, graffiti painting, photo exhibition, cleaning up the Jewish cemetery and continued search for paintings by Józef Charyton, the project's ’patron‘ (continuation of activities initiated in 2006). |
PLN 9 500 |
Magurycz Association
Uście Gorlickie |
Stones in perpetuam memoriam. Gluing the Past Together – 38th Magurycz summer camp (in the villages of Nowica, Przysłup and the town of Nowy Żmigród) devoted to saving sepulchral art and roadside religious features (inventorying, documentation and conservatory repairs) and rediscovering the history of the villages and cultural heritage of southeastern Poland. |
PLN 9 000 |
Association for the Renewal of Odnowica Village
Bodzentyn |
Diary – learning the culture and history of Bodzentyn's Jews by a group of junior high school students; project built around the personal history of David Rubinowicz, a boy who lived and died in this area during the Nazi occupation, an author of a stunning diary: search for sites described in the diary, collecting testimonials, interviews with journalists and historians, learning pinhole photography and an exhibition of pictures taken by young participants of the project, art activities. |
PLN 7 500 |
Association for the Development of Szydłowiec
Szydłowiec |
Come and Listen to a Story – re-discovery of Polish-Jewish history of Szydłowiec through arts activities with a group of young people: drama workshop and production of a play based on testimonials of local people, film workshop and production of a reportage from the scenery of Wojsławice and Szydłów, photography workshop and outdoor photo exhibitions, street shows. |
PLN 9 500 |
Drumla Association for Podlasie Region
Łomianki |
Krynki – Sobienie: Two Histories, Common Memory – discovery of multicultural Atlantises in Podlasie (Krynki) and Mazowsze (Sobienie-Jeziory near Otwock); two-stage project implemented in two communities with two youth groups: stage 1 – young people collect historical content and testimonials in their communities to prepare photo exhibitions closing this stage of the project; stage 2 – youth meetings in Krynki and Sobienie and joint production of a photoblog, radio reportage and a film on similarities and differences in the histories of the two communities plus cleaning up the Jewish cemeteries (project implemented jointly with the Terra Incognita Association). |
PLN 8 000 |
Our Community Association
Radomyśl Wielki |
Without the Sin of Omission. Homage to residents of Podborze who saved Jewish lives – commemoration of Poles who were hiding Jews during the Nazi occupation of Poland (in 1943, the Nazis ravaged the village in retaliation): art and literary contest for high school students, exhibition, history session, performance of the NN Theatre from The Brama Grodzka Centre in Lublin, monument unveiling ceremony in Podborze (grant funded by the Taube Foundation). |
PLN 8 250 |
Olszówka Association
Bielsko-Biała |
Each Nation Gave, Each Took – re-discovering the multicultural character of the Carpathian region: musical and drama events (Carpathian Carnival), training workshop for young Beskidy mountains guides Cultural Frontiers-Spisz, exhibition devoted to Krosno Jews and to a restoration work in Krosno Jewish cemetery, production of a map and guidebook on the cultural heritage of Gypsy Forest district in Bielsko-Biała (continuation of a project funded in 2006). |
PLN 10 000 |
Padre Association
Chęciny |
Community in Diversity – rediscovering Polish-Jewish history of Chęciny, summer activities for a group of young people: collecting information about the community’s past, learning about the Jewish customs and culture, developing a website, publication of a brochure History of Jews in the Chęciny Area, cleaning up the Jewish cemetery (grant funded by the Taube Foundation). |
PLN 8 250 |
Panorama of Cultures Association
Wojsławice |
Wojsławice Musics – multicultural traditional song and dance workshop devoted to the traditions of communities that used to live in the village: Poles, Ukrainians and Jews enriched with concerts, theater production and public lectures. |
PLN 10 000 |
Studio Theatre Association
Warsaw |
Sources of Memory – work on a play based on a story of a Jewish girl who survived the Holocaust (The King of Hearts is Off Again by Hanna Krall) and a discovery journey following the sites known from traditional songs of Old Believers, Christian Orthodox and Tartar recorded in 1980 in eastern Poland, distributing the recordings to the then performers or their families and shooting a documentary on this reunion (The Song is Over). |
PLN 9 000 |
Węgajty Village Theater Association
Jonkowo |
Art of Dialogue – Dialogue through Art – education project for rural children and their parents, implemented in 10 villages in the boroughs of Jonkowo and Świątki: drama workshops for children to instill tolerance, workshops on drama in education and social therapy methods for educators in village community centers, annual Theatre Village festival focusing on multiculturalism. |
PLN 9 000 |
Tarnowskie Góry Culture and Art Foundation
Tarnowskie Góry |
Residents of Tarnowskie Góry for Remembrance – one of the series of cultural initiatives organized since 2005 to protect the heritage and memory of the multicultural history of Tarnowskie Góry: commemoration of the Jewish community by marking a cobblestone contour of the former synagogue destroyed by the Nazis and ‘casting’ its shadow on a wall of an adjacent building. |
PLN 7 000 |
Alternative Education Society
Opole |
The Rabbi from Opole – an attempt to restore in the local community of Opole the memory of Leo Baeck, a prominent Jewish theologian who was the city rabbi at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: collecting material on Leo Baeck and history of the today non-existent Jewish community in Opole, organizing a series of photography exhibitions, preparing a theatre play and a radio program (part of Following Vincenz project implemented by students and faculty of the TAK School Complex). |
PLN 10 000 |
Friends of Ponidzie Region Society
Pińczów |
In Sepia and In Color – continuation of efforts to raise public awareness of the Jewish heritage in Poland, a long-term project of the Pińczów Regional Society and Museum: collecting documents and testimonials from witnesses of history (project involves young people who process the findings as part of a journalism workshop), identifying the regional list of the Righteous Among the Nations, translation of the Jewish memory books of the town, theatre play directed by Luba Zarembińska, photography exhibition in a synagogue (grant funded by the Taube Foundation). |
PLN 10 000 |
Gorlice Resident Social Cooperative
Gorlice |
Gorlice People: Here and There… Recent History – rediscovery of the Polish-Jewish history of Gorlice: workshops for young people on the Jewish culture and religion, journalism, photography and drama workshop, session on ‘oral history’ and collecting testimonials from senior community members, open meetings for Gorlice residents community members (e.g. guided tour of the Jewish cemetery, lectures). |
PLN 8 000 |
Jesuit University of Philosophy and Education Ignatianum, Center of Culture and Dialogue
Kraków |
Leżajsk– Small Homeland of Poles and Jews – education workshops for youth and teachers living in the Leżajsk area conducted by representatives of both nations and religions; the workshops accompany the opening of the Museum of Three Cultures in Leżajsk, designed to breed positive attitudes towards cultural diversity in the town annually visited by more than ten thousand Jews on their pilgrimage to the grave of the tzadik Elimelech of Lizensk [Leżajsk] (grant funded by the Taube Foundation). |
PLN 8 250 |
Preventing Intolerance
|
Collegium Civitas and Never Again Association
Warsaw |
Three year project implemented jointly with the Never Again Association: Hate Speech – monitoring and analysing racist and xenophobic statements in Polish media (covering selected press titles, TV and radio broadcasters); The Brown Book – documentation of racist and xenophobic incidents and crimes committed by neo-fascist groups in Poland; Racism Delete –monitoring the Internet and undertaking actions to close webpages and portals promoting racists ideology and inciting to racist-based violence. (First tranche of a three year grant co-funded by the Human Rights and Governance Grants Program). |
PLN 270 300 |
Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland
Warsaw |
Research of attitudes towards Jews and the Jewish heritage in 30 communities in the Lublin, Podlasie and Podkarpacie provinces; subsequently, launching public debates and partnerships with local partners in 15 communities aiming at initiating educational or preventive action to respond to problems identified in the local community. |
PLN 100 000 |
Open Republic Association against Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia
Warsaw |
Implementation of two projects: Law against Hatred – monitoring prosecutorial and court cases for crimes against par. 256 and 257 of the Criminal Code (promoting fascism, incitement to hatred on grounds of ethnic, racial and religious differences) and Conscience – documenting and responding to symptoms of anti-Semitism and xenophobia in public life. as well as for institutional development: employment of office manager, program officer, developing webpage. (First tranche of a two year grant). |
PLN 108 200
|
