10th-anniversary jubilee of Leszek Balcerowicz’s Civil Development Forum
Civil Development Forum (Forum Obywatelskiego Rozwoju, FOR) is a think tank established in 2007 by Prof. Leszek Balcerowicz to protect freedom and the rule of law and to promote truth and common sense in public debate. FOR prepares, analyzes and reports on important economic and social topics, promotes economic education, and conducts active information activity in the media. This year FOR celebrates its 10th anniversary.
„(...) At the end of 1991, when I left politics, I was convinced that I would never return. I am a politician who wants to do his job, and not to enjoy his position nor celebrity. However, it turned out that some tasks remained, and not all was done. Therefore, I returned to politics and was elected the chairman of the most reformist party of the time - the Freedom Union (Unia Wolności, UW). At the end of my public service, which lasted longer than I thought, I already knew that I would set up a strong, efficient, and reliable think tank, and so I did. We looked for the name and found a very good one - Civic Development Forum (Forum Obywatelskiego Rozwoju). FOR has become a very important part of my life. Not my personal life, but rather my public life, because in the state of law and democracy--which need to be guarded like the pupil of the eye--what direction the country is heading, and which issues politicians are deciding, depend first of all on the distribution of opinions and attitudes in society. And there are never too many "guardians of freedom." Usually there are not enough of them. In Poland, we need more "guardians of freedom," not individual, but organized. Not in a hierarchy, but driven by a sense of mission, a coordinated mission. So I'm glad that year after year we are organizing summer schools, we are trying to recruit young, talented people, and according to their convictions and ours, we try to train them to be commandos of freedom and the rule of law. I want to thank all those who are with us because I know that it is not just sympathy, but a very powerful bond - a sense of mission for an important issue. There is no more important issue in public life than extensive freedom within the rule of law - and we must defend it. (...)".
An excerpt from Leszek Balcerowicz's speech.
See: The speech by Leszek Balcerowicz at the 10th anniversary of the Civil Development Forum
"We often meet statements that nothing can be done, that we have no influence on events both as people and as a non-governmental organization. It is not true!
We will not replace political parties - we will not do your job for you, dear politicians! But we will show you data and results from research and the experience of other countries, which show that falling over yourselves to offer more populist promises will not replace reforms that are needed for your and our children to live in a better country.
We will not replace the media - but we will show you how the false propaganda of this or that government can be set straight by offering reliable data. And finally, we will not replace voters at the polls, but our actions can show the consequences of bad choices.
This is what FOR has been trying to do for the last ten years and what it will continue to do with double strength. This strength is based on three pillars: my co-workers - without whom we would not succeed. You, dear donors - without your money and perseverance, we could not exist. And above all, the founder of FOR - Leszek Balcerowicz - whose consistency, energy and speed of work we try to keep up with every day. "
Agata Stremecka - President of FOR Board
The experts at FOR analyze issues related to economic policy and the rule of law in Poland, compare them with best practices from other countries and conclusions from international research, and put forward the best solutions. They also comment in the media on current events, assessing economic policies and changes in the law, primarily regarding their impact on long-term economic growth and respect for the rule of law.
FOR focuses on the following research areas: public finance, the rule of law, labor market, economic freedom, justice, and the European Union.
On the initiative of FOR, a public debt meter was displayed in the center of Warsaw and on the Internet to draw attention to the problem of growing state debt. Other activities of FOR are projects in the field of economic education and monitoring of changes in the law in terms of economic freedom and the rule of law.
"We are working together to realize our statutory mission, involving experts, specialists, and volunteers. Continuous financial support is essential for the Foundation's development. Even small amounts, regularly paid by donors, ensure the smooth functioning of the Foundation and at the same time confirm the meaning of our work. We are very grateful for that."
Patrycja Satora – Director of Development Department
"The increase in citations of FOR publications and the presence of our experts in the media year after year indicates that FOR is a source of reliable information for journalists and the public. Our publications are used not only in national media but also regularly reach local industry and foreign media. According to the FOR mission, we are present in the media a dozen or so times per week in order to reach, a wide audience with our opinions, warnings, and recommendations on concrete proposals, and in this way increase or decrease their support in society. "
Natalia Wykrota, Director of PR & Marketing Department
We thank you for these ten years and invite you to contact regularly our experts and other members of the team.
