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European Green Activist Training Week 2021

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About the Event

During the four-day event, the green-minded youth will have the chance to explore various topics such as climate justice and lobbying in Brussels by engaging with professionals, politicians, NGOs and other activists operating in and around the European Institutions, as well as with each other.  

Throughout the event, the participants will have the opportunity to discover and learn from the various other countries. Through a variety of team building and icebreaker sessions, participants will present and share information about their countries and find points of common interests and as well as differences. 

With a range of formal and non-formal training methods, including interactive workshops, the trip will be a valuable learning experience for young activists brought together by Green values and a motivation to enact change.  

 

Event Background

The European Green Activist Training project aims to Europeanise existing training programmes for Green activists in several European countries by incorporating more pan-European content and to make these programmes more cooperative by enabling young activists to meet and network. 

 

Programme

Wednesday 21 April– Welcome note 

  • Welcome note: presenting EGAT history and introduce EGAT Alumni Ambassador 
  • Present overview of programme and objectives and gather expectations from participants 

Thursday 22 April and Friday 23 April- Team building, discovering and influencing the European Union 

  • Getting to know each other and team building activities 
  • Official virtual visits to the European Parliament with MEPs Heidi HautalaSylwia Spurek, Kira Peter Hansen and Marketa Gregorova 

Parallel sessions: 

  • Green family workshop 
  • The Good Lobby workshop 
  • European Youth Seminar visit 
  • EU Careers presentation 

Saturday 24 April Climate, economy and environment 

Workshops: 

  • Sustainable cities: workshop led by Nikoleta Petkovic- CDNEE 
  • Biodiversity and climate change: workshop led by Laura Hildt– The European Environmental Bureau 
  • Deforestations and nature degradation: workshop led by Rigas Tsiakiris– Green Insitute Greece 

Sunday 25 April: Online Activism 

  • Workshop on human rights and gender equality led by Mina/Giulio Tolu- FYEG Spokesperson 
  • Activist toolbox and training for online activism led by FYEG  
  • Groupwork and debates  

 


The exact details and timings of the programme are to be confirmed, please check back later for more information. 

This years EGAT edition is supported by:Ökopolisz(Hungary), Green Window (Croatia), Institute for Active Citizenship (Czechia), Visio (Finland), Fundacja Strefa Zieleni (Poland), and FundacióNous Horitzons (Catalonia). 


If you would like to take part in the next generation of EGAT, there will be a call for participant applications in late summer 2021 in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, Catalonia, Poland and Greece. 

 

 

Women for Climate – A Just Transition

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About the Event

What is a just transition of coal regions from the feminist perspective? What does transition look like in Poland and in other European countries? Do the current solutions ensure equal participation of men and women in decision-making processes? What role do women play in the broader just transition movement? In which approach to transformation is the gender perspective particularly relevant?

These and other questions will be answered by politicians and activists from Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany.

 

Context

This is the second of four public webinars as part of the project “Feminists in the Climate Movement,” organised by GEF with the support of Visio, Green Economics Institute, Oikos, and Fundacja Strefa Zieleni. With a closed training programme for selected Feminist Climate Ambassadors as well as a series of public events, the project seeks to build capacity among (potential) climate leaders, while highlighting the gendered aspects and impacts of the climate crisis to a broader audience.

 

Speakers

  • Dr. Miłosława (Miłka) Stępień – social and political climate activist, working on the just transition of coal regions in Poland, as well as issues linked to environmental protection, public transparency and civic participation. Chair of Association Akcja Konin (Konin in Action). Co-spokesperson of the European Green Party’s Conciliation Panel.
  • Jitka Nesrstova – longtime environmental activist by heart and fundraiser by profession. She worked for Greenpeace CZ for almost 13 years and co-founded the Coalition for Easy Giving that brings together major Czech nonprofits systematically raising funds from individuals. Since 2016 Jitka is part of Limity jsme my, an open grassroots civic movement fighting for coal phase-out and just transition. Jitka is a member of the Czech Green Party and served as Deputy Chair of the Energy Working Group in the past.
  • Katrin Uhlig – green politician from Bonn, Westphalia, Germany. She is the co-chair of the Green party in Bonn and deals in particular with energy policy and climate protection, incl. following the UN climate negotiations. Bonn is the seat of the United Nations World Climate Secretariat with many international organizations active in the environment and climate sector.

 

Practicalities

Date and time: Thursday, April 8th from 18:00 to 19:30 CEST.

Audience: This webinar will take place in English and Polish (with simultaneous translation) and is open to the general public.

Registration: Please register in advance via this link.


This event was organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Strefa Zieleni and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

Call for participants – Feminist Climate Ambassadors

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About

Twenty ambassadors from across Europe will be appointed to participate in the six-month training program free of charge. The training starts at the end of March and has monthly online meetings, culminating in study trips to the European Parliament and Ecopolis in Brussels and COP26 in Glasgow in October-November. We encourage all ages and backgrounds to apply!

This online training is a part of the Feminists in the Climate Movement project, organised by GEF and its supporting partners Educational Centre Visio (Finland), Green Economics Institute (UK), Oikos (Belgium) and Fundacja Strefa Zieleni (Poland). Visio collaborates locally with Finnish Green Women’s association. The project promotes the growth of the green feminist movement across Europe.

 

Do you have what it takes?

  • You are passionate about making change
  • You are engaged in concrete action to promote sustainability, ideally with a gender equality lens
  • You wish to learn about advocacy, networking and campaigning
  • You want to identify and pursue your personal advocacy goals
  • You want to raise awareness for your cause
  • You want to meet other feminists working on similar projects in their regions
  • You are able to commit to a training programme: spending about 6-10 hours monthly on individual and group work, and attending activities listed below.

 

As an ambassador, you will receive…

  •  Training by international experts, facilitators and political leaders to define and achieve your own advocacy ambitions
  •  The possibility to develop your projects with an established mentor – industry leader, politician, campaign specialist, NGO leader…
  •  A toolkit to support your own work in your local project
  •  Support and visibility for your own goals via the Feminist Climate Ambassadors network
  •  Opportunity to participate in COP26 in Glasgow or visit the European Parliament and Ecopolis event in Brussels – travel and accommodation is covered by the training programme for one study trip per participant
  •  The right to use the title #FeministClimateAmbassador

 

Training activities:

  • Virtual training day 1 on Saturday March 27th 2021 (compulsory)
  • Webinar on Sunday March 28th 2021 (participation encouraged, recording will be available)
  • Webinar on Thursday April 8th 2021 (participation encouraged, recording will be available)
  • Virtual training day 2 on Saturday April 24th 2021 (compulsory)
  • Webinar on Saturday 8th May 2021 (participation encouraged, recording will be available)
  • Virtual training day 3 on Saturday 22nd May 2021 (compulsory)
  • Virtual training day 4 on Saturday 19th June 2021 (participation encouraged, no recording)
  • Webinar on Saturday 28th August 2021 (participation encouraged, recording will be available)
  • Virtual training day 5 on Saturday 4th September 2021 (compulsory)
  • Virtual training day 6 on Saturday 25th September 2021 (compulsory)
  • One study trip – should the Covid-19 pandemic allow –, either to the European Parliament and Ecopolis event in Brussels (22-24 October 2021) or COP26 in Glasgow (beginning of November)
  • As a participant to the Feminist Climate Ambassador training, you will also have the opportunity to attend a 3-day climate & feminism summer school free of charge on August (not compulsory.)

Apply

Deadline for submitting applications is March 10th 2021 at 12 (noon) CET. Applications will be reviewed by a jury of experts. Selected ambassadors will be contacted by March 15th 2021. Training will start on Saturday March 27th 2021 with a kick-off meeting. The virtual working space will open on April 1st, and will be available for the duration of the training for networking and exchanging ideas with fellow ambassadors and trainers.

Application Link

 

This project is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Visio, Green Economics Institute, Oikos, Fundacja Strefa Zieleni and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

How will the Coronavirus Change Education in Poland and Europe?

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Context:

This event is part of the Green Post-Corona Talks Poland, a series of participatory online talks with inspiring guests offering an analysis on what is at stake in this crisis and what positive ideas and concepts there are for a green post-corona vision.

About the Event:

The last debate of the Green European Foundation series Green Post-Corona Talks Polska, with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni, will tackle the topic of education and teaching.

Online learning has become the norm in Poland and the EU, the experiences of students are shifting.  Our panel will look at the lessons to be learned from this year’s changes to education and the current state of learning in Poland.

What will post-COVID-19 teaching look like?

Speakers:

Prof. dr hab. Małgorzata Żytko – Researcher at the Faculty of Pedagogy of the University of Warsaw, member of ATEE (Association for Teacher Education in Europe) and PTP (Polish Pedagogical Society), OECD expert in the field of early education. Research interests: psychological, pedagogical and social aspects of children’s development and education, supporting the professional development of teachers, designing and implementing innovative educational solutions for primary school.

Angelika Apanowicz – A chemistry and biology teacher associated with Waldorf schools in Warsaw and Poznań. For several years she was the director of the Waldorf school complex in Warsaw, academic lecturer.

Wiktor Miazek – High school student in a class with a mathematical, physical and chemical profile at the XXXI Secondary School in Łódź, Young Greens activist, chairman of the association “Ostra Zieleń”.

Practicalities:

Facebook Event – https://www.facebook.com/events/858299971655925

Zoom Link –  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MHpwZgt2R1ORMFgIO6wV3w?fbclid=IwAR0dXPTHMb0-b_3bHPMKD0CrfhaNW-zi9C9pT_cxo0Ba7MDJAlm4geCmiek

Language: Polish

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This project is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation

EGAT Poland

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The European Green Activist Training (EGAT) is an international training program for young people (16-26 years old) culminating in a study visit to the European Parliament. The EGAT lasts between October 2020 and March 2021. During this time, participants will take part in 3 e-learnings and 3 offline meetings, during which they will learn how the European Parliament works and learn how to implement their own social projects. Finally, they will receive microgrants and mentoring support to implement their own initiatives.

1. First National Trainings 

Poland- Fundacja Strefa Zieleni – October 2,3,4

Programme: introduce EGAT programme, GEF and the green family, and what it means to be an activist.  

2. Second National Training 

Poland-  Fundacja Strefa Zieleni – October 24, 25

Programme: learn to campaign at the EU level with a presentation from Katarzyna Urgryn, network coordinator at Climate Action Network, presentations on Ecofeminism and the Green Left. 

3. Third National Training 

Poland-  Fundacja Strefa Zieleni- November 13, 14

Programme: learning to plan campaigns, exploring the theory of change through a workshop conducted by Piotr Trzaskowski, HBS Energy and Climate Coordinator, and discussing artivism with Cecylia Malik, renowned polish artivist. 

Civil society in action – European and Polish perspectives

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About the event

This conference, organised with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni, will be dedicated to discussions on some major Polish, international and European challenges through the lens of Polish coalitions and platforms of cooperation and activism, tackling pressing issues in our society from the European Green Deal to the protection of civil rights.

The conference will be hosted in conjunction with the European Green Party Council.

Programme

  • 15:00 Introduction and Welcome

– Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart, GEF Board member and Board Member Fundacja Strefa Zieleni

  • 15:05-15:45 Panel 1: Cities in movement (In partnership with Congress of Urban Movements)

This panel will highlight the crucial role of cities in the necessary green transition post-COVID to implement the principles of the European Green Deal on the city level, and in search for pathways to facilitate the cooperation of urban organisations and movements with the political level.

– Speakers: Marta Bejnar-Bejnarowicz, Miłka Stępień, Kati van de Velde, Evelyne Huytebroeck 

– Moderated by: Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart

This session will be in English with Polish interpretation.

  • 15:55-16:35 Panel 2: Let’s save the rivers! (In partnership with Save the Rivers Coalition)

The panel will address the, specifically for Poland, pressing issue of river protection, best practices of activism and debate how European cooperation can be fostered on this issue.

– Speakers: Radosław Gawlik, Cecylia Malik, Artur Furdyna, Iza Zygmunt, Jacek Bożek

– Moderated by: Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart

  • 16:45-17:25 Panel 3: Young change makers’ voices

This session will be organised by the participants of the Polish edition of GEF’s European Green Activist Training 2020/2021. They will showcase their activism.

– Speakers: Mateusz Orzechowski, Weronika Dąbrowska, Nadia Wierzbicka, Kuba Bilski, Bartosz Marzec

– Moderated by: Aleksandra Kołeczek, Artur Wieczorek

This session will be in English with Polish interpretation.

  • 17:35-18:15 Panel 4: The hard path “From farm to fork” (In partnership with the Living Earth Coalition)

This panel will discuss agroecology, the fight for better food and recent developments on the EU level in regard to the Common Agricultural Policy. The panellists will also share their work as a coalition of more than 20 NGOs and experiences of activism in a challenging political context.

– Speakers : Justyna Zwolińska, Dorota Metera, Marcin Galicki, Agnieszka Makowska

– Moderated by: Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart

  • 18:25 – 18:50 Panel 5: The difficult fight for rights (In partnership with the Congress of Women)

Last but not least the conference will feature an interview with the co-founder of the Congress of Women, a network of Polish women in Poland and abroad, and a place of advocacy for women’s rights as well as a place of debate on important topics of our times on all levels of society. The interview will address the recent developments in Poland regarding the reproductive rights of women as well as discriminatory policies against the LGBTIQ+ community.

– Interview with prof. Magdalena Środa

  • 18:50 – closing

– Moderated by: Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart

Practicalities:

The event will have simultaneous English-Polish interpretation and will be live-streamed on Facebook. 

Rural Communities in Times of COVID-19

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Context:

This event is part of the Green Post-Corona Talks Poland, a series of participatory online talks with inspiring guests offering an analysis on what is at stake in this crisis and what positive ideas and concepts there are for a green post-corona vision

About the Event:

With Łukasz, we will embed the challenges in a broader regional, national and European context. We will find out how residents relate to environmental and climate threats, whether the local government is concerned with the European Green Deal, if the new EU Common Agricultural Policy will give a chance for a change in local agriculture. We will also comment on how the attacks by the ruling party on the LGBT+ community and women’s reproductive rights are perceived in the commune of less than 3500 inhabitants.

Practicalities:

Facebook Event – https://www.facebook.com/events/3409818139103694

Zoom Link – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85001330167

Language: Polish

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This project is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation

Youth Activism in COVID-19 Times

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Context:

This event is part of the Green Post-Corona Talks Poland, a series of participatory online talks with inspiring guests offering an analysis on what is at stake in this crisis and what positive ideas and concepts there are for a green post-corona vision

About the Event:

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is having a grip on societies worldwide and will impact our lives long after the crisis is overcome. It is clear that we cannot continue with “business as usual,” but that we need to discuss positive ideas and concepts for a better, greener future and resilient societies now.

GEF is therefore hosting the Green Post-Corona Talks Poland, a series of participatory online discussions with high-level experts, thinkers, and policy-makers, and the opportunity for participants to pose their most pressing questions to them live.

The talks will highlight what is currently at stake in the Corona crisis but also look beyond the period of the pandemic, and what possible solutions are already out there and can lend themselves to design the post-corona world.

Speakers:

  • Laura Kwoczała  – Member of the Youth Council, Low Silesia region
  • Szymon Grzegorzek – Polish Young Greens
  • Kacper Lubiewski, Climate activist from Opole and European Green Activist Training

Practicalities:

Language: Polish

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This project is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation

UBI

Basic Income as Part of the Green Recovery? (Warsaw)

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About the Event:

In this fifth and last event of our UBI series, tackling both international and Polish questions and dimensions of the topic, we discuss whether and how Universal Basic Income has a part to play in plans for a Green Recovery. The event will be taking place in a hybrid format, with some participants and speakers in person and others joining online.

Context:

The Green European Foundation has been working and researching the topic of UBI for a few years as part of a transnational project involving many countries. This year, the project is entitled“ CHANGE OF MINDSET. Civil society dialogue around UBI, social justice and climate impact”. The Polish Green Foundation “Strefa Zieleni” joined the project, recognising that it was time to start a public debate on this in Poland as well – not only on UBI itself but as part of a broader conversation: what social security system is best adapted to the needs and expectations of Polish society in times of great instability and turmoil? This event series aims to foster that debate.

Speakers:

  • Paweł Szypulski – Greenpeace Polska (TBC)
  • Aleksander Temkin – “Europe, a Patient” initiative
  • Natalie Benett – former leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, Member of the House of Lords (online)
  • Alviina Alametsä – Finnish MEP, Greens/EFA (online)
  • Julen Bollain – economist, UBI researcher, member of the Basque Parliament in Spain (online)
  • Moderation and comments by Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart and Wojciech Kłosowski.

Practicalities:

This event will take place primarily in Polish. There is limited space for in person participants at Galeria BWA, so please register in advance here. The event starts at 18:00.

The event will also be streamed live on Youtube, please check the Facebook event page for a link.

How to Finance Universal Basic Income

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About the Event:

In this fourth edition of our UBI webinar series, tackling both international and Polish questions and dimensions of the topic, we delve deeper into the question of how to finance a Universal Basic Income. What models exist, how do they differ, and what is the financial feasibility of this idea?

Context:

The Green European Foundation has been working and researching the topic of UBI for a few years as part of a transnational project involving many countries. This year, the project is entitled “CHANGE OF MINDSET. Civil society dialogue around UBI, social justice and climate impact”. The Polish Green Foundation “Strefa Zieleni” joined the project, recognising that it was time to start a public debate on this in Poland as well – not only on UBI itself but as part of a broader conversation: what social security system is best adapted to the needs and expectations of Polish society in times of great instability and turmoil?

This webinar series aims to foster that debate. We began with international webinars introducing the general concept of UBI, the European UBI, and the achievements of the GEF in promoting this debate, and we discussed UBI pilots in Europe and elsewhere. Then we narrowed down on the Polish perspective and prospects for implementation, which continues with this webinar on financing.

Speakers:

Prof. Monika Kostera – Professor of economy at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow

Rafał Woś – Economic journalist and opinion leader

Moderation and comments by Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart and Wojciech Kłosowski.

Practicalities:

This webinar will take place in Polish. It is open to anyone, but please register and join using this link. 

We will use the Zoom video conferencing platform. It is recommended to join the webinar via a PC. You do not need to install additional software. However, for the best user experience and full participation features, we recommend installing the Zoom Desktop App, which is free.

Call for participants – EGAT Poland

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The European Green Activist Training (EGAT) is an international training program for young people (16-26 years old) culminating in a study visit to the European Parliament. The EGAT lasts between October 2020 and March 2021. During this time, participants will take part in 3 e-learnings and 3 offline meetings, during which they will learn how the European Parliament works and learn how to implement their own social projects. Finally, they will receive microgrants and mentoring support to implement their own initiatives.

Who is the EGAT for?

  • Persons aged 16-26, both those who already have activist experience as well as those are taking their first steps in activism,
  • Members of school climate strikes, youth city councils, youth organizations and associations or young people active in informal youth groups,
  • For people who believe in values such as: respect for the natural environment and planetary boundaries, human rights, democracy and openness to others, respect for people and animals, regardless of their origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or social status.
  • People who want to grow and make a change to the world around them.

What awaits the participants of EGAT?

1. Three online e-learning courses, 2. Three offline meetings in various places in Poland (or online in the event of the second wave of the pandemic), 3. Small grants and support from mentors in the implementation of their own campaigns or local actions, 4. Participation in a study visit to the European Parliament (might be postponed, depending on the pandemic situation).

EGAT schedule

• October-November 2020 – e-learning and three offline meetings During the meetings participants will get to know each other, establish new contacts and learn to plan actions and activities together. During e-learning, they will learn about the structure and functioning of the European Parliament and deepen their knowledge on green topics.
• December-February 2021 – implementation of own projects

Enriched with new knowledge, participants of EGAT will be able to start implementing their own ideas for action. In small teams (4-5 people) they will implement their projects of local activities or activities online. They will receive the support of mentors and mentors as well as microgrants to finance their ideas. Project implementation is not a mandatory element of the program.

• March 2020 – a visit to the European Parliament Participants who complete all stages of the EGAT will take part in a visit to the European Parliament together with a hundred people from other countries where similar training takes place (Finland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Spain). During 3 days, they will visit the Parliament, meet MEPs and take part in joint workshops with young activists from other countries. Participation in the study visit is not obligatory.

Participation costs

The Foundation covers the costs of participation in three offline meetings (including travel, accommodation and meals), costs of local actions as well as the cost of participation in a study visit to the European Parliament (travel, accommodation and meals). Thanks to funding from the European Parliament, participants have to bear only 10% of the cost of participation in the training, i.e. PLN 200.

In case of a difficult financial situation, please contact us. We want everyone to be able to participate in the program, regardless of their financial situation, in accordance with green values, therefore, it is possible to cover this cost from the solidarity fund for people in difficult financial situation.

Selection

Please fill in the recruitment form no later than September 4th, 2020, 24:00. Persons qualified for the second stage of the recruitment process will receive a short recruitment assignment to complete. All persons qualified to participate in the project will be informed about the recruitment results by September 14th.

This EGAT programme is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

UBI

Polish Views on Unconditional Basic Income (Webinar)

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About the Event:

After earlier webinars introducing the general concept of UBI, the European UBI, and the achievements of the GEF in promoting this debate, we discussed UBI pilots in Europe and elsewhere.

This time, in partnership with the Polish Basic Income Network, we will present UBI and similar concepts that are discussed in Poland and the prospects for implementing them in the country.

Context:

The Green European Foundation has been working and researching the topic of UBI for a few years as part of a transnational project involving many countries. This year, the project is entitled “CHANGE OF MINDSET. Civil society dialogue around UBI, social justice and climate impact”. The Polish Green Foundation “Strefa Zieleni” joined the project, recognising that it was time to start a public debate on this in Poland as well – not only on UBI itself but as part of a broader conversation: what social security system is best adapted to the needs and expectations of Polish society in times of great instability and turmoil?

On May 26th, the webinar “With UBI we would be less afraid of coronavirus” opened a series of four online meetings on this topic, organised by GEF with the support of Strefa Zieleni. Participants of the first webinar chose the topics of subsequent meetings, the third of which is an overview of the Polish perspectives on UBI and prospects for implementation.

Speakers:

  • Dr hab. Ryszard Szarfenberg – Political scientist, professor at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw. Leader of the Polish Basic Income Network and active populariser of the concept of Unconditional Basic Income in Poland.
  • Dr Jacek Warda – Political scientist, an expert in public management in local governments and author of the first Polish scientific article on the UBI: “Potential consequences of the implementation of a negative tax for the state’s social system” (2008). Member of the Polish Basic Income Network.
  • Dr Maciej Szlinder – doctor of humanities in the field of philosophy, sociologist, economist. Member of the Polish Basic Income Network, Basic Income Earth Network, Red Renta Básica. Author of the book “Unconditional basic income. A revolutionary reform of the society of the 21st century” (PWN, 2018).

Moderation and comments by Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart and Wojciech Kłosowski.

We regret that the guest speakers of this particular webinar are all men, as unfortunately, the Polish Basic Income Network is an entirely male initiative. GEF and Strefa Zieleni are committed to hosting diverse and balanced events and have ensured that the next webinar in this series will be dominated by excellent female speakers.

Programme:

The webinar will start at 18:00 CEST with a short video produced by the UBI transnational project partners.

Practicalities:

This webinar will take place in Polish for a Polish audience. It is open to anyone, but please register using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ecc1VTOBS0WdsayiiuGCag

We will use the Zoom video conferencing platform. It is recommended to join the webinar via a PC. You do not need to install additional software. However, for the best user experience and full participation features, we recommend installing the Zoom Desktop App, which is free.

Between Theory and Practice – Experiments of Basic Income (Webinar)

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About the Event:

Reflections and specific experiments have been ongoing for many years in the search for systemic solutions to provide people with the opportunity to meet basic life needs in times of instability, exacerbated amid junk contracts, rapid climate change and structural inequalities. Unconditional basic income is one such form, tested by certain public authorities, but also by non-governmental and research organisations, both in so-called developed countries as well as some countries of the global South.

This webinar focuses on the experiences of basic income in several countries – their goals and results, but also the political context of each case. A more general academic comparative view will complete a political and activist approach. We invited a European university researcher examining UBI experiments, their political and social context and overtones, but also a Kenyan Green politician from a so-called developing country where innovative social policies have been pursued both by the authorities and through the experiments of social aid and research organisations.

Context:

The Green European Foundation has been working and conducting research on the topic of UBI for a few years as part of a transnational project involving many countries. This year, the project is entitled “CHANGE OF MINDSET. Civil society dialogue around UBI, social justice and climate impact”.

On May 26th, the webinar “With UBI we would be less afraid of coronavirus” opened a series of four meetings on this topic, organised by GEF and with the support of Strefa Zieleni. Participants of the first webinar chose the topics of subsequent meetings, the first of which is an exploration of unconditional basic income experiments and derived social policy solutions in various countries.

Speakers:

  • Jurgen De Wispelaere – policy fellow at the Institute for Policy Research (University of Bath) and a visiting scholar at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga.
  • Martin Ogindo – Party leader of the Green Congress of Kenya.
  • Moderation and comments by Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart and Wojciech Kłosowski.

Practicalities:

This is an open event accessible to an international audience. English-Polish translation will be provided.

We will use the Zoom video conferencing platform. It is recommended to join the webinar via a PC. You don’t need to install additional software. However, for the best user experience and full participation features, we recommend to install the Zoom Desktop App, which is free.

Please register and join the webinar via this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rM7YcboBRNmUC3brggoaAg

UBI

With UBI, We Would Be Less Afraid of the Coronavirus Crisis (Webinar)

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About the Event:

We would like to invite you to the first edition of a series of four webinars on the topic of universal basic income (UBI). This event series is organised for by the Green European Foundation, with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni, and a grassroots initiative of Polish activists: “Community of Ideas”. It consists of two Polish and two international webinars.

One feature of our current unsustainable system is the massive, and rapidly growing, increase in inequalities – emphasizing feelings of insecurity and material instability for a growing share of the population, and especially among young people.

Even in the “old Europe” countries, with some of the most caring welfare state systems in the world, the growing trends of precarious work and increasing workforce poverty have grown too much to be thought of as marginal. The overwhelming feeling of social injustice often leads either to social unrest, like with the yellow vest movement in France, or to the development of populism and political authoritarianism, which we can observe, among other places, in Poland.

The past few years have seen research and some practical experiments in search of systemic answers to enable people to meet their basic needs – in times of structural inequalities and instability, due in part to this spread of precarious work and the destructive consequences of rapid climate change. The universal basic income (UBI) is one of the solutions on the table.

In this webinar, we take a look at the existing work GEF has done on UBI, where these ideas come from, and what they are based on. We will also discuss why this is a “green” concept, consistent with “green policy,” have an overview of the UBI reflections and experiments in different countries, and address its critics. Finally, we touch on GEF’s continuing research plans on the topic and go over the present efforts to introduce a pan-European basic income and other social security measures at the EU level.

Context:

The Green European Foundation has been working and conducting research on the topic of UBI for a few years as part of a transnational project involving many countries. This year, the project is entitled “CHANGE OF MINDSET. Civil society dialogue around UBI, social justice and climate impact”. The Polish Green Foundation “Strefa Zieleni” joined the project, recognizing that it was time to start a public debate on this in Poland as well – not only on UBI itself, but as part of a broader conversation: what social security system is best adapted to the needs and expectations of Polish society in times of great instability and turmoil?

Speakers:

François Denuit is an adviser to the Co-President of the Greens/EFA group in the EP Philippe Lamberts and scientific collaborator at the Université libre de Bruxelles. He wrote his PhD dissertation on the idea of a pan-European unconditional basic income.

Susanne Rieger is a Co-President of the GEF Board of Directors and a board member of the Catalan Green foundation, Fundació Nous Horitzons (FNH). Susanne has been working on topics such as political education, capacity building, as well as developing political and public discussions and communication structures on the European level for the past twenty years.

Wojciech Kłosowski is an expert, researcher, activist, author, lecturer and practitioner of social issues, local governance and social policy of cities. Wojciech is a founding member of the Zieloni 2004 party (today: Partia Zieloni).

Moderator : 

Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart is the director of the Fundacja Strefa Zieleni, a member of the GEF Board of Directors and coordinator of the Green Center of the Congress of Women.

Programme:

18:00 – 19:30

  • Welcome
  • Presentation by Susanne Rieger
  • Presentation by François Denuit
  • Summary and comments (in Polish) by Wojciech Kłosowski
  • Discussion

Practicalities:

This is an open event, aimed at an international audience. English-Polish translation will be provided.

Please use the following link to join the webinar (joining the webinar is preceded by registration).

When joining the webinar, you will have to complete a short registration form – so make sure to tune in early!

If you would like to read more about some of GEF’s existing work on UBI, please refer to the following publications:


This project is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

The Energy Transition & Green Jobs (Webinar)

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About the Event

This online debate will take place as part of the Strengthening Climate Targets, Creating Local Climate Jobs project and will focus on the question of “does the energy transition in Poland mean an increase in unemployment?”

The debate will be opened by an introductory presentation given by Peter Sims, exploring the results of modeling changes in the number of jobs for Poland assuming a complete departure from coal consumption in energy and heat production, 60% implementation of waste recycling and a more widely used public transport system by 2035.

Speakers

  • Peter Sims – Green House
  • Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart – Fundacha Strefa Zieleni
  • Miłosława Stępień – Akcja Konin
  • Krzysztof Kajetanowicz – Value Partner
  • Wojciech Szymalski – Instytut nrz Ekorozwoju

Practicalities

The debate will take place in Polish, with the presentation of Peter Sims interpreted from English to Polish.

Participants can watch the debate in real time on the www.chronmyklimat.pl website and on the Facebook funpage of the Institute for Sustainable Development (pl: Instytut na rzecz Ekorozwoju.)

The webinar will take place at 11:00 CEST.

The Facebook event page for the webinar can be found here. 

The webinar will be available to watch in full here. 


 

From the Common Agricultural Policy to the Common Food Policy (Ośno Lubuskie)

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Event Background

As part of the transnational project Fair and Healthy Food, GEF aims to reach different actors and bring them together to explore alternative solutions and reforms to the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy and how to redesign food systems around agroecological principles. 

Alongside exploring examples of cities developing their own outstanding food policies, the project will also examine how regional sustainable food systems can revitalise rural communities. 

About the Event

This debate session on Common Agricultural Policy is a part of Green Summer Academy – Closer to Europe.

Participants:

Introduction: Olivier de Schutter (video) United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food.

Andrzej Nowakowski Advisor on Agriculture and Rural Development, Greens / EFA European Parliament

Katarzyna Jagiełło Greenpeace

Ewa Jakubowska-Lorenz (HBS Warsaw),

Dorota Metera IFOAM/ Forum of Organic Farming

Francesco Ajena IPES-Food

Agnieszka Makowska Living Earth Coalition and Nyeleni

Aleksandar Gjorgijevski Sunrise, Macedonia

Practicalities: 

In order to participate, see more information in the Green Summer Academy page.


 

Green Summer Academy – Closer to Europe (Ośno Lubuskie)

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About the Event

The fifth Green Summer Academy in Poland will take place 20km from the Odra River, a  natural border between Poland and Germany, near the two towns on the both sides of the river: Słubice in Poland and Frankfurt / Oder in Germany.

The Academy is set against the new political reality following the European Parliament elections, in which the Greens became the fourth largest force in the Parliament. At the same time, right-wing and conservative, authoritarian forces were highly successful in Poland and Hungary.

In Poland, pro-democracy and European opposition are preparing for national parliamentary elections in October. On a global context, we are facing crises in the form of climate change, biodiversity extinction, natural resource depletion, pollution, growing inequalities and rising nationalism.

On the other end of the spectrum, we are seeing citizens mobilising across the world, with initiatives at every level rising to meet these crises. Now more than ever Poland and the rest of Europe needs a strong, coordinated Green movement.

This Academy will bring together activists, experts and politicians to exchange and discuss these pivotal issues and how to empower those wanting to enact change.

Programme

The details of the following programme are still to be confirmed. Please check back later for more information.

Information on the event in Polish can be found here. 


11th of July 2019 – Thursday

14:00 PM- 16:00 – Arrival of participants and allocation in rooms or setting up tents

17:00 – 19:00 – Green Ośno Lubuskie, presentation of the Circle of the Greens and the specificity of the transborder city and region, including a meeting with Michael Kurzwelly, founder of the association and „city” Słubfurt and of Polish-German “state” New America  (Zespół Szkół Ekonomicznych, Rzepińska 8)

16:30 – 18:30 – meeting of young people from climate movements and young Greens from Ostra Zieleń association with the international youth camp of the Association of Friends of Korczakowo (transfer by cars or by bu,  departure at 16:15)

20:00 – diner of integration and presentation of the program and participating organizations (Zespół Szkół Ekonomicznych, ul. Rzepińska 8)

Possibility in the afternoon: nature expeditions: Owczary ecological station by the Club of Naturalists.


12th of July 2019 – Friday   /plenary debates and lecture/

5:30 – 8:30 AM – Nature expeditions: Owczary ecological station by the Club of Naturalists.

8:00 – 9:00 – Breakfast

9:00 – 9:30Official Oppening of the Green Summer Academy – Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart (GEF / Strefa Zieleni ) and Irene Hahn-Fuhr (HBS Warsaw)
PART ITHE FUTURE OF EUROPE
9:30 – 11:30“Does the Green Wave in the European Parliament give hope for facing a climate crisis, reduce inequalities and improve democracy in the EU?” – debate

[As part of the seminar “Towards Europe, democracy, ecology” in partnership with the Heinrich Boell Foundation in Warsaw]

Participants: Małgorzata Tracz (Partia Zieloni), Sergey Lagodinsky (MEP), Zuzana Pavelková (FYEG), Miriam Kennet (Green Economics Institute), Jamie Kendrick (Green European Journal).

Moderation: Maciej Słobodzian and Miłosława Stępień (Partia Zieloni)

Participants that did not confirmed yet: Edwin Bendyk (Collegium Civitas), Alena Karaschinski (90/Grunen in Frankfurt/Oder, Christine Chemnitz (HBS).

11:30 – 11:45Coffee Break
PART IICLIMATE CRISIS AND ENERGY TRANSITION
11:45 – 13:30Saving the climate: energy transition necessary but not sufficient”- debate.

Participants: Krystyna Boczkowska (ex-CEO Bosch Polska, Partia Zieloni), Radosław Gawlik (Eko-Unia, Partia Zieloni), Tomasz Wojciechowski (IGOZ, Partia Zieloni),  Maciej Wereszczyński (Extinction Rebellion).

Moderation: Piotr Trzaskowski (HBS Warsaw) and Urszula Zielińska (Partia Zieloni)

Participants that did not confirmed yet: Michael Cramer (ex-MEP), Stefan Schönfelder (HBS Dresden), prof. Jan Popczyk (Silesian University of Technology) , Monika Sadkowska (RT-ON)

13:30 – 14:30Lunch
PART IIIBIODIVERSITY AND POLITICS
14:30 – 16:156. Great Extinction – can Europe prevent it?” – debate

Introduction: “Political protection of biodiversity in the world and in the EU

Participants: prof. Piotr Skubała (Silesian University), Radosław Ślusarczyk (Association Workshop for All Beings), Marcin Kostrzyński (journalist, naturalist), Iwona Krępic (Oder Delta Safaris/ Save Rivers Coalition), Artur Furdyna ( TPRIiG Association/ Save Rivers Coalition), prof. Grzegorz Gabryś (Univ. of Zielona Góra)

Moderation: Marta Jermaczek-Sitak and Krzysztof Wychowałek

Participant that did not confirmed yet: Zenon Kruczyński (Niech Żyją!)

16:15 – 16:30Coffee break
PART IVFAIR AND HEALTHY FOOD
16:30 – 18:15From the Common Agricultural Policy to the Common Food Policy” – debate

[debate within the international GEF project “Fair and Healthy Food”]

Introduction: Olivier de Schutter

Participants: Andrzej Nowakowski (expert GGEP), Katarzyna Jagiełło (Greenpeace), Ewa Jakubowska-Lorenz (HBS Warsaw), Dorota Metera (IFOAM/ Forum of Organic Farming), Francesco Ajena (IPES-Food, Skype], Agnieszka Makowska (Living Earth Coalition and Nyeleni), Aleksandar Gjorgijevski (Sunrise, Macedonia).

Moderation: Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart

18:15– 19:30Diner
20:00 – 21:30Passive and ecological architecture” – lecture of Jarosław Malicki, Green architect
20:00 – 21:30

(salka debat)

Delta of the Odra River, threteaned natural tresure” – lecture of Iwona Krępic [partnership: Save Rivers Coalition]

16:30 – 18:00 – Marta Jermaczek-Sitak – ecological workshop for children and families (in Owczary nature station)

19:00 – 22:00 PM – Nature expeditions: Owczary ecological station by the Club of Naturalists

22:00 PM – Film or documentary screening (Afrikamera, Przemysław Stępień) + „Human Energy” ENG

Possibility of ad-hoc exchanges of knowledge and experiences in groups during the day.


13th of July 2019 – Saturday  /parallel workshops/trainings/round-tables/debates/

6:00 – 9:00 – Nature expeditions: Owczary ecological station by the Club of Naturalists

7:45  – 9:00 – Breakfast

AuditoriumLanguages roomWorkshops roomDebates room
9:00 – 9:45

Odra and the World Bank – press conf.

9:30 – 11:00

Platform of e-learning GEF – training

9:30 – 11:00

Ekofeminism – roundtable

9:30 – 11:00

Citizens’ Panel – lecture

9:45 – 11:00

The Greens in the EU – Q/A

11:15 – 13:00

Nuclear Energy – lecture

 

11:15 – 13:00

Hunting – roundtable

11:15 – 13:00

E-learning for climate movements – workshop

11:15 – 13:00

Mobilty inside the UE – witnesses

14:00 – 15:45

Ekonomy of sustainable development – panel

14:00 – 15:45

Education – panel

 

14:00 – 15:45

Electoral campaigning- training

14:00 – 15:45

Water in a city  – lectures/workshops

16:00 – 17:45

Green city – roundtable

 

16:00 – 17:45

Platforms and coalitions – roundtable

16:00 – 17:45

Young climatic and green activism  –workshop

16:00 – 17:45

Security policy -panel

  1. [Biodiversity] roundtable “Is hunting necessary and / or acceptable in times of the 6th Great Extinction?”  – Niech Żyją! Coalition and Living Earth Coalition
  2. [Climate] workshop „Who are the new climate movements, how can the Greens support them? – [the concept of GEF e-learning for climate movements as incentive for green activists], led by Urszula Sadłowska, GEF
  3. [Water, rivers, wetlands]: Save the Rivers Coalition: “River in the city” – Roman Konieczny and arch. Anna Januchta-Szostak PhD. Eng. (Faculty of Architecture at the Poznan University of Technology). Led by: Izabela Zygmunt
  4. [Rivers] „The Oder River and the of World Bank to protect Kotlina Kłodzka from floods”(press conference, Save the Rivers Coalition) – Radek Gawlik, Ewa Leś, Sascha Maier/BUND
  5. [Gender] “Will ecofeminism change the world?” – workshop – led by Magdalena Galkiewicz (Partia Zieloni/Gals4Gals) and Aleksandra Kołeczek (Partia Zieloni/Ostra Zieleń)

[As part of the seminar “Towards Europe, democracy, ecology” in partnership with the Heinrich Boell Foundation in Warsaw]

  1. [Economy] What does classic economics not include and how to compensate for sustainable development?” – debate

Dr Ewa Rumińska-Zimny (the Warsaw School of Economics / Congress of Women),                 dr Ewa Jastrzębska (SGH),  Jamie Kendrick (Green European Journal), prof), prof. Bożena Ryszawska (University of Economy, Wrocław)

Moderation: Justyna Szambelan

To read: https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/from-global-tax-dodging-to-worldwide-wellbeing/

  1. [Green city] “How to develop Green cities in a conservative-nationalist region / country?” – workshop, led by: Paweł Pomian (Partia Zieloni Wrocław) and Aleksandra Zienkiewicz (miastoDrzew, Wrocław).
  2. [Civil democracy] “How to organize effective coalitions, platforms and movements? How to make them cooperate for achieving common goals?”- with representatives of the Coalition Living Earth (KŻZ) – Maria Staniszewska, Justyna Zwolińska, Save the Rivers Coalition – Izabela Zygmunt, Ewa Leś, coalition Niech Żyją! – Tomasz Zdrojewski, Krzysztof Wychowałek, young climate movements. Led by Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart
[As part of the seminar “Towards Europe, democracy, ecology” in partnership with the Heinrich Boell Foundation in Warsaw]

  1. [Climate/ young in politics] “How to attract young people to Green activism?” – workshop with Ostra Zieleń –Joanna Górska, Igor Skórzybut, and participants from young climate movements (Alina Pogoda and Maciej Wereszczyński from Extinction Rebellion and others). Led by: Artur Wieczorek and Aleksandra Kołeczek (Partia Zieloni)
  2. [security] “What should be Europe’s and Poland’s security policy in today’s unstable world?” – panel

Participants: Tadeusz Nowak (Partia Zieloni), Piotr Niemczyk, Weronika Grzebalska (Polish Academy of Science). Led by: Maciej Józefowicz (Partia Zieloni)

  1. [education ] “How to educate people in rapidly changing times full of challenges?” – panel

Piotr Działak (Center for education Tvind, Danmark), Krystyna Boczkowska (Partia Zieloni), Urszula Sadłowska (GEF). Led by Aleksandra Kretkowska (Partia Zieloni)

  1. [mobility in EU] „How to move to another country in the EU and actively participate in public life?” – panel : Joanna Kamińska, Ecolo, Brussels and Anna Czechowska, Agit-Polska, Berlin, led by: Urszula Zielińska (Partia Zieloni)

Expert lectures / training sessions:

  1. [civil democracy] “European citizens’ panel – utopia or the necessary evolution of direct democracy?” – Marcin Gerwin
  2. [Energy] “Why the Greens don’t see nuclear power as a climatic hope?” – Marcin Harembski (SMA) and video of experts of the GGEP: Yan Dupas, David Drui, Michel Raquet.
  3. [Green methods] „Green electoral campaign”– Maciej Słobodzian
  4. [Green tools] We get to know the green e-learning platform https://www.mygreenlearning.eu/ – GEF
  5. [Green family] Questions and answers on the European Parliament and the European Greens – Benedetta de Marte, political councillor in the Greens/EFA group in the EP.

11:15 – 13:00 – Marcin Kostrzyński – Meeting with nature (for children and families) (tbc.)

18:00 – 19:00  – Marcin Kostrzyński – Meetings with nature (for the participants of the GSA) (tbc.)

19:00  – Dinner

19:30 – 22:30 PM – Nature expeditions: Odra river and/or National Parc Dolina Ujście Warty

Possibility of ad-hoc exchanges of knowledge and experiences in groups during the day.

22:00 PM – Film or documentary screening (Afrikamera, Przemysław Stępień) + „Human Energy”


14th of July 2019 – Sunday

6:00 – 9:00 AM – Nature trip

9:00  – 10:00 – breakfast

10:00  – departure of the bus to Warsaw, on the way : River happaning „Big Jump” (International Day of Action)


Practicalities

Accommodation:
Accommodation partly subsidised (reduction included in the participation fee):
• Double and triple rooms: Hotel Dolina Leśnna, ul. Dolina Leśna 1, Ośno Lubuskie (for 70 people)
• Single and double rooms: Hotel Malinowy Dworek, ul. Gronowska 6a (for 14 people)
• 4-bed rooms with bunk beds: dormitory of Zespół Szkół Ekonomicznych ul. Rzepińska 8 (10 rooms for 40 people, each room shares the bathroom with residents of one tent)
• Space for 10 tents: the green area of Zespół Szkół Ekonomicznych ul. Rzepińska 8

Please note that the deadline for securing subsidised accomodation is 7th July.

Other possibilities:
Other options of accommodation in Ośno Lubuskie: camping, agrotourism, hotels.
There are more accommodation options in Frankfurt (Oder).

Participation Fees:

The full fee of PLN 500 should be paid by bank transfer to the account of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni. Transport to and from the event from Warsaw is also available for an extra PLN 100.

66 1020 1097 0000 7602 0237 0450, title: ‘Green Summer Academy participation fee’
(from abroad: IBAN: PL66 1020 1097 0000 7602 0237 0450, Swift/BIC: BPKOPLPW)

To make the event accessible to everyone, a lower participation fee is possible in certain circumstances. To enquire about this possibility, please contact Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart: +48-664673700 ewa.sufin@strefazieleni.org

Food:
Vegetarian and vegan meals (partly subsidized, reduction included in the participation fee): in the dining room of Zespół Szkół Ekonomicznych, ul. Rzepińska 8
In hostels there is a possibility to buy breakfast on your own (PLN 20).

Transport:
Collective transfer by autocar from Warsaw (departure on Thursday, 11.07 at 9:30 AM from the Palace of Culture and Science, return on Sunday, 14.07 at approx. 4:00 PM at Palace of Culture and Science), price: 50 PLN / person for one direction.

Train: The nearest railway stations: Rzepin 14 km (we will organize a transfer), Frankfurt (Oder) 30 km (we will organize a transfer), but there is also a possibility of travel by bus through Słubice.

Plane: Berlin airports, then by train to Rzepin or Frankfurt / Oder
From other cities in Poland, we will cross-link people who will arrive by car with people who are looking for transport.
People with accommodation in hotels: bikes would be useful (we recommend to get by train to Rzepin and then by bicycle to Ośno Lubuskie; a few bikes could be probably transported from Warsaw; some bikes will be made available to participants by local participants).

Registration

Please register for this event via the form found here (in Polish).
To register your interest in taking part in this event in English, please contact:

GEF project coordinator Urszula Sadlowska +32 (0)2 234 65 70  urszula.sadlowska@gef.eu

Event partner Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart +48-664673700 ewa.sufin@strefazieleni.org


The Green Summer Academy “Closer to Europe” is organized by the Green European Foundation with the support of the Fundacja Strefa Zieleni, with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.
The seminar Towards Europe, democracy, ecology” is organized in cooperation and with the finantial support of the Heinrich Boell Foundation in Warsaw.
Debate on transition of cities towards the Commons is organized as a part of international project “Creating Socio-Ecological Societies through Urban Commons Transition” by the Green European Foundation with the support of the Fundacja Strefa Zieleni, with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

Fair and Healthy Food (Belgrade)

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Event Background

This event is the first to be held as part of the Fair and Healthy Food project, which aims to connect different actors across Europe that are working to redesign food systems around agroecological principles.

About the Event

To be held in Belgrade, Serbia, with the support our project partner Networked, this event will feature experts who will engage in a dynamic discussion on fair and healthy food. The event will be organised in two parts:

Part One: Fair and Healthy Food Production – discussion & Q&A session

Speakers:

  • EU CAP expert, who will explore the Serbia-EU negotiation process for EU membership and its effects on sustainable food production in Serbia.
  • Representative from Belgrade city garden project
  • Representative from women’s organisation working on sustainable food production in south Serbia.

Part Two: Tastes of Old Mountain – dinner

This dinner will be prepared by Networked in cooperation with women activists from Old Mountain in Serbia, who are fighting to protect their rivers from hydro-industry construction in protected natural areas.

The ingredients for the meal will be sourced from Old Mountain to highlight the power of sustainable food production to revitalise small communities and empower women especially.

 

 

 

 


Registration

To register for this event, please complete the form found here. 

Join the Facebook event here. 

Towards a New Climate (Katowice)

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Context

COP24 in Katowice will be decisive as one of its tasks is to work out and adopt decisions to ensure the implementation of the Paris Agreement. At the same time, the Polish government has stated its objective to use the opportunity of the 2018 Climate Summit Poland to demonstrate how neutrality in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, i.e. a balance between CO2 emissions and its sequestration by soils and forests, can be attained. This sends a fatal message to the broader public as it creates the impression that ever-growing CO2 emissions around the world could be absorbed naturally, which impedes debate and progress towards a zero carbon future. In this context, a clear response to the Polish government’s stance on climate change and mitigation is needed.

About the event

In early 2018, we kicked off our transnational project “Towards COP24 in Poland” to raise awareness about climate issues among the Polish population and EU citizens in general in the run up to the Climate Summit in Katowice. The project highlight will be a one-day event in the second week of COP24 in Katowice organised with the support of all project partners to challenge the current policies by EU member states, share best practices and present sustainable, fair and just approaches that respect the ecological boundaries of our planet while having a good life for all people in mind.

Topics:

1. Just transition of mining regions – organised with the support of Heinrich Böll Foundation in Warsaw and Fundacja Strefa Zieleni, Poland

2. Potential green jobs as a result of climate oriented transition – organised with the support of Green House Think Tank, UK

3. “Zero net emissions” – are carbon removals effective enough – organised with the support of Green Economics Institute, UK

4. Why nuclear energy is a false solution for a climate oriented energy transition – organised with the support of Fondation de l’Écologie Politique

Programme

09:30 – 10:00: Opening of the conference:

  • Lucile Schmid, Green European Foundation
  • Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart, Director, Fundacja Strefa Zieleni
  • Małgorzata Tracz, Co-Chair, Polish Green Party

10:00 – 10:30: Introduction

  • Bas Eickhout, Member of the European Parliament, The Greens / EFA
  • Video by GGEP on coal transition

10:30 – 12:00: Just Transition of Mining Regions

Not only in Poland, but also in various parts of some European countries, coal and lignite mining are an important part of local identity, culture and economy.

However, for economic and ecological reasons, in the coming decade(s) coal regions and communities must shift away from a coal-based economy. In this process, they need to deeply restructure their economy and find new future perspectives for their citizens.

What are the economic and social challenges in the ecological modernisation of these regions? Could the possible decarbonisation strategies be useful in different coal regions?

How to include different actors in creating a common vision of the future while building concrete development strategies? How to address a changing job market and a need to build a competitive economy while empowering people to pursue change? To what extent could renewable energy become an answer to these questions?

Panellists:

  • Annalena Baerbock, Chairwoman of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Germany
  • Marcin Bazylak, Mayor of Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland (tbc)
  • Miłka Stępień,  Member of National Council, Polish Green Party, Konin, Poland
  • Andrzej Błachowicz, Managing Director, Climate Strategies, London
  • Monika Paca, Galeria Szyb Wilson, Katowice, Poland
  • Jan Bondaruk, Deputy Director for Environmental Engineering, Central Mining Institute, Katowice

Moderation:

  • Patryk Białas, Director of Innovation and Competence Centre in  EURO-CENTRUM Science and Technology Park and President of BoMiasto Association, local councillor in Katowice

12:00 – 13:30: Potential Green Jobs as a Result of Green Transition 

(in conjunction with the project partners of GEF’s transnational project Strengthening Climate Targets, Creating Local Climate Jobs)

Meeting the challenge of climate change requires structural changes to the economy so that it is no longer dependent on fossil fuels. Different consumption and production patterns will lead to a loss of traditional jobs, but a large number of new jobs will also have to be created to accomodate the changed needs of our societies.

This panel will discuss the research done by GEF throughout the past years that has led to a model to estimate the number of jobs that would be created in key sectors of the economy.

During the event, the research report will be launched that summarises estimates for three EU member states – UK, Ireland and Hungary – and shows that increasing ambition on climate targets and transitioning the economy towards zero-carbon would result in a net increase in jobs all over the country, helping to rebalance the economy.

The debate will take into account the implications the research will have on a policy level, including input from Professor Jan Popczyk from the Silesian University of Technology, who will present results of his own metrics applied to Poland. It will also complement theory with real achievements in Germany and Spain.

Panellists:

  • Peter Sims, Green House Think Tank, UK
  • Anja Siegesmund, Minister of Environment, Energy and Nature Protection of Thuringia, Gemany
  • Florent Marcellesi, MEP, The Greens/EFA in the EP
  • Professor Jan Popczyk, Silesian University of Technology, Poland

Commentary:

  • Thomas Simpson, Green Foundation, Ireland

Moderation:

  • Johnathan Essex, Green House Think Tank, UK

13:30 – 14:30: Lunch Break 

14:30 – 16:00: Zero Net Emissions – Are Carbon Removals Effective Enough?

Technological solutions (like carbon capture and storage – CCS) and environmental solutions, in particular in land use, agriculture and climate-friendly forest management, are important steps towards achieving carbon neutrality.

This debate will focus on political will, scientific evidence and results of experimenting with various solutions based on carbon sinks, as well as scientific vailidity of methods used for assessing the amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere.

At the same time, this panel will point to structural changes our societies will have to undergo to achieve the Paris Agreement’s objective of limiting a temperature rise to 2°C or even 1.5°C: phase out of fossil fuels, change the logic inherent to our agricultural and food system, etc.

Panellists:

  • Olivier De Schutter, Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food (video)
  • Michal Wilczynski, Poland’s former National Chief Geologist, energy expert
  • Miriam Kennet, Green Economics Institute, UK
  • Claire Weill, INRA, “4 for 1000’ initiative, FR
  • Krzysztof Cibor, Greenpeace Poland
  • Nada Zaarour, Green Party of Lebanon

Moderation: 

  • Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart, Fundacja Strefa Zieleni

16:00 – 17:30: Why Nuclear Energy is a False Solution for a Climate-Oriented Energy Transition

Poland is in the process of deciding whether to build its first nuclear power station. The public is divided, but the studies of locations, technologies, partners and investors nevertheless continue.

During this panel, it will be discussed whether nuclear energy is really the answer to the decarbonisation challenge and explore more sustainable solutions. This discussion is our contribution to the debate on nuclear energy happening in Poland today.

Panellists: 

  • Yannick Jadot or Michele Rivasi, MEPs, Greens/EFA group in the EP
  • Yves Marignac, Director of Wise-Paris think tank
  • Marie Toussaint, Notre Affaire à Tous association, EELV
  • Charline Dufournet, Director of the European Scenario for the NégaWatt Initiative

Moderation:

  • Benoit Monange, Fondation de l’Ecologie Politique, France

17:30 – 18:00 Closing

Final remarks by Natalie Bennett (Board Member Green European Foundation and Green Party of England and Wales) and Evelyne Huytebroeck (European Green Party)

18:00 – 19:00 Buffet

19:00 Film Screening: 

“Human Energy” Adam Dzienis (2018, 67 min.)

Debate after the movie with Adam DzienisWeronika Bloch and Anna Krenz, moderated by Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart


Simultaneous interpretation in Polish and English will be provided.

A shuttle will be provided from in front of COP (Rozdzienskiego street) to the venue, through the central station.

Departures from COP: 9:50, 11:20, 14:00, 15:30, 16:50, 18:20.

 

To register for the conference, please follow this link.

Join the Facebook event. 

Stay tuned for more updates on the programme and speakers on this event page, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

Crossing Borders (Janów Podlaski)

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Context

The title of this year’s GEF Green Summer Academy in Poland is ‘Crossing Borders’, a phrase charged with meaning and symbolism, considering the fact that the event will be taking place near the borders of Poland with Belarus and Ukraine, as well as within a region with diverse cultures, dialects, languages, and religions.

About the event

The event includes several major themes, such as:

  • The future of Europe in the context of changing geopolitics and the upcoming European Parliamentary elections
  • Climate change and preparing for the COP24 Climate Change Conference in Katowice
  • Green visions for farming, nutrition, and rural development
  • Green visions for local governance, with particular emphasis on regional assemblies, and transition cities in alignment with the ideals of the Commons and urban movements

Through several workshops, round tables and expert debates, the event will feature discussions on fighting pollution, cities of equal chances, preventing corruption and the role of art and artists in citizens-led activism and the political transformation of Poland in a European context. The participants will also engage with the local community and local activists and learn about new green transborder initiatives and opportunities.

Through its diverse programme, the Green Summer Academy in Poland connects the dots between politics and society at local, regional, national, European and global levels.

Programme

Thursday July 12

16:00 – 19:00 Local expeditions in small groups

17:00 – 19:00 Meeting with local active inhabitants on projects of local development opportunities in a transborder context

Friday July 13

9:30 – 10:00 Opening speeches

10:00 – 12:00 What future for the Eastern Europe in EU?  (Debate)

Speakers: Rebecca Harms (Member of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament), Paweł Kowal (College of Europe, Natolin), Małgorzata Tracz (Partia Zieloni, Poland), Michał Sutowski (Krytyka Polityczna), Moderator: Bartłomiej Kozek (GEJ), Adam Ostolski  (GEJ, Krytyka Polityczna, Partia Zieloni)

12:00 – 13:45 Creating Socio-Ecological Societies through Urban Commons Transition. Lecture ‘Cities in transition’

Lecture: Dirk Holemans (Green European Foundation Board Member and Director of the Flemish Green Think Tank Oikos

Cities in transition 

Speakers: Dirk Holemans (Ghent in transition with Michel Bauwens), Sergi Alegre (El Prat and Barcelona),  Hanna Gill-Piątek (innovative revitalisation in Łódź), Marcin Gerwin (citizens’ panels in Gdansk and Lublin), Roger Manser (London Great Parc), Moderator: Dagmara Misztela (Partia Zieloni, Poland)

14:45 – 15:45 Artists as change makers (Debate)

Speakers: Ela Hołoweńko, Cecylia Malik, Michał Kasprzak, Joanna Kessler. Moderator: Gert Roehrborn

15:45 – 17:45 Panel debate 

  • Food and farming past revolution and its consequences (Key note), Thomas Waitz, MEP, EGP Committee 
  • The CAP today and tomorrow, the Green perspective (Key note), Andrzej Nowakowski (GGEP) 
  • From industrial agriculture to agroecology and food sovereignty? (Debate), Andrzej Nowakowski (Advisor on Agriculture and Rural Development in the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament), dr Katarzyna Bańkowska (IRWiR PAN), Izabela Mier (Cooperative Dobrze), Ben Lazar (Nyeleni Polska/permaculture), Dorota Metera (expert in certification), Maria Staniszewska (ecological NGO), Adrian Sulikowski (conventional farmer/Green Party), Katarzyna Jagiełło (Greenpeace), Justyna Zwolińska (SGGW, Poland). Moderator: Ewa Jakubowska-Lorenz, (HBS Warszawa)

18:00 – 19:45 Parallel programme in Janów Podlaski and Biała Podlaska

21:00 – 22:00 ‘No Problem!’ by Yasmin Kidwai, documentary projection

Saturday July 14

9:00 – 11:00 Parallel Sessions I 

  • Future of work (Adam Ostolski, Bartlomiej Kozek)
  • Economy and climate change (Roger Manser, Przemek Stępień)
  • Rivers exchange of knowledge part I (Alesia Basharymava, Volha Kasevitch, Uladzimir Zuyeu, Petro Hrystiszyn, Heorhiy Veremiychyk, Oleksandr Husiev, Sascha Maier, Mikhail Durkin, and members of the Save the Rivers Coalition, moderators:  Ewa Leś, Sascha Maier)

11:30 – 13:00 Parallel Sessions II

  • Seminar ‘Green farming: Campaigning against GMO, why and how’ (Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart (Strefa Zieleni), Juliette Leroux (Greens/EFA)
  • City of Open Chances (Hanna Gill-Piątek, Aleksandra Kołeczek)
  • Rivers exchange of knowledge part II (Iza Zygmunt, Maria Staniszewska)

14:00 – 16:00 Parallel Sessions III 

  • Green media for the climate (Beata Nowak, Bartek Kozek, Jamie Kendrick (GEJ), Annabelle Dawson (GEJ), Monika Matus (Democratic Action), Wojciech Szymalski (Institute for Sustainable Development), Ilona Jędrasik (Client Earth Lawyers for Earth), Hanna Schudy (EKO-UNIA), Monika Sadkowska (RT-ON), Marcin Harembski (SMA/CAN + Climate Coalition) and others, Moderator: Katarzyna Ugryn)
  • Green regional program: clean air, green jobs, integrated public transport and enthralled hunting (Małgorzata Tracz and Paweł Pomian)
  • Rivers working groups E30 and E40 coalitions (Ewa Leś, Sascha Maier, Maria Staniszewska, Petro Hrystiszyn)

16:30 – 18:30 Parallel Sessions IV

  • Towards COP 24 (Roger Manser (urbanist), Beata Nowak (Zielone Wiadomości), Monika Matus (Democratic Action), Wojciech Szymalski (Institute for Sustainable Development),  Ilona Jędrasik (Client Earth Lawyers for Earth), Hanna Schudy (EKO-UNIA), Monika Sadkowska (RT-ON), Marcin Haremski (SMA), Patryk Białas (Skype), Maciej Smykowski (Partia Zieloni), Katarzyna Ugryn (HBS), moderators: Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart (Strefa Zieleni), Artur Wieczorek
  • Seminar ‘Green farming: How organic farming can be developed in Poland and EU’ (Monika Styczek- Kuryluk, Andrzej Nowakowski, Dorota Metera, Dr. Katarzyna Bańkowska, Ben Lazar, Rober Kuryluk, and others. Moderators: Iza Mier, Julia Rokicka)
  • Rivers plan of action (Izabela Zygmunt, Ewa Leś)

18:45 – 19:30 Summary and closing

Sunday July 15

7:00 – 9:00 Local expeditions in small groups

 

Participation fee:

The full fee of 500 PLN (570 PLN with transfer) should be paid by bank transfer to the account of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni:

66 1020 1097 0000 7602 0237 0450, title: ‘Green Summer Academy participation fee’

(from abroad: IBAN: PL66 1020 1097 0000 7602 0237 0450, Swift/BIC: BPKOPLPW)

The lower participation fee is possible when registering before June 25

Registration/more information:

Ewa Sufin-Jacquemart +48-664673700 ewa.sufin@strefazieleni.org

Urszula Sadlowska +32 (0)2 234 65 73 urszula.sadlowska@gef.eu

 

The Green Summer Academy “Crossing borders” is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.

The debate on transitioning cities towards the Commons is organised as a part of the international project “Creating Socio-Ecological Societies through Urban Commons Transition” by the Green European Foundation with the support of Fundacja Strefa Zieleni and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.