Wrocław and Lower Silesia | July 2025

In July, Wrocław and Lower Silesia will become a stage for meetings, storytelling, and creative intercultural exchange. For three weeks, children and young people from Poland and six countries around the world – Gambia, Rwanda, Palestine, Italy, the USA (indigenous communities from Seattle), and Serbian Vojvodina (Hungarian minority) – will share what is most valuable: their own stories, art, and ways of looking at the world. All this as part of the international Lelenfant project organized by the Friendship Art Education Foundation.

The theme of this year’s edition is “Wandering stories” – both symbolic and literal. Each group will bring their own story, which will be weaved into one shared story during workshops conducted using the “children teach children” method.

Stage I – Workshops, local performances, and a picnic
July 13–19 | Oborniki Śląskie, Wrocław: Złotniki, Psie Pole, Maślice | Free admission

The event begins with intensive workshop work in Złotniki and Psie Pole, where children and young people from around the world learn from each other. Before that, however, they will present their personal, individual, cultural stories.

July 13 – An additional event in Oborniki Śląskie, “Meeting with the Global South,” at the Oborniki Cultural Center (Dworcowa Street 26). Groups from Gambia and Rwanda will perform on stage. Admission is free.

July 14 – Open performances at two locations in Wrocław:

• FAMA Library and Cultural Center, Dworcowa Street Bolesława Krzywoustego 286 (4:00 PM): Italy, Rwanda, Poland (Bailarines de Kowale), Serbia
• Złotnickie Meeting Center, Wielkopolska 7 (4:00 PM): Palestine, Gambia, Poland (Jaskółka), USA, Poland (Synergia)

Then, after 5 days of workshops and rehearsals, individual stories, individual threads, weave together a common narrative. These are called revelries.

July 18th – Revelries, a showcase of children’s and youth’s creative work – the culmination of the first stage:

• FAMA Library and Cultural Center, Bolesława Krzywoustego 286, 5:00 PM: A traveling story from Italy, Rwanda, Poland, and Serbia
  – Złotnickie Meeting Center, Wielkopolska 7, 5:00 PM: A Traveling Story from Gambia, Poland, USA, Palestine Free Admission

July 19th – Lelenfant Castle Picnic | from 2:00 PM | Leśnica Castle, Świętojański Square 1
A family celebration of diversity, creativity, and shared fun – open to everyone!

On stage, we’ll see young artists from Poland and abroad who spent a week working on a colorful show combining dance, music, singing, and circus elements.

Around the stage, there will be plenty of attractions for children and adults – from nature-inspired workshops, storytelling, sensory art, and animation, to a parade with large-scale figures. There will also be time to relax in the yoga zone, explore world cultures, and discuss children’s rights.

Stage II: Final Storytelling in Maślice and the Capitol

From July 21st to 27th, the work moves to the Educational and Care Center at 8 Dworska Street in Wrocław. This is where participants will combine all the stories, rhythms, movements, and words into one collective performance. In addition to the workshops, children and young people will form the Lelenfant International Children and Youth Council, and group leaders will participate in meetings about the role of art and advocacy for children’s rights.

A parallel summer camp for children aged 1)+, funded by the Wrocław Municipality, is taking place – music workshops with David Llewellyn (UK) in English. You can still join!

A key participatory element of this year’s Lelenfant will be a visit by all participants to City Hall on July 28th – the meeting with city officials will serve as a symbolic gesture of recognition for the voice of children and young people as full-fledged creators and citizens.

Concurrently, on July 28th, the program “City for the Sensitive and the Brave: Lelenfant from the Inside” will take place – a full-day study visit to Wrocław aimed at active youth from Lower Silesia aged 15+ who want to learn about the project’s mechanisms behind the scenes. You can still join!

On the same day, July 28th, at 6:00 PM, a colorful parade of children and youth participating in the project will march through the streets of Wrocław – from the Fredro Monument through the Market Square to Świdnicka and Barbara Streets.

The culmination of this year’s edition will be the final performances of “Lelenfant. Wandering Tales” at the Capitol Musical Theatre, scheduled for July 30th and 31st at 6:00 PM. Tickets are available at the link.

During these days, we are also organizing Lelenfant Partnership Day – a meeting for institutions, individuals, and organizations from across Poland that would like to co-create the Lelenfant project in their cities in the future.

After its completion, several groups will go on a tour of Lower Silesia, visiting Bystrzyca Kłodzka, Sobótka and Jelcz-Laskowice.