Politics, business, science, culture, but above all – life, anxiety and dreams were discussed by guests and guests hosting the 12th edition of the Freedom Games.
The largest festival of ideas in this part of the continent gathered more than 4.5 1000 participants and participants and almost 600 speakers and speakers from Poland, Europe and the world. Among them came the Hollywood actor, director, maker and humanitarian activist George Clooney, whose conversation with Leszek Jażdżewski was watched in EXPO live by 2.5 1000 people; Bulgarian poet and writer, honored with the global Bookera Georgi Gospodinov Award; author of the best-selling “To Perfection” by Vincenzo Latronico; erstwhile president Aleksander Kwasniewski; long-visible actor and businessman Marek Kondrat; trend analyst Natalia Hatalska; popular psychologists: Natalia de Barbaro, Marta Bearwiecka and Joanna Gutral; Irish author of the young generation Megan Nolan; prof. at the University of Oxford Carl Benedikt Frey; Olympic champion Alexander Miroslaw, and founder of the conflict of Ideas Alastair Donald festival.
In many meetings, Polish literature stars were awarded this year's award by NIKE Eliza Kącka, Joanna Kuciel-Frydryszak, Joanna Gierak-Onoszko, Marek Bieńczyk, Szczepan Hardoch, Wojciech Jagielski or Ignacy Karpowicz.
There were no shortages of active politicians: Minister of abroad Affairs Radosław Sikorski, Minister of Finance and Economy Andrzej Domański, Ministry of Education Barbara Nowacka, Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek or Ministry of Culture Marty Cienkowska, as well as many business people, representing the largest companies in the market, people of science, journalists and publicists.
The fresh event was a podcast scene – participants and participants could perceive and see live episodes among others. "World State Report", "Cafe Mine", "Podkastex", "Close" or "In case of W".
“Freedom is not only a luxury of opportunity. It is besides the necessity of resistance” (Serhii Zadan)
For the first time in the past of the Freedom Games, the organizer, the Liberté! Foundation, awarded a unique award: the Medal of Freedom and EUR 10,000 in designation of merit for promoting and defending democratic values: freedom, independency of nations and respect for human rights. It was received by Ukrainian writer, poet, soldier and social activist Serhij Żadan.
"It is hard to find a author who accompanies his country as relentlessly as Serhii Żadan. All I can think of is Cormac McCarthy. He had the nerve to compose about his country erstwhile no 1 in his right head gave a broken penny for this country" - said Andrzej Stasiuk in his laudation preceding the award. The Medal was presented by the president of the Board of Liberté Foundation!, manager of the Błażej Lenkowski Freedom Games. He stressed the importance of building awareness that it is in the interest of Poland to support Ukraine.
We're not in danger of the end of the world. We are facing the end of reason (Prof. Jan Zielonka)
During the “Time of Trouble” event, there could be no shortage of debates on the sources of fear and threats in today's Europe. erstwhile president Aleksander Kwasniewski has seen them accumulate the crises we have been facing since the beginning of the 21st century – from terrorism, through the financial and migration crisis, to the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the fast improvement of technology, especially artificial intelligence. Prof. Jan Zielonka of the University of Oxford warned against "war psychosis", both pointing to unresolved issues of leadership and deficiency of imagination in European politics. Radosław Sikorski, on the another hand, stressed the importance of European unity and cooperation with the US in the context of the war in Ukraine and the rivalry with Russia and China. He recalled the historical experience of Poland and Europe, pointed out the request to keep an effective army and to grow the defence manufacture in Europe; he pointed to the importance of the EU's common trade and investment policy and the request to act with optimism, contrary to populist narratives about the threats “from the West”.
"The regulation of law is not abstraction — it is simply a warrant of freedom" (Waldemar Żurek)
The participants of many discussions took part in the evaluation of the coalition's governments on 15 October, with peculiar emphasis on restoring the regulation of law in Poland. Minister Waldemar Żurek in an interview with Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram presented proposals for concrete reforms aimed at improving the justice system, specified as faster divorces, simplified procedures for franc credits, transparent draw strategy for judges and digitalisation of files. He besides announced solutions for alleged neo-judges and a fresh model of the National Judicial Council, based on compromise and transparency.
"If you don't stand for something, you stand for anything" (George Clooney)
The star of the organization was no uncertainty George Clooney. Considered by Time magazine as 1 of the most influential people in the planet during his speech, he spoke of courage, work and the request to argue injustice. He stressed that it was worth defending the weaker and challenging those with more power, even if it was not popular, but simply popular: sharing with those about whom it is quiet. He talked about his engagement in Darfur and the work of the Clooney Foundation for Justice Foundation, helping victims of force and imprisoned journalists. He warned against increasing authoritarianism and reminded that democracy is not given erstwhile and for all – it requires courage, commitment and faithfulness to the principles, even erstwhile it “stands on the right side of past is not pleasant at first”. However, he stressed with characteristic humour that "to have right does not always mean to win."
"We have specified a Polish grin that is not entirely optimistic" (Maia Mazurkiewicz)
...and we are afraid to dream about dreams – this is how the study “Can Poles dream”, which had its premiere during the Freedom Games. According to a survey commissioned by the PZU Foundation, Poles dream primarily of wellness and tranquility, travel and experience and financial security, with an crucial relation between dreams and fears observed – the erstwhile are the answer to the latter, for example, fear of illness turns into a dream of health, and fear of loneliness into a dream of relationships and communities. The younger generations dream bravely and of the future, older – more frequently about the past and stability. Dreams are undoubtedly the foundation of hope and social cohesion, as well as an crucial origin in building the future of the country.
“True stories are born in everyday life” (Mark Kondrat)
Marek Kondrat delighted the audience with sincerity, humor and philosophical reflection on life. In a moving conversation, he spoke about his way from the blichtra and the artificiality of the acting planet to the discovery of real life – full of love, simplicity and authenticity. With distance and warmth, he spoke of passing, gratitude and the art of being himself.
"I would like to go into space" (Liliana Karpińska)
The content program ended the conversation with Sławomir Uznański-Wiśniewski. The second Pole in Space spoke not only about the opportunities that Poland opens up in connection with the exploration of space, but besides shared interesting things about life on the global Space Station. The group of participants and participants included Liliana, a fewer years old. The girl asked the astronaut if he was planning to go into space again. erstwhile he expressed hope that I was able to lift the door for the younger generation, she declared that she wanted to be an astronaut herself. Uznański-Wiśniewski announced that he would keep his fingers crossed, and the audience reacted with applause.
The Łódź ensemble of Co-voices, consisting of 3 acclaimed jazz musicians, 2 actors and a choir of people with disabilities, came to an end.
Another edition of the Freedom Games will be held on 23-25 October 2026 in Łódź.
