Youth volunteers from the Warsaw AVE Foundation and from the Gymnasium in Ejszyszki, Lithuania, spent 7 days together in Warsaw and around Płock in July 2024, and during this time, they focused on... the Kościuszko Uprising! Sounds scary? Not really! This independence uprising from 230 years ago was a joint effort of Poles and Lithuanians, and although it failed, it made Poles and Lithuanians feel like citizens!

– That’s why we decided to take a closer look at it – explains Paulina Chaber, one of the participants in the project "Freedom, Unity, Independence, and... Zosia." – And since we have quite a few artistic talents, we decided to create a music video for a non-uprising poem "Zosia Wanted Some Blueberries," written by Gen. Jakub Jasiński, the leader of the Uprising in Lithuania. In a sense, the 1794 uprising was meant to be the starting point for our film and music workshops. And of course, there were engaging acting, cinematography, hip-hop, and choral activities, but during them, it turned out that characters from outside Jasiński’s poem unexpectedly entered our music video. And it turned out that the Uprising, though distant, still has much to say to us…

Another important result is integration. – We became incredibly close, not only because of the workshops but also during kayaking, cycling, and other activities! – adds Aiste Malinovska.

But to fully understand all this, you need to watch our music video. We invite you!