The Serbski Sejm works again in presence on the draft of state treaty - kick-off in Trjebin/Trebendorf at the Domowina local group in Schusterhof

After many months of coronat-related online sessions, the first presence session of the aorbian/wendish Parliament took place on 2 April in Trjebin/Trebendorf. The Serbski Sejm was a guest of the local group of the Domowina association in the Schusterhof and was welcomed by the chairperson Angelika Balzke. In addition to presenting the listed house, she explained that there is good cooperation in Trjebin/Trebendorf between the members of the Domowina local group, other different associations and the Sorbian/Wendish Parliament. She also emphasised that her local group always works on raising awareness among the youth. She regretted that the pupils of the Schleifer region, who learn Sorbian/Wendish in the local primary school, do not have Sorbian lessons in the Weißwasser grammar school and that there is no recognition of the language (at least as a 2nd foreign language), which would be necessary for continuity and to improve the motivation to learn the language.

To commemorate the victims of the Ukrainian War, the Sejm Council of Elders President Edith Pjeńkowa, who also resides in the local congregation, described her testimony of the Second World War. The Serbski Sejm observed a minute's silence.

David Chmelik from the Slavonic Europe Foundation, who had travelled from Brussels, presented the progress made in the development of the European project with a Sorbian/Wendish starting point, „Lusatia Glow“, which is intended to connect people across Europe through culture, language and music. The internal and external border areas of the EU are to play an important role in this process and become „from wounds of history to strong welds“ between people. Six geographical project sections as well as three cross-content sections (media, digital and musical) are planned for the period 2023-24.

A central topic on the agenda was the further 2nd reading of the draft State Treaty. After the scope of the demanded self-determination was dealt with at the previous session, this time it was about the scope of co-determination in as well as outside the settlement area and the definition of the settlement area.

The reunion between the MPs present and the numerous people committed to self-determination and self-administration of the Sorbian/Wendish people was celebrated until late in the evening, in particular again with cheerful singing of Sorbian/Wendish folk songs from all regions of Lower, Middle and Upper Lusatia.

The day was accompanied by Grit Lemke's film team for the film project „Zabyty lud - The Forgotten People“.