5th Gdańsk Democracy Week. Two days of meetings at the UG

A series of meetings, conferences and debates under the banner of Our rights and freedoms will last for five days as part of the Gdańsk Democracy Week. On the 13th and 14th of October, debates will also take place at the Faculty of History of the University of Gdańsk.

The series of meetings in Gdańsk began on October 11 in ECS, a conference of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights entitled Human Rights. City mayors have their say, with speeches by Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz and by young people from the independent Young Plague collective in a debate entitled Our rights and freedoms. Also participating were prof. dr hab. Tomasz Szkudlarek, head of the Department of Philosophy of Education and Cultural Studies at the Institute of Pedagogy UG, and as moderator dr Miłosz Wojtyna, from the Faculty of Philology UG.

The programme includes:

13 October: University of Gdańsk, Faculty of History, room 1.43

10.00-12.30 In the streets and on computer screens - about different forms of participating in democracy - debate:

Where does democracy take place? In the Sejm? In the Senate? In the streets? Or maybe on phones and tablets?

During Wednesday's debate, its participants will consider where (apart from the parliament and polling stations) the most productive space for civic activity is located today - and how this space has been used in recent years. They will discuss democracy on screens (how democracy is presented and how it is participated in on TV screens, computers, tablets and smartphones) and in the streets (that is, the protesting, discursive effort, which is a bit collaborative and a bit not - which unites and divides). They will also talk about where to look today to influence the shape of the world we live in and about analogue protests and digital solidarity. The discussion will be attended by dr Marta Tymińska from the Faculty of Philology as well as dr Grzegorz Piotrowski and dr Grzegorz Stunża from the Faculty of Social Sciences. It will be moderated by dr Miłosz Wojtyna from the Faculty of Philology.

14 October: University of Gdańsk, Faculty of History, room 1.43

16.00-17.30 Malaise is over. Time for engagement - debate among Tri-city employers and labour market experts.

How is it that for many of us the most automatic associations with work are: 'tiredness', 'the grind', 'depression', 'exploitation', 'necessity' or 'oh dear, how I don't want to'?

What can be done to reverse the unpleasant, demobilising narrative about work? What do we need to change so that work gives us joy? Where do we get the sense from? Does education have a role to play here?

The following speakers will take part in the debate: Natalia Bogdan, the founder, owner and CEO of international recruitment company Jobhouse, Krzysztof Herdzik - leadership and innovation trainer, Marek Ostrowski, MBA - leader and IT expert focused on building strong and independent teams, promoting talent and optimising processes, Bart Trzesicki - IT team manager at ThyssenKrupp Group Services Gdańsk Sp. z o.o., a specialist in supporting leaders and new work models. The discussion will be moderated by dr Miłosz Wojtyna from the Philology Department of UG.

- 'Come in person, ask the very difficult questions and look for answers with us! Press all four of them with all your might. See if your experience confirms their observations. Let it be radical, dangerous and difficult. Let it be engaging!' - the organisers encourage.

Online broadcasting: gdansk.pl

Ewa Cichocka / Press Office of University of Gdańsk