35 years of the treaty on good neighbourliness: Krzyżowa organisations put cooperation into practice

To mark the 35th anniversary of the German-Polish Neighborhood Treaty, the Kreisau organisations – the Polish Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe and its German partners, the Kreisau-Initiative e.V. and the Freya von Moltke Foundation for the New Kreisau – are starting a joint media campaign.

Thirty-five years ago, on June 17, 1991, Germany and Poland signed the Treaty on Good Neighborly Relations and Friendly Cooperation. Its 38 articles set forth specific political, economic, and cultural goals for cooperation between the two countries. The treaty provided an important framework for the development of German-Polish relations and, among other things, laid the foundation for numerous cross-border organisations as well as for the vigorous expansion of civil society initiatives. As a German-Polish network, the Krzyżowa organisations embody this cooperation on a daily basis. Having evolved over time and with different areas of focus, they are united by a common goal: to inspire people to embrace democracy and international understanding.

To mark the anniversary, the Krzyżowa organisations are launching a social media campaign on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn that showcases what German-Polish cooperation looks like in practice today. In addition to posts about the historical context, the campaign includes three short video interviews as well as posts featuring quotes and photos of employees that offer a glimpse into their daily work.

For Moritz Decker, Manager of Philanthropy and Partnerships at the Freya von Moltke Foundation for the New Kreisau, German-Polish cooperation means: “It’s always good to start by listening and understanding how the other side views certain things.”

Alla Bahlei, project manager in the department Inclusion at Kreisau-Initiative e.V., emphasises German-Polish cooperation “on an equal footing”: “We work cooperatively and as equals with our international partners.”

Monika Włoszczyk, a junior specialist for educational projects at the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe, emphasises how valuable a diversity of perspectives is: “It gives me great hope to see that European cooperation is so important to so many people from different countries, cities, and age groups.”

You can find more information about the campaign, images, and quotes (in German) you can find here.

Image: © Fundacja „Krzyżowa“ dla Porozumienia Europejskiego