Adrian Banyś from SP No. 3 in Bolesławiec:
On 22–24 January 2024, a group of 33 students from seven Bolesławiec primary schools, accompanied by teachers Jolanta Rzeźwicka, Izabela Kulpa, Weronika Kobyłecka and Adrian Banyś, travelled to the European institutions in Strasbourg after Bolesławiec received the “Europe Prize 2023”. This prize is the highest distinction that can be awarded once a year to one European city for its special efforts in cooperation and promoting the idea of European unity.
And she adds:
The students received a warm welcome at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, where they enjoyed spending time together. The main highlight of the trip was the young people’s visit to two extremely important European institutions – the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.
The trip’s participants also met for lunch with Carmen Leyte – chair of the Subcommittee on the Europe Prize, who led the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe during the Europe Prize ceremony in Bolesławiec.
During their visit to the Council of Europe, the students learned about the functioning, mission and achievements of the organisation, which has 46 member states and works to promote and protect human rights. Their stay at the European Parliament, in turn, was a unique opportunity for the young people to learn how parliamentary democracy works in the European Union. The students were introduced to the institution’s work, history and functioning by visiting the interactive Parlamentarium and the plenary chamber gallery. They also had the opportunity to watch a plenary session in the impressive chamber of the European Parliament.
At the end of their stay, the students visited Strasbourg’s most important tourist attractions. Among other sights, the young people admired the Cathedral of Our Lady – one of the city’s main attractions – St Paul’s Church, the Rohan Palace, the National and University Library, Republic Square and the city’s most beautiful district, known as Little France.
And concludes: – Participating in the study trip to Strasbourg made Bolesławiec’s young people realise how important the unity of European countries is, as well as cooperation and joint action, through which it is possible not only to gain knowledge but also to develop one’s language skills. For all the trip’s participants, the visit to the European institutions in Strasbourg will remain a special memory, and the impressions from their stay will stay with them for a long time.
Let us recall. We reported that this trip would take place, among other places, in the article Europe Prize 2023: Young People from Bolesławiec Set Off on a Journey to Strasbourg.