. ACTUALLY

Sustaining Hope

It seems that the deputy mayor has already make up his mind. "Cost of every project usually goes down twenty per cent from the first estimation" says Mr. Kwiatkowski. And considering all the positive effects the city can get from this modernization, even if the outside funding will not be 85 or 90 per cent, but only 70 per cent of overall cost, we will go for it. That's my political decision" he stresses to Mr. Magin. Everybody smiles, hands are shaken, town's promotional brochures (well designed, written in Polish and English) are given. It seems like a success.

"I would prefer to have it in writing and with all figures known" Mr. Panek freezes the enthusiasm when we walk outside the magistrate. With all bad experiences of Marek Budzynski's unfulfilled projects his caution seems to be well funded. This is why he prefers not to pass good news to the school's principal, but agrees that they are a step closer to start the modernization. Many things are to be agreed, papers filled, promises fulfilled.



Therefore the day when the new patron will be inscribed in Zgierz's  school history book remains unknown. Its opening page, handwritten by old parliament chair, Czeslaw Wycech, seems like a wish from another reality: "On the opening of Ludwik Warynski Millennium school in Zgierz, I wish the teachers to fulfill our progressive traditions and educate their pupils for good citizens of Poland's People Republic, constructing the social justice system of socialism". Since September 29th, 1963 when he wrote these words, the name of the country has been changed and the socialism was dropped from Polish constitution, but with sustainable development modernization project a promise of social justice, more than 40 years old, may be finally fulfilled.

Andrzej Krajewski

(published in Global Konwledge No P4, 2005, by Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Highjer Education)

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