Since the autumn of 2015 we have been protesting against the rule of Law and Justice. In the face of the changes in the law and the rules imposed by the government and the president we need to stand up for the rights of women, of the disabled, of teachers, of LGBT+ community, but above all, in defence of the Constitution.
We are constantly trying to oppose the nationalist wave flooding the country and the omnipresent hate speech, which the current government promotes. We believe that the return to power of the democratic forces is a guarantee of the return to the community of European countries to be reckoned with, as well as of national security and sovereignty of law-abiding and democratic Poland.
That is why a couple of weeks after Law and Justice had come to power, the Committee for the Defence of Democracy was created and for three years it organised mass protests. Later on it disintegrated into numerous small organisations operating all over the country. They lost their force, but never stopped protesting and organising civic society.
For two years KORD - the Congress of Civic Democratic Movements has been helping the volunteers from these groups, as well as those who want to join in. KORD is a platform for movements, groups and activities. Its role is to facilitate the exchange of contacts, experience, know-how as well as ideas and, what is more important, it is a place where important figures of our political and social life meet, supporting our activities. Their knowledge and achievements are invaluable encouragement for the groups to cooperate.
During its four meetings and during the activities undertaken between them, KORD provides an opportunity to participate in a forum which makes it possible for us to get to know the specificity and activities of more than 100 associations, foundations, as well as formal and informal groups. KORD offers a chance to contact the representatives of most parties belonging to the parliamentary opposition. KORD facilitates contacts between non-parliamentary opposition, including editorial teams and press offices, and the representatives of non-governmental organisations or the judiciary, as well as similar groups having similar problems in other countries.
KORD has worked out such forms of co-operation between the dispersed groups which focuses their attention on common goals and makes the voice of the opposition stronger. Respecting the identity and independence of each group, it gave them the opportunity to work out and present the demands of the group of Poles whose aim is to build a modern state.