Reading & discussion with journalist and author Beatrix Flatt and Marek Fiałek
Beatrix Flatt spent a summer cycling along the Oder and Neisse rivers. The journalist met people who live and work on both sides of the 468-kilometre-long German-Polish border and who are committed to growing together in a variety of ways; who cultivate their cross-border neighborhood and fill it with life. The reports paint a picture of a region in which national borders are losing their significance and a common identity is emerging instead. This border region, characterized by the commitment of its inhabitants to growing together, shows how neighbors can become friends. The book sheds light on how local initiatives and personal commitment lead to closer cross-border cohesion. Despite linguistic and cultural differences, a sense of belonging develops that transcends political differences. Flatt captures the stories of people who are breaking down economic, administrative and cultural barriers with vision and perseverance.
Beatrix Flatt - freelance author, has lived as a freelance journalist with her family in Helmstedt, directly on the former inner-German border, for almost 30 years.
