some

brave

straighten their spine face evil see the beam in their own eye

do not give in to hatred say no to violence protest against war

believe in divine justice when it fails them rely on mercy

believe in international law messengers of peace human power of progress

remember “never again” committed to serving defend human rights

tame beasts with wealth common interests and beauty free from good

learn diplomacy tolerance wisdom that nothing is black and white patience

hide from children capes for playing war strike back only in sport

prescribe disarmament for aggression safety guarantees for appeasement

so as not to betray values so that contempt does not become a thorn in throats

lay sword on the ground trusting that reciprocity is as certain as the law of gravity

the others

cowardly

well armed

just waiting for it

Krzysztof Czyżewski

About the author

Co-founder and president of the Borderland Foundation (1990) and director of the Centre “Borderland of Arts, Cultures and Nations” in Sejny. Together with his team, in Krasnogruda on the Polish-Lithuanian border he revitalized a manor house once belonged to Czesław Miłosz family, and initiated there an International Center for Dialog (2011).

Among his books are: The Path of the Borderland (2001), Line of Return (2008), Trust & Identity: A Handbook of Dialog (2011), Miłosz – Dialog – Borderland (2013), Miłosz. A Connective Tissue (2014), The Krasnogruda Bridge. A Bridge-Builder’s Toolkit (2016), A Small Center of the World. Notes of the Practitioner of Ides (2017, Tischner Award for the best essayist book of the year), Żegaryszki (2018, haiku poems), Towar Xenopolis (2019), ŻEGARYSZKI 2 i inne (2021), Firewords. Tiny poems(2023).

Initiator of intercultural dialogue programs in Europe, Caucasus, Israel, Central Asia, Indonesia, Bhutan and USA. Teacher and lecturer, a visiting professor of Rutgers University and University of Bologna.

• He received a title of the Ambassador of European Year of Intercultural Dialog (Brussels).
• He is a laureate of Dan David Prize 2014 and Irena Sendlerowa Prize 2015.
• Together with the Borderland team he is the 2018 Princess Margriet European Award for Culture (Amsterdam) laureate.