Douzelage Association in Chojna
EU Projects
Seminar in Vilnius
On September 27th, Adriana Jesionek and Adrianna Kowalczyk, two students from the Secondary School Complex No. 1 in Chojna, members of the European Club Douzelage, accompanied by psychologist and English teacher Joanna Gorska, attended a seminar in Vilnius to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Polish-Lithuanian Youth Exchange Fund. Participants were tasked with presenting the projects' goals, experience gained, and achievements to date. The seminar also served as a platform for preparations for the main event – the Congress, which will take place on November 6th in Warsaw.
The journey was very long and exhausting. It began at 10:00 a.m. in Chojna, and after several transfers and a long journey, our bus arrived in Vilnius around 6:00 a.m. on Friday. After checking into the Domus Maria hotel, located in the Old Town, we set out to explore the area. The first monument we saw was the Gate of Dawn, located right next to our hotel. We were very impressed by the beautifully decorated Orthodox churches and Vilnius Town Hall. Strolling through the beautiful streets of the Old Town, we had the opportunity to visit several souvenir shops and admire the local crafts. After a long search, we reached St. Stanislaus Cathedral, which, according to legend, was built on an old pagan grove. The cathedral is breathtaking in its grandeur and beautiful finish. On the way back to the hotel, we passed the Presidential Palace and the Polish Embassy.
After lunch at 1:30 PM, all participants headed off to classes. Each of us was asked to say a few words about ourselves and our organization. We then reviewed the schedule for the following days. After a short break, we returned to work. All participants, divided into several groups, were tasked with reflecting on their expectations, roles, and responsibilities during the seminar. Each organization was then asked to prepare presentations about their project, in the form of an outfit, which one participant was asked to wear. After dinner, at 7 PM, a "fashion show" took place, during which we admired the project presentations and then discussed them with one another. Around 9 PM, everyone had free time and went for a short walk around the Old Town.
The next day, after breakfast at 9:00 a.m., during group activities, we developed our conclusions about successful Polish-Lithuanian cooperation, the effects and impact of projects, partnerships, and the personal development of young people and group leaders. After lunch at 1:30 p.m., we discussed the Congress in Warsaw, and above all, what we would like to present there. We prepared a few ideas and spent the rest of the day fine-tuning them. After dinner at 7:00 p.m., there were no more activities planned. The entire group of participants went to a nearby restaurant, where we had the opportunity to sample local specialties such as cepelinai. After a few hours spent in pleasant company, we headed to the bus stop to board the bus that would take us back to Warsaw. Our return trip was uneventful. We arrived in Chojna at 3:00 p.m. and, tired but full of new impressions and experiences, we returned home.






