The Centre for the Cultures Dialogue

In a small village, Chrzelice in south-west Poland comes into being a bold project of passionate people. Their object is to create there, from historic ruins of the castle, ultra-modern platform of interchanging ideas related to education, art, culture, social integration, and new media technologies. It will also serve as an assemblage of all collectable, digitalized data related to history of the region.

The Ortus Foundation which initialized and takes care of the project has already gathered all the vital assets to start first part of this undertaking.



The knowing-better-days castle in Chrzelice will turn into a living body of future development. Remaining walls will be secured and strengthen by the huge steel construction (see picture at the bottom). Further steps will involve erecting the new facilities inside the historic walls. The whole complex will be supplied with energy coming from renewable resources. The revitalization program of the castle has been masterminded and designed by OP Architekten.




What it will be like, we had a glimpse in August 2010, when the Ortus Foundation (picture left) organized MediaLab workshops within the framework of Culture 2.0 program and the presentation of the project to local people and authorities in Chrzelice. Most of the people who came here from all over Poland to participate in the workshops, as well as local residents support this project and hope for its realization. There were questions of concerns though, as how to integrate the Foundation perspective plans with the regulations of the existing law within the local government and the discussion will be continued.



Let's imagine that in a few years the castle, the village and the surrounding areas will thrive with social, intellectual and cultural activities, such as those at MediaLab (picture left), Chrzelice could be a place of extremely interesting meetings, cultural dialogue, future projects and great fun not only for its originators and participants or the local community. Such project, linking the village-green of historic importance with innovative view and modern life-style will be a true gem on the map of Poland.


The Centre's public work and value could stretch out into other European countries with success, as well, as Chrzelice is situated near the historic route and frontiers between South and North, East and West. It could be an example for similar projects in the future where the city works with countryside in mutual recognition.

Ancient music by Jeremy Donovan

Jeremy Donovan uses the ancient didgeridoo instrument with traditional Aboriginal chanting. He says he takes people into the realms of the Dreamtime, connecting with the Ancestral Spirits and Spirits of the Animals during his workshops and concerts.

Playing didgeridoo has been practiced in Northern Queensland, Australia for over 5,000 years.

Jeremy is a descendant of both indigenous Australian tribes and his aim is to present the true heritage of Aboriginal people. He became a role model for both Indigenous and Non Indigenous youth of Australia.

"Learn your culture be proud of where you come from, and never forget the struggle the generations before us have faced. Don't Blame others for your trouble or problems. You control your own Destiny."he says on his website www.jeremydonovan.com.au

What's wrong with clutter?

There's been number of books published recently advising us how to get rid of clutter. Good point if the clutter makes you suffer, but on the other hand I quite like places around my houshold which ‘de-cluttered people’ would call 'chaos'. I like to stuck in them things which I sometimes find in my hands and don't know what to do with them, right away. I happily go to the clutter space and throw them in.

Having a clutter space is a healthy idea. You always know where to find stuff if it hasn't have prescribed belonging to a specific place already. You can always find useful things in your cluttered space when you need something to fit into something (cords, boxes, pins, bags, pieces of fabric or candles, old clocks, unused garment, elastic bands, ribbons, old newspapers, Christmas cards, boards, and many other things of unknown origins or use).

You can get very inspired, once in a while, entering this kingdom of chaos and bringing out pieces to create another thing. If you want everything to have its place in your house, know this – it’s impossible, unless you agree to go ‘control freak’ and constantly scan every inch of your home to spot anything out of its place. This is terribly time-consuming, wrong and stressful. I know - I've been there.

Mind you, there is no disease named after people who cannot keep order but there is this kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder which makes people iron their socks, and fold them in square or hover only in straight or right angle lines. I suppose such people would like to turn every wild-green area into neatly maintained formal garden designed in geometric and symmetric patterns.

Well, nature isn't like that. Plants like to grow here and there in disorderly fashion. I put pens and pencils and pieces of paper in different locations, not only at my desk. I like to have them around, like daises and dandelions on un-mowed lawn; here and there. And if one part of your house keeps growing in clutter you easily plan an evening of looking through those things, spending time with them and deciding where they would go in the next phase. Then again, you use creative parts of your brain! You can invite your family to join and have nice, active family evening. It's better then sitting on a couch watching another boring TV program.