kujawsko-pomorskie newsletter: no. 9

Kujawsko-Pomorskie Newsletter

News at a glance

No. 9 · Jan 2011

www.torun2016.eu www.mojregion.eu

KPIO welcomes 2011

KPIO welcomes 2011The EpiphanyCharity in ToruńAfryka Reggae FestivalThe City of LoversChopin in Brussels

Kujawsko-Pomorskie Newsletter. News at a glance 3

The year 2010 was successful for the Representation Office of Kujawsko-Pomorskie. We are entering 2011 with new energy, full of plans for the future.

This year not only we want to participate in many European events like Open Doors, Open Days or the Festivities of Avenue de Tervueren, but we also want to continue with our tradition of organizing the Polish-Japanese Concert.

This will help us to put our region firmly on the map of Brussels’s events and will tighten our relationship with Japan.

We also want to popularize the European Union in our

The Kujawsko-Pomorskie Information Office

welcomes 2011

Kujawsko-Pomorskie Newsletter. News at a glance4

region by making people more aware of different European programmes.

2011 is a special year as this is the year of Polish presidency. Kujawsko-Pomorskie is going to participate in the organization of the regional conferences especially the one about the Eastern Partnership and the TEN-T.

KPIO welcomes 2011

The Epiphany



Unusual street parade whose heroes were Casper, Melchior and Balthasar started the celebrations of Epiphany in Toruń. The Magi wandered the streets of Toruń, surrounded by colourful procession that handed Spanish sweets to the passers. The event ended with the performance of a music star, the triple winner of Fryderyk music award Mietek Szcześniak and his team.

In Toruń, like in Spanish cities, Epiphany was the most solemn feast celebrated during the Christmas period. The colourful procession went from the statue of Nicolaus Copernicus in the Old Town. The parade, according to Spanish tradition, involved the uniformed services: army, police and fire brigade. On the stage set on the New Town Square a remarkable, lively spectacle was played.

Epiphany ina Spanish style


The actors of Baj Pomorski Theatre presented fragments of Pastorale, the play written by Leon Schiller. “This one of the most famous Polish pieces recalls Polish carols and pastorals” — explained Zbigniew Lisowski, the stage director. “Pastorale refers to the medieval tradition. The play is imbued with mystery, colour and beautiful music.”

On the New Town Square Archbishop of Pamplona and the Mayor of Toruń gave Christmas wishes to the citizens. Spanish Christmas carols were performed by Portamus Gaudum choir. The artistic program included performance of Youth Musical Theatre “Little Revue”. Epiphany celebrations ended with a special concert. A fantastic musical show was given by the popular Polish singer Mietek Szcześniak.

In Spain the Epiphany is celebrated very solemnly. On the eve of Christmas the municipalities organize huge street parades gathering crowds. Traditionally the Magi from the East come and bring small gifts to the children. After the evening parade children prepare shoes and bowls of water for the camels, on which, according to the legend the tree kings

traveled. The next morning the children see empty bowls and shoes full of gifts. For naughty children the Magi leave black carbon in the form of sugar.

The Epiphany was organized by the Municipal Institution of Culture Toruń 2016 and the City Office of Toruń.

Charity in Toruń



The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity is the largest non-governmental charity organization in Poland that saves the life of ill children, equipping public hospitals with specialist medical equipment.

It buys equipment for cardiology units, oncology, nephrology, neonatal and the hospital wards for the younger children and intensive care.

The enterprise was initiated by Jurek Owsiak, who in his television program “Róbta co chceta” announced a fund-raising for pediatric cardiac surgery at Children’s Health Center in Warsaw. The success of the first edition surprised

The Great Orchestra of Christmas

Charity played in Toruń


the organizers. The collected money was divided among all pediatric cardiac surgery centers. The purchased equipment significantly influenced the work of Polish cardiovascular surgeons. The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity gained nationwide publicity. In 1993 the Foundation of The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity began its operations. Its primary purpose is activity in the field of health care, which consists of saving the lives of ill people, especially children, the promotion of health and disease prevention.

Traditionally on the second Sunday of January thousands of volunteers take to the streets to raise the money for the most modern equipment for Polish hospitals. In 2011 The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity played for the urology and pediatric nephrology.

The Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity is accompanied by a lot of artistic events lasting all day to heat up the atmosphere of fete. In Toruń most of the attractions were held around the stage located on the Old Town Square. The morning and the forenoon had

13Kujawsko-Pomorskie Newsletter. News at a glance

a family character. Then the scene was captured by the young musicians. The concert part featured such bands as Absurd, Ananakofana, Kapitan Tohrn and Ukrainian group Atmasfera. Behind the scene there was an amazing fire show and ancient Artus Court stood in the flames. The event culminated at at 8.00 p.m. when, as in all of Poland, the lights were shone into the sky. The evening ended with Jamaican rhythms of reggae band Daab.

During the nineteenth finale the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity collected 9.5m euro nationwide and almost 80 thousand euro in Toruń alone.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

afryka reggae (3613-10).pdf 2011-01-04 10:49:17

Afryka Reggae Festival



Hot rhythms of the black continent will fill the twenty-first edition of Afryka Reggae Festival which begins on the 28th of January in the student’s club “Od Nowa” in Toruń. The reggae music stars will play for a noble aim

— the construction of deep water wells in Sudan.

Afryka Reggae Festival is one of the oldest reggae events in Poland. An annual musical concert is organized by the “Toruń’s Initiative Group — the New Society” association, the students’ club “Od Nowa” and Polish Humanitarian Action. The City of Toruń is a co-organizer of the festival.

All editions of the event gathered many fans and hosted the most acclaimed performers of reggae and ska music. Legendary bands Izrael, Bakshis, Daab played at the festival.

Summer in the middle of winter


Over the course of just two days, twelve artists will play this year — among others Vavamuffin, Bakshish, Ziggie Piggie, Paraliż Band, Natural Mystic and Lion Vibrations.

Festival origins back to 1991. For the first eight editions the event was held under the name “Africa is Hungry”, since all proceeds from the event were donated for feeding children in Africa. In 1999 the organizers adopted the polonized name “Africa” and since 2003 the festival is known under the current name. Since the inception, the total income of the festival is transferred to the poorest countries of Africa such as Zambia, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Congo and Tanzania.

Afryka Reggae Festival supports the water campaign of Polish Humanitarian Action which provides help to all those whom the war, natural disasters, economic globalization, and poverty deprived of access to safe drinking water. So far the water supplies created by PHA benefit 300,000 people. This year, thanks to revenue from the previous edition, a well in Bor in southern Sudan was built.

Afryka Reggae Festival

The City of Lovers



Beautiful medieval monuments and city layout are not the only attractions of Chełmno. In recent years, the cult of St. Valentine, along with the reliquary with his remains, seem to have taken the lead.

Indeed, owing to the relics of St. Valentine, which have been kept at the the parish church for centuries, as well as St. Valentine’s Day, celebrated here with honours on 14th February, in the last few years Chełmno has become known as the City of Lovers®.

For a long time, the relic of St. Valentine (“it is the head of this Saint, but in reality just a little part of it…”) has been renowned for miracles. In 1630 Jadwiga from Czarnkowa

Chełmno invites you to St. Valentine’s Day


Działyńska, grateful to St. Valentine for his help in curing her daughter, commissioned the above — silver reliquary.

When Poland fell in with the fashion of celebrating Valentine’s Day, the Chełmno relics came into new prominence. On 14th February 2002, after almost 200 years, they were exhibited again. This way the ceremonial celebrations of St. Valentine’s Day were inaugurated in the city, and despite winter weather they have attracted tourist crowds, willing to experience some hot atmosphere and particular charm of this old medieval city.

Each day we will also find other traces of love and Valentine’s Day traditions in the city; among others the heart-shaped floral carpets at Nowe Planty Park, a place for romantic strolls and lovers’ benchers, which are the traditional meeting spots. One of these was placed in Dr. Rydygier’s Memory and Tolerance Park. another bench — in the neighbourhood of the Grudziądz Gate and from the one located opposite the Town Council Office you can send “Live Greetings” to your sweetheart.


A romantic trip to Chełmno is not complete without a visit to the Old Town, which was included in the List of Historic Monuments by the President of the Republic of Poland in 2005. Here time has stopped in the old walls, and the Town Hall tower clock strikes only happy hours. No wonder you will be leaving Chełmno enamoured with its atmosphere and its monuments.

Chełmno – the City of Lovers® was awarded with the certificate of the Best Tourist Product of Poland and Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship (Województwo Kujawsko-Pomorskie).

More information: www.chelmno.pl.

Chopin in Brussels



The year of the Chopin is coming to the end. As he was passing his holidays in our region Kujawsko-Pomorskie Representation in Brussels also celebrated this anniversary with the small event.

On the 14th January our Office organized the screening of Marco Perrotta’s “Sorrow. The myth of the Return”. The film is a personal account of a relationship of a Polish immigrant with his country, about his sorrow, which is so prominent in the music of Chopin. In the film Jolanta Żurawska tells the story of her life and career as a pianist which was interrupted abruptly by the confiscation of her piano by the communist regime. She tells the story of the difficult return to Warsaw after many years of the immigration in Italy, about her dealing with the overwhelming nostalgia.

The director and his actress were present during the event.

Chopin in Brussels

Municipal Institution of Culture Toruń 2016ul. Pod Krzywą Wieżą 1, 87-100 Toruń, Polandphone: +48 56 621 0 333fax: +48 56 651 02 37e-mail: [email protected]

Information Office of Kujawsko-Pomorskie RegionAvenue de Tervuren 84, 1040 Brussels, Belgiumphone: +32 2 734 12 17fax: +32 2 734 29 96e-mail: [email protected]

kujawsko-pomorskie newsletter: no. 9

Documents

spanish tradition

spanish christmas carols

polish carols

celebrations of epiphany

epiphany celebrations

year of polish presidency

spanish sweets

spanish cities