International Summer School (Międzynarodowa Szkoła Letnia, Opole, Poland)
Encyclopedia
The International Summer school was conceived by Tomasz Kamusella
, who from 1996-1999 had canvassed for its establishment with the Centre international de formation européenne
(CIFE), Nice
, the Regional Authority of the Opole Voivodeship
(Urząd Wojewódzki Województwa Opolskiego, UW), Opole
, and beginning in late 1998, with the Self-Governmental Regional Authority of the Opole Voivodeship (Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa Opolskiego, UM). The success came in 1999, when the first edition of this school, then known as the European International Summer School was organized in the palace in Kamień Śląski
. This inaugural school was opened by the then Opole Bishop, Alfons Nossol, the then CIFE Director, Ferdinand Kinsky, the then Opole Regional President, Stanisław Jałowiecki, Robert Pszczel, a NATO Officer of Press and Information, and Tomasz Kamusella, then Advisor on International Affairs to the Regional President (Doradca Marszałka ds. Współpracy z Zagranicą).
The two following editions (2000, 2001) were organized in the palace in Otmuchów, and since then the main leg of this school has taken place in Opole. Until 2006, the event’s other legs took participants to Berlin
and Brussels
, with visits to European Union
institutions and the NATO Headquarters; and the school’s focus was on European integration
and security
. T. Kamusella supervised the organization of this school between 1999 and 2002, and continued to lecture at the annual event in 2003 and 2007. Through 2002, the school’s languages of instruction had been English
and German
. Between 2003 and 2006, English was employed in this function. In 2002, the Dom Europejski (European House) relieved the UM of the role of the main organizer of this school. In 2007, German replaced English as the medium of instruction, NATO ceased financing this event, and since then the focus has been on national minorities. In that year, also Strasbourg
appeared on the school’s itinerary, especially for the sake of the study of the situation of the German minority in France
. The changes were necessitated by the fact that Poland, alongside nine other states, had already joined the European Union in 2004, so the school’s main topic, EU enlargement, had become history.
At present the school is co-organized and co-financed by the European House, CIFE, the UM, and the Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania i Administracji (Higher School of Administration and Management), Opole. In 2009, at the 11th edition of the school, lectures too place in Opole, as well as in Berlin and Strasbourg, complete with study visits to the German central institutions, European Union institutions, and the Council of Europe
. Apartf from those mentioned above, other notable lecturers who spoke at this school, among others, include, Danuta Berlińska, Rob Boudewijn, Danuta Hübner
, Hartmut Marhold, Ryszard Piasecki, Robin Schneider, Dorota Simonides, Hanna Suchocka
, or Edmund Wittbrodt.
Tomasz Kamusella
Tomasz Kamusella is a European scholar pursuing interdisciplinary research in language politics, nationalism and ethnicity.-Education:...
, who from 1996-1999 had canvassed for its establishment with the Centre international de formation européenne
Centre international de formation européenne
Established in 1954, the Centre international de formation européenne is a private non-profit-making international organisation which includes several European studies courses as well as conferences, seminars and publications...
(CIFE), Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, the Regional Authority of the Opole Voivodeship
Opole Voivodeship
- Administrative division :Opole Voivodeship is divided into 12 counties : 1 city county and 11 land counties. These are further divided into 71 gminas.The counties are listed in the following table .- Economy :...
(Urząd Wojewódzki Województwa Opolskiego, UW), Opole
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
, and beginning in late 1998, with the Self-Governmental Regional Authority of the Opole Voivodeship (Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa Opolskiego, UM). The success came in 1999, when the first edition of this school, then known as the European International Summer School was organized in the palace in Kamień Śląski
Kamien Slaski
Kamień Śląski is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Gogolin, within Krapkowice County, Opole Voivodeship, in south-western Poland...
. This inaugural school was opened by the then Opole Bishop, Alfons Nossol, the then CIFE Director, Ferdinand Kinsky, the then Opole Regional President, Stanisław Jałowiecki, Robert Pszczel, a NATO Officer of Press and Information, and Tomasz Kamusella, then Advisor on International Affairs to the Regional President (Doradca Marszałka ds. Współpracy z Zagranicą).
The two following editions (2000, 2001) were organized in the palace in Otmuchów, and since then the main leg of this school has taken place in Opole. Until 2006, the event’s other legs took participants to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, with visits to European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
institutions and the NATO Headquarters; and the school’s focus was on European integration
European integration
European integration is the process of industrial, political, legal, economic integration of states wholly or partially in Europe...
and security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
. T. Kamusella supervised the organization of this school between 1999 and 2002, and continued to lecture at the annual event in 2003 and 2007. Through 2002, the school’s languages of instruction had been English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. Between 2003 and 2006, English was employed in this function. In 2002, the Dom Europejski (European House) relieved the UM of the role of the main organizer of this school. In 2007, German replaced English as the medium of instruction, NATO ceased financing this event, and since then the focus has been on national minorities. In that year, also Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
appeared on the school’s itinerary, especially for the sake of the study of the situation of the German minority in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The changes were necessitated by the fact that Poland, alongside nine other states, had already joined the European Union in 2004, so the school’s main topic, EU enlargement, had become history.
At present the school is co-organized and co-financed by the European House, CIFE, the UM, and the Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania i Administracji (Higher School of Administration and Management), Opole. In 2009, at the 11th edition of the school, lectures too place in Opole, as well as in Berlin and Strasbourg, complete with study visits to the German central institutions, European Union institutions, and the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
. Apartf from those mentioned above, other notable lecturers who spoke at this school, among others, include, Danuta Berlińska, Rob Boudewijn, Danuta Hübner
Danuta Hübner
Danuta Hübner is a Polish economist, academic, and policy maker. She served as European Commissioner for Regional Policy from 22 November 2004 until 4 July 2009, when she resigned to become a Member of European Parliament for the Civic Platform....
, Hartmut Marhold, Ryszard Piasecki, Robin Schneider, Dorota Simonides, Hanna Suchocka
Hanna Suchocka
Hanna Suchocka is a Polish political figure. She served as the prime minister of Poland between 11 July 1992 and 26 October 1993 under the presidency of Lech Wałęsa. She is the first woman to hold this post in Poland and 19th in the world.Suchocka is a specialist in Constitutional Law...
, or Edmund Wittbrodt.