“Freedom of Speech Beyond Borders Free summer school for students and young professionals”

Project dates: 1 – 10 September 2025
Recruitment: 7 April – 6 May 2025

What would you do if expressing your opinion meant risking your freedom? How would you share your thoughts in a society where censorship silences dissent? These were the everyday dilemmas of dissidents in Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War – and they’re still relevant today, as freedom of speech continues to face growing threats across the globe.

The European Network Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS), in collaboration with its partners, invites university students and young professionals to participate in the interdisciplinary educational project “Freedom of Speech Beyond Borders”. The programme aims to explore the history of the struggle against censorship during the Cold War and to reflect on contemporary challenges to freedom of expression. Participants will engage in a dynamic learning experience combining online seminars with study visits to European archives and memory sites. Two parallel study visits will be held – one in Bremen, Germany, at the Research Centre for East European Studies, and the other in Prague, Czech Republic, in the Libri Prohibiti Library and the Václav Havel Library. The programme will conclude with a joint gathering at the House of the Literary Institute in Maisons-Laffitte, near Paris. There, participants will work together to create a collective zine – inspired by historical samizdat – reflecting on past and present struggles for free expression.
Through archival research, historical document analysis, and interviews with former dissidents and human rights activists, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the resilience and courage required to resist censorship. Additionally, a hands-on zine-making workshop will provide an opportunity for creative expression, guided by experienced artists.