Lviv has been a place where Polish and Ukrainian history and culture have coexisted and intertwined for centuries. The history of Lviv dates back to 1250 when it was founded by King Danylo Halytskyi of Galicia-Volhynia. Throughout its history, Lviv has experienced numerous wars that have changed its political affiliation several times, but it has always remained culturally diverse due to the influx of different ethnicities. The city itself is full of architectural wonders that reflect both Polish and Ukrainian influences from various eras throughout its long existence. Architecture, cuisine and entertainment are a fascinating mix created by Poles, Ukrainians, Jewish people and other ethnic groups over hundreds of years – all of which are still relevant today.

In the Bieszczady Mountains, we learn about the history and current life of the region once inhabited mostly by Ruthenians (an ethnic group who are the precursors of the Ukrainian people and who spoke a language similar to Ukrainian). The Ruthenian people were resettled from Ukraine to western Poland in the 1940s.

In Sanok, we visit the largest open-air ethnographic museum in Poland. Skansen is a unique museum in the Polish-Ruthenian region, preserving and exhibiting artifacts from both cultures. It is hard to find a better way to learn history than by entering original houses and listening to the stories of their former inhabitants. We also visit Sanok Castle which is a museum with exhibitions of this Polish-Ruthenian region.

We stop in Trzcinica to see the Carpathian Troy, an open-air archaeological exhibition showing the first settlements in this area. It is still in the Polish-Ruthenian region, about 20 miles north from the old settlements of the Lemkos who are a sub-group of the Ruthenians. 

Traveling in Zakopane region, we enter Dunajec castle from the early XIV century in Niedzica. In the evening, we attend one of the Zakopane cultural restaurants with live Goral band music. This provides a taste of the culture and history of this region of Western Galicia.

Arriving in Kraków, there will be a guided tour of Old Town with a local English-speaking guide, and entrance to Wawel Castle. Kraków is a fine example of a medieval historical town rich in Polish history and culture. 

Przemyśl is one of the two largest towns of the Cherven Gords (Red Fortresses). Cherven Gords played a central role in the history of the early medieval Polish-Ruthenian borderlands. The area is first mentioned in 981, when Vladimir the Great conquered it during his campaign of expansion to the West.

For more details on the daily flow of the tour, see the tour itinerary.

Our tour is designed to raise awareness of Poland and Ukraine’s common roots. Historically, we come from the same region of Europe where diverse ethnic groups (not only Ruthenians and Poles but also Jews, Huculs from Romania, Germans, and other minorities) lived peacefully for centuries. The truth is: We are not that different. Only borders, history, and sometimes radical nationalist leaders tried (with some success) to isolate and divide us. The knowledge that we have more in common than we realize, will promote better understanding, respect, and tolerance.

Our History, Healing, and Hope tour strives to educate with the facts of history and to provide Ukrainian teens respite from trauma. To fulfill both aspects of our vision, any negative historical event will be presented factually within its historical context without emotion or blame. Emphasis will be placed on the commonalities that unite us. Throughout history, individuals and countries made negative choices as well as positive choices. The question is: what kind of choices are we making on a daily basis? Do our choices divide us or unite us? By learning from history, we hope to make better choices in the present.

According to UC Berkeley research, the awe we feel in nature can dramatically reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, exercise such as hiking done in groups has been shown to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

For these reasons, we intentionally included exercise and time in nature as part of the History, Healing and Hope Tour. In the Sanok area, Polish and Ukrainian teens will spend the day hiking together in the Bieszczady Mountains. In the Zakopane region, the Ukrainian teens embark on a Dunajec river rafting experience or a boat cruise on Czorsztyn lake (dependent on the weather conditions). There is also an excursion to Morskie Oko, which is the largest and most beautiful lake in the Tatra Mountains.

Supportive social interaction, expression, and play is also known to help reduce stress. Therefore, as we journey from Sanok to Zakopane, we stop to visit the “chocolate factory” in Korczyna, and on the way from Zakopane to Kraków , we visit the Gubałówka Hill to ride down the gravitational slides. From Kraków , we depart for a full day excursion to Energylandia the largest amusement park in Poland, offering 123 attractions located on 70 hectares – a good way to play, relax, laugh, and be a teenager!

In addition to touring excursions, there will be some daily activities included in the schedule to deepen what was learned and promote discussion of the day’s experiences. Some of these activities include: daily journal writing so the teens can record their personal learning, feelings, and reactions to the day; “ice-breaker” activities that quickly facilitate inter-personal connection in a playful way; daily group gatherings facilitated by the adults on the tour to encourage discussion and sharing of experiences in a safe environment; and some basic learning about the human stress response with some simple relaxation techniques that can be used to help manage it. 

There will be an overall tour guide/leader, Zenon Znamirowski, who will be present throughout the tour. For details about Zenon’s qualification, go here. There will also be a specialized tour guide for the first days of the tour covering the areas of shared Polish-Ukrainian history, Piotr Zelny. For details about Piotr’s qualifications, go here. There will also be several local, nationally certified tour guides in places such as Lviv, Kraków, Przemyśl, and at some attractions like museums, castles, etc. 

Adults who will be part of the entire tour include: the tour leader, a teacher from Zhytomyr, a psychologist from Zhytomyr, and a bus driver. (Also, a specialized guide previously mentioned will be part of the tour for the first week.) The tour leader, Zenon Znamirowski, is responsible for all aspects of the tour and the well-being of those participating in the tour. The teacher and psychologist from Zhytomyr will design and facilitate the inter-personal activities such as group discussions, “ice-breakers”, teaching of relaxation techniques, journaling time, and other expressive activities. Additionally, the psychologist is available for any tour participant who may require individual help or attention. All adults on the tour will be there to care for the needs of the teens and help to create a safe container of love, acceptance, and understanding.

Ukrainian and Polish teens between the ages of 14-17 will submit a written application plus either a 1-2 page written essay or a 1-3 minute video that answers the questions: Why would you like to be part of this tour? What are you hoping to gain from it? 

Applications from Ukrainian teens will be submitted to our partner organization, Zhytomyr Community Foundation for processing and selection. All paperwork, travel documents, permissions, and transport to the Polish border for the Ukrainian teens will be done by Zhytomyr Community Foundation. 

Applications from Polish teens will be submitted to the headmaster of their local school for processing and selection. All paperwork, permissions, and transport to the appointed meeting locations in Sanok and possibly Kraków will be done by the local Polish schools.

After the tour the teens will be expected to give a presentation to their classmates and teachers at their local schools about what they learned/experienced on the tour, what effect the tour has had on them personally, and if/how the tour affected their outlook for the future. 

Currently, we plan to have two separate groups from two Polish schools (one being an art school). The first group of Polish teens will meet the Ukrainian teens on the first evening in Sanok for facilitated “ice-breaker” activities. Then, the entire next day (Day 3) they will hike together in the Bieszczady Mountains. Time for personal journaling will be set aside on the bus ride back to Sanok. Later that evening, a group discussion will be facilitated by the tour leader, teacher, and psychologist to share what they learned and experienced and perhaps to do a simple expressive art project. 

The next day in Sanok, (Day 4 of the tour) a second group of Polish teens will be introduced through facilitated “ice-breaker” activities. After introductions, all of the teens will attend the Skansen open-air museum and the Sanok Castle museum. Time for journaling will be set aside on the bus ride back to Sanok. Later that evening, a group discussion will be facilitated by the tour leader, teacher, and psychologist to share what they learned and experienced.