The Roots of Change: On the Legacy That Shapes the Future | Thursday Breakfast #24

Does change necessarily mean breaking with the past? Or perhaps it is precisely continuity, memory, and a sense of rootedness that provide a sense of security, strengthen our identity, and allow us to respond more wisely to the challenges of the present?

During September’s Thursday Breakfast, we’ll explore cultural heritage as a living resource that doesn’t trap us in the past, but helps us build relationships, foster community, and consciously shape the future. We’ll discuss how local histories, traditions, and memory can inspire social, educational, and cultural initiatives, as well as strengthen our sense of belonging and responsibility for the place where we live.

This meeting is part of the “Culture of Change” program, through which we collectively seek tools and practices that support those working in the cultural sector in acting in a more conscious, mindful, and responsive manner to real needs. This time, we will reflect on the role that enduring values, experiences, and heritage passed down across generations play in the process of change.

Our guest will be Joanna Kalenik—co-founder of the Brama Epok Foundation and winner of the Złoty Młynek award for exceptional educational initiatives. For years, she has demonstrated that history can be experienced, lived, and co-created by people of all ages. Through living history lessons, performative activities, and work with local heritage, she creates a space where the past meets the present.

During the meeting, we’ll discuss, among other things:

• how to talk about the past using the language of the present,
• why heritage can be an important tool for building community and local identity,
• how to engage different generations in jointly exploring the history of a place,
• What happens when history stops being a school lesson and becomes a shared experience?

This event is for everyone who wants to explore the potential of local heritage, build lasting relationships, and seek inspiration for initiatives rooted in memory, identity, and collaboration.