The Open Dialogue Foundation will educate secondary school students in Poland in the rule of law, including the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary. It’s a new idea that was funded by the U.S. State Department through the U.S. Embassy.
“If you want democracy, you first have to fight for it and then you have to nurture it,” says Katarzyna Szczypska, the coordinator of the project.
According to the portal, the project entitled “Democracy fitness: transforming citizens into active stakeholders via exercising democracy” will start in September 2020. It will include a series of lectures and workshops on the historical roots and functioning of contemporary American democracy, as well as the political structure and constitutional institutions in Poland.
A total of PLN 87 000 was spent on financing the project, of which PLN 71 000 is a grant from the U.S. Department of State, facilitated through the U.S. embassy. Judges from the Iustitia and Themis associations, including former spokesman of the National Council of the Judiciary, Waldemar Żurek, and spokesman of the Themis association, Dariusz Mazur, declared their support in conducting the classes.
On the American side, professors of law and constitutional experts were invited to cooperate. All of the classes will be held remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The rule of law in Poland has been strongly politicised. The rule of law itself is nonpartisan. It is a value that stands above all political disputes and sympathies. Out project is exactly the same. We do not want to get involved in any political disputes,” emphasises Katarzyna Szczypska.

Source: natemat.pl
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