Silesia (Polish: Śląsk, Czech: Slezsko) is a historical landscape, which today is mainly located in the extreme southwest of Poland, but in parts also on the territory of Germany and the Czech Republic. By far the most significant river is the Oder. To the south, Silesia is bordered mainly by the Sudeten and Beskid mountain ranges. Today, almost 8 million people live in Silesia. The largest cities in the region are Wrocław, Opole and Katowice. Before 1945, most of the region was part of Prussia for two hundred years, and before the Silesian Wars (from 1740) it was part of the Habsburg Empire for almost as many years. Silesia is classified into Upper and Lower Silesia.
The Silesia-Colloquium was held for the first time in 2016 in Herrnhut (Saxony). The second iteration in 2017, which was organized by the Cultural Office for Silesia, also took place here. Since 2018, the colloquium has been held annually in October or November as a joint event by the Cultural Office for Silesia and the Cultural Office for Upper Silesia, its location alternating between Görlitz and Königswinter. Cooperation partners are Haus Schlesien and the Foundation Kulturwerk Schlesien.

