The 2008 U.S. Presidential Elections demonstrated the power of new media in the 21st century to impact politics and society.  New technologies have empowered ordinary citizens to organize and cooperate in new ways and on an unprecedented scale.  The way we look at democracy has changed.  And it has empowered youth as citizens in completely new ways.  

This program will explore the many ways that new media have changed the way we think about our societies and allowed us to redefine the word “democracy.”  It will also put these developments into the historical and Polish contexts, exploring the role of radio, film, underground publishing during the Communist era, comparing them to today’s “new media,” and discussing the role that both types of media can play in bringing about democratic change today, in both repressive and democratic societies.   

The Forum will also be a venue for celebrating the best Polish contributions to the global YouTube/U.S. Department of State “Democracy Video Challenge,” which encourages people from all over the world to use new media to share their ideas of what democracy really looks like, and exhibiting top photos from the “Democracy Is” photo competition for high school students, as well as other multimedia and cultural presentations. 

We aim to explore the following questions:
• What is the impact of new media technology on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly?
• How can young people get more involved in politics?
• What does the rise of social media mean for democracy?

PLEASE VISIT THE BLOG HOSTED BY INTERNET PATRON WYBORCZA.PL: WWW.WYBORCZA.PL/NEWMEDIAFORUM

                                  Forum components:

• Panel discussions with Polish experts and U.S. guests, including Obama for America New Media Director Joe Rospars and new media expert and activist prof. David Silver. 
• Screenings of the Polish submissions to the YouTube/U.S. Department of State Democracy Video Challenge and announcement of the three Polish semi-finalists
• Exhibit of top photos from the U.S. Embassy’s “Demokracja To” photo challenge
• “Citizens on the Campaign Trail” exhibit of photographs by Konrad Wedekind
• Performance of the play “Democracy”
• Voice of America/Radio Free Europe audio exhibit
• And more… 

                                   Program Agenda

                                 March 19 Thursday
                                            16:00 to 21:00

16:00  WELCOME
Pamela Quanrud, Deputy U.S. Ambassador to Poland, U.S. Embassy
Wojciech Trzciński, President, Fabryka Trzciny 

KEYNOTE SPEECH
Stefan Bratkowski, Chairman of the Central and Eastern European Media Center Foundation

17:00  THE MEDIA IN POLAND’S TRANSFORMATION
What does Poland’s experience tell us about the role of media in democracy?
Moderator: Stefan Bratkowski
• Prof. Andrzej Paczkowski, historian
• Mirosław Chojecki, documentary filmmaker and former underground publisher
• Andrzej Borzym, former Radio Free Europe correspondent
  
18:00 OLD AND NEW MEDIA IN REPRESSIVE SOCIETIES
What role do media – both traditional and “new” -- have in supporting democratization now?
Moderator: Jim Wolfe, Press Attache, U.S. Embassy
• Jacek Michałowski, Polish-American Freedom Foundation
• Representative, European Radio for Belarus
• Alaksei Dzikavitski, BelSat TV

19:00  “DEMOCRACY”: a play by Edward Gordon Craig 
Directed by Dr. Inka Dowlasz
Performed by students of the Giedroyc College of Media and Communication

Multimedia components and exhibitions available until 21:00 

                                   March 20 Friday
                                            11:00 to 21:00

11:00  DIGITAL DEMOCRACY: THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN AND BEYOND  
How are Americans using new media technologies for social activism today?
Moderator: Candace Faber, Deputy Cultural Attache, U.S. Embassy
• Joe Rospars, New Media Director, Obama for America; co-founder, Blue State Digital
• Prof. David Silver, Director, Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies, University of San Francisco, co-Director of the September Project citizen participation initiative

12:30  Break

14:00  NEW MEDIA IN POLAND
How is the media scene in Poland changing?
Moderator: Susan Parker-Burns, Counselor for Public Affairs, U.S. Consulate Krakow
• Dr Krzysztof Krejtz and Dr Jarosław Milewski, Institute for Social Psychology of Internet and Communication, Higher School of Social Psychology
• Grzegorz Piechota, „News as Conversation” Project, Gazeta Wyborcza
• Dr Tomasz Płudowski, Author and professor, Collegium Civitas

16:00  NEW GENERATION, NEW DEMOCRACY?
How is the new generation of Poles using new media technology for social activism?
Moderator: Konrad Stolarski, Association of Polish Youth
• Jakub Michałowski, Free Belarus Association
• Natalia Sosin, POLSAT, formerly Cafebabel.com
• Kamil Wiszowaty, Projekt: Polska
• Maciej Kuziemski, University of Warsaw

17:30  Announcement of the Democracy Video Challenge semi-finalists

Multimedia components and exhibitions available until 21:00 

                                          Multimedia Components

Democracy Video Challenge

In the “stove room,” you will have a chance to view the 26 Polish entries to the global YouTube/U.S. Department of State Democracy Video Challenge.  Three Polish semi-finalists, who will be announced on Friday at 17:30, will go on to compete for the grand prize.   Winners of the global competition will travel to the United States, where they will visit New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles to see their films on the big screen and meet with activists and representatives of the film and media industry.  These films, as well as the entries from all over the world, can be viewed at www.youtube.com/democracychallenge.

“Democracy Is” Photo Competition Finalists

An exhibition of the top five photos from a Poland-only photo competition for students, run by the U.S. Embassy in partnership with the Center for Citizenship Education.  The winner will be presented with his prize – a 12.2 MP Canon Digital Rebel SLR camera – at the end of the Forum.

 “American Activism in the 2008 Presidential Elections”

This exhibit of works by photographer Konrad Wedekind, on view in the gallery, highlights the role played by citizen supporters in both the Obama and McCain campaigns for the presidency, offering insights into the participatory side of American democracy.

Underground publications on loan from KARTA

Visitors will be able to view some of the many works by U.S. authors made available through the underground publishing network in Poland, including texts from Zbigniew Brzezinski, Milton Friedman, Samuel Huntington, and Ayn Rand.

Audio exhibit from Radio Free Europe Archives

Highlights from the later years of Radio Free Europe in Poland, on loop in the gallery space. 

In 2009, the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw and U.S. Consulate in Krakow join Poland in celebrating 90 years of U.S.-Polish diplomatic relations.  The period covered in this Forum highlights some of the most important aspects of our relationship, both in yesterday’s struggle for freedom and today’s shared support for it around the world, and points us toward a common future.  We hope you will join us for these celebrations throughout the year.  Please visit poland.usembassy.gov and www.polska-usa.pl.