Tolerance Schools Club was created on the initiative and under the patronage of Mrs Jolanta Kwaśniewska as continuation of the Rainbow Bridge of Agreement programme. Its founders are the Foundation „Communication without Barriers” and three junior high schools: Junior High School (Pol. Gimnazjum) no 45 from Warsaw, Junior High School no 14 from Łódź and Public Junior High School from Jedwabne.
The task and main purpose of the club is to teach tolerance and implement it into the life of young people by acquaintance, understanding and cooperation. A junior high school, which systematically executes the Rainbow Bridge of Agreement programme can become a member of the Club. A school works out and realizes programme which includes problems connected with its interests. Project includes purposes, schedule of activities and expected effects; it should be executed by the whole school community.
Projects subject matter is very various, starting with searching for the answers to the questions:
* What does tolerance mean?
* Why we are not tolerant?
* Are there any limits to tolerance?
* What are stereotypes and xenophobia?
by promoting tolerance for the handicapped and empathy.
An important element of the programme is meeting traditions and cultures of national minorities. Projects are executed in various and attractive forms as workshops, students’ debates, meetings with the “authorities” and representatives of different cultures or religions, etc.
It should be emphasized that schools, which are associated in the Club, exchange their experiences during common meetings and workshops, which are organized for both, teachers and students (i.e. language courses).
- We cooperate with foreign partners, with schools from Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia. Every school enriches the „Rainbow Bridge of Agreement” programme with exercises and scenarios of educational and pedagogical classes, and the offer of trips. Collected materials were published in electronic form of CD with recorded scenarios, prepared by teachers from junior high schools and members of the Tolerance Schools Club.
- An inauguration of the Tolerance Schools Club took place on October 15, 2002 in Junior High School no 45 in Warsaw. Mrs Jolanta Kwaśniewska favoured us with her presence. Classrooms were adjusted to be workshops rooms, in which students from three junior high schools could meet Judaic, Lithuanian and German rites or culture by mutual learning and entertainment.
- The second time we met was on October 15, 2003 in Junior High School no 14 in Łódź. Next schools, which were executing the Rainbow Bridge of Agreement during the whole year, joined our group. These are: Junior High School no 50 from Warsaw, Junior High School no 10 from Łódź, Junior High School no 8 from Wizna.
- On October 22, 2004 we were on the visit to the Presidential Palace on the third annual meeting of the Club members. The following „tolerant’ junior high schools joined our group: Junior High School no 15 from Gdynia, Community Junior High School “Omega” from Katowice, Junior High School no 2 from Łódź, Junior High School no 8 from Łomża, Junior High School no 46 from Łódź, Junior High School no 83 from Warsaw.
- On October 19, 2005 schools of the Tolerance Schools Club had its fourth meeting with Mrs Kwaśniewska.
- Our mates from Junior High Schools form Jasło, Sulechów and Rokietnica invited participants of the meeting to watch a short performance, which was a significant message of the tolerance idea, and at the same time it reflected some forms of our activity. We also presented a brief history of KST (Pol. Klub Szkół Tolerancji, Eng. Tolerance Schools Club) in the form of multimedia presentation.
- Mrs Kwaśniewska signed the preamble for schools- the new members of KST and, as always, with kind words for students and teachers at the meeting, she expressed her satisfaction with the previous activities of the „tolerant” junior high schools, her joy of the fact that so many schools take up the idea of the Foundation „Communication without Barriers”- the founder of KST. She also wished young people and their tutors to have new ideas and initiatives.
- 29 junior high schools from Poland are the members of KST. Provincial coordinators cooperate with schools from their regions by consultancy and help in projects realization, organization of trainings for teachers and students, promotion of good models, share of their experience.
These are some projects executed by junior high schools, the members of KST:
„ Romanies live among us” – Junior High School no 2 in Kędzierzyn Koźle;
„On familiar terms with tolerance- Different, but the same” – Junior High School no 2 with Integrational Units (Pol. Oddziały Integracyjne) from Jasło;
„Above divisions in school”– Junior High School no 2, Sulechów;
„We all are together” – Junior High School no 45, Warsaw;
„Tolerance for the handicapped”– Junior High School no 51, Warsaw;
„The Earth is a huge apple tree” – Complex of Schools no 11 in Koszalin
We are satisfied with the fact that during 3 years of the Club existence, the idea of education for tolerance and the Rainbow Bridge of Agreement programme met such a great interest in Polish schools. Next schools from the whole Poland report a wish to join the Club. The most active of them were appointed the KST provincial coordinators.
KST has three times awarded Orders of Tolerance to persons who are particularly committed to the activities for the tolerance and who make an effort to shape attitudes of openness to the others’ problems among our society, especially among young people.
Mrs Jolanta Kwaśniewska was awarded with Order of Tolerance no 1 in 2002. In 2003, priest Arkadiusz Nowak and Mr. Marek Edelman had this honour. Mrs Anna Dymna, great actress, very sensitive person who helps all needy people, received the third Order of Tolerance in 2004.
Meetings with Mrs Kwaśniewska with bigger and bigger group of schools which are the members of KST or stand for it, confirm us in belief that teaching the tolerance, acceptance for difference and openness to the other human is one of the most important elements during the process of upbringing. What is more, everyday we can observe the effects of our actions. We believe that at the next year meeting we will have more experience in education of TOLERANCE.
