Retour

Short description of the project

The main objectives of the project are: Promoting a better and mutual understanding of historical turning points and changes in Europe in the 20th century and time of colonialism through personal exchanges, testimonials, workshops, seminars, visits on memorial sites and exhibitions; knowing, learning and teaching about these historical events in an interactive way (creation and exchange of pedagogical tools like videos with witnesses, city walks) and connect general learning from the past with local history and memorial sites; raising awareness among European citizens of their common history, cultural heritage and values through dialogues, discussions and participative activities; involving all interested citizens regardless their culture, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and geographical area; promoting cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue – fighting anti-democratic, racist, xenophobic, homophobic and other tendencies in our societies by explaining the importance of our common European values through the remembrance about societies were this values and rights were not existing.

MEETINGS

1. Meeting in Potsdam/Germany, 7th to 9th of June 2022

2. Meeting in Jáchymov/Czech Republic from 2nd to 4th of August 2022

3. Meeting in Crete/Greece from 26th to 30th of September 2022

4. Online Meeting 19th of October 2022

5. Meeting in Opole/Poland from 1st to 3rd of February 2023

6. Meeting in Scy-Chazelles/ France from 14th to 16th of June 2023

7. Meeting in Veliko Tarnovo/Bulgaria from 18th to 20th of October 2023

8. Online meeting 4th of December 2023.

FIRST MEETING IN POTSDAM/GERMANY

From 7th to 10th of June 2022, the first physical meeting of the EU-project Remember together to understand each other better (RETOUR) took place in Potsdam/Germany.

26 participants from six different countries participated in this event: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece and Poland.

The main objectives of this meeting were:

• get to know each other
• input of Germany’s past focussing on concrete historical events during the Nazism time (e.g. Jew Orphanage in the village of Caputh)
• raising awareness by visiting the Memorial site “Lindenstraße” in Potsdam
• knowing, learning and teaching about these historical events in an interactive way (action bound and guided tour for a city walk with link to historical places and sites)
• involving all interested citizens regardless their culture, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and geographical area.

Further information about the meeting: event-description-sheet_cerv-rem-civ-netw_Potsdam

SECOND MEETING IN JÁCHYMOV/CZECH REPUBLIC

From 2nd to 4th of August 2022, 28 participants from the 6 different European countries met in Jáchymov in Czech Republic to discover and learn more about the history of this place. Memorial places like the Štola č.1 (mining skansen), the former uranium labor camps and mines Svornost, Nikolaj, Eliáš and Rovnost, but also the place of memory of “Řetízkárna” (prisoners´ changing room) and the Memorial of Victims of Violence in the 20th Century in Ostrov nad Ohří were visited and the participants got further information about it. Besides, they learned more about the EU-program CERV and the priorities of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Short movie about this meeting: Video by Centre européen Robert Schuman / Till Baerwaldt

Further information about the meeting: event-description-sheet_cerv-rem-civ-netw_Jachymov

THIRD MEETING IN HERAKLION AND CHANIA/GREECE

From 26th to 29th of September 2022, 25 participants from the 6 different European countries met on the beautiful island of Crete to discuss and exchange about different topics of the time of World War II and how it was experienced in Crete. Therefor, different workshops took place directly in the memorial places:

1. Workshop: “The stories of two children in the storm of World War II”, Konstantinos, Mamalakis, Historical researcher.
2. Workshop: Aspects of Resistance in the Battle of Crete.
3. Workshop: Visit of WW2 exhibition, listen to information and unknown stories of The Battle of Crete.
4. Visit the Allied War Cemetery Souda Bay

Event Highlights were: Visit of the Maleme airfield from above, visit of the War monuments around the area of the battle, Exploration of the WWII exhibitions in museums, visit of the German and British Commonwealth war cemeteries, exchange about analytic details about the historical battle of Crete.

Video on Facebook about the meeting in Crete

Further information about the meeting: event-description-sheet_Greece

FOURTH MEETING: ONLINE MEETING

On the 19th of October 2022, the first Onlinemeeting of the EU-project Remember together to understand each other better (RETOUR) took place on the platform Zoom. There were also groups of participants who met in presence to follow the discussion in front of one device.

Schedule:

11:00 – 11:05 Short Introduction RETOUR and CERS

11:05 – 11:25 Presentation of the letter of Fiquelmont

11:25 – 11:45 Presentation of work results from pupils of the Fabert high school, Lorraine, FR

11:45 – 11:55 Discussion in Breakout-Rooms (National Groups)

11:55 – 12:05 Presentation of results from the groups

12:05 – 12:10 Conclusion

163 participants from six different countries participated in this event: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece and Poland.

The main objectives of this meeting were:

• Learn more about the Letter of Fiquelmont
• Encourage participants to connect the historical events with today’s events
• knowing, learning and teaching about these historical events in an interactive way
• involving all interested citizens regardless their culture, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status.

Further information about the online meeting: event-description-sheet_cerv-rem-Online-meeting

FIFTH MEETING IN OPOLE/POLAND

From 1st to 3rd of February 2023, 27 participants from the 6 different European countries met in snowy Opole, Poland to discuss and exchange about different topics of historical events that took place in XX century in Europe, with special focus on communist period in Poland. Therefore, different kind of activities took place, such as: debate, workshop, exchanges with experts and visit in the memorial sites/museums:

1. Debate with invited guests (e.g. city authorities) on „Communism – influence on society and international relations“ in Center of Civil Dialogue.
2. Workshop: make a statement – filming current common postulations inspired by real events – 21 postulations from August Agreement (1980) and #postulaty2020 social media action.
3. Workshop: presentation of inspirational historical initiatives of Roman Kirsten. Foundation – educational methods and approaches
4. Visit and exchange at the Solidarity Memorial Chamber/Roman Kirsten Foundation.
5. Visit and exchange at Central Museum of Prisoners-of-War and Archives.
6. Visit at Museum of Opole Silesia and Rent Tenement House – to understand history of Opole, multiculturalism and live of Opolskie inhabitants before, during and after wars.
7. Guided tour by University of Opole historian “Opole, which no longer exists“.

8. Visit at Piast Tower – former prison, symbol of the city.
9. Visit at Museum of Polish Song – artists and culture during communism period of time, music and art against system.

Photo relation from the debate by Opole city administration: https://www.facebook.com/MiastoOpole/posts/pfbid0poisfCWXWw3k7764RXsJks6K9THSie2TkQa68joxd7RobaQR4KGspiR1Cb3Q8QwKl

Photo relations from the visit by Central Museum of Prisoners-of-War: https://www.facebook.com/CMJWLambinowiceOpole/posts/pfbid02t9gL3v26sVEQbzs7Xv5Bjsb8nNaunsiHcnNubefiqkXv3JZXVq5TKmtcBFQa5opgl

Further information: event-description-sheet_cerv-rem-civ-netw_en-Opole

Short movie: https://www.facebook.com/retour.remembrance.project/videos/5430288600410186/

SIXTH MEETING IN SCY-CHAZELLES/FRANCE

From 14th to 16th of June 2023, 25 participants from 6 different European countries met in Scy-Chazelles to discuss and exchange about different topics of historical events that took place in XX century in Europe, with special focus on Colonialism and post-colonialism. A multi-perspective narrative of migration from former European colonial empires to European colonial countries was discussed during the meeting. Questions like „What were the motivations of migrants at different periods? What status did they enjoy? How were they able to integrate into the population of their host country?“ were raised among the participants.

Different kind of activities took place, such as: debate, workshop, exchanges with experts and visit in the memorial sites/museums:

1. Visit and guides tour of the house of Robert Schuman, one of the most important Fathers of Europe.
2. Introduction to the topic „Colonialism and postcolonialism“ and interactive workshop with all participants by discussing questions like „Which are the challenges of today and tomorrow in terms of migration between the former colonies and the ex-colonial countries? What could be the role of the European Union?
3. Guided tour of the city of Metz with a focus on the European history.
4. Guided tour of the memorial in Verdun with a focus on colonialism and post-colonialism (the role of colonial troups during the battle of Verdun).
5. Guided tour on the battlefields (Fort de Douaumont, ossuaire de Douaumont, cemetery…).
6. Intercultural food like northafrican kitchen and mediterraneen food.

Information via facebook: www.facebook.com/retour.remembrance.project

Further information: event-description-sheet_cerv-rem-civ-netw_en-France[1]

SEVENTH MEETING IN VELIKO TARNOVO/BULGARIA

From 18th to 20th of October 2023, 76/100 participants from 6 different European countries will meet in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.

The participants will search family archives, gather photos, books, documents from the period, testimonials. Research,
gathering of materials and testimonials of citizens from their life in communist regime, visits to history sites from the
period the researched materials will be shared as an information during the international in-site meetings. They will be
used for a memory exhibition during the in-situ meeting in Veliko Tarnovo.

Target groups: interested citizens, young people, historians, pedagogues.

Further information: event-description-sheet_cerv-rem-civ-netw_en-BG

EIGHTS MEETING: ONLINE MEETING 

On the 4th of December 2023, 130 participants from 6 different European countries met online for the last meetingf of the RETOUR project.

Objectives:

– presentation of the six meetings, the partners and the whole project and the EU-programme CERV

– presentation of the results/outcomes of the project

– presentation of specific workshops with different target groups done in each partner-country:

• FR, topic: colonialism.
• GR, topic: totalitarism in 20th Century.
• BG, topic: discrimination and tolerance.
• CZ, topic: totalitarism in 20th century, totalitarian regimes.
• PL, topic: democracy & values, past & present, the need to defend and fight for democracy.
• D,   topic: Figthing totalitarian regimes in past & presence – is history repeating? Defending our values.

– planning for further common activities/projects

Target groups: involved participants of the project, interested citizens, young people, historians, pedagogues.

Further information: 231222_event-description-sheet_cerv-rem-civ-netw_en-Online-meeting