Yellow House in Gdansk - LooPPooL 2004

In August 2004 Yellow House visited Gdansk, Poland as part of our LooPPooL Project. The two cites have interesting as well as historic resonances - both are major ports, industries linked to the sea declined and the cities having to create their own Renaissance.

The 2004 International Youth Exchange, funded by The British Council Connec tYouth, Yellow House and Liverpool Company Cargills, involved groups of young people from both cities exploring their history, their place in history, their cities, sites and culture. The major part of the Exchange involved visits to The Gdansk Shipyards and " Roads to Freedom" Exhibition at the Shipyards.

The Shipyards are history, real life changing history - this is where "people power" really worked - this was the beginning of the end of Communism in The East.

The young people were able not only to see the museum display of the 1980 Strikes, that changed the face of Europe, but also to meet many people personally involved in those days of change.

Cultural experiences, similarities and differences were discussed, debated and accepted in the wonderful sunshine of Gdansk - yes folks lots of sunshine in Poland - this was one of the "stereotype images" destroyed - Poland is cold - also the young people from Liverpool were told that they were warm and affectionate not "really like English people".

The photograph show young people from Liverpool paddling (Mmmm The English abroad hey!!!!) in The Baltic Sea.

The other photographs show Yellow House outside " Roads to Freedom" Exhibition, Gdansk's seafront, maps outside Solidarity showing the changing face of Europe before and after the Strikes as well as some funtimes.

For most of Yellow House this was their first time abroad with the group and they were amazed at many things in Gdansk - how warm it was, how friendly and pleasant the people were, how almost everyone spoke English, coffee bars and outdoor cafes open to late at night to sit and chat, and talking for hours - wonderful times. Importantly, this was time for meetings, with young people from Gdansk, people from Solidarity, from Gdansk City Council and Culture Unit and many other to develop and plan for LooPPooL 2005 (see later).

Thank you Gdansk - we love your City and of course we will be back again and again.