TWI 1st Sept 2011 E-weekly

Issue 11 September 2011 Wrocław’s first English-language newspaper ISSN 2082-730X

FREE

EVERY

MONTH

PM Tusk Tries Out New Stadium

Prime Minister Donald Tusk shows off his football skills (Saturday, 27th August) with Wrocław’s President, Rafał Dutkiewicz during his whistlestop tour of the three major investment sites in Wrocław

We meet the new boss of Aquapark and hear about his plans for the leisure centre. We also hear about the social and community work that HP employees get involved in. P5

European Day of Languages

Ad

vert

isem

en

t P

ho

tos

: R

en

u S

ing

h

City News A round-up of the main stories currently taking place in Wrocław. Page 2

Business

The European Day of Languages is taking place in Wrocław on the 26th of September but there are actually two weeks of events taking place in Wrocław, see the lineup on Page 4

Last Saturday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk made an inspection of the three biggest investments in Wrocław. They are the new Motorway, Football Stadium for EURO 2012 and Terminal at the Airport.

He was greeted at the stadium by Wrocław’s President Dutkiewicz. During the visit they were given a walking tour of

the facility and of course got to walk on and kick the ball around the fresh turf of the stadium. Tusk even got to score a goal whilst there.

In an interview with The Wrocław International, President Dutkiewicz i n f o r m e d u s o f P M Tusk’s impression of the stad ium and also the status of completion of the grand project. He s a i d t h a t s o f a r :

‘The Prime Minister was

pretty satisfied because he was informed before that this is the biggest investment countrywide but he was here today, present to touch it and to see it and I would say he was impressed and satisfied.’

In relation to the scope of the investment in Lower Silesia, he added:

‘The who le o ngo ing

infrastructure investment is 1 billion Polish złotych which is the equivalent of 2.5 mil lion euro.’

And the question that is on everyone’s lips, will it all be completed on time:

‘The project is going even better than ok, there are certain tensions, I mean always when you finish something you are a bit under stress but we are going to fulfill

everything that should be delivered.’

Sceptics who drive past the stadium every day will doubt that planned opening dates can be met as it still seems to be quite a building site. The politicians are positive however and as the opening events draw near, the truth will be told. 281 days are left to the start of EURO 2012 with many events beforehand.

Up and Coming Nadodrze

A four page special pull-out section on the planned area north of the city for regeneration and investment, c a l l e d N a d o d r z e , begins on P11

Best Cocktails in the City We scour the city’s bars and cafés to bring y o u t h e i r favourite in-house cocktail recipes and share them with you. P17

T h e E u r o p e a n Commission's proposed budget for the European Union is firmly focused on achieving the Europe 2 0 2 0 s t r a t e g y ' s objectives for smart, s u s t a i n a b l e a n d i n c l u s i v e g r o w t h . Investment in education, training and creativity is at the heart of the strategy and our future priorities. Investing in these areas is not an option; it is a

necessity if we are to build a strong knowledge economy. By targeting measures that achieve the most added value, I believe that we will deliver the best possible business and employment plan for the future of Europe.

Investing in Talent

The largest increase in all categories covered by the

proposed EU budget is for education, training and youth. €15.2 billion over seven years (2014-2020) for the new programme for education, training and youth would amount to an increase of 7 3 % o n c u r r e n t investment levels.

Too many young people still leave education with poor qualifications and there are too few higher

education graduates, w h i l e y o u t h u n e m p l o y m e n t i s unacceptably high in many countries. Without additional investment, we will fail to meet our 2020 targets to reduce the rate of early school leavers from 14% now to below 10%, and for at least 40% of all young people to have a higher education or equivalent degree.

Increased resources will enable the EU to help many more young people to boost their personal development and skills – which will help them have a fulfilling life but also improve their job prospects. It will also help Europe to achieve greater equity and excellence in education and to raise its game in the global race for talent.

, Multilingualism and Youth.

Culture - P6-9

Active Life - P18

Travel P19-20

Music - Page 21

Events - P22-23 Continued on Page 2

The EU's New Budget: Investing in Talent, Creativity and Innovation

Androulla Vassiliou

ph

oto

cre

dit R

afa

ł K

um

oro

wski

Grace Sexton

The Wrocław International September 2011

The School Year recom-mences, so good luck to all the students beginning another academic journey.

This month we have a wealth of culture to choose from, with the European Cultural Congress beginning at Hala Stulecia on the 8th, a true feast for the thinker. The Wratislavia Can-tans is back again for the classi-cal music fans and of course there are also many events tak-ing place this month in relation to the Polish Presidency of the European Commission which is hosted by Wrocław this month.

Last week we featured a letter and an opinion regarding Public

Disorder and Graffiti in Wro-cław. We are postponing print-ing the remainder of the articles for this publication in order to allow Wrocław Police Authori-ties to give us a response. We will therefore publish a more detailed special on these issues and additional information we have received in the coming weeks.

For readers who have an opin-ion to share on these or any other local matters, we welcome your opinions and comments. We also welcome photos that you would like to share with our readers. Please email us at [email protected]

It will allow us to support more co-operation between education institutions and the world of work, to encourage good prac-tices and make what we do more relevant for the labour market. I'm convinced that it will also help Member States to design and implement effective policies and reforms to support the mod-ernisation of education systems and institutions.

Currently, around 400,000 young people, students, teachers and researchers benefit each year from EU grants for study, train-ing and volunteering abroad through 'Erasmus', 'Youth in Ac-tion' and other schemes. Indeed, the success and recognition of our Erasmus exchange scheme – 2.5 million students have bene-fited from its support for studies and company placements since 1987 - convinced me to use the name 'Erasmus for all' for our new programme.

To some extent, our learning mobility schemes have been a victim of their own success: such is the demand for places we are turning down one in every two applicants due to insufficient resources. The additional funding will enable us to support many more people, possibly up to 800,000 per year across Europe.

Our funding would be comple-mented by significant support for education and training through the EU's Structural Funds for regional development and our budget for research and innova-tion. In the current budget (2007-2013), for instance, around €72.5 billion is being spent on educa-tion and training in Europe's re-

gions, and similar levels can be expected in future.

Streamlining Management.

I believe that the changes we are proposing – in particular the move towards a single, integrated funding programme - will help us achieve synergies and maximise impact. One of our new innova-tions will be a scheme to provide loan guarantees for Master's stu-dents on a full degree abroad. This would address a current gap in financial support.

Of course, this does not imply that we will provide any less sup-port for other categories of bene-ficiaries such as youth and voca-tional education projects.

For the first time, we will also have a dedicated sub-programme for sport focusing on transna-tional threats such as doping, violence and racism in sport, and to support cooperation between grassroots sport organisations.

Investing in Creativity

The Commission's plans include a new programme for the cultural and creative sector with funding totalling €1.6 billion (a 37% in-crease on current levels). 'Creative Europe' will bring to-gether the current Culture, ME-DIA and MEDIA Mundus pro-grammes. I wish to focus on those cultural and creative sectors that operate beyond borders and that promote cultural and linguis-tic diversity through increased circulation of creative works, inside and outside the EU.

The increase reflects the growing economic importance of the cul-tural and creative industries,

which account for 4.5% of EU GDP and 3.8% of employment. Investment in this area often pro-duces significant additional pub-lic and private funding, so the impact is all the greater.

Investing in Innovation

Investment in research and inno-vation would also be significantly increased in 2014-2020. The new EU 'Horizon 2020' strategy will boost Europe's global competi-tiveness and help create the jobs and ideas of tomorrow. The Marie Curie Actions, which sup-port the training and career de-velopment of young researchers, and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will be part of this programme. Both initiatives will receive a substantial financial support to develop their activities.

The EIT will contribute to bring-ing together the three sides of the knowledge triangle – education, innovation and research – and support the public private part-nerships known as knowledge and innovation communities which are at the heart of its strat-egy. Horizon 2020 will be closely linked to policy priorities such as health, food security and the bio-economy, energy and climate change.

Conclusion

My wish to increase investment in youth, creativity and innova-tion stems from my conviction that these are growth areas where Europe can achieve significant added value. I am committed to contributing to this objective and will present more detailed plans before the end of the year.

The International World Games 2017

The International World Games Association (IWGA) confirmed that Cape Town, Budapest and Wrocław are the three final candidates to host the Games in 2017. The bid process is very clear: the IWGA will release the final evaluation reports on the cities in December 2011, and the Executive Committee will announce the preferred bidder in January 2012. For more information, visit

www.theworldgames.org

Opening of the MWW Concert Scene

The shelter on Strzegomski square will open on September 2, 2011 and will become the temporary seat of the Contemporary Museum of Wrocław. On the 3rd and 4th of September a picnic will be held, and a concert experience including many artists. Dur-ing the picnic a Virtual Bike Station City of Wrocław will also be opened where it will be possible to return or borrow a bike by going to the Virtual Station at the shelter, calling 22 382 13 12 and indicat-ing the number of the bicycle. The opening event related to the Contemporary Museum of Wrocław runs from the 2nd to 4th of September. Admission is free and more details can be found at

www.muzeumwspolczesne.pl

National Honours Bestowed on Polish Heroes

On the 30th of August, a number of exceptionally high quality national honours, including Commander's Cross, Officer's Cross, Knight's Order of Restitution of Polish and Cross of Merit were awarded at the headquarters of the Lower Silesian Voivoidship Office in Wrocław. Among the honoured were repre-sentatives of "Solidarity", which will be awarded, inter alia, for out-standing contribution to Polish independence. At the Decision of the Polish President Bronisław Komorowski those honoured posthu-mously will include John Leonowicz, Zdzislaw Jankowski, George and Leon Suszyński.

FREE TICKETS FOR ALL for European Congress of Culture

The Congress consists of over 100 events (including debates, concerts, performances, film screenings, plays, exhibitions, per-formances, workshops, outdoor events), most of which is open. Within Centennial Hall, you will find, exhibitions and art installa-tions, as well as a special screening of Wrocław Fountain "Future Perfect" prepared by Brian Eno. All residents can also enjoy the outdoor pyrotechnic spectacle "Each one and Everybody" prepared by Groupe F (one of the most famous theatres in the world of pyro-technics). The performance will take place on 9 September at 21:30 on Słodowa Island. Free tickets may be collected from 2 to 6 Sep-tember in the Film Studio between 16:00 to 19:00. For detailed in-formation, www.culturecongress.eu.

NOW Civil Service Window is open even after 4pm!

The Municipality has extended opening hours at civil service offices until 5:15pm in order to meet public demand. These in-stitutions include: City Dweller Service/Centrum Obsługi Mieszkańca at st. G. Zapolskiej 2/4 and Bogusławski 10; Center Support Dweller/Centrum Obsługi Mieszkańca at pl. Nowy Targ 1/8; Taxpayer Service/Centrum Obsługi Podatnika at st. Kotlarska 41 and Registry Office at st. Wlodkowica 20/22.


3 City News

Komentator - Europe Germany Poland Lower Silesia is the monthly online portal which raises political and economic topics, publishes inter-views with leading politicians and businessmen, deals with EU and Polish-

German issues.

Dr Krzysztof Tokarz, Komentator’s Editor in Chief, is an expert in Polish-German relations. He has been published in media such as International Relationship, Polish-German POINT, Gazeta Lwowska. He has also given

expert commentary on Wprost TV, Polsat News & Wrocław Radio.

Ostatnie spotkanie niemieckiej kanclerz i francuskiego p r e z y d e n t a w P a r y ż u wywołało wiele zamieszania. Angela Merkel i Sarkozy chcieli zademonstrować światu francusko-niemiecki alians w kwestii rozwiązania kryzysu. Niemcy i Francuzi planują powołanie do życia wspólnego rządu gospodarczego dla wszystkich krajów mających euro. Powstałyby Europy dwóch prędkości w obrębie Unii Europejskiej. Kraje, które wprowadziły euro, będą miały zupełnie inne instrumenty do dyktowania warunków niż te, które tak jak Polska, są poza strefą euro. Z drugiej strony, jak mówi wicepremier obecnego rządu Waldemar Pawlak, po co teraz pchać się do strefy, która musi borykać się z poważnymi p r o b l e ma m i . P o wo ł a n i e w s p ó l n e g o s u p e r r z ą d u Eurolandu nie jest jedynie mrzonką. Sarkozy zadeklarował, że szefowie rządów 17 państw powinni się spotykać co najmniej dwa razy w roku. A nawet - kiedy zajdzie taka potrzeba - częściej. Ten rząd

powinien mieć mandat na co najmniej 2,5 roku sprawowania władzy. Jest już nawet pierwszy potencjalny prezydent tego planowego tworu. Sarkozy i Merkel zgodzili się co do tego, że powinien nim zostać urzędujący pierwszy prezydent Unii Europejskiej - Herman van Rompuy. Poszczególne kraje strefy euro będą zmuszone wpisać we własne konstytucje ograniczenia zadłużania się.

Niemcy i Francuzi nazywają to „ s a mo o g r a n i cz a n i e m s i ę państw”.

Merkel i Sarkozy planują wprowadzenie nowego podatku od transakcji bankowych. Zaproponowali wprowadzenie specjalnego wspólnego tylko n i e m i e c k o - f r a n c u s k i e g o podatku. Zbliżenie niemiecko-francuskie ostatnio nieco zapomniane, ma szansę odżyć na nowo. Bo jakby tych propozycji było mało, teraz rządy Niemiec i Francji chcą się spotkać w celu n a r a d z e n i a s i ę n a d konstruowaniem budżetu. No i nie można zapomnieć o sztandarowym pomyśle, który

jednak teraz wydaje się być mniej realny. Chodzi o w p r o w a d z e n i e t z w . euroobligacji, które miałyby być lekarstwem na kłopoty z k r y z y s e m w E u r o p i e . Stanowiłyby koło ratunkowe dla państw, które potrzebowałyby pomocy finansowej. Merkel wcześniej sprzyjała temu pomysłowi. Ale teraz zmienia zdanie. W jednym z wywiadów telewizyjnych powiedziała, że same euroobligacje nie uratują państw od skutków kryzysu f i n a n s o w e g o . S a r k o z y zaakcentował, że wprowadzenie euroobligacji „na koniec procesu integracji europejskiej” jest do pomyślenia.

Mieszane reakcje

Słowa Sarkozy'ego są bardzo istotne. Nie tylko Francuzi uważają, że proces integracji europejskiej następuje w ramach strefy euro.

Merkel jest oszczędna w słowach ze względu na ograniczone pole manewru. Euroobligacjom bardzo mocno sprzeciwiał się koalicyjny

partner w jej rządzie FDP. Państwa, które pozostaną poza strefą euro, będą pozbawione możliwości wpływania na znaczące decyzje. Przykład mamy dzisiaj. Chociaż Polska stoi na czele Prezydencji UE, to nikt nie zaprasza naszych przywódców na spotkania ministrów czy szefów rządu "eurolandu". Symptomatyczne są też reakcje na te pomysły w samych Niemczech. Opozycja uznała pomysł eurorządu za

trafiony. Pojawiły się jedynie zarzuty o brak konkretów. Na razie nie widać też pomysłów ze strony krajów UE nie mających wspólnej waluty. Ciekawe co zrobi Polska, czy zostanie zmuszona do przyjęcia euro, i to jak najszybciej, aby nie zostać wykluczona z podejmowania strategicznych dla UE decyzji? Polscy politycy przed wyborami wolą siedzieć cicho. Brak pomysłu i zadecydowania w tej sprawie widać gołym okiem.

Wiele Hałasu O Nic?

Much Ado About Nothing? The recent meeting between the German Chancellor and French President in Paris caused quite a storm. Angela Merkel and Sarkozy wanted to demonstrate their Franco Ger-man alliance in solving the crisis. The Germans and French plan to call up a com-mon economic government for all nations with the Euro. A two-speed Europe would arise within the European Union. Countries which had adopted the

Euro would have completely different instruments for dictat-ing conditions to those, includ-ing Poland, which are outside the Euro zone. On the other hand, according to current Dep-uty Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak, why push our way into a zone which is having to strug-gle with serious problems. The appointment of a European su-per government is not purely a pipe-dream. Sarkozy declared that the leaders of 17 nations

should meet at least twice a year. And where the need arises, even more frequently. This govern-ment should have a 2.5 year mandate. There is even a poten-tial president for this planned creation. Sarkozy and Merkel are in agreement that he should be the first president of the European Council - Herman van Rompuy. Individual Euro zone nations will have to write limita-tions on national debt into their constitutions. The Germans and French call this “self-discipline”. Merkel and Sarkozy are plan-ning to introduce a new tax on bank transactions. They have proposed the introduction of a special exclusively Franco Ger-man tax. The warming of Franco German relations, recently somewhat forgotten, may now become revived. For as if these proposals were not enough, the French and German govern-ments now want to meet to con-sult over budgeting. And one

cannot forget the flagship idea, which however now seems less realistic, and that is the release of the so-called Eurobond, which was meant to be the rem-edy to the crisis problems in Europe. This would provide a lifeline to nations in need of financial aid. Merkel earlier sup-ported this idea, but has now reconsidered. In one television interview she said that Euro-bonds alone would not rescue a country from the effects of the financial crisis. Sarkozy empha-sized that the issue of Eurobonds would be imaginable “at the end of the European integration process”.

Mixed reactions

Sarkozy’s words are very sig-nificant. It is not only the French who see the process of European integration occurring within the Euro zone. Merkel is terse due to lack of room to manoeuvre. Her coalition partner in the FDP gov-

ernment vehemently objected to Eurobonds. Nations outside the Euro zone will be deprived of any influence on significant de-cisions. We can see this today. Although Poland now presides over the European Council, no-body invites our leaders to "Euroland" ministerial or lead-ers’ meetings. The reactions to these new ideas within Germany itself are also symptomatic. The opposition saw the Euro govern-ment idea favourably, with the only criticism being that there were no concrete details. At pre-sent, there are no visible ideas coming from EU nations without the common currency. It is inter-esting what Poland will do – will it be forced to adopt the Euro, and as quickly as possible, to not be barred from strategic EU de-cision-making? The Polish poli-ticians prefer to sit quietly just before the elections. But a lack of idea and decisiveness here are clearly visible.

Krzysztof Tokarz

-C.A

LIX

-C.A

LIX


4

Ad

ve

rtis

em

en

t

20/9 - 30/9 - EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES

20/09 - 24/9 - Competition "Rally at the institutions"

Alliance Française, European Parliament Information Office, Lower Silesian Public Library: Library 7 Continents, the Foundation

Bente Kahan, European Commission, Regional Representation, Österreich Institut, the Austrian Library, Centre for Examination

DELE SJO University of Economics

Questions and rules of the contest can be found at www.edj.waw.pl or in individual institutions partner.

Awards: Semester German language course, semester course in French, Spanish-year course and book awards.

The draw ceremony will take place on 26 September during a concert.

EVENTS

20/09 at 09:00 - Workshop A ESCENA (A2), DELE Examination Centre for Foreign Languages University

21/09 at 09:00 - Austrian Breakfast at Austrian Institute, Plac Solny 14a

22/09 at 09:00 - French Breakfast at Alliance Française, Rynek 58

23/09 at 10:00 - Classes for Students: Journey of ‘'Deutsch Wagen" in the world of German, Rynek, Wrocław

24/09 from 10:00 to 13:45 - Activities for teachers of German: The projects of "Leichte Lektüren" Media Library

Language at German Lower Silesia Public Library

26/09 from 09:00 to 10:30 - English Breakfast at Masala Indian Restaurant, ul. Kuźnicza 3 (5zl for breakfast)

27/09 from 18:00 to 19:00 - English language café by Queen’s School of English at Mleczarnia, Włodkowica 5

28/09 from 10:30 to 12:30 - Multilingual coffee morning by International Friends of Wrocław at

ul. Piłsudskiego 44a

28/09 from 14:30 to 15:30 - English language café by GB English School at John Bull Pub, pl. Solny 6/7

29/09 from 19:30 to 21:00 - Pub Quiz in English at John Bull Pub, pl. Solny 6/7

30/09 from 20:00 to 22:00 - Polish Language Café by In-Polish Language School at John Bull Pub, pl. Solny 6/7

Alliance Francaise, Rynek 58, III Floor Austrian Library, Plac Uniwersytecki 1 Lower Silesian Public Library, Rynek 58

Bente Kahan Foundation, ul. Włodkowica 5 Gimanzjum No. 18, Młodych Techników 58

Gimnazjum nr 34, ul. Zemska 16 Goethe Institut Krakow, Rynek Główny 20, Kraków

ORGANISERS

The Wrocław International, ul. Krucza 68/9

MEDIA PARTNER

PARTNERS Cultural Department of the French Embassy in Poland, Rynek 58 Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Austria, Plac Solny 14a

Municipality of Wrocław, pl. Nowy Targ 1/8 International Friends of Wrocław, ul. Piłsudskiego 44a

26/09 – EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES

Various classes for elementary school children / entry by registration

Reading workshop for high school students / entry by registration

Workshop "Science is fun" for children and young people / entry by registration

How to become a translator of European institutions / Admission Free

Workshop "Knowledge about Austria" / entry by registration

Workshop "French with interactive whiteboard" for preschool children / entry by registration

Labrinyth Linguistic Treasure for kids aged 6 to 16

OTHER EVENTS

11:00 to 18:00 - various plays and films at White Stork Synagogue, ul. Włodkowica 7

18:00 onwards - concerts (including dance, songs in European languages and plays)

The program is subject to change Current information on www.edj.waw.pl


5 Business

As announced in our e-weekly edition last week, Krzysztof Hołub is the new boss at Aquapark (Wrocławski Park Wodny SA). He took over the reigns at the beginning of August and at the end of the month, his wide smile and friendly, calm demeanour is still intact despite initial controversy over his imposition of enforced swimsuit wearing in the saunas.

Background Mr Hołub hails from the city of Koszalin in the north west of Poland. He is a legal advisor by training and last worked in Koszalin as the Deputy President of the City.

Moving to Wrocław For him, the decision to move to Wrocław was easy. A combination of three factors made his mind up for him. Probably the most important of these factors is that he has a Wrocławianka girlfriend, so his home is where his heart is. Secondly, he is and has long been a fan of and believer in Dutkiewicz, our President. Lastly, he has succumbed, like so many of us, to the charming and vibrant atmosphere and character that is Wrocław.

Objectives Mr Hołub’s ambitions for the year ahead are to ensure that the company is a great working environment for its employees. He sees employee confidence as a key driver in the success of the

business and plans to roll-out initiatives during the year to bolster employee satisfaction. Interestingly enough, although a sports/swimming background is imperative for many of the positions at Aquapark, even more vital is character and the ability to stay calm in a crisis. In fact, Mr Hołub and his team really consider the overall personality of the individual they are hiring so that they can work in an environment where they care for so many children.

Of course, another key objective of Mr Hołub’s will be, not only to maintain the profitability of the business, but to maximise it. The first major task in this journey is to improve and increase sales, particularly in the lesser known products that Aquapark possesses. It seems surprising to those who know about the treasures of the Wellness Spa at Aquapark that apparently this is still a product secret to some.

The New PPP Scheme W ro c ł a w’s M u n i c i p a l i t y recently announced that it is looking for private investors to partner with the city and build swimming pools in five locations around Wrocław. Of course this scheme will take many years to be completed but positively investors have already started talking to the City. Mr Hołub was equally upbeat about this new partnership scheme. He acknowledges and realises that everyone wants a pool near their home or their children’s school. So the new scheme

should address these needs to a certain extent. Rather than seeing these new pools as competition, Mr Hołub sees them as an opportunity for Aquapark to actually become part of this partnership and use the history and experience already at Aquapark to manage these privately funded pools for the investors. Of course, no decision has been made about this but certainly something worth keeping an eye on.

New Offers Mr Hołub shared that next week a new product will be launched at Aquapark which should save everyone a bit of money.

Basically for a fee of 10zł per month a regular patron will be able to obtain a 10% discount on the admission charges to the facilities. This is designed to benefit those who like to use the pool and facilities all year round.

New Facilities Like any business, implementing plans depends on financing. High on the wishlist of A q u a p a r k a r e a f e w improvements and additions to facilities. These include a new Saunarium with a small pool inside and maybe a small bar. This plan will mean the extension of the existing building. Any keen investors

out there should talk to Mr Hołub about this project as investment is being sought to implement it.

Preparing for EURO 2012 Mr Hołub is keen to ensure that his staff knows how to deal with the international mix of clients that might enter Aquapark especially during some of the major events this year. He intends to provide additional language lessons to staff and some cultural customer service training to ensure a greater welcome at Aquapark. He wants to bring the open and friendly attitude he learnt in Koszalin to Wrocław.

Grace Sexton

Aquapark, The Future Looks Bright

HP Employee Engagement Goes Out to the Community

It all began in 1940, just two years after first product of HP had been invented, when Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard made the first donation to charity. Years later Packard explained in an interview, that he does not believe companies existed only for the sake of profit: while compromising a company, a group of people should also contribute some-thing worthwhile to the soci-ety, as well as show concern for work/life balance.

Roughly 30% of the week is dedicated to work. It is of great value to spend this time in the

environment, where one feels able to make an actual differ-ence. With a wide range of em-ployee initiatives at HP Wro-cław, this difference spreads further onto the local commu-nity.

During 2010 flood HP employ-ees supported those who suf-fered the most in the region of Lower Silesia with basic need goods such as building materi-als, cleaning supplies and cloth-ing. They also run bone marrow and blood donation campaigns on a regular basis and will be organizing the lucky 13th edi-tion in September. Those who

decided to donate their bone marrow so far encourage other colleagues and admit to have thought about donating even more during one of HP blood donation campaigns. “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” they say. The HP campaigns are also driven to strengthen conscious-ness of the constant need for blood and bone marrow dona-tion, so the educational aspect is important to foster employee engagement.

Strive for social responsibility is often combined with HP cele-brations. During an annual HP Picnic in summer, funds were

raised for a local orphanage. As this event is organized for both employees and their families, the contributions exceeded the inter-nal engagement, highlighting company’s approach towards those in need. Upcoming cele-bration of Marketing Depart-ment anniversary will again bring attention to a charity ac-tion. This time HP employees will be supporting 15 years old Krystian, whose life has changed rapidly after a serious illness. Bringing the employees together to make the boy’s dream come true is a great proof that amazing things can truly happen.

Having Dave Packard’s convic-tion as an evergreen reference, HP employees see a great poten-tial in common engagement to give back to the community. After all, strength lies in unity.

Aleksandra Guzdek

Ph

oto

co

urt

esy

of

Aq

ua

pa

rk

Ph

oto

co

urt

esy

of

HP

Words of thanks


Ph

oto

: ww

w.c

ult

ure

con

gre

ss.e

u/e

n/p

eo

ple

/gro

up

e_F

6 Culture

In September, Wrocław is going to be one of the most culturally thriving spots in Poland. Apart from the many cultural events related to the Wratislavia Cantans festival and the International Fringe Festival, the European Congress of Culture (ECC) will be held in the city from September 8-11, organised as part o f the Cultural Programme of the Polish EU Presidency.

This exceptional gathering will last four days and include 100 interdisciplinary events and p r o j e c t s , f o l l o w e d b y discussions on contemporary culture based on the book, “Culture in a Liquid Modern World”, by Prof. Zygmunt Bauman, written especially for the Congress. The highlights will be a meeting of EU Ministers of Culture, as well as debates on various topics to be attended by 300 eminent guest artists, philosophers, academics and activists, including Zygmunt Bauman, Jean Fabre, Olivero Toscani, Azra Akšamija and Stefan Kaegi.

The initiative called, “A Soul for Europe”, will focus on the cooperation between EU decision makers and institutions, governments of speci fic c o u n t r i e s a n d a c t i v e representatives of EU social organisations. The “Culture in Action” panel will discuss the issue of how cultural changes have influenced systemic transformation in the case of North African and Middle

Eastern movements and compare these to the democratic changes in Central and Eastern Europe. Some of the crucial issues of other panels will be: culture and economy, power and culture, what it means to be European, how ideas are recycled in art, and the relationship between art and science. Anyone focused on culture will be able to find a topic of interest, discussed and conducted by the leading European artist and intellectuals.

However, as the discussions will be followed by many artistic even t s inc lud ing p lays , performances, concerts, film screenings, musical events and

exhibitions, the ECC will also be a real treat for laymen. Along with one-off events, such as “1973”, the play by Massimo Furlano recreating the 1973 Eurovision contest as a TV show and Krzysztof Penderecki c o n c e r t s w i t h J o h n n y Greenwood or Aphex Twin, there will also be recurrent performances taking place. The “European Green Card Lottery” has been created by the Parisian cooperative Société Réaliste to cast light on the problem of global migration and EU immigration policy and will be performed every day of the congress. Others include “77 million drops”, a musical-visual

project at the Wrocław Multimedia Fountain created by famous composer Brian Eno, and “Waiting Room. 0”, a play written and directed by Krystian Lupa with the contribution of Dorota Masłowska, both to be performed during the first three days of the congress. “Rainbow S t a n d 2 0 1 2 ” , a n o t h e r outstanding spectacle created by Monika Strzępka and Paweł Demirski, which takes on the problem of the discrimination and commercialization of the public space, will be played twice. The exhibitions displayed at the Four Domes Pavilion, such as “Wege zur Behandlung von Schmerzen”, the installation of Mirosław Bałka, one of Poland 's most renowned contemporary sculptors, and “10 x 10”, an exhibition based on an international project created by multiple artists, will also be open to the general public during all days of the festival.

There will be many other interesting events, such as concerts at the festival club, workshops, etc. These will mainly take place at the newly renovated and enhanced Centennial Hall and the area surrounding it; however, some of them will occur in other Wrocławian cultural spaces. For example, the fireworks theater Groupe F will perform at Słodowa Island. The European film review, “Funny Games EU”, will be shown in the “Warszawa” cinema for the duration of the congress. The selection of films will display

the richness of European cinema by presenting its different trends, from neorealism to the struggle against censorship.

In the coming days Wrocław will host the world’s foremost intellectuals and take on the discussion of important cultural issues. This will slightly remind us of another event which was held in the city over sixty years ago. In 1948, the World Congress of Intellectuals in Defence of Peace was held in the Centennial Hall. The event was attended by over 400 renowned personalities along the lines of Pablo Picasso and Julian Huxley, mostly leftist in affiliation. The congress was warmly welcomed by the participants at the beginning but after a speech by chairmen of Russian delegation attacking the USA, it became obvious that it was only a propaganda event organised by Soviet and Polish communists to criticize the USA. As a result, many guests left the congress before it ended, however in the public memory it remained as a big success.

Present ly, the European Congress of Culture has a chance to overshadow this event and, what is more important, to become a new chapter in the history of European culture by accomplishing in practice the idea of synthesis of the arts and ending with 19th and 20th century tradition of the arts division.

For more information, visit www.culturecongress.eu

Culture All Around Us Jolanta

Alliance Française Wrocław more than school

for less than you think

We invite you to our:

French language courses

- Registration from 1st September

- all levels of teaching

- conversations

- courses for secondary school certifications and DELF/DALF

- specialist courses

- courses for firms on request

- individual lessons

- intensive holiday courses

Polish courses for foreigners

Exam/Test centre for DELF/DALF

- State Diploma of the French Ministry of Education

- Exams for adults

- DELF Junior - exam for youngsters

- DELF PRIM - exam for the school children

KONTAKT: Sekretariat AF, Rynek 58, Wrocław, tel. 71-344-22-72, e-mail: [email protected]

www.alliance.wroclaw.pl www.facebook.com/AF.wroclaw

Groupe F is one of the most famous fireworks theaters in the

Culture of Congress 2011.

Ad

ve

rtis

em

en

t


7

Grammar Secrets 4 - When Polish Makes You Dizzy

Culture

When you start learning Polish, and you take it seriously, one of the symptoms you can have is a headache (ból głowy). When my students complain that all the grammar exceptions give them a headache, I am really happy because it occurs to me (przychodzi mi do głowy) that they are doing very well racking their brains (łamiąc sobie głowę) trying to get to know all the grammar secrets of Polish. It means that they are making a great effort to understand what is going on with this difficult language, that they are using their heads (ruszają głową) and for sure that they have a head for learning languages (mają głowę do języków).

After passing the first level exam of Polish (B1), or even earlier, you have the right to hold your head high (trzymać głowę wysoko), and I accept that success can go to students’ heads (sukces może uderzyć im do głowy) when they get their first certificate from one of the most difficult languages in the

world. Their heads can go round and round from this success (od sukcesu może im sie zakręcić w głowie).

But sometimes a teacher’s head can split (głowa mi pęka) from listening to all the theories that Polish is impossible to learn. During the process of learning, we always come to a point where we think that we cannot improve anymore. This kind of crisis is absolutely normal, and many times it is hard to see quick progress - especially at higher levels - because students must control a lot of things at the same time.

Instead of burying their heads in the sand (chować głowę w piasek) and escaping from the course, or becoming so angry that they bang their heads against a brick wall (walić głową w mur), I try to convince my students to not lose their heads (nie tracić głowy) and to put the idea of giving up learning Polish out of their heads (wybić im to z głowy) for a bit.

Of course, so many men, so

many minds (co głowa to rozum), but I suggest taking a little holiday and then go back to studying when you return. Maybe I live up in the clouds (z głową w chmurach), but this method always works.

I dedicate this article to all of my Dear Students who have had headaches as a result of studying Polish. There is nothing wrong with you; a headache actually means that you worked so hard that you deserve a little holiday. And when you come back, you’ll see how good you are. So, “Głowa do góry”! (Cheer up!)

By the way, you cannot imagine how many uses the word “głowa” (head) has! (Please see glossary to the right.)

Edyta Juszczyszyn is a qualified and experienced teacher of Polish for foreigners. She teaches individual and group courses of Polish for foreigners at all levels. During her years of teaching, she has worked with many foreigners from many d i f f e r e n t c u l t u r e s . [email protected]

Dra

win

g b

y P

au

lin

a M

ag

er

This month, I want to focus on a few cultural differences that should be of interest to both Brits living and working in Poland and Poles who work with Brits in Poland. If you work together, it really helps to understand each other. Below you will find three things that happen frequently.

Eyes down and away we go! No surprises here. But interestingly, if you happen to be in the lift with a stranger who alights at a floor before you, this person will suddenly make eye contact, smile politely and say 'Do widzenia'. This is still shocking for me - we didn't even get to know each other, yet you (the stranger in the lift) bids me farewell as if we did. You can't help but feel cheated. If there was a 'Dzien dobry' at the beginning of our journey together, then a 'Do widzenia' would seem fitting. In Britain, we generally just keep our heads down and avoid eye contact. So, the next time you get into a lift, why not say 'Dzien Dobry' and see what happens!

Poles have a habit of announcing arrival in two ways: If they are up close, there is a frenzy of handshaking with anyone within 2-metres. With more room to breathe, a Pole walking into a large open-space will say 'Dzien dobry' and simultaneously raise his/her head in an upward nod. Of course, no-one is likely to pay the slightest notice. Similarly, this display of action and words is repeated when leaving a company, this time by saying 'Do widzenia' while nodding the head, this time in a downward fashion. Again, no-one will pay much attention. Poles themselves are generally unaware of this and will vehemently deny it happens until you provide them with damning evidence, which isn't very difficult to do. In Britain, it depends: sometimes office-workers will say 'Hi' or 'All right' but only to individuals or small groups; other times entering and leaving is accompanied by Simon & Garfunkel's 'The sound of silence'.

Poles definitely know how to do it better, in my opinion. If you are invited to a party you will discover that it is very much a group effort: Hania will make some salad, Maciek will provide the music and everyone will bring alcohol. If anything is uneaten or drunk, it stays with the host. If supplies run low, there is a quick whip-round or you will simply be poured the next drink without knowing where it came from. After a while, people are dancing on the tables.

Engl i sh par t ie s , t ho ugh nonetheless enjoyable, take on a slightly different character: everyone brings the exact amount of alcohol they plan to consume, there is absolutely no dancing and a witch-hunt could halt the fun at any moment to investigate what happened to Lee's 4th can of Heineken that mysteriously vanished from the fridge-door. However, we usually tell a lot of jokes and sometimes play drinking games which are always appreciated.

The key difference between a Brit and a Pole at a party is that a Brit will leave the party without saying goodbye, whereas a Pole will announce his/her departure, but somehow doesn't leave!

Terence Clark-Ward has been living in Wrocław for the past 11 years and is director of 'The Queen's School of English and author of Żegnajcie Błędy – An-gielski dla Polaków", a book ad-dressing mistakes frequently made by Polish speakers of English.

New English examination courses from October 2011!

www.queensenglish.pl

A Few Things You Might Notice After A While...(Part 1)

GLOSSARY

Ból głowy – Headache

Coś mi przychodzi do głowy – Something occurs to me

Łamać sobie głowę – To rack one’s brain

Ruszać głową – To use one’s head

Mieć głowę do języków – To have a head for languages

Trzymać głowę wysoko – To hold one’s head high

Sukces uderza do głowy – Success goes to one’s head

Głowa mi pęka – My head is splitting

Chować głowę w piasek – To bury one’s head in the sand

Walić glową w mur – To bang one’s head against a brick wall

Nie tracić glowy – To not lose one’s head

Wybić sobie coś z głowy – To put something out of one’s head

Co głowa, to rozum – So many men, so many minds

Żyć z głową w chmurach – To live up in the clouds

Może się zakręcić w głowie – One’s head can go round and round

Edyta Juszczyszyn

Terence Clark-Ward

eyes down and away we go! - oczy w dół i i zacznijmy! (mowi się na początku gry bingo)

to alight - wysiadać

to bid someone farwell - pożegnać

to feel cheated - czuć się oszukanym

to see what happens - zobaczyć co się dzieje

up close - z bliska

frenzy - szał

to nod - kiwać

to vehemently deny - gwałtownie zaprzeczać

damning evidence - obciążające dowody

supplies - zapasy

whip-round - zbiórka pieniędzy

nonetheless - niemniej jednak

witchhunt - polowanie na czarownice

to halt - zatrzymać się

ENTERING & EXITING A LARGE COMPANY

PARTIES GLOSSARY

GETTING INTO A LIFT


8 Culture

14.09. 2011 (Wednesday)

SIBEL KOSE & Z. LEWANDOWSKI TRIO- OPENING

19:00, main auditorium (Poland, Turkey)

15.09.2011 (Thursday)

OPAT- TE-O-KA Theatre 19:00, main auditorium

(Poland)

MALARZ PATRZY NA WROCŁAW- exhibition 19:00,

ImpArt gallery

INWILIGATOR- Paweł Modzelewski- art project

19:00, "Na Dole" gallery

16.09.2011 (Friday)

JOHN MORAN...AND HIS NEIGHBOR, SAORI 19:00,

main auditorium (USA)

ZDZISŁAW NITKA- TŁUMACZENIE SZTUKI

WSPÓŁCZESNEJ LISKOWI 19:00, small auditorium

17.09.2011 (Saturday)

JOHN MORAN...AND HIS NEIGHBOR, SAORI 19:00,

main auditorium (USA)

MICHAŁ ZYGMUNT- KONCERT 20:30, small audito-

rium (Poland)

18.09.2011 (Sunday)

ZŁAMANE PAZNOKCIE. RZECZ O MARLENIE

DIETRICH 19:00, small auditorium (Poland)

21.09.2011

(Wednesday)

ARDEF- premiera

monodramu Anny

Skubik, 19:00,

small auditorium

(Poland)

ANDRZEJ DUDEK-

DÜRER-

Przekraczanie 19:00

22.09.2011 (Thursday)

KOMPLEKS PORTNOYA- Teatr Konsekwetny 19:00,

small auditorium

23.09.2011 (Friday)

LENINGRAD- rock musical 19:00, small auditorium

24.09.2011 (Saturday)

EYES IN THE COLORS OF THE RAIN-RootlessRoot

Company 19:00, main auditorium

EDGAR ALLAN POOH: RAVEN- Vesele Skoky Thea-

tre 20:30, small auditorium

25.09.2011 (Sunday)

PUNKTY MISTYCZNE- Piotr Piesiewicz 15:00, arket

Place- City Centre- Wrocław

WIELKI EGZAMIN- music show, dir. J. Szydłowski

small auditorium

26.09.2011 (Monday)

REQUIESCAT- Theatralia 19:00, main auditorium

27.09.2011 (Tuesday)

REQUIESCAT- Theatralia 19:00, main auditorium

SPECIAL JAZZ SEXTET- concert 20:00, small audi-

torium

28.09.2011 (Wednesday)

SCHOOL FOR NEW DANCE DEVELOPMENT -

"Exercises for Hero"

SCHOOL FOR NEW DANCE DEVELOPMENT -

"Billions"

29.09.2011 (Thursday)

SCHOOL FOR NEW DANCE DEVELOPMENT-

"Patchwork. Model techniczny"

SCHOOL FOR NEW DANCE DEVELOPMENT-

"D.I.Y. Dive in Yourself"

02.10.2011 (Sunday)

AKCJA GRUPY STARY BANAN 16:00,

Świdnicka Street

ŚWIĘTO WIOSNY- dance theatre 18:00,

main auditorium

04.10.2011 (Thusday)

WSZYSTKO, CO CHCIELIBYŚCIE WIEDZIEĆ O

TEATRZE, A BOICIE SIĘ ZAPYTAĆ-

Teatr Montownia 18:00,

small auditorium

SZELMOSTWA SKAPENA- Teatr Montownia 21:00,

small auditorium

05.10.2011 (Wednesday)

MARCIN FIC- koncert jazzowy 19:00,

small auditorium

07.10.2011 (Friday)

TRAKTAT O MANEKINACH- Teatr Wierszalin

19:00, main auditorium

The festival will present fresh new and influential performances by innovative choreographers and young talents from different countries, and featured artists with an extensive fringe programme. The festival presents work of independent dance artists from Poland as well as abroad, fro m up-and-coming young talent as well as more established artists.

Venues for Performances include:

Impart Art Centre (www.impart.art.pl)

CIA www.cia.wroclaw.pl)

Mleczarnia (www.mle.pl)

Nietota (www.nietota.pl)

Zaklete Rewiry (www.zakleterewiry.pl)

Puzzle Klub (Przejście Garncarsie 2)

Browar Mieszczański (www.browar.wroc.pl)


9 Culture

For those of you who never leave the Rynek, there is a lot more beyond its boundaries. In fact, a place of welcome for art lovers lies not far from the Na-tional Museum and in between the Voivoidship office and the Marshall’s office. There you will find Teatr Piosenki or Im-part Arts Centre. Not a theatre in the sense of the national or contemporary theatres, rather a venue with three different stages for the performing arts. The Director, Anna Wołek, is one of those strong, intelligent women that you are immedi-ately drawn to because of her warmth and passion for her job. Despite her distinguished pro-fessional pedigree and position, she remains down to earth and unassuming.

Background Prior to her colourful career, Anna actually started out by studying Theatrology (Theatre Studies) at the famous Jagel-lonian University of Kraków. As fate would have it, her deci-sion to travel to London to visit historical theatre archives there as part of her post-graduate stud-ies changed her life forever. She was due to return to her home in Kraków on the 22nd of Decem-ber 1981. On the 13th of De-cember 1981 Martial Law was declared in Poland. Anna was thus trapped in London (from 1981 to 1989) and her life and career took an unexpected turn. As a result of residing in London she became the first foreign cor-respondent employed at the Lon-don office of The Economist.

Coming Home It is hard to imagine the feelings one would have about returning to one’s homeland after so many years and such turbulent times. Anna explains that it was indeed very strange for her in the begin-ning and she did not know what to expect. Her first welcome was not the best as she was treated very unpleasantly at bor-der control and her passport was confiscated. She was interro-gated by the SB Security agency

in Kraków, particularly about her work for Radio Free Europe. Of course, she was overwhelmed to see Poland and her family. For her it was the first time she un-derstood what it means to be home and to cherish it. Anna made the most of any opportu-nity she had to visit Polish thea-tres, eat Polish food, her favour-ite Polish breads and of course spend time with friends.

The first time Anna came back to Poland for good was in 2007 when she was headhunted for a position with Austrian Bank, Creditastalt in Warsaw. Her passion has however always been the theatre, never as a crea-tive or director but as a historian, reviewer or culture manager.

About Impart Arts Centre Impart has been a centre for the performing arts since 1990 but has existed at its current location under various names and guises for the past 30 years. Activities

before consisted mainly of or-ganising festivals, there was an in-house orchestra and Impart’s own theatre productions. It is not a true theatre, Impart does not employ actors or have its own repertoire.

When Anna arrived the orchestra and theatre were gone and she had a real challenge on her hands to reorganise the space and revi-talise the image and activities of the centre. She had to transform a space that was mainly used for pop concerts into a working cen-tre for the arts, establishing a gallery, improving the quality of the bar and café and much more.

Impart has always been a song theatre. Indeed this is something very popular in Poland. Every year the Przegląd Piosenki Ak-torskiej (PPA) Review of Stage Songs performed by actors takes place in Wrocław and is a big hit. This is now managed by Capitol Theatre.

Anna saw a lot of potential at Impart when she first came here. She also found talented individu-als to assist in bringing Impart back to life, such as Krzysztof Dziedzic, the Gallery Curator.

Future Plans Anna has a vision of Impart that encompasses not only Polish contemporary and traditional arts but also indeed those of other countries and cultures. In her view, Impart should be a place

for all, a multi-cultural arts cen-tre along the lines of the South Bank in London, Pompidou in Paris or the Lincoln in New York; a place where you can pop in, visit the gallery, have lunch, catch a show or an opening.

Of course, to achieve anything it takes time and each step Impart takes will bring Anna’s dream to fruition. Right now, part of the renovation of the main hall has been completed. A lot more renovation is required. Most of the funds for Impart come from the City, however, the theatre does also rent out its space to privately organised events in order to make money for the free events that Impart regularly holds. Anna explains that it is important to have a balance of mainstream acts that produce money in order to finance the less popular but equally impor-tant artistic endeavours, for ex-ample Impart’s Dance Theatre.

IFF This September, something spe-cial is happening, the 1st Inter-disciplinary Fringe Festival in Wrocław. Since arriving in Wrocław in July 2009, Anna noticed that Wrocław has so many events going on. She saw the possibility to replicate the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festi-val here in this city. The atmos-phere at such a festival where so

many events are happening at the same time is second to none.

In Edinburgh the festival dates back to 1947 when the city had only eight theatres and many acts were not accepted. Thus the fringe began to cater for these acts that has no home.

‘My dream was that one day I would find a place in Poland where this kind of event could be possible.’

Because this is the first edition of IFF in Wrocław, Impart has invited a number of artists and performers. The organisers have been pleasantly surprised by the level of applications they have had with about 20 theatrical groups, about 9 dancers, 3 musi-cians and 4 painters and per-formers. The acts originate from Poland, Czech Republic, China, Germany, France and Italy. The performances are taking place at Impart and its partners for the event, Mleczarnia Café, Zaklęte Rewiry, The Centre for Art Ini-tiatives (CIA), Puzzle Club, Bro-war Mieszczański, Nietota and some other venues and galleries.

In the long term, Anna wants to see the IFF firmly fixed in the annual calendar, have more multi-cultural events, host a dance and theatre company from Cologne. Also that Impart will have its own theatrical and song theatre production and more dance workshops which have recently started with a young French dancer/choreographer. With the coming of Wrocław, European

City of Culture 2016, Anna is trying to extend Impart’s interna-tional contacts and hopes to have a fruitful collaboration with other countries in which she lived and worked, maybe even establishing an Asian Cultural Centre at Impart.

Seating within the newly renovated main stage of Impart The new VIP room at Impart

Comfy seats sponsored by Almi Decor compliment the Exhibition Gallery in Impart

Grace Sexton


10 Country Page: Mexico

Hello, I am a journalist from Mexico City who arrived in Wrocław with the spirit of research and adventure. It has been one month since my arrival and I often find myself contemplating about Mexico. Being here has also made me understand the true meaning of the quotation above. I find it amazing how easy it is to reflect o n t h e s i t u a t i o n a n d circumstances back home while being away. In Poland’s case, especially Wrocław, I see residents live in a complete state of peace; it is a gorgeous place for walking, drinking a beer, watching the sunset and enjoying good company. So, realizing what Octavio Paz said and witnessing the stark contrast in our culture and attitudes, I decided to write an article about what is going on with my country. I hope to share a glimpse of realities of life in Mexico; maybe also give a reason to be grateful for this calm, which is earned after much sacrifice.

More than 30,000 dead people in the last four years as a civil war rages on inside the country. Millions of Mexicans that live in a constant state of fear because of criminality and v io lence that can be considered as macabre. This is why many people are really asking, ‘What is exactly happening in the United States of Mexico?’ (For those who did not know that is the official name.)

The story begins in year 1821 when Mexico became an

independent country. Since its inception, mafia has existed and p ro l i fe ra t ed b ecause o f corruption. As time passed, this special group of terrorists became a very powerful organization during the 20th century and today has become very difficult to penetrate.

Fortunately for Mexico, four years ago President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa decided to stop hidden agreements that were being made between Federal Government and Mafia. The first action Calderon took was to openly declare war on these criminals in order to combat insecurity, kidnapping, drug trafficking, with the aim to convert Mexican territory into a very safe place for all the families.

As a result of President Felipe’s crackdown against crime (particularly drug trafficking and mafia), since 2007, the Army has been fighting the narcos, (name of the Mexican Mafia), all over Mexico and especially in and around Southern part of the country. Nonetheless, as expected, terrorists have taken to the offensive as well by killing men, women, children, infants and the elderly. It has proven to be very difficult to defeat these various individually operating groups. These groups are known as cartels. There is also evidence of in-fighting among the cartels for the control of drug territory. Yet another piece of the puzzle in the midst of mass killings.

However, facing difficult odds, Federal Government has obtained unprecedented results

with many important successes against the narcos. For example, Arturo Beltran Leyva, a worldwide infamous drug-dealer, who was killed in action in 2009 by the marines. It is important to note that Beltran Leyva was in the list of dangerous terrorists of the CIA and Interpol.

While this war rages on, on the other hand, citizens are facing another problem called the floor right. This means mafia menaces storekeepers from small and middle cities with the purpose of extortion. If the owner of the store refuses to pay between 300-500 euros per month, then his/her family would be killed.

As the marines and army proceed with the difficult job of destroying drug facilities, it seems to add chaos to an already complex environment. That is, addition of the army to an already complex web of five or six cartels with infighting.

Given this complexity, it is impossible to contemplate the end of conflicts and hostilities. However, the government has a clear vision of what they want, and this is why, one may think, it is a myth that things are getting worse in Mexico. Everyday, mafia is losing control of their occupied territories and the main goal is to push them into a small area so they surrender in the end.

The question is, will the go ve r n me n t s ucc eed in eradicating the mafia? One would say, it is possible. However, it really depends on the policies and laws of the next Mexican President. In 2012, Felipe Calderon will finish his term of office and federal elections will take place next year. If Mexico continues with the same strategy, everyday the country is taking a step towards defeating terrorism. If we return to the times of corruption, the past four years will be remembered as a waste of time, money, efforts and above all, the nation would cry for all the humans killed in action.

To the inhabitants of New York, Paris or London death is a word that is never uttered because it burns the lips. The Mexican, on the other

hand, frequents it, mocks it, entertains it; it is one of his favorite playthings. The Labyrinth of Solitude (1959)

by Octavio Paz, Nobel Prize winner “

Ph

oto

: Arc

hiv

e E

L U

niv

ers

al /

ww

w.e

lun

ive

rsa

l.co

m.m

x

The Mexican citizens are suffering the consequences of the civil war. In this picture, a kid is rescued by the Mexican Army and Police during a shootout with mafia outside school.

Joaquin Cubero

Mexican Mafia: Truths and Myths

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (1753-1811)

Known as the father of the nation of Mexico, Hidalgo was a former priest who led the Mexican War of Independence against the Spanish monarchy. On the morning of September 16th, 1810, he called for a Mass in Dolores, Guanajuato where he took a flag of the Virgin of Guadalupe and asked the people to join the army in order to fight aga ins t t he vi ce rega l government. Hidalgo, who was a creole (people who where born

in Mexico but of Spanish parentage), gathered more than 5,000 insurgents to start the movement. After a few victories, Hidalgo was captured in March 1811 and executed in June of the same year. Even though, this war lasted ten years until Mexico became an independent country, Hidalgo is considered the most important person in the movement because of his leadership and courage, so that is why every year we remember him as our national hero.

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651-1695)

Born in Mexico City, Sor (sister) Juana was a poet and self-taught scholar who defended women rights in the colonial era, when Mexico formed part of Spanish territory. By the age of three, she learned how to read, and when she was just eight composed her first poem. Sor Juana tried to study in college but she could not because of the laws of that time, and that is why she decided to become a nun at the age of sixteen and

finally entered the Convent of the Order of St. Jerome in 1969. She remained at this convent, where she was able to increase her knowledge in order to write until her death. According to historical sources she did not want to get married and hence she chose religion. Sor Juana wrote more than 4,000 poems, articles, essays and she is remembered for the book “Amor es mas laberinto” which talks about every person having an impossible love.

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Photo: www.terra.com.mx

Photo: www.biografiasyvidas.com


11 Nadodrze Special

Throughout the last half-century, the residential district of Nadodrze has stood as a reminder of fine pre-war architecture and the days of freedom in Wrocław. Once Germans moved out after World War II, Polish people started living in the only district which had survived the bombs. However, the place began a path to degradation due to lack of care, building instability, poverty, alcoholism, and social tensions became common in the area. Nevertheless, today Nadodrze is awake once again. As Berlin’s Friedrichshain or

New York’s Brooklyn did in the past, this district wants to become a cultural and artistic alternative to the city centre (aka Rynek). A walk around is enough to feel the changes going on with the artists, galleries, craftsmen, workshops and renovated facades. After years of silent work by non-governmental organisations and cultural institutions, this new creative energy has been channelled into an official revitalisation plan sponsored by the EU and the Wrocław City Council which aims to change Nadodrze by 2013.

NADODRZE REVITALISATION

Nadodrze District - present and future. Nadodrze awaits its future with the key objectives to deal with its social, physical and economical problems and to change its image into an arts and handicrafts area. Photos: www.wroclaw.pl (top 2) and Germán Rodríguez Páez (bottom 2)


12 Nadodrze Special

Creating an Alternative Place for Artists Joaquin Cubero

The municipality of Wrocław has been working in the Nadodrze area to transform this district into an interactive, artistic and cultural place. According to the local government, they will spend more than 60 million zł, to revitalize old buildings, making the neighborhood more attractive for all inhabitants of Wrocław, especially for artists with the goal of opening workshops, stores and galleries.

This project started in 2009, and since then, the municipality has focused on renting stores to artists at a low price so they can settle down in Nadodrze, helping this region transform into an a l t e r n a t i v e p l a c e f o r entertainment. One of the main intentions is also to stimulate the economy in this area, which has had a history of social problems such as low income and criminal activity.

As of now, 140 buildings have been already renovated, but the aim is to revitalize all 900 apartments in the area. “Our deadline is 2013 but the program won’t finish in that year because we will continue to renovate 100 buildings per year until we have finished all of them,” stated S e b a s t i a n W o l s z c z a k , Municipality Project Manager.

Furthermore, the municipality is also going to revitalise three parks, six backyards, 1 occupational training center, 1 social services center and 200 tenements. But what do the people really think about these p l a n s ? T h e e c o n o m i c development office (EDO) reports that people are very happy with the idea of revital izat ion, essentia l ly because the route connecting old town to Nadodrze Railway Station will be completely

restored, but as always there is the other side of the coin. In the end, flats’ exteriors will be nicer than before, but the interiors will remain the same due to the EU regulations that allows the City to renovate only common space buildings. The project is sponsored by EU funds. Then, the value of buildings will increase, and there is the danger of life becoming more expensive because of the new prestigious

shopping areas. It is at this point where everyone wonders what is going to happen to the Nadodrze community.

“Poor people won’t have enough money to live there. The whole process of gentrification will last 20 to 30 years. People are over-aged there, so it will be a natural process, the structure of inhabitants will change because there will be young people,” stated Katarzyna Chrobak-

Eilmes, Specialist EDO involved with the project.

A good news for the inhabitants of Nadodrze is that the local government is genuinely interested in the social aspect of development, and have therefore planned a major project involving the Romany. The city is planning to invest 2.5 million euros just to develop different kinds of skills among the community as a measure of

ending poverty, vandalism and social issues.

Currently, the local government is looking for sponsors to improve infrastructure, with the purpose of fighting other social problems over the next five years. One of the main goals is to make Nadodrze a beautiful and welcoming area for 2016 when Wrocław will be the European Capital of Culture.

MAP: MAP: MMain projects ain projects of regeneration of public spaces of regeneration of public spaces to be to be implementedimplemented in the in the

years 2009years 2009--20132013 from ROP (EU funds)from ROP (EU funds)..

PARKI PARKI / PARKS/ PARKS

PODWPODWÓÓRKA RKA / BACKYARDS/ BACKYARDS

SZKOSZKOŁŁYY/ SCHOOLS/ SCHOOLS

CAZCAZ/ OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE/ OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE

MOPS MOPS / SOCIAL SERVICES CENTRE/ SOCIAL SERVICES CENTRE

POLICJA POLICJA / POLICE STATION & MONITORING/ POLICE STATION & MONITORING

CENTRECENTRE

PRACOWNIE PRACOWNIE / ARTIST/ ARTIST’’S WORKROOMSS WORKROOMS

KAMIENICEKAMIENICE/TENEMENTS/TENEMENTS

Ph

oto

: E

co

no

mic

De

ve

lop

me

nt

Off

ice

When the words luxury, revitalization, alternative and high cost of living come to mind, we usually think it can be dangerous because it seems to be a menace to our lifestyle. However for Jerzy Sznerch, who has been the President of Nadodrze District Council for 21 years, all these elements could be an opportunity for the inhabitants of this region.

How are you involved in the Nadodrze revi ta l izat ion project?

First of all, informing people about what’s happening in the district. Also, I organize meetings with the local

community. In the next months we are having eight meetings, and our main topic will be the reconstruction of the buildings because we have 1.5 hectares in

Nadodrze. Another important point is that we are taking care of the commercial stores that will be rented to the artists. We don’t manage the place, but we determine which artist is correct for a specific space.

What do you think about this project?

It’s very important and also necessary. I’m sure it will be good for the place. Inhabitants are very happy because it’s the first major project in the area. Actually, people are very excited because since 1945 nobody has made a big effort to transform the image of Nadodrze. In the past we tried to make some

changes; for instance in 2009, we worked with 96 children in a social center.

What are the consequences of developing this program?

To be honest, I’m worried about money because the financial help will not be enough, especially after 2013 which is the deadline for European Union funds. However, we are looking for sponsors to continue with this social project. Furthermore, t h e n o n g o v e r n m e n t a l organisations that are involved with us are not working properly. However, Łotkietka 5, an organisation, is really doing an amazing job.

Can you tell us the main objective for Nadodrze?

Nowadays this is a place for craftsmen, so we want to change the image by attracting more artists. Our aim is that people buy everything they need here and not in the Rynek or the main square. I’m sure that with hard work it can be a reality.

Are you working on any social projects with the inhabitants?

I’m working on a huge project in order to build an endangered youth social service center. Imagine if we could rescue 20 out of 100 people, it would be fantastic for us.

Ph

oto

: w

ww

.blo

g.p

rom

en

ad

yw

roc

law

skie

.pl

Jerzy Sznerch

President Nadodrze District Council


Nadodrze Special 13

Nadodrze Revitalisation: Gauging the Streets

Beyond the municipal projects planned for Nadodrze, the cultural revitalization is a vital process being handled by several foundations, non governmental organizations (NGO) and other institutions within the community. One of these places is Fundacja Dom Pokoju (House of Peace), which has aimed to become a meeting point for Nadodrze revitalization since its opening in 2005. “We try to build bridges between people and council,” explains Majka Zabokrzycka, Director of the foundation. Every summer, they receive a crew of international volunteers from the European Volunteering Service (EVS) who help with several projects in which the Fundacja is involved, as well as creating new projects of their own, such as hosting meetings about social and housing problems with the local residents, organizing workshops and providing English lessons. Last summer, a French volunteer (Lorette Guillou) held a photo workshop about Nadodrze that succeeded in making people aware of the potential beauty of the district.

One of the main problems faced by these organizations is the lack of funding for the continuity of the projects, which gets delayed easily. House of Peace is partially sponsored by the municipality and EU funds, but that is not the case for every foundation placed here. This could be the story of Ian Debski, who, with his wife, is

developing a foundation to make Nadodrze a viable alternative to the Rynek (the city centre). He explains how they do “specific programs, events and trainings” to raise money, although funds inevitably come from their own pockets as well. “Such a large, pre-war neighborhood preserved in its entirety is very rare. It’s very important to keep it,” states Ian, who sees the arrival of artists to Nadodrze as the first step towards the diversification of the neighbourhood. “When a lot of people live together with the same problems, it is hard to find the way out. If they see new people, they will try to improve their own lives.”

Everyone in the neighbourhood talks about Centrum Reanimacji Kultury (CRK). “Nadodrze, without CRK is nothing,” says a waitress in a fashionable local café. CRK is a legendary squatter’s domain, created in Nadodrze 11 years ago, that functions as a social and cultural centre. Much of the current cultural movement in Nadodrze is because of this place and is a melting pot of concerts, exhibitions, movies, plays and all kinds of events conducted without any outside sponsorship. Unfortunately, its members did not seem keen to share their experience with The Wrocław International Newspaper.

Additionally, Nadodrze’s so-called process of gentrification (referring to the changes that result when wealthier people or "gentry" acquire property in low income and working class

communities) could result in something like the situation in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) today. “It is a relatively richer place, today and everybody wants to live there,” explains Ian Debski about the New York district. “Before, it was an urban desert, but once artists moved in and revitalized the neighbourhood, it became attractive for wealthier, non-artistic people.” A direct c o n s e q u e n c e o f t h e gentrification process is an increase in the cost of living for the area. If this happened in Nadodrze, neither the artists nor the current neighbours could afford it. “They can’t come here to make a very artistic and alternative place while pushing these people away from their neighbourhood,” states Anna Galih from the local NGO Nomada, noting the other side of the gentrification coin.

The main danger for the residents regards maintaining the current rental rates. At this point, they are paying very low rates as they live in buildings owned by the City, which could change in the future. In addition, the City Hall ownership of these buildings has been called into question since former owners started to reclaim them. The city took over and managed them after the fall of Communism, but there are legal subtleties which could muddy the issue. If these buildings end up in private hands, the new owners could shift rental prices to the market rate, ten times higher than what most residents are currently

paying.

Aside from these issues, local inhabitants seem enthusiastic about the district’s revitalization process. “It’s very important for the place. It’s the first major project here in Nadodrze,” says Jerzy Sznerch, President of the

Nadodrze District Council. Throughout his 20 years of living in Nadodrze, he has witnessed so many changes that it “would take two hours to talk about it”. He doesn’t raise any o b j e c t i o n s . “ T h i s h a s traditionally been a place for craftsmen. Artists are welcome.”

The colourful, evoking, and artistic entrance of the squat CRK (Centrum Reanimacji Kultury)

Germán Rodríguez Páez

Ph

oto

: G

erm

án

Ro

drí

gu

ez P

áe

z

Nadodrze Neighbours Speak Up

Christopher, 17, Student

“Nothing has changed in the last years. I don’t know anything about a revitalization project in Nadodrze. It was supposed that they (municipality) were going to reconstruct my building 2 years ago, but my neighbours are still waiting for that. I think this district will change maybe in 10 or 12 years, but not now.”

Viola, 38, Employee

“For the last 8 years, I lived in England. When I returned to Nadodrze this year, I can barely see anything different than when I left this district. I mean, it’s a little bit frustrating when you realize there are no important changes, but anyway I believe that in the 5 next years, things are going to be better here.”

Paulina, 24, Employee

“This is a zone where very poor people are living. You can feel there have been small changes, but I really don’t believe the local government is doing anything important at all! It seems to be a little bit of an artistic zone, mainly because here you can find a special school for artists.”

Natalia, 25, Artist

“There is no place where you can really show your work in Wrocław. This place (Nadodrze) is restricted to the artist who want to create real art. I can see and feel now it is turning into a very cultural area; I mean this neighbourhood has its own color.”

Patryk, 33, Cafe Owner

“When I was trying to open something here, the Council said it was not a good idea but I believed it should work. There are some changes and I am a part of this change, but it needs a lot of work. The place has a big potential if the Council knows how to manage it, to build something from the bottom.”


Nadodrze Special 14

Apart from reconstructing the buildings, the Nadodrze renovation project is also supposed to help turn this area into an artistic place. Because of Nadodrze’s closeness to the city centre, this part of Wrocław could ideally become an alternative to the Rynek square, which will attract investors and tourists. This area will hopefully become known as an area of "unusual jobs", such as shoe makers, ceramic artists, etc., and also an area of prestigious shopping places and small workshops that sell unique quality goods. Of course, change does not happen overnight.

The first question to ask is: how to attract artists and craftsmen to Nadodrze? The city is trying to do so by offering low rents at 4 zł per square metre. However, this offer is available only for commercial spaces, and the artist must either be well known, have a degree in Arts or must apply with a good idea for a shop or sp ace wi t h so c ia l a nd educational aspects, according to Katarzyna Chrobak-Eilmes, the head of the economical development department (EDO). The same rule applies for craftsmen; they have to prove some experience in their field.

One of the actions already taken by the EDO to change the look of the streets and to help the local shop owners to attract clients was a contest to design the most beautiful Christmas window. Another project involved students from the local Academy of Fine Arts. The students were asked to prepare projects to renovate certain places which they chose from a list of shop owners who signed up for a change. Organizing a professional development centre, as well as a cultural and training centre, is next on the list for the neighborhood.

The problem with renovations of private spaces, in general, is that most of the places are privately

owned, and the municipal office cannot press the owners to redesign. All of these projects are focused on fundamentally changing Nadodrze, to motivate and show people what they could do with their own shops and homes.

Natalia Gruszecka is a ceramic designer who has just finished her studies. Recently, she and two of her friends decided to open a design gallery to sell and show work by young people and students. This idea was based on the premise that people who finish art school usually have no place to show their work. As a result, they have major problems finding positions in their field, so most of them turn to graphic design.

Natalia’s gallery will only be for ceramic and glass works of art, and will also have a workshop showing how to make those kind of pieces. For this, they basically need two rooms: a workshop and a place to sell. However, the process of getting a place here is not that simple; you need to present your project to the city, and finding available places is like an auction. First, you have to look at the council webpage to see which places are free. Natalia and her friends wanted a place in Łokietka Street, but bids were very high, so they could not afford it. When they found their current space, they were worried

about the price, but it turned out that they were the only buyers.

After getting a place, other problems occurred. They had (and still have) to renovate it, and renovations are not cheap. Moreover, because most of the buildings are part of an old cultural heritage area, there are problems with changing anything in the building, as well as complicated paperwork and a long wait for approval.

Natalia’s major renovating problem at the moment is electricity. They must install a special pottery kiln that requires high voltage, but the building only has old and dangerous cables. They have been trying to talk the people in the building into renovating the system because they need the agreement of all the residents to proceed. Unfortunately, the neighbours are sceptical and afraid that Natalia will burn the city down

with her kiln. Apart from this, however, they have no problems with their neighbours. Everyone knows everyone; they talk on the streets and are close to each other.

A n o t h e r a r t i s t , A n k a Mierzejewska, started working in her atelier in Nadodzre five years ago, before the renovation projects started. She wanted to change the area. According to her, most people in the neighbourhood are still used to the communistic times, relying on the city to take care of them. Once, she tried to organize a summer camp for the neighbourhood children who had nothing to do. She found a cheap place lead by nuns, but the parents refused because they did not want to send their children to a religious camp. She also wanted to have a small garden, but somebody kept destroying the flowers, so she gave that up.

She sees many problems with Nadodrze becoming an artistic place, and also with being an artist at all. The City should realize that artists need big space, and time for working, which they do not have if they have to spend all day just going for meetings and trying to sell. Creating art is a job just like any other, and you cannot do anything else. You cannot be a doctor and a lawyer at the same time, not because you do not have skills for that, but because the day has only 24 hours. Anka also does not think that new small galleries are sustainable in this area. There are some new galleries in Wrocław, but they all are owned by bigger gallery companies and are significant competition. However, she thinks that this project could help if people see others in the neighborhood rebuilding. If the city gives artists more support, it might work out.

House of Peace ul. Łokietka 5/1 50-243 Wrocław [email protected]

Galeria EMDES ul.Chrobrego 24 50-254 Wrocław [email protected]

CRK ul. Jagiellończyka 10c/d 50-240 Wrocław [email protected]

Nomada NGO ul. Paulińska 4/8 50-247 Wrocław [email protected]

Cafe Rozrusznik ul. Cybulskiego 15 50-205 Wrocław [email protected]

Park Stanisława Staszica pl. S. Staszica 50-223, Wrocław

www.dompokoju.org

www.lokietka5.pl

www.crk.wroclaw.pl

www.nadodrze.com.pl

www.nadodrzerevitalization.wordpress.com


15

OPENS IN SEPTEMBER

Today, the most important companies around the world are not only recruiting young people who have developed a variety of skills during college, but particularly those who already have professional ex-perience in their fields. So, young people wonder, is it pos-sible to fulfill all the qualifica-tions to work for a multina-tional organization?

An easy way to demonstrate your abilities is to choose an internship with companies that are growing fast in order to prove your value as a potential employee and person who will be responsible for the future.

That is why we, Zuzana Ochodnická (Czech Republic), Germán Rodríguez Páez (Spain) and Joaquin Cubero (Mexico), chose to be involved with The Wrocław International (TWI). We came here on the AIESEC internship program. AISEC is an International Student Union. In the beginning, it was a true challenge for our international team, with some specific pro-jects to accomplish; the head of the newspaper assigned us the task of writing an article about Nadodrze, a district near the city center that is being revitalized with funds from the European Union.

We can say that the Nadodrze project was our most exciting job for many reasons: research-ing the area, meeting with urban planners, interviewing the local government and finally design-ing four pages for the newspa-per. This work could be de-scribed as amazing, and of course very useful, not just for a resume but also as experience.

Furthermore, as interns, we also had the opportunity to meet peo-ple from different cultures and countries thanks to TWI. Our job was not only about working hard; as members of the team, we also had the chance to hang out with English, Americans,

Scots and Asians, a fact that really enriched our lives. Now that the internship is over, we can highly recommend partici-pating in a volunteer work ex-perience, not only because help-

ing other people feeds your soul, but because it can also be a good way to get to know yourself bet-ter and discover abilities you n e v e r k n e w y o u h a d .

Joaquin Cubero

Emmaus...the association supporting people in crisis situations, mainly

focusing on the homeless, the long-term unemployed and the handi-

capped...will gladly and with gratitude collect your used clothes, shoes, furniture or any household or kitchen items.

We can arrange the transportation or invite you to drop the donations to our office in the centre of Wrocław:

Kaczmarskiego str 7/9 (9am to 5pm every week day)

or our charity shop in Leśnica:

Rubczaka 17/17A (9am to 5pm weekdays) (8am to 1pm Saturdays)

The first local newspaper in English

Editor - Grace Sexton ([email protected]) Editorial Team - Renu Singh, Jolanta Kłonowska,

Edyta Juszczyszyn, Gregor Gowans, Shannon Soesbe, Kathryn Getty, Mav Hall & Adnan Umar

Photography - Mav Hall; Layout - Renu Singh For comments email: [email protected]

For more copies contact +48 506 150 925 or +48 71 79 40 239 or email: [email protected]

Advertising: If you are interested in advertising in our paper, please contact Przemek Esik +48 791 951 274

email: [email protected]

Published by The Wrocław International, c/o ul. Krucza 68/9

Original illustrations by local artist Paulina Mager www.paulinamager.art.pl


What does one expect of a classic French restaurant? Elegance, quality service, and a selection of dishes that repre-sent the heritage of such a rich food culture. Le Bistrot Pa-risien (ul. Nożownicza 1d) hits all of these marks and will leave you hungry for more.

The atmosphere at Le Bistrot Parisien is cozy and sophisti-cated, with dark wood and chic black and white photos of France setting an understated tone. Waiters and staff greet you with a friendly smile from behind the bar, eager to show you to a table, and maintain their pleasant helpfulness throughout your entire dining experience.

Starters here range from ultra-traditional escargots in herb but-ter to frog legs and beef tartare. The grilled shrimp marinated in salsa verde and truffle oil are deeply seasoned and cooked to perfection. Beautifully pre-sented, the fig tart with goat cheese and pesto on puff pastry is an outstanding blend of fla-vors and textures, with a tart drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette to balance the sweet creaminess of the other ingredients. The French onion soup, despite being

one of the house specialties, is unfortunately lacking the depth of flavor that a little more salt might provide.

Main dishes are also slightly hit-or-miss in terms of seasoning. Lamb cutlets with red wine and mint sauce are adequately pre-pared, but the sauce is lackluster. At the opposite end of the spec-trum, the duck breast is cooked well enough, but is completely outshone by its excellent dark and complex green pepper sauce. Halibut with citrus sauce

is wan, the sauce only delicately suggesting that it might contain lemon. The Salade Niçoise comes with moist and flawlessly cooked tuna fillets, but the salad itself cries out for more salt and pepper, both of which must be asked for as they are not stan-dard on each table.

I have been told by multiple fans of Le Bistrot Parisien that their steaks are a true feature of the menu. Unfortunately, the Friday night on which I chose the steak in Roquefort sauce for the pur-

pose of this review, it was a dis-appointment. Gristly and over-cooked, it was saved only by the richly piquant Roquefort sauce and accompanying side dishes of brightly flavored ratatouille and smooth parsnip purée. How-ever, as this was only one eve-ning, and the restaurant appar-ently receives shipments of fresh meat from France on Wednes-days, it would certainly be worth giving them a second chance on the subject.

The French excel at desserts, and Le Bistrot Parisien is no exception. Chocolate mousse is elegantly served in a martini glass, a presentation almost as smooth as the mousse itself. Rich and silky, it is substantial without feeling heavy. If you have eaten a bit too much din-ner, however, the mousse is the perfect size for sharing. Crème brûlée is another classic dish, served here with a delightful twist. Fresh raspberries are strewn throughout, making a pleasing sweet-tart compliment to the thick custard. The lemon tart is bursting with fresh lemon flavor, balanced out nicely by the flaky crust. You simply can-not go wrong with any dessert selection.

Surrounded by a welcoming atmosphere and the warmth of friendly service, there are big flavors to be found in this small jewel of a restaurant. Perhaps it is not perfect, but Le Bistrot Parisien is an honest taste of France in the heart of Wrocław.

Details:

Starters: 11-29zł, Main dishes: 23-59zł, Desserts: 11-23zł.

Lunch Monday through Friday, from 12:00-16:00. Main dishes from 17zł.

Dinner reservations recom-mended.

Le Bistrot Parisien Nożownicza 1d, Wrocław Tel: +48 71 341 05 65

Shannon Soesbe is from the United States. She teaches English in Wrocław. You can reach her at [email protected]

Cozy and sophisticated Le Bistrot Parisien

Summer can bring you to your knees, make you beg for a re-prieve from the all-consuming heat and humidity. It can force you to sit in front of a fan for hours without moving a mus-cle, with only enough energy to fantasize about the day you can finally get air condition-ing. The best way to fight sum-mer, of course, is to actually move your muscles right to the nearest ice cream parlor. Here are a few of Wrocław's finest:

The Tralalala Cafe, in Galeria Italiana [ul. Więzienna 21], has an outstanding assortment of gelato flavors that are lusciously displayed for your selecting pleasure. The visuals are almost as mouth-watering as the taste experience here, with rippled mounds of brightly colored ice cream as far as the eye can see.

Happily, you can feel free to sample as many flavors as you would like before choosing the most delectable. There are vi-brantly flavored fruit varieties, such as strawberry and melon, as well as rich offerings like gian-duia (chocolate hazelnut), pista-chio, and Frollino Cioccolato (chocolate cookies in a vanilla base). A large ice cream, three scoops in a waffle cone, will cost you 10zł, but that includes whipped cream and sauce if you so desire. Ordering three scoops here will get you a confection that is nearly the size of your head, so they do offer a more modest two scoop option for only 6.50zł. Pay the cashier be-fore ordering, and do not forget to bring cash, as they do not accept cards.

Cukiernia Marcel lo [ul .

Więzienna 7], is a corner cafe that offers cakes, pastries, and coffee in addition to a selection of delicious ice cream flavors. The service is as fast and friendly as the atmosphere is cozy. It is a true neighborhood favorite. Choose from creamy flavors such as Cherrymania, Bacio, and Tiramisu. Modest-sized scoops are 3zł a piece.

Mia Roma ice cream parlor is outside the center [ul. Rydygiera 5], but has garnered rave re-views for its homemade and ultra-creamy ice cream. Selec-tions do change, but flavors can include pierniki (gingerbread), fig with poppy seeds, and even carrot, for the adventurous types. Definitely worth the trip across the river.

Café Borówka [ul. Świdnicka 38A] is also famous for its

sweets, including ice cream. Their waffles are made on site, and the scent of those alone can draw you inside. They also have an extensive area outside the café where you can sit in the shade, enjoy your icy treat, and watch all the over-heated shop-

pers on their way to Renoma.

Whether you choose two scoops or three, waffle cone or cup, Wrocław's ice cream parlors are ready to help you defeat sum-mer, if you can get out from in front of your fan.


Whether you are a bar hopper, an occasional drinker or someone who enjoys an after-work drink, Wrocław’s bars and cafés have refreshing cocktails for you. In this city, during busy days and young nights, you will find unique concoctions, some classic, some sassy, some innovative and some prohibited. After much pub crawling and sampling, we have gathered for you Wrocław’s 5 finest reviving drinks. So, if you want

to impress your girlfriend, boyfriend or family and friends, get that cocktail shaker out and get shaking!!!

Wrocław Sling Paparazzi Wrocław ul. Rzeżnicza 32/33 18zł

Glass: Hurricane Garnish: Strips of orange peel Method: Shake & strain

Ingredients for one drink: 30ml Vodka 30ml Triple sec (orange li-queur) 20ml fresh lemon juice 80ml fresh pink grapefruit juice 15ml sugar syrup (2 parts sugar/1 part water)

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a hurricane glass filled with ice cubes and garnished with strips of orange peel. Place a straw and serve.

17

New York Sour Masala Indian Restaurant ul. Kuźnicza 3 20zł*

Glass: Collins Garnish: An orange wedge Method: Stir

Ingredients for one drink: 30ml crushed ice 130ml lemonade 80ml red wine 40ml Jim Beam Bourbon

Method:

Top a Collins or highball glass with crushed ice and add lemon-ade and stir. Add red wine and Jim Beam Bourbon. Garnish with an orange wedge. Place a straw and serve.

* @10zł during happy hours (Monday to Thursday from 15:30 to 18:00)

Barman Mańana Café ul. Św. Mikołaja 11 8zł

Glass: Old fashioned Garnish: A lemon wedge Method: Muddle & stir

Ingredients for one drink: a quarter of lemon (4 slices) 1 teaspoon white sugar 40ml Bols Vodka 5 or 10ml sugar syrup (2 parts sugar/1 part water)

Method:

Muddle lemon slices and sugar in the base of an old-fashioned glass. Top half of the glass with crushed ice. Add vodka and sugar syrup and stir. Top rest of the glass with crushed ice. Stir once again. Gar-nish with a lemon wedge. Place a straw and serve.

Primavera Martini Fly Bar ul. Więzienna 21c 19zł

Glass: Martini Garnish: A grape & a mint sprig Method: Muddle, shake & strain

Ingredients for one drink: a handful of green grapes 40ml Finlandia Grapefruit 20ml Rose petal syrup 20ml fresh lemon juice

Method:

Muddle the grapes in a mixing glass. Add the remaining ingredi-ents and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with grape and mint sprig and serve.

Whiskey Sour SPEAKEASY ul. Rynek 8 18zł

Glass: Old fashioned or a cup Garnish: Orange twist and a maraschino cherry Method: Shake and strain

Ingredients for one drink: 40ml woodford reserve 20ml fresh lemon juice 10ml sugar syrup 10ml egg white 3 drops of angostura 3 drops of orange bitters

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish with or-ange twist and maraschino cherry and serve.

Or strain into a tea pot and serve in an ice-filled cup, and sip away the prohibition cock-tail secretly!

Cheese and wine, both offer an abundant variety that can leave us perplexed, fill us with won-der, and be surprisingly pleas-ant.

Generally, cheese is enjoyed with simple red wine. This pairing of cheese and red wine is a good traditional choice. However, there are many white wines that can also be enjoyed with a large variety of cheese. With a little exploration and experimentation, one can discover white wines that are well suited for different types of cheese. Typically the stronger the cheese, the more difficult to find an appropriate wine.

Innovative matching tips:

There is one major rule that must be followed when pairing cheese

and wine: to have fun! Feel free to make new rules, throw out the rule book, follow expert’s advice, or use your own judgement. If you are looking for inspiration, following are a few tips that will get you started.

An aromatic fruity white wine balances the strength of a smelly soft cheese, like Gewurstraminer with Munster. A semi-sweet or sweet white, like light wine from Bordeaux, goes perfectly with Stilton, Gorgonzola or Cheddar. Fresh and dry white wines like Chardonnay, pair nicely with goat cheese and Gruyère. Some other popular choices are: Chi-anti with Pecorino, Banyuls with Fourme d’Ambert, Côtes-du-Rhône with Camembert or Brie, Rioja with Manchego, and

Médoc, Cabernet, or Pinot Noir with Cantal.

Often when visiting a region, the local cheese and wine go per-fectly together. This is called terroir or country touch, which simply cannot be replicated away from the region. For this reason, great wine discoveries made dur-ing holidays can turn into disap-pointment after returning home. In simple words, local wines are

best suited with local cheese. Finding a substitute cheese for the same experience may require a technical research of different flavours.

In addition to cheese, different variety of breads, nuts, fresh and dried-fruits can also be enjoyed with wines. Popular choice for nuts are walnuts, hazelnuts, pista-chios and almond. Different fruit that can be enjoyed include ap-ples, pears, apricots, grapes, peach and even red fruits. Fruits and nuts can be easily prepared and are a great addition to a cheese and wine party.

(In the picture, red and white wines served with an assorted French cheese board.) [email protected]

We are grateful to Papa-razzi Wrocław, Masala In-dian Restaurant, Mańana Café, Fly Bar and SPEAK-EASY Criminal Bookstore and Café (newly opened) for kindly sharing their signa-ture recipes with our read-ers and for permitting us to print them.

Renu Singh is a culinary en-thusiast and brings to you every month a meticulously selected, tried and tested rec-ipe from the pool of interna-tional flavours.

[email protected]


Kayaking is a fun outdoor activity that brings you closer to nature, not to mention a great way of spending a sum-mer holiday with family and friends. Whether you prefer a relaxing paddle along the river or an adrenaline filled high speed thrash, kayaking has a bit of something for everyone.

The good news for those looking to get a taste of this sport is that this country has an abundance of excellent kayaking routes. Popu-lar kayaking rivers include the Drawa, Warta, Notec, Krutynia and the Czarna Hancza. For more adventurous and experi-enced kayakers, mountainous

rivers such as the Bystrzyca, Nysa Kłodzka and Morawica (Czech Reupblic) are bound to get hearts racing.

Our very own Dolny Sląsk is also an ideal spot to start kayak-ing, with easily navigable rivers such as the Barycz and Odra, ideal routes for beginners. Dolny Sląsk is renown for its pictur-esque routes, the best of which is arguably the Barycz river, sur-rounded by Milickie Meres (stawy milickie), Przygodzickie Meres and Barycz Valley Land-scape Park. Here you can see a host of wild birds including black storks, herons and swans – as well as freshwater fish and riverside mammals like beavers. These beautifully green areas are situated a mere 60 km from Wrocław, and the site is easily accessible by car or by bus.

For anyone without a kayak or equipment, Poland has an abun-dance of kayaking companies organizing tours. In most cases these tour companies will pro-vide you with all necessary equipment (e.g., life-jacket, torch, tent, mat and meals) for

the price of renting a kayak.

Top 10 tips for a successful kayaking experience:

1. Before you plan a kayak tour, contact a rental company and book it in advance. Summer is high season and places fill up quickly.

2. Be prepared for all weather conditions. It could be rainy, windy or scorchingly hot. So do not forget waterproofs, a hat and sun cream.

3. Needless to say, wear com-fortable clothes ( e.g., T-shirt and shorts). Once in the kayak, you may kayak bare feet or in sandals. Flip flops are not rec-ommended because during a fall you could lose them.

4. When you kayak with a group, always listen to the group leader. You have to be a tightly nit group and work together to maintain a positive atmosphere.

5. If you kayak with a group, you should also keep a safe dis-tance between kayaks.

6. Keep calm, do not be too

loud, and be careful not to dis-turb your surroundings.

7. After kayaking, clean the kayak and check it. If there is damage you should repair it first.

8. Take extra clothes (preferably warm) which you can put on when you reach camp.

9. There may be a lot of insects, so be sure to take a repellent.

10. When you are on the river or in the camp you should respect all the regulations. Remember to not leave rubbish and protect the environment where possible.

Maria Burmecha is a qualified personal trainer; ski, Nordic walking, tennis and pilates in-structor; and a nutritionist. For m o r e i n f o , co n ta c t a t [email protected] or +48 507 033 375.

Over 2000 participants from 23 countries competed from 30th July to 6th August in Wrocław for the 15th World Polonia Games. For the 1st time competitors took part in 28 dis-ciplines including tennis, volley-ball, beach soccer and bowling. The participants spanned every continent and country with sig-nificant Polish Diaspora such as Lithuania, Canada, Germany, Austria and the USA. Even Pa-lau (a small exotic island on Pacific Ocean) had 2 athletes participating.

The games opened with a friendly one mile-run, followed by the opening ceremony at the Regional Centre for Business Tourism, located at Hala Stulecia. All the participants were introduced on stage by acclaimed athletes from our re-gion, including Renata Mauer (Olympic multi medallist in shooting) and Rafał Kubacki (two time world Judo World Champion). The Olympic flame was lit by Mieczysław Łopatka, a living basketball legend of both Śląsk Wrocław and the Polish National team.

The first Polonia Games were held in Warsaw in 1934. The

main goal of the event was to integrate Polish diaspora com-munities. Due to World War II and the political situation in Po-land, the games did not return until 1974, taking place in Kraków. Following the 1974 event, the competition did not return until the Lublin games of 1997. The competition's return was largely due to the transfor-mation of Wspolnota Polska (a society for relations with Polish Diaspora) and the contribution of Andrzej Stelmachowski, who was the Marshall of the Polish Senate. Since then the event has been held biennially, with Sopot, Poznań, Warsaw, Słupsk and Toruń hosting it respectively since 1991.

The World Polonia Games is not merely a sporting event, but is more importantly a chance for Poles from around the globe to meet, exchange ideas, experi-ences and to network. The youngest representatives have chance to meet peers from around the world and take part in the so called mini-Olympics.

All the results of the 15th World Polonia Games are available at www.igrzyskapolonijne.dolnyslask.pl.

If you like cycling and want to enjoy picturesque scenery, you should bring your bike to the Wrocław Railway Station on 18th September, 2011 at 8am.

We will be cycling about 50km through various forests and villages. We will start the cycling route in Środa Śląska and finish there as well. The route is not very challenging and beginners will not have any problems.

The bike tour will take about 6 to 8 hours. We will be back to Wrocław at approximately 7pm.

Wear comfortable clothes and it is recommended that you bring:

your helmet, a waterproof jacket water, a picnic lunch of sandwiches / snacks

money for return train ticket (16.80zł)

Please confirm your attendance via email at [email protected]

The deadline to book a place is:

Monday, 12.09.2011

Maria Burmecha is a quali-fied sports instructor and an active enthusiast promoting healthy living & cycling. Maria has a lot of experience cycling various routes through Dolny Sląsk and has also enjoyed many cycling tours in other parts of the World.


Ph

oto

: Z

uza

na

Oc

ho

dn

ická

Travel 19

The Colourful Lakelets One of Poland's Great Wonders

Recently, the Polish version of National Geographic’s Travel-ler launched a vote to find Po-land's seven new wonders. These seven wonders will come from a selection of 35 lesser known tourist attractions, in order to revive them as the tourist destinations. Two of these 35 places are located in Lower Silesia: Wyspa Opa-towicka (the Opatowice Isle) on the Odra River nearby Wrocław and Kolorowe Jeziorka (the Colourful Lakelets) in the southern part of the region.

The lakelets have become a re-gional curiosity because of the unusual colour of water after which they took their names: Purple, Emerald and Green. In fact they are not of natural origin – they occur within the quarry pits of the former iron mine and the colours come from the chemical compounds of iron and

copper present in water. Silesia (especially the Sudety Moun-tains) was well known for its wealth of minerals and metal ores from as far back as medie-val times. This richness of re-sources strongly influenced the economical development of the region during the following cen-turies. The mining activities in Colourful Lakelets began in the 18th century and continued on and off until 1954.

The first lake appears a few steps after entering the wooden gate bearing the inscription 'Rudawski Park Krajobrazowy'. Initially, visitors may be sur-prised with the slightly mundane landscape - bare escarpments, rocks, boulders and pebbly ground, with everything tainted in a rusty yellow colour. The vegetation is surprisingly poor whilst the water is a strong red colour, which also evokes curi-osity. Unfortunately, after the

1997 flood which drained all the water, the colour has faded somewhat. In the past it was a quarry pit named “Hope” from which iron ore was excavated. The ore was mainly pyrite (also known as fool’s gold). Inside the pit there is also a 10 metre long tunnel, the walls of which are a paradise for amateur-geologists because of its beautiful gypsum crystals, pyrite, chlorite, sericite and quartz.

As you continue walking along the green-marked tourist route, a few hundred metres uphill, you get to the second lakelet, named Emerald (also Azure or Blue). The stunning colour of its water emanates from the chemical compounds of copper, and can vary from royal blue in Spring to turquoise in Autumn. The lake is much larger than the first one and is cosily nested by the for-est. The small stream which flows into the pond adds to the picturesque setting, making it that little bit more romantic and idyllic. Meanwhile on the west-ern bank, there is a nice spot with benches and tables to rest and admire the natural beauty of the surroundings. This lakelet is also a former quarry pit, and was notably called “New Happi-ness”.

The third lakelet is called Green Pond, and is the highest point of the trip. Unfortunately it is less alluring than its predecessors. This lakelet also owes its colour of water to copper compounds and can sometimes disappear as it is strongly dependent on rain water.

Hidden in the forest, these Col-ourful Lakelets are becoming increasingly popular each year. Presently, they are the second choice of National Geographic's vote. If you would like to sup-port these little Silesian gems, you can, of course, pay them a visit and discover their beauty

yourself. To place your vote for the Lakelets, text the code TR.(name of the prize).1 to 71001 before September 15th.

More details on:

http://www.national-geographic.pl/artykuly/galeria/plebiscyt-polska-jest-najfajniejsza/8/

Ph

oto

s:

M.

Kło

no

ws

ki

onowska & Maciej Kłonowski

TIPS

Admission to the Col-ourful Lakelets is free as it is a part of the Natural Landscape Park; however, parking is not free.

Sunny autumn days are the best for visiting the lakelets due to the colours of the fall and a smaller number of visitors. The place is usually crowded in the high season.

During the weekends and high season there is a snack bar operating close to the Purple Lakelet.

Rudawski Park

Krajobrazowy

The lakelets are located in the Rudawski Park Krajobrazowy (literary: Rudawski Landscape Park) near a village called W i e ś c i s z o w i c e n e a r b y Marciszów. The natural land-scape parks in Poland are areas of outstanding natural beauty protected by law. The Rudawski Landscape Park extends into the south part of Lower Silesia and is one of the 12 natural land-scape parks in the region.

Living in a castle, a carriage ride, ceramic workshops, a glass factory tour, a sauna and a barbecue. These and much more were the highlights of a weekend in dolnośląskie.

It all started on a Friday after-noon in Wrocław, where a coach took us to the castle Kliczków (Zamek Kliczków), which was built in the 13th century. After many reconstructions it turned into a unique hotel. However, it is still a castle as was soon evi-dent: the walls were very thick, so wi-fi was problematic and it was also quite cool inside. In compensation, there was a cable network and a sauna with a swimming pool, so even warm-loving people would find it en-joyable.

Apart from castle life, this re-gion has a lot to offer. It is very rich in minerals, so it is a perfect place for ceramic and glass fac-tories as well as for artists, and

is ideal for art lovers. Our visits to the factories were very educa-tional and creative, offering an opportunity to paint our own cups in the traditional style. It is incredible how the local people manage to stay very close to nature and some try to get even closer to it by eating only what their land can provide. They are surrounded by the forests of Silesia, which can be experi-enced by taking a “small” twenty kilometre bike tour or by taking a horse drawn carriage ride. The forests are full of pine trees and also said to be full of mushrooms. A delicious mush-room soup was served and assur-ances were made that the mush-rooms, indeed, came from the forest. The visit concluded with

a barbecue party in the castle park.

The funniest thing found in the park was a horse cemetery with two original ancient headstones with names of the horses and their owners. The rest of the headstones had been either de-stroyed or stolen.

This trip was very refreshing and provided a chance to see some nature and to get a touch of crea-tivity. If offered a chance to visit, you would be well recom-mended to take it.

Zuzana Ochodnická is a student living in Prague with Czech and Slovak ancestors. She studies com-puter science and came to Wrocław for a summer internship in The Wro-cław International.

Discovering Lower Silesia

During the fall months water of Emerald Lakelet nicely contrasts yellow trees

Water of the Purple Lakelet recently became rusty yellow

CERAMIC FACTORY

Fabryka Naczyń Kamion-kowych “Manufaktura” ul. Gdańska 30 59-700 Bolesłaviec www.polish-pottery.com.pl

GLASS FACTORY

Studio Borowski 59-708 Tomaszów Bole-sławiecki 87

TOUR ORGANISER

Dolnośląska Organizacja Turystyczna ul. Ostrowskiego 9, Wrocław www.dolnyslask.info.pl


Geneviève Meillan

Lower Silesia compares with areas of Europe such as Tuscany in Italy, or Dordogne in France, concerning the number and significance of castles and country houses.

Driving along during weekends to discover attractive places, nice landscapes and to understand the region we have settled in, we noticed the incredible variety of castles and manors built all around Wrocław.

Travelling towards south, in direction to Kłodzko or towards west to Jelenia Góra, we can find hundreds of them, from the vast 19th century palace of Kamieniec Ząbkowicki to magnificent Renaissance castle like Gorzanów or Baroque houses as Krzyżowa.

Why is there such a unique in tercu ltura l h i stor ica l heritage?

Inhabited by Slavic tribes Lower Silesia became part of the first

Polish State before 990. From the 13th century the region experienced a period of economic and social changes: due to its location, Silesia was open to European influences, German settlement, farming knowledge and architectural techniques.

In the 16th century, Lower Silesia was part of the Kingdom of Bohemia, and was rich, urbanised, protestant, with important trade routes, fertile s o i l s a n d s p e c t a c u l a r

Renaissance residences.

After the Thirty Years’ War, Lower Silesia was ruled by A u s t r i a a n d p r o s p e r i t y continued, permitting the creation of Baroque residences and gardens during the 17th century.

The rapid development of the region in the 19th century, as part of the German Empire, made th i s per iod very prosperous, and is visible in the amount of architectural and

engineering heritage left.

Why have these houses fallen into decay?

After Second World War, the German families fled and the Soviet troops occupied the area, Polish population was moved from East Poland to Silesia. The post-war period turned out to be a disaster for many elements of architecture, especially for castles and protestant churches which were left to their fate without conservation input.

As part of our European heritage we have to think what to do with this enormous potential now?

Some of these castles have already found a future, being converted to hotels like Łomnica, restored by a German family, where you can spend holidays or weekends, or Wojanów, historical romantic manor turned into a modern conference centre with great success and ideal location for

meetings and congresses.

Sometimes these residences are used again as family houses when they are in attractive countryside locations and not too large, like Pałac Lenno, not far from Wleń, bought by a Belgian man, who fell in love with it, a few years ago. He restored the buildings and farms the land in a green way.

Cast le s l ike Ka mieniec Ząbkowicki should be tourist

d e s t i n a t i o n s o f w o r l d significance, others of less importance could be turned into offices or apartments for work or permanent residence or for holidays.

A lot of them are for sale, to be saved, so if you feel courageous and rich enough for the experience, spend the weekends visiting the area and you’ll find the one you are dreaming of.

Ian Bończa - Debski

About an hour or so south of Wrocław is a small village by the name of Sokołowsko. Situated in a valley deep in the S u d e t y W a ł b r z y s k i e mountains near the Czech border, Sokołowsko is not your average village for these parts as it holds a rich history for such a small place. Until 1945, it was better known by i t s G e r m a n n a m e : Görbersdorf.

In the late 19th Century, Dr. Brehmer, a German doctor turned entrepreneur discovered a new way to treat tuberculosis. His approach consisted of lots of rest, relaxation, the fresh mountain air, and the occasional cognac or two. His approach, questionable in its effects, became a hit however and Sokołowsko suddenly became a hit destination for Central Europe’s wealthy elite and even the wife of Russia’s Tsar – for

whom a Russian Orthodox chapel was built and still stands. It became such an attraction that Davos, Switzerland was built as a copy of Sokołowsko. Unfortunately, due to the tumultuous history of our region, Sokołowsko has long been

overshadowed by its infinitely more famous Swiss brother. And herein lies its charm.

Time has stood still in Sokołowsko. A village of no more than one thousand inhabitants boasts a beautiful a r r a y o f B e l l e - É p o q u e

architecture and not to mention Dr. Brehmer’s palatial Neo-Gothic sanatorium.

The gorgeous, red brick sanatorium with its dramatic spires and delicate arches unfortunately befell great tragedy in 2004 when it was intentionally set on fire by a mentally unstable man who ironically was the fire marshal of the town! In 2005, famous Polish artist Bożena Biskupska along with her foundation “In Situ” bought the ruins with a crazy idea to rebuild them. But instead of turning it into just another hotel and spa, she decided it would be a tri-cultural arts center with studios, workshops, events, and so on, focusing on Polish, German, and Czech artists. The undertaking is massive. In addition, she discovered a beautiful 19th Century theatre which was used as a cinema in the 1950s where

O s c a r - w i n n i n g d i r e c t o r Krzysztof Kieslowski watched his first films as he lived for nine years o f his youth in Sokołowsko. So today with the project underway, a new life and a new era is starting in tiny Sokołowsko. Today you are more than likely to run into a group of young artists from Berlin there rather than your average village ensemble adding greatly to the already wonderful atmosphere. But all is not golden there. The foundation has a dearth of funds and rebuilding a castle is not cheap! We encourage anyone who is interested to contact the foundation or simply visit the town and donate what one can, be it supplies, money, or just some time spent volunteering. You will certainly not regret it. For more information, please visit www.sokolowsko.org.

Łomnica Palace is a part of valley of castles and palaces

Dr. Brehmer's Sanatorium before the 2004 fire

Ph

oto

: In

Sit

u M

od

ern

Art

International Preschool in Wrocław

Contact:

Wrocław International Children’s House

Stolarska 47, 50-325 Wrocław

+48 535 771 377

[email protected]

www.wroclawchildrenshouse.pl

Ad

ve

rtis

em

en

t P

ho

to:

Ro

mu

ald

So

łdek


The fourth Roma Music Festi-val took place in Wrocław’s Old Town Gardens. During the event’s several hours, or-ganized by the Romani Bacht Roma Association in Wrocław, dozens of Roma artists per-formed on the Puppet Theatre stage.

Who are the Roma People? Between the 8th and 10th centu-ries, a people journeyed from present day India towards the old continent. A people who for hundreds of years had been asso-ciated with mysterious travel-lers, dabbling in magic, fortune-telling and music. Roma camps roamed the whole world. To-day‟s ancestors of these Indian migrants are, among others, the Polish Roma, German Sinti, Br i t i sh T ravel le rs , French Manouche and Spanish Kale.

Their history is marked with oppression, with many stereo-types being applied to the group. Most of these have negative undertones, although that is not to say there are no positive asso-ciations. The Roma people, in art and in literature, have be-come synonymous with unin-hibited freedom and romantic love. It is without doubt that regardless of geographical ex-panse, the Roma people are con-

sistently remembered for music, song and dance.

M u s i c – O u r L i f e The Roma would say that their children can sing and play from birth. Even further, that a Roma infant will cry in a beautiful melody. During the Wrocław festival, an audience of almost two hundred had the opportunity to see for themselves the musical talents of the Polish Roma. The concert opened with a poignant performance of the Romani an-them „Gelem, gelem‟, whose

lyrics tell of times when thou-sands of Romani roamed the world in multi-coloured wagons.

There were performances from Terne Cierchenia, Kałe Roma, Don Hamlet, Gitan Swing and Romani Bacht. The artists pre-sented varied musical fascina-tions, from characteristically Roma, through melodies not distant from disco, to a heart wre nc hi n g r end i t io n o f „Ederlezi‟, which gained huge popularity in Poland thanks to Goran Bregovic. Gitan Swing gave the audience the chance to experience a still little-known undercurrent in Romani music - – gypsy jazz, pioneered at the beginning of the 20th century by French Manouche Django Reinhardt.

Wrocław actor Mirosław Ma-jcherek, festival compere, added his own colour to the event, en-tertaining the audience with jokes, countless slips of the tongue as well as linguistic mis-takes.

F e s t i v a l C o m m u n i t y Romani in Poland are still per-ceived through the prism of many negative stereotypes. For this reason, the organizers aimed not only to present the achieve-ments of Roma artists, but also achieve integration between the

Roma and non-Roma communi-ties. This aim was achieved; during the concerts the audience had fun together, taking no no-tice of ethnicity. Song, music and dance paved the way for abandonment of prejudices. And also for cooperation, as the festi-

val provided the perfect opportu-nity for people from different cul tures to work together .

Miłosz A. Gerlich is a lecturer at Wrocław University and an e x p e r t o n M i n o r i t i e s .

What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “vintage”? Is it the clothes your grandma wore when she was your age? What is the difference between vin-tage and just “old-fashioned” clothes? Generally speaking, clothing produced prior to 1920 is considered antique while clothing produced be-tween 1920 and the late 1970s is vintage. Some dealers also use the term “retro”, which refers to any common clothing styles or trends from the past.

Why has vintage become so popular?

There are several reasons vin-tage has become increasingly popular. Firstly, there are typi-cally a limited number of vin-tage items and generally they were custom made. Secondly, such clothing was usually of a very high quality, having been produced from fine materials. Thirdly, history and style: most

stylists like to use vintage cloth-ing to add historical depth and creativity to their styles. Never-

theless, vintage garments gener-ally sell for a lower cost than comparable new garments.

Where can you buy vintage?

There are numerous places where one can buy vintage clothing: at charity-runs, garage sales, vintage clothing shops, auctions, antique markets, flea markets, second hand clothing shops and textile or collectibles fairs. The world famous fairs and vintage shops are found not only in fashion capitals such as London, Paris or New York, but also in cities like Utrecht, Ned-erland (Vintage Collectors Fair); Turin, Italy (Balon Vintage Mar-ket); Sopot, Poland (Vintage Rynek); Brussels, Belgium (Bleubird Vintage); Barcelona; Spain (Vintage Barcelona by Mies and Felj in Ciutat Vella) a n d W r o c ł a w , P o l a n d (Garderoba) to name a few.

The Internet has also become a prospective market for sellers around the world. It has in-creased the availability of spe-cific and hard-to-get items.

What does it take to run a vin-tage store?

When you are the owner of a vintage store, your responsibili-ties include everything from purchasing inventory to arrang-ing the clothing in a way that will appeal to customers, to ex-ploring the history of clothing to ascertain a date or era for each article of clothing.

We spoke to one of the owners of Garderoba Vintage store in Wrocław to obtain a better un-derstanding of the vintage cloth-ing business. Patrycja Strzel-bicka explained, “I think running a vintage clothing shop can be a fun experience. Vintage has al-ways been very popular, but is especially so, as now we are experiencing a vintage boom. I

believe that vintage clothing has some kind of soul and his-tory, and it can be great fun to wear clothing from the various era. We don‟t just sell vintage clothes, we also organize fashion displays and shows with Polish designers like Sebastian Kubiak and Ewa Tlałka. The idea to

open this kind of shop was born one year ago, when we, my part-ner Ewa Tlałka and I were de-ciding in which direction to take our work. We decided we wanted to open an unusual shop. We envisioned an open space and store where our customers would feel at home. We are both very interested in fashion. I am finishing styling courses and Eva is a photographer. This is why we decided to create this type of store.”

Garderoba is working with popular brands as well as with small designers. Patrycja

bought most of the clothes dur-ing her travels, but she also looks for apparel in Wrocław and sometimes customers bring their clothes to the store.

“The demand for vintage cloth-ing is huge which is why I need to leave the store at times in order to search for new items, before someone else finds them. We take mostly branded clothes that are in good condition. My

favourite item was a leather jacket with gold studs. It was

very old. I bought it in London and the last owner said it had belonged to her mother. It had a family heritage; a jacket with a history,” says Patrycja.

Vintage clothing and shops ap-peal to both shopaholics and moderate shoppers. Despite the growing popularity of shopping malls, there will always be a place for small and cozy stores like Garderoba Vintage.

Garderoba Vintage ul. Igielna 14/15

www.garderobavintage.pl


22

In the coming years two new museums are going to be arranged in Wrocław to broaden the cultural offerings of the city and to reach the needs of its residents. The first one will be the Wrocław Contemporary Museum, the second one – a museum where the postwar history of Wrocław will be presented with particular emphasis on the “Solidarity” movement.

ART OF THE LIQUID MODERN WORLD

A c t u a l l y , t h e W r o c ł a w Contemporary Museum opens this month (September 2nd) in the shelter at Strzegomski Square near the locomotive urban sculpture. “It begins in Wrocław”, the exhibition of Zbigniew Gostomski is planned as well as a picnic including “The Bus” concert, the self-service workshop called “Accommodation”, where the audience can manage and design a piece of the shelter‟s space, and “Exchange of gifts”, a project assuming exchange of goods between artists and Wrocławians. “The Swineherd”, a feature movie by Wilhelm Sasnal will also be displayed. However, as the museu m a lo ng wi th the locomotive aiming at heaven are intended to revive culturally this part of the city, the location in the shelter is only temporary. The new building of the Wrocław Contemporary Museum is planned to be built by 2016 in the city center, behind the Panorama Racławicka and the Museum of Architecture, as a part of the Museum Quarter. This will be a n e w g e n e r a t i o n mu s e u m presenting modern art as well as offering an extensive leisure program.

SHAPING IDENTITY

In 2014, the museum presenting the postwar history of Wrocław is going to be open in the bus depot on Grabiszyńska street. The location was chosen as it played an important role in contemporary Wrocław‟s history. This was the place where the solidarity strike supporting the Gdańsk workers broke out on August 26th, 1980, which was a significant moment, shaping the contemporary identity of the city. The idea of organizing a museum in such a place also fits perfectly well in with the global trend of post-industrial space reclamation. After renovation, there will be an exhibition on display of the postwar history of Wrocław and the whole of Lower Silesia in relation to the history of Poland and Europe. The museum is being organized by the Ośrodek “Pamięć i Przyszłość” (“The Memory and Future” Center) which arranged the successful “Solidarity” exhibition last year using life acting as a part of the d i s p l a y . As b e fo r e , a l l Wrocławians are invited to participate in creating the place by bringing photos, mementos, stories as well as voting for the name of the museum. All this allows one to hope that the Bus Depot will not just be an educational spot but also an exciting history meeting point and vibrant tourist attraction all in one.

www.muzeumwspolczesne.pl

www.zajezdnia-wroclaw.pl

Jolanta Kłonowska

(Kosmiczni Chłopcy – Darek Orwat i Kamil Radek)

Us3 - returns to Wroclaw!

Us3 - the most famous acid jazz band in the world of legendary jazz label Blue Note Records, perform Oct. 21 at Eter Club in Wroclaw.

Us3‟s music i s an or igina l combination of jazz with funk, rap and oriental sounds.Their debut album „Hand On The

Torch‟ has sold more than 3.5 million copies, becoming the most commercially successful record from their label Blue Note. The band has played twice in Wrocław - in 2005 and 2009. It is high time for another visit!

Ethno Jazz Festival presents: 10/21/11 19.00 Eter club, ul K a z i m i e r z W i e l k i e g o

19. Us3 - acid jazz legend r e t u r n s t o W r o c l a w Tickets: 69 zł - the first 300 units, 79 zł - presale, 90 zł - on the day o f t h e c o n c e r t Tickets available at Empik and Media Markt in Poland and on w w w . e v e n t i m . p l , www.ticketpro.pl, www.biletin.pl Reservations: [email protected]

Clevens Polska is organising a

dinner accompanied by

specially selected French wines

Thursday 22nd September at 8pm

At the restaurant of Hotel im. Jana Pawła

II, Sw. Idziego on Cathedral Island

(entrance on opposite side of the terrace which has a

view of the botanical gardens)

Price : 100zł per

person all inclusive, payment upon

reservation Contact and reservation:

Alice Renard

[email protected]

Zbigniew Gostomski, "Tower of Babel", drawing, 1992 (photo: Foksal Gallery, Warsaw)


23

Film Festival . Sokołowsko .

23-25 Sept 2011

‘Hommage à Kieślowski’ Remembering Krzysztof Kieślowski on the occasion of his 70th birthday

and the 15th anniversary of his death

You are invited to the following events: Meeting with artists

Outdoor film screenings Theatrical performances Concerts and exhibitions Souvenirs and attractions

Invited Artists: Zbigniew Preisner, Krystyna Janda, Jerzy Stuhr,

Janusz Gajos, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Robert Gliński, Lech Majewski, Wasilewski Trio

and many others

FREE ADMISSION

www.sokolowsko.org www.insitu.pl

12th September - 8pm

Brendan Perry at Club Eter Tickets: 99 zł 1st 300., 109 zł prebooked, 120 zł on

dayof concert

Venue: Eter (Club)

Address: , Kazimierza Wielkiego 19

Internet: www.wrockfest.pl

4th September, 9pm

MY DISCO The PTTRNS at

Puzzle Club Tickets: 15 zł, 20 zł

Venue: Przestrzeń Muzyczna Puzzle

Address: Wrocław, Przejście Garncarskie 2


Susana Baca w Synagodze Tickets: 100 zł – 75 zł – 50 zł – balkon, 30 zł

Venue: Synagoga Pod Białym Bocianem

Address: Wrocław, Włodkowica 7

Website: www.wrockfest.pl

Susana Baca is one of the characters who played a key role in the rebirth of afro-peruvian music popularity both in Peru and worldwide. Not without reason her voice is often compared with the voice of Cesaria Evora and Celia Cruz, and the artist's success story began in 1995 when she released a compilation of "The Soul of Black Peru," with her song "Maria Lando." Her music is a blend of tradition with the present day.

7th September, 8pm

Forbidden at Firleju Tickets: 60 zł prebooked, 70 zł on the day of

concert

Venue: Ośrodek Działań Artystycznych Firlej

Adres: Wrocław, Grabiszyńska 56

Internet: www.firlej.wroc.pl

2nd September, 24:00

Wratislavia Cantans,

Inauguration Concert Tickets: 60-200 zł

Venue: Filharmonia Wrocławska

Address: Wrocław, ul. Marsz. J. Piłsudskiego 19

Website: www.wratislawiacantans.pl

2nd September, 7pm

Sabaton at the Arsenal Tickets: 90 zł – prebooked, 100 zł – on the day Venue: Arsenał Address: Wrocław, Cieszyńskiego 9


Astillero at Under the White

Stork Synagogue Bilety: 70 zł – I place, 55 zł – II Place, 30 zł –

Standing

Venue: Synagoga Pod Białym Bocianem

17th September, afternoon event

Welcome Back to Wrocław

Party

Venue: International Friends of Wrocław Email : [email protected]

Expats can meet up after the holidays and enjoy Ten Pin Bowling and

Pizza . Email IFW for further details and to book a place.

9th September - 7pm

Women’s Film Salon "Lucia’s Second Life"/ „Drugie życie Lucii”

Argentina and Patagonia-set drama about a brief relationship

between two women that changes both of their lives forever.

Afterward, banquet, social event and raffle

Tickets: 40 zł, to buy over the counter Helios cinema

Address: Kino Helios, Kazimierza Wielkiego 19a/21

Internet: www.kobiecesalonyfilmowe.pl

http://www.wrockfest.pl

http://kreatywnywroclaw.pl/wps/portal/creative/kreatywny/inne/miejsceprofil/!ut/p/c5/tcvNCoJAGIXha_EKvjN9krUcmuYnyZFsQGcTLiKE1BZR0NXnrpXgpnOWDy9Fmj60r-7WPrtxaO9UU1xfpNr4baUYvrQKLt1zKrRgozB5M-_lakldHLW2uREw2mByWdgseAFgSY2Zyf_WDcXs5-CK4XK4w0kxw4DO1OyosGN_pUcfQq

http://www.firlej.wroc.pl/

http://kreatywnywroclaw.pl/wps/portal/creative/kreatywny/inne/miejsceprofil/!ut/p/c5/tcvNCoJAGIXha_EKvjN9krUcmuYnyZFsQGcTLiKE1BZR0NXnrpXgpnOWDy9Fmj60r-7WPrtxaO9UU1xfpNr4baUYvrQKLt1zKrRgozB5M-_lakldHLW2uREw2mByWdgseAFgSY2Zyf_WDcXs5-CK4XK4w0kxw4DO1OyosGN_pUcfQq

24 Classifieds

Documents

TWI 1st Sept 2011 E-weekly