“National and European values in our community”.
Interviews with family members
Mateusz Anioł, ten years old and his dad
M: What are the most important values for you?
Dad: The most important value in my opinion is family, love and respect for people closest to me, the ability to provide them with a sense of security and comfort of life.
M: Why family?
D: Family, because it is a group of people who should be able to count on each other and support each other in every situation. Regardless of what will happen, we should always help each other and enjoy our successes together. For good and for bad, we
should always be together.
M: Which elements of Polish culture are the most important to you?
D: Polish culture is first of all a tradition and faith-based customs. Everything that is associated with church holidays, religious rites. It is always a special time when you can stop for a moment, take a deep breath, experience something special in the company of your family. But also our family habits that we work together for years, for example, walks, Sunday breakfasts or holiday trips.
M: Which values do you believe are universal for Poland, Europe and the world?
D: I think that this is the preservation of the cultural identity of individual countries or regions of the world. We should all cultivate our traditions and customs. They are different, which allows us to be beautifully different. But it is also worth getting to know other cultures and customs, know how to behave towards them and respect them. However, it is also very important to protect human life, which is invaluable, but unfortunately in many parts of the world treated objectively.
M: What is patriotism according to you?
D: Patriotism is above all love for one's own country, family and myself. Readiness for the biggest sacrifices for the motherland and the values that you profess. The ability to defend them. Do not harm the image of your country, obey the laws and moral values in it. Proud of being a Pole. Regardless of what part of the world you are in, you propagate the anthem and the flag.
M: Does a slogan such as God, Honor, Homeland in today's world have any meaning?
D: I think it does. God is the symbol of our Christian faith, which largely shapes our state. Honor is a symbol of courage to deeds, but also responsibility for them, acting according to the proper moral norms. The homeland is our beloved country in which we live, for which we are able to sacrifice our goods, at the same time knowing that she is on our side and we can count on it, regardless of where we are and what we do.
I think it is very large. God is the symbol of our Christian faith, which largely shapes our state. Honor is a symbol of courage to deeds, but also responsibility for them, acting according to the proper moral norms. The homeland is our beloved country in which we live, for which we are able to sacrifice our goods, at the same time knowing that the country is on our side and we can count on it, regardless of where we are and what we do.
M: And the life of a man and his freedom?
D: Human life is one of those universal values that we protect. Freedom, too, is a value that cannot be taken away unjustly, or even limited. These are certainly values that should also be protected by the state.
M: Thank you for the conversation.
Mateusz Rogowski (10) and his dad
Mateusz: Dad, what are the most important values in your life?
Dad: Family, becouse every person has parents and relatives. Sometimes parents have to take out consequences towards their children and sometimes they are proud of them. The family shapes the personality of a young person and teaches him or her to distinguish the good from evil. Friendship is also an important value, and friends, because they also have a huge influence on each of us. When we are sad, worried, you can always talk to a friend honestly. You should take care of friedship and your family.
Mateusz: What elements of Polish culture do you consider to be the most important?
Dad: Certainly, paintings by Polish artists are important. We have many outstanding painters - Matejko, Gierymski, Chełmoński. I think this is one of the elements of Polish culture that we should be proud of.
Aleksander Czapiewski (10) and his mum
Olek: What values in your life are the most important?
Mum: Family, love, friendship and patriotism are the most important for me.
Olek: Why are these values?
Mum: All these values give meaning to my life, mutual help and the care of my family allows me to look to the future safely.
Olek: What elements of Polish culture do you consider to be the most important. Tell me about them.
Mum: Religion, patriotism and care for traditions. In our culture we have many beautiful traditions, these are church and national holidays, including those associated with the commemoration of those who died in the struggle to regain independence.
Olek: And which values are universal – for Poland, Europe and the world?
Mum: The most universal is patriotism. From an early age we grow up in pride and love for our homeland, regardless of skin colour, language and beliefs.
Olek: Thank you for the conversation.
Wiktoria Płodzień (15 years old) and her mum
Wiktoria: Mum, which values are the most important in your life?
Mum: The most important value in my life is family.
Wiktoria: Why this one?
Mum: Because family consists of the most important people who I love unconditionally and whom I cannot live without. We support each other, cheer up and manage with problems. The family enables to cope with everyday life. It’s always with me and I know I have someone to rely on.
Alan Drojman (10 years old) and Adam - his older brother
Alan: Which values are the most important in your life?
Adam: In my life the most important are: love, friendship, family and being successful at work.
Alan: Why these particular values?
Adam: In my life I cherish family and friends which are a mainstay and give me support. The process of being successful at work is associated with my future.
Alan: Which of those values are common for Poland, Europe and the world?
Adam: The most common are love and being successful at work. Everyone searches for someone to share the rest of life. Each of us endeavors to achieve some success, to build a good life in the future.
Maja Bekiesza (10 years old) and her mum, Marta
Maja: Good morning mum, can I have an interview with you?
Marta: Good morning. Of course, you can.
Maja: Which values are the most important in your live?
Marta: There are many values that we should take care of and respect them. These are: love, honesty, friendship, tolerance but in my opinion the family is of vital importance.
Maja: Why exactly?
Marta: Because we love and respect our closest relatives. Their happiness, trust and safety should be a priority for us. We care because we do not want them to be hurt. We want them to be able to rely on us. The family is a part of ourselves.
Maja: Which elements of Polish culture you think are of vital importance? Tell me about them.
Marta: I think the most important are: history – events crucial for the nation ( Baptism of Poland, John Paul’s II beatification), important creators and authors of art ( painters, writers), standards and customs. All of these elements create our history, and the history is us. Important events changed our history, e.g. after the Baptism of Poland in 996 we became the Christian nation, our values and bahaviour changed. Important art creators , e.g. writers in their books showed us world that is sensitive, sensible, truth and fantastic. They stimulated our imagination.
MARCELINA MÓL, 15 YEARS OLD AND HER MOTHER
Marcelina Mól: What values are the most important for you in life?
Katarzyna Tchórzewska: I think that the most important in life are friendship, love and family.
MM: Why these very values?
KT: I follow these values and I think that they are basic. Without friendship there wouldn’t be love and without love there wouldn’t be family and in reverse.
MM: Which of your values that you live by are universal for Poland, Europe and the world?
KT: I think that all the values I named are universal. I believe that most of the people in Poland, Europe or in the world hold to them and that they are the most important.
KARINA SIERLECKA, 15 YEARS OLD, WITH HER MOTHER
Karina Sierlecka: What values are the most important in your life?
Mom: I think that the most important values are family and understanding of another person.
KS: Why precisely these values?
Mom: Because they define us as people. In this crazy life, bereft of empathy, conversation and time spent with another person is priceless. It makes us closer to each other. Today most of people try to pay attention only to their own lives and forget about other people’s needs. However family gives us a sense of stability and safety. It’s the only thing for me that is sure and obvious. Work, money, friends - you can lose everything any moment. Family is the strongest element in my life and the only thing that matters.
KS: What values do you think are the most important in today’s world?
Mom: Respect for other people is important - to respect their dignity, differences and tolerance. These values are missing the most in today’s world.
Szymon Tokarz, 15 years old with his mum
Szymon: Hello mum, how are you feeling today?
Mum: Hi son. I’m a bit frustrated.
ST: Unnecessarily. Can we start?
Mum: Of course, Go ahead.
ST: What are the most important values in your life?
Mum: That’s a good question. On each stage of life the values are different because we experience various emotions, situations and with age we become smarter. If you had asked me this question fifteen years ago I would have said that friendship and money. Now, for me, family, stabilization, sense of security and honesty, but above all, health and not mine but in my family.
ST: Why these very values?
Mum: I could say this quickly, that without a family, sense of security and health there is no life, but it’s far complicated. You’re young and I think that my answer makes you laugh, but in a couple of years you’ll understand what I’m talking about. It’s easy without a family. There wouldn’t be me or you. Parents – they teach us the world, they support. Family gives stabilization and sense of security. Family gives you support, even if you think you don’t need it and sometimes you don’t know about it. If you get a bad grade, what do I do?
ST: What? You shout and then you tell me to get to work.
Mum: Exactly, you think that I pick on you but that is just support when you have a hard time. When you communicate with people, honesty is important. Why? It simplifies life, prevents from conflicts. Dishonesty brings only problems, misunderstanding.
ST: You told that health is important but why not money? When you have it, you can go to the best doctor and cure me?
Mum: No money will give you health. Yes, they help maintain it and get a lot of things. But remember that money can’t buy health, and friends as well.
ST: You confused me. Perhaps I am on a different stage. Let’s move on to the next question. What elements of Polish culture do you think are the most important? Tell me about them.
Mum: In my opinion the most important is our unique language, with which, by the way, every nation has a problem, but it just makes us special. Another element is – for sure – Chopin’s works, that had an impact on our history and to this day have been leading music. I think that an important element in our cultur is a pretty young event – Jurek Owsiak’s WOŚP, that shows what kind of nation we are, that we can unite around one ide and that is one of the most important attributes that we have – we can help each other, regardless of our social status or economic level. Yes, that is the most important issue. Religion is also an important factor in our culture. It plays the crucial role in our everyday lives. A lot of Polish traditions are derived from Catholic ceremonies or are related to them: Christmas, Easter, meals. A significant element of our culture is our cuisine – what would we do without „pierogi”, „bigos” or chicken soup?
ST: Exactly. Chicken soup is my favourite.
Mum: If not our culture you’d have starved to death. I think that those are the most important elements in our culture and I would also add movies by Kieślowski, Wajda, Holland, literature – „Nad Niemnem”, „Potop”, „Pan Tadeusz” and of course I would add sport and our great ski jumpers, with Adam Małysz on top.
ST: Which of your values, you think, are universal for Poland, Europe and the world?
Mum: That’s an easy question. All of them. I could end here, but you probably want some explanation?
ST: Yes, if you’ve got some spare time?
Mum: For you, always. Language – every nation has its own. And it is passed to following generations. Music, films or literature are different in every country. Music is ageless and one thing can make something new and it can connect people everywhere. Helping other people with WOŚP, I think, is the most universal factor and it’s ageless. There are organizations such as UNICEF that help children, victims of wars and disasters, WHO – humanity help, FAO – fights with starvation and WWF – protects the nature. Helping is not only common but repeatedly efficient, it connects all people in the world, regardless of age, sex, race and economic or social status.
ST: Thank you very much for your time with me and precious information.
Mum: Don’t mention it. See you at lunch.