Agenda 2015

“Once upon a time…” – is the beginnin very fairy tale that has been passed down as a piece of familiar culture from generation to generation. When people talk about history, memory and identity, something similar happens. Individuals keep repeating a story about themselves, the communities and states they live in. These narratives help them to make sense of their reality. The narratives, however, are a concoction of fact, myth, official interpretations and personal memories. Like any other story, they are constantly being shaped and re-shaped through communication and are the result of the values, interpretations and political objectives of the communities and people who share it. In that sense, any narrative could start like a tale in present: „Once upon today…in Europe“.

During our 2015 workshop, participants will carve out the connections between their individual biographies and the official history of the countries they live in. The project encourages participants to reflect on narratives involving their own identities, biographies, experiences and memories. It is the project’s goal to initiate a transnational dialogue and allow for a deeper understanding of perceptions and interpretations of past and future in different countries. Furthermore, the workshop encourages to address and discuss accurately how identity and diversity are linked in different European societies and what role understanding and tolerance play in a society consisting of people with different national, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Going back to our narrative theme, we will be searching for the blind spots in our collective memories and try to uncover the stories that are not told or not heard.

This is the provisional agenda for the seminar “Once upon today… in Europe” from March 12-19, 2015 in Krzyzowa.