By Pax Christi International held a seminar in Krakow, Poland, on 29 and 30 November 2023. Delegates from three Central and Eastern European countries attended the seminar whose aim was to look upon common reflections on post-war challenges with people from faith-based civil society from Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine – what works and does not work. The seminar took place at the offices of ZNAK, one of the largest social publishing houses in Krakow, Poland.
Prior to the seminar, seven Zoom sessions were held in preparation for the seminar. Part of the sessions focussed on projects and activities of Pax Christi International in the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, on the Caucasus and the Balkans. The participants per country (Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania) were asked to reflect on various parts of their own history (pre-second World War, Nazi-occupation, Soviet-period, and the period since independence).
At the seminar, several substantial presentations by country were given followed by an open and constructive discussion. The war in Ukraine was an important topic of discussion and concern during the programme. Also, for the two other countries, there was considerable reflection on the role of civil society in church and society, especially towards the future.
It turned out to be an enriching and inspiring meeting. The pain and sorrow of the many injustices still taking place were shared among the participants. The participants are open to further cooperation.
