The Borderlands Foundation

The Borderland Foundation (Fundacja Pogranicze)was established in 1990 in the town of Sejny in north-east Poland,close to the border with Lithuania.The town was chosen because of its location in the borderlands of Poland, Lithuania,Belarus and Russia (the Kaliningrad region).The environs still contain many traces of different cultures including those of the Polish, Lithuanians,Jews, Russian Old Believers,Belarusians,Romas,Germans, Ukrainians,Tartars and Karaites.

The old border with the USSR used to run just past Sejny.At that time the "borderland"was regarded as the strip of land separating one country ’s territory from another ’s.When the Borderland Foundation was established in Sejny,the founders quickly changed that definition by claiming that the borderland is a zone of mutual intermingling,co-existence and dialogue.

The Borderland Foundation was founded with the mandate to build a platform of cooperation and mutual enrichment among multicultural communities.In the town of Sejny itself,the White Synagogue recalls the Jewish presence,the Evangelical church the Protestants,whilst the present-day population is primarily Polish and Lithuanian.

The Foundation ’s location enables it to study and learnfrom the many different cultural and ethnic groups,religions and traditional practices that make up the region. The Foundation was established at the time of the dissolution of the communist system and after the Berlin Wall came down and has since been taking part in the democratic transformations in Central and Eastern Europe. On the one hand,the Foundation participates through its activities in the European integration process and closer cooperation with the West. On the other hand,Borderland builds bridges towards Russia and Eastern Europe,trying to prevent the construction of yet another wall that would create new divisions in Europe.

The aim of the Foundation is to use social,cultural and educational programs to help the people of this region,and particularly the younger generation,to get to know,understand and respect their own history,as well as the history, culture and traditions of their neighbors.Of special importance for the Foundation are the reinvention of Jewish culture in the region and the rediscovery of its heritage.The Borderland Foundation believes that by understanding our neighbors,past or present,we can learn how to co-exist peacefully and relate to each other.The Foundation works within societies proud of their pluralistic traditions and yet where,as a result of thnic and religious diversification, potential threats of igniting new conflicts still exist.

The Foundation ’s staff are highly qualified specialists in intercultural work carrying out innovative artistic,educational and research projects.In this way the Foundation integrates local community initiative and cooperation with academic and cultural institutions from all over the world.

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