Economics beyond borders – Janusz Korczak a promoter of education through cooperatives
The aim of the event is to restore and promote the idea of student cooperatives, rooted in the values of solidarity, responsibility, and joint action from an early age. The inspiration for these activities comes from Janusz Korczak’s book The Bankruptcy of Little Jack, which vividly illustrates a children’s cooperative and its significance for education and upbringing—especially economic education.
Published 100 years ago, the book served as a key inspiration for the Senate of the Republic of Poland in designating the year 2024 as the Year of Economic Education. Thanks to this initiative, the values, ideas, and role of cooperatives in shaping social, civic, and entrepreneurial attitudes have been successfully revived. The positive reception of these values by many individuals and institutions in Poland has encouraged us to share this message with young people in other countries as well. What was initially planned as a nationwide project has begun to expand beyond Poland’s borders through engagement with Polish communities abroad. Our event consists of a series of activities and initiatives, including:
A conference on economic education and the important role of cooperatives, held on the anniversary of the adoption of Poland’s National Strategy for Financial Education,
Participation in and presentation of cooperative education development at the National Cooperative Banking Conference,
A new edition of Janusz Korczak’s book, with over 200,000 copies distributed to all Polish school libraries,
Translation of the book into at least 10 of the world’s most widely spoken languages and its digital release as part of the educational project The Adventures of Entrepreneurial Jack,
Organization of at least 30 Economic Education Days in schools across Poland and in Polonian schools in at least 10 countries,
Legislative efforts in collaboration with the Polish Senate to facilitate the establishment and operation of student cooperatives in schools,
Organization of at least 4 training sessions and workshops for student cooperative advisors,
Organization of a global meeting for Polish and Polonian student cooperatives,
A special online lesson dedicated to the idea of cooperatives for Polish and Polonian schools,
Broad communication about the proclaimed International Year of Cooperatives 2025 in schools, universities, public institutions, and the media.
We aim to reach at least 400,000 people in Poland and abroad with the idea of cooperatives and the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 through these activities.
We are submitting this cycle of events and initiatives as one coherent application because all activities are thematically and substantively interconnected. They share a common goal: to promote the idea of cooperatives through the promotion of student (school-based) cooperatives, inspired by Janusz Korczak’s The Bankruptcy of Little Jack. Each initiative is designed to complement the others as part of an integrated educational and social program that aims to bring lasting educational and developmental benefits. We believe that it is precisely as a cohesive series that these activities gain their special value and have a real impact on the positive perception of cooperatives. We believe our initiative will enable a new and broader promotion of the cooperative model both in Poland and globally.
In the implementation of the project, we draw on the experience of the Foundation Warsaw Institute of Banking, which for several years has carried out educational activities based on Janusz Korczak’s book, helping children and youth develop economic and social awareness through values conveyed by literature. The Bankruptcy of Little Jack is part of the primary school curriculum in Poland and provides an excellent starting point for discussions on cooperation, responsibility, and integrity. Korczak—a distinguished educator, thinker, and advocate of shared values—demonstrates that even the youngest can understand and co-create fair social relationships. Our goal is to revive this idea in a modern school and societal context. We will carry out these activities in cooperation with many institutions, including cooperative and educational organizations and the Korczak community. A key role in implementing this initiative will be played by the National Center for Economic Education, coordinated by our Foundation and established on January 14, 2025, as a continuation of the ideas and mission of the Year of Economic Education. Participation in the above-mentioned initiatives is free of charge. Where registration is required for an event, it is also free.
Below is the website where you can already download a free contemporary adaptation of Janusz Korczak’s book in 8 language versions. This website also serves as a platform for reporting on the activities of the National Center for Economic Education at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, particularly in the area of promoting the idea of student cooperatives.
