Project Poland
In 2027, Coalfields & Cobblestones aims take its first group from Appalachia across the Atlantic to explore Poland, a country whose resilience, faith, and creativity mirror our own story in Eastern Kentucky. A specific focus will be placed on Silesia.
This experience is designed to open minds, build global connections, and show how two underestimated regions shaped by hardship and hope can learn from one another.
Participants will engage with both the challenges and strengths that define communities in transition, gaining a deeper understanding of how growth, identity, and opportunity develop over time.
The Silesian region of Poland has a deep mining history that has shaped its culture, economy, and identity.
Much like Appalachia, it faced population loss and economic decline as its traditional industries faded.
Today, Silesia is beginning to write a different story.
Through investment, cultural pride, and a shift toward new industries, the region is experiencing a resurgence. People are returning, including younger generations and those who feel a connection to the region, even if they never lived there.
Silesia is not just a place with a shared past.
It is a place showing what a future can look like.
Silesia - A Story of Shared Struggles and Unknown Futures
Repurposed art exhibit at IGNACY Museum in Ryibnik
C&C President Blake Moss with Dr. Monika Glosowitz at KWK Chawalowice Mine in Rybnik
C&C President Blake Moss with Dr. Łukasz Galusek, Silesian Museum Director
IIn May 2026, Coalfields & Cobblestones Founder and President Blake Moss traveled to the Silesian region to learn about how a place shaped by extraction is redefining its future.
He met with organizations, institutions, and local leaders who are actively preserving this region's deep culture and heritage.
The visit included time on the ground at key sites, including the Guido Mine Museum in Zabrze, Ignacy in Rybnik, and the Silesian Museum in Katowice, offering a direct look at how Silesia is preserving its identity while adapting to change.
This visit has provided Coalfields & Cobblestones with a strong network inside Poland and several important realizations. Silesia may not be where Appalachia finds solutions to all of its challenges, but it is a place that shares many of our struggles and reminds us that we are not alone in facing them.
C&C President Blake Moss with Historic Preservation team at the coal mining museum in Zabrze
C&C President Blake Moss with Leszek Fidosiej, Mine Security Director, at KWK Chawalowice Mine in Rybnik
In Kraków, we’ll visit Wawel Castle, where legend says a brave shoemaker outwitted the terrifying Wawel Dragon. This story shaped Polish identity much like tales of Mothman or Bigfoot shaped Appalachian folklore — reminders that stories can give ordinary people extraordinary power. Participants will explore how myth and creativity help communities define who they are and what they believe in.
Kraków – Folklore, Faith, and the Fire of Imagination
Wawel Castle, Krakow
Wawel Dragon Statue, Krakow
The group will walk through Kazimierz, Kraków’s historic Jewish district, where centuries of culture and tragedy live side by side. We will visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, facing one of history’s darkest truths while learning from the courage and endurance of those who survived. These places teach that remembrance is not about sorrow alone — it is about empathy, humanity, and the strength to rebuild.
Kazimierz and Auschwitz – The Weight and Strength of Memory
Auschwitz memorial stone
Kazimierz Jewish Cemetery, Krakow
The final days will be spent in Warsaw, a capital city that was almost completely destroyed during World War II and rebuilt by its people brick by brick. We will stand at the Warsaw Uprising Monument and visit the POLIN Museum of Polish Jews, learning how courage and identity can survive total loss. Walking through Warsaw today — modern, vibrant, and scarred — reminds us that rebirth is never simple, but always possible.
Warsaw – A City Rebuilt from the Ashes
Building with Warsaw Uprising symbol (top of tall building)
Warsaw Uprising Monument
Every place listed on the Project 2027 itinerary has been personally visited and experienced by Blake Moss, Founder and President of Coalfields & Cobblestones. Nothing is added until it has been seen, felt, and understood in person. This approach ensures that every stop, story, and partnership reflects real connections and that each experience can truly inspire Appalachian participants when they travel the same path.