The 16^th edition of the European Heritage Days kicks off in Poland over the weekend. Their national leitmotif "Roots of Tradition. From Home to Homeland" aims to encourage Poles to explore and discover roots of Polish culture. The Polish edition of the event is organized by National Heritage Board of Poland and held under the honorary patronage of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

Danuta Isler reports

The opening of the European Heritage Days 2008 in Poland will take place on 13^th September in the western locality of Byczyna, famous for modern knightly tournaments, and one of the oldest towns in Poland with a unique architectonical layout and preserved city walls from the 14th century. According to the organizers, the history of Byczyna, situated on the historic trade routes crossroads, and on modern borders of five voivodships, is a proper symbol for the leitmotif of this year's European Heritage Days.

Paulina Florianowicz is the deputy director of the National Heritage Board of Poland: 'The basic idea of the European Heritage Days is to encourage people to discover their local heritage and to make the connection between the modern times and its heritage and its remains. Usually it's open days in museums or other public buildings which are of historic value. In Poland we have along with that a lot of festivals, exhibitions, museum openings. This year's leitmotif is "roots of tradition - from home to homeland". What we were particularly interested in is promoting the very local heritage and the very local connection of people with the place where they live right now.'

The turbulent history of Silesia and its inhabitants is inscribed into multicultural nature of Polish society and refers to the Year of Intercultural Dialogue established by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. Elżbieta Berent of the Ethnographical Museum in Wrocław, western Poland explains: '45 localities have organized the events which mostly present the history of a given place and its inhabitants. Many children and students have been involved in the program. They tell the stories of their families, for example, by presenting photos from family albums and showing the German history of their hometowns. They build their national identity by presenting where our ancestors came from - because everyone in the lower Silesia is from somewhere else - and to show what is this place I am living in and what is its history.'

Last year three hundred thousand visitors participated in the Polish edition of the European Heritage Days. Paulina Florianowicz says there's plenty in store for them this year as well.

'Traditional and interactive events are more and more popular each year. Another category is the possibility to enter buildings or places which are not usually open to the public. And this is the only occasion to go and see the back of the theatre or towers in castles or in churches which are also closed to the public normally. This sort of visiting is very popular.'

Detailed program of the event taking place this and next weekend around the country can be found at www.edd.com.pl