jarek
On November 4, 2024 a club meeting of the members of the Center of Multicultural Education (CEM) took place. November, as the month marking the anniversary of Poland’s regained independence after 123 years of partition, was an appropriate time to organize a meeting focused on this important occasion.
At the beginning of the meeting, CEM President Bożena Kocyk thanked the participants of the project “Knowledge of Foreign Languages Widens Horizons” for their dedication and fruitful collaboration. The final project report was approved in full, which enabled the National Agency to transfer the final payment, amounting to 20% of the project’s total value, to the association’s account.
Later in the meeting, we listened to an introductory speech and watched a film prepared by our colleague Jarosław Szewczyk about Bronisław Piłsudski, the brother of Józef Piłsudski. Bronisław was an exile and an ethnographer who studied the peoples and cultures of the Far East, particularly the Ainu people. He was sentenced to death for his involvement in an assassination attempt on Tsar Alexander III, but his sentence was later commuted to exile and forced labor on Sakhalin Island. He married a relative of an Ainu chief relative, with whom he had two children.
Japanese Esperantist Teruo Matsumoto, who lived in Poland, was also interested in the life of Bronisław Piłsudski. He appeared in the film, and as Vice President of the Polish Esperanto Association, Matsumoto often spoke about Bronisław at Esperanto meetings.
The meeting concluded with a group singing of patriotic songs accompanied by our colleague Alicja Skalska on the accordion.
Bożena Kocyk
In accordance with statutory requirements and regulations concerning the activities of non-governmental organizations, on 07.10.2024, the General Assembly of CEM Members took place, during which the authorities were elected for the next 3-year term, and work plans for the upcoming year were presented. The composition of the board remains unchanged. The names of the members are listed on the CEM website.
A new person, Ewa Merha, joined the Audit Committee. Alicja Skalska was re-elected as Chairperson, and Zofia Homoncik as a member. As part of the statutory activities, Esperanto and English classes will continue, along with monthly club meetings, where we will invite interesting guests, or our members will present their own presentations.
Information was provided about an exhibition planned for 2025 by the Sądecka Land Museum in cooperation with CEM, which will be held in the Galician Town and will be dedicated to Esperanto. As part of the language and tourism trips, a trip to Toruń is planned, where we will meet with local Esperantists, and also a trip to the International Esperanto Congress in Brno, Czech Republic, in July 2025.
We encourage everyone to actively participate in the activities of our association.
Bożena Kocyk
From August 24th to 31st, the 90th congress organized by the Italian Esperanto Federation took place in Montecatini Terme near Florence. More than 200 people participated, with Poles being the second-largest national group in terms of numbers.
The program was, as usual, rich: serious and lighter lectures, workshops, concerts, and a wide selection of excursions. The main theme of the congress, as well as the focus of the main seminar, was “Esperanto as a tool for increasing linguistic and intercultural competencies. It was led by Duncan Charters, president of the Universal Esperanto Association since 2019, and Professor Ilona Koutny from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.
Unfortunately, the Interlinguistic Studies in Esperanto, conducted by Professor Koutny, will end this year. Similarly, Arkones – the Art Esperanto Days in Poznań – took place for the last time. Thus, two important elements of the Esperanto movement have disappeared from the events calendar.
Among the many lectures, one could choose, for example, “Esperanto in Madagascar” by Ulrich Matthias or “The Real Situation in Ukraine: Experiences and Reflections” by Evheno Kovtonjko.
Every morning in the park, yoga exercises and meditation were held, led by Clarissa Sabatini (in the evenings, she also played the harp, guitar, and sang). The evenings, traditionally dedicated to music, were enriched by giants like JoMo – a French singer and guitarist who inspired everyone to dance and sing, and “Kajto” – a Dutch duo playing many instruments and singing not only in Esperanto.
It’s just a pity that the final concert was so deadly serious, with such an ambitious musical-poetic repertoire that many people left during the performance. Somehow, Italian Esperantists don’t seem to understand (the same thing happened at the World Congress in Turin) that the congress participants are a very diverse, international audience, not just connoisseurs of very serious music and symbolic, difficult poetry, most expect lighter entertainment, which doesn’t mean a lack of quality.
Nevertheless, the congress fulfilled its most important role of integrating the Esperanto community and providing an opportunity to meet new and old friends. Let’s hope there will still be people with enough enthusiasm, strength, and time to organize such events.
Bożena Kocyk
From July 18 to 21, 2024, four members of our Esperanto Association participated in the 41st Polish Esperanto Congress in Kalisz. The honorary patrons of the Congress were Krystian Kinastowski, Mayor of Kalisz, and Professor Andrzej Wojtyła, Rector of the Kalisz University. The organization of the congress was handled by the Kalisz Esperanto group.
The first day of the congress, Thursday, July 18, began with a trip. All participants (150 people) had the opportunity to visit the Czartoryski Princes’ Castle in Gołuchów and take a walk in the park surrounding the buildings. Later, we visited Russów, where the manor house in which Maria Dąbrowska was born is located. In the afternoon, we participated in a picnic at the university complex. During the picnic, we listened to the “Kajto” band from the Netherlands, which performed Esperanto songs while playing various instruments. Wojciech Ławnikowicz also sang beautifully with his tenor voice. The music was accompanied by group dances and shared fun. Around 9:00 p.m., we returned to our accommodation, which for us was the “Bulionik” student dormitory.
Friday, July 19, was the official opening day of the Congress. After welcoming the invited guests and participants of the Congress by Robert Kamiński, Chairman of the Main Board of PZE, the inaugural lecture was delivered by Professor Krzysztof Walczak. Afterward, Aleksandra and Julia Czajka performed on the piano. After a short break, each participant could attend selected lectures, which took place in the main hall of Kalisz University. These lectures covered topics related to the history of Kalisz, the Esperanto movement in the city, or Ludwik Zamenhof himself and his idea of creating a universal language. Around 6:00 p.m., a jazz concert by Maciej Fortuna’s band took place in the hall, and in the evening, the “Kajto” band performed again in the Kalisz market square.
Saturday, July 20, began with a tour of Kalisz. From 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., under the guidance of a guide, we visited the main monuments of the city and planted a commemorative oak tree in the city park. In the afternoon, more twenty-minute lectures took place at the “Bulionik” student dormitory, covering a wide variety of topics. In the evening, presentations of Esperanto organizations, whose representatives were present at the congress, were scheduled. The first presentation was by the Center for Intercultural Education from Nowy Sącz, which showcased its recently completed Erasmus+ project titled “Knowledge of Foreign Languages Broadens Horizons.” To conclude the evening, performances were given at the dormitory by Wojciech Ławnikowicz, Maria Getko, “Kajto,” and Świętosław Fortuna.
Sunday, July 21, was the final day of the Congress. After breakfast, between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Bożena and Marian Kocyk gave a lecture on the 2023 International Esperanto Congress in Turin. Around 1:30 p.m., Robert Kamiński summarized the Congress and thanked participants from Poland and abroad, as well as the organizers.
The Congress in Kalisz made a great impression on us. The efficient organization and management of the 150 participants were impressive. The diversity of lectures, joint concerts, and entertainment provided opportunities for interesting conversations, allowed us to get to know other people better, and establish new contacts not only with Polish Esperantists but also with those who came to the Congress from France, Germany, Slovakia, and Italy.
Translated by AI
From May 31st to June 2nd, 2024, the XXXV Esperantian Days of Krakow took place, attended by dozens of participants, including a large group from the Intercultural Education Center. The event also welcomed international guests from Slovakia, Hungary, and Germany.
Two segments of the program were prepared by participants from Nowy Sącz, highlighting the significant involvement of our association:
1. Lecture on Erasmus+ Project for Adult Education: Bożena and Marian Kocyk presented a talk titled “Foreign Languages Broaden Horizons” about a two-week English course in Malta as part of the Erasmus+ mobility project for staff and volunteers.
2. Theatrical Performance: The theater group “Gwiazdeczki” (Little Stars) performed the play “Such Towns No Longer Exist,” enriching the cultural aspect of the meeting.
Over the two days, we enjoyed numerous fascinating lectures, watched Roman Dobrzyński’s films about the Incas and Oomoto in Japan, and listened to concerts and poetry readings. We also sang Esperanto songs together, accompanied by Halina Róźanek on the accordion and Wojtek Ławnikiewicz on the guitar.
We paid special attention to a presentation by young Esperantist Tymoteusz Smoliński about wild, edible plants growing in Poland, which included beautiful photographs and a tasting session of these plants.
Magda Tatara provided information about ILEI – the International League of Esperanto Teachers, and Barbara Pietrzak spoke about the online programs in Esperanto produced by Pola Retradio.
Additionally, there was a report on a stay in Toulouse and a photographic exhibition showcasing the travels of Esperantists around the world. As per tradition, Father Gmyrek celebrated a Mass in Esperanto, and on the third day, an excursion to Niepołomice and its surroundings was organized.
Participants also had the opportunity to purchase books and the magazine “Pola Esperantisto.”
We once again had the chance to to reunite with old friends and make new ones!
Translation by Admin
From April 10th to 14th, 2024, a group of 21 members from our Association embarked on an excursion to Szczecin. The purpose of the trip extended beyond mere sightseeing; it included meeting with local Esperantists and showcasing the activities of both clubs.
The journey was swift and comfortable, as we traveled in a sleeping car. This allowed us to commence our planned activities immediately upon arrival. We were delighted and pleasantly surprised when the local Esperantists greeted us at the Szczecin station, waving a green flag.
After checking into our luxurious hotel and taking a brief rest, we ventured out to explore the city. Our guide was our fellow Esperantist Bernadetta Wiewiórska. We toured the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle and delved into the rich history of this fascinating region. Following this, we had the pleasure of enjoying coffee on the 22nd floor of the PAZIM building.
In the afternoon we visited the Książnica Pomorska (cultural institution and central library of Western Pomerania) for a meeting with local Esperantists. This gathering provided an opportunity to share interesting and humorous anecdotes about the activities of both clubs, making for an enjoyable and enriching experience.
The following day was also devoted to sightseeing, this time at the Maritime Science Center, where our fellow Esperantist Andrzej Jabłoński guided us. Since he worked on ships as a warranty engineer on ships so he knows the realities of life at sea very well. For us, mountain dwellers it was a unique chance to glimpse into the maritime atmosphere and the lifestyle of those connected to the sea.
In the evening we attended a concert at the famous Szczecin Philharmonic. The performance was enchanting, featuring classical works by Mozart and Beethoven. Additionally, we had the opportunity to tour the distinctive building.
The next day we visited Międzyzdroje. Our first stop was the Miniature Park, where we admired scaled-down versions of famous Baltic landmarks. We then strolled through the spa center, walked along the pier and, of course, tasted some sea fish.
On the final day of our trip our fellow Halina Różanek took us for a walk in the Jan Paweł II Park Jasne Błonia. There were monuments related to Szczecin including a monument to Helena Majdaniec, a singer from Szczecin known for performing the song “Rudy rydz”. We also admired Hasior’s installations and the amphitheater.
As a thank you for guiding us around the sites and for enriching our stay, we invited our local guides to a formal farewell dinner. The delightful time we spent in Szczecin passed quickly, and soon it was time to return to Nowy Sącz.
Translation Adm.+AI
During the meeting, we listened to a fascinating lecture entitled “Modern and Contemporary Art – Time Frames, Genealogy, Characteristics of Artistic Trends. Museums of Modern and Contemporary Art” delivered by Magdalena Jaksa Chadaj.
The speaker is a graduate of the Sculpture Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow and also studied at the Władysław Spasowski Institute of Teacher Education in Krakow. She creates in the field of ceramics, drawing, painting, stage design, poetry, and has conducted pedagogical activities in the artistic departments of schools in Nowy Sącz. She is a laureate of numerous awards.
Magdalena took us on a fascinating journey through the styles and trends in modern art starting from the 1860s with the emergence of the first black-and-white photographs, through the works of the Impressionists, Post-Impressionism, Pointillism, Cubism, Symbolism, Divisionism, Expressionism, Fauvism, Orphism, Hyperrealism, and finally to abstraction in painting, sculpture, and architecture in contemporary art dated from the end of World War II.
We learned the secrets of the workshops of such artists as Edgar Degas, Henry Matisse, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, William Turner, Georges Seurat, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Wassily Kandinsky, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, and many others, as well as examples of their philosophical reflections on art, for example:
• I hope that all my works have a light and pleasant breath of spring, not revealing how much work they sometimes cost me.
• Despite studying and learning, one should always cherish the original naivety in oneself.
• Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.
• You will not understand art until you understand that in art 1+1 can give any number except 2.
• I paint objects as I think about them, not as I see them.
Polish artists were also given a prominent place in the lecture: Józef Chełmoński, Kazimierz Malewicz, Olga Boznańska, Aleksander Gierymski, Władysław Podkowiński, Stanisław Stanisławski, Tamara Łępicka, Stanisław Wyspiański, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, Katarzyna Kobro, Władysław Strzemiński, Jerzy Nowosielski, Władysław Hasior, Wojciech Fangor, Robert Kusmirowski, Jacek Malczewski, Józef Mehoffer and others.
In the final part of the lecture, we got acquainted with examples of architectural creations in modern and contemporary art, and then the author presented a list of interesting museums where we can deepen our knowledge on the topics covered by the lecture.
An integral part of contemporary art is also spatial installations and street art represented, for example, by Banksy or Justyna Posiecz-Polkowska, or by authors of interesting murals from Nowy Sącz such as Mgr Mors, Nupz, Blew, Dase, Kont, are also an integral part of contemporary art.
The journey through the land of art met with great interest from the audience.
In reference to Ms. Magdalena’s lecture, our colleague Jarek Szewczyk presented selected examples of “creativity” by Artificial Intelligence, which is dynamically marking its presence in the art market. The versatile training of neural networks has resulted in artists such as painters, graphic designers, sculptors, poets, and musicians facing unexpected competition from “machines” that, initiated by a single “prompt” – a short written or voice command – can create “works” worthy of masters within seconds.
Despite the critical opinions of art connoisseurs, this activity poses an unexpected threat to human creators, especially since machine creations are successfully entering art auctions.
Additionally, there is also a threat of a flood of disinformation in the form of photos, voice reports, and videos created using Artificial Intelligence algorithms, which present false events in the world of politics, culture, or in the social and moral sphere (deep fakes).
At the next meeting, we will focus on conversations with various AI models and on assessing their creative capabilities or “reasoning” abilities, comparable to human thought processes.
Admin JS+AI
W ramach realizacji projektu Erasmus + w Sądeckiej Bibliotece Publicznej odbędzie się prezentacja opisująca pobyt grupy z CEM na kursie języka angielskiego na Malcie.
Zapraszamy
Bożena Kocyk
On February 19th, another club meeting took place at the Center for Intercultural Education. In addition to current matters such as membership dues and the planned trip to Szczecin, the program included a lecture by a family doctor and a discussion on new technologies.
Dr. Zofia Kopacz provided a lot of important information for patients related to the organization of primary healthcare, patients’ rights regarding referrals for tests and specialists, medication reimbursement principles and also addressed dietary supplements.
Colleague Jarosław Szewczyk, as part of introducing new technologies to people aged 60 and over, presented modern possibilities of sharing photos, videos, and other files using a smartphone and Google company applications, using generated links and utilizing Google cloud. The next meeting will focus on continuing this topic using a computer and internet browsers.
Translation by Ad+AI
What Erasmus Plus Gives Us?
Continuing our collaboration, after the death of Halina Komar, the longtime president of the Intercultural Education Center in Nowy Sącz a few months ago, the association has decided to reapply for funding from the Erasmus+ program in the ”Adult Education” sector.
The project title: „Knowledge of Foreign Languages Widens Horizons”.
In recent months, new people have joined the association who, in addition to their interest in Esperanto, also want to improve their English language skills, which are very useful in the modern world, including for Esperantists. This is a group that has been meeting for several years for conversation classes at the Nowy Sącz City Library, and I (B. Kocyk) lead the group.
Together with Polish language teacher Małgorzata Piluch we wrote a proposal to the National Agency for funding the participation of a group of 16 people in an English language course in Malta. Despite Malta being a small country with only 0.52 million residents, it specializes in various language courses. There are 42 schools with a global reputation, and the official languages are Maltese and English.
The proposal was very well received and accepted, leading to a two-week trip in October 2023 in which board members and active members of the association participated. A basic knowledge of English was a requirement.
We established cooperation with the Institute of English Language Studies during the project writing stage in January 2023. They agreed to accept their school as host organization, significantly enhancing the substantive value of the proposal and providing enough time for detailed agreements. This school has been operating for over 35 years, offering around 20 different English language courses and employing 150 qualified teachers.
Progress in English will allow us to deepen international cooperation, introduce English translations on the website, and promote Esperanto in English-speaking communities as well. Before the trip, everyone had to complete an online test and participate in a brief interview with a teacher from the school we were visiting, using the Zoom application. This helped assess language proficiency.
On-site at the school, we were assigned to 4 groups ranging from the least to the most advanced. These groups differed not only in age (although the youth predominated) but also in nationality. Participants came from South and Central America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Students from over 40 countries passed through the schools halls. In lessons, we learned many interesting things about our classmates countries.
Our association team also attracted significant interest due to its age and funding through EU resources. Thus, we had the opportunity to tell the students about Esperanto as the main focus of our activities, which was entirely new to them. They wanted to hear sentences spoken in Esperanto and understand which languages it might resemble.
The association activities were also intriguing for them, as at this stage of their lives, young people are not yet seeking opportunities to engage in initiatives that would allow them to develop their non-professional interests in various fields of science and culture.
Another episode related to Esperanto was a conversation I had with one of the teachers during conversation classes. This elderly gentleman is of Iranian origin and practices the Bahái Faith. His family had to leave Iran many years ago due to persecution from Muslims. Bahá’ís have suffered persecution since the inception of their religion in the 19th century. At that time, he was studying in the United Kingdom; currently, he resides in Malta and his family has dispersed worldwide, never returning to Iran. In the past, Bahá’ís sought a language that would work well in their international community, and their choice fell on Esperanto.
Does it really? – nobody knows. There are approximately 5 million Bahá’ís worldwide, with their administrative and spiritual center located in Haifa, Israel. The idea of Esperanto among Bahá’ís was promoted in the interwar period by Lidia Zamenhof, the daughter of Ludwik Zamenhof. She became a Bahái in 1926 and in 1937 was sent to the United States, where she taught Esperanto and Baháí principles. Just before the war, she returned to Poland and perished in the Treblinka concentration camp along with her sister Zofia. The teacher mentioned above knows very well the principles and history of Esperanto, as well as important figures in the Esperanto movement; he was interested in the details of our activities.
After very intensive lessons (6 per day), in the afternoons and weekends, we had time to explore Malta and its islands, Gozo and Comino.
Maltese history dates back thousands of years before our era. The oldest megalithic temples began to be built around 3600 BC so they are older than the Egyptian pyramids, although less attractive to tourists. Over the centuries, Malta was under the rule of the Phoenicians, ancient Rome, Arabs, the Kingdom of Sicily, the Knights of Malta and Great Britain; all leaving their marks. The capital, Valletta, is one large piece of history. With 320 historic sites, it is the densest historical area in the world. It is also a major passenger and commercial port, welcoming large ships, mainly sailing in the Mediterranean Sea.
The implementation of Erasmus+ projects involves not only foreign trips but also many obligations, starting from a well-defined idea, through the creation of numerous documents before, during, and after the activity. It requires finding a good host or cooperating organization, plan the budget well, strict adherence to Erasmus+ program guidelines, meeting all the required conditions specified in the financial agreement and achieving the goals outlined in the application. Writing the final report is a significant challenge as it must demonstrate that the funds were spent according to the intention and documented in accordance with both EU and national accounting principles.
Success achieved through obtaining a positive opinion from the National Agency and then through project implementation, brings immense satisfaction to the authors and unforgettable educational, cultural, and integrative experiences to the entire group participating in the endeavour.
Bożena Kocyk
→ Link to Marysia Baran’s presentation
→ Link to presentations posted in the Google cloud (valid until the end of February 2024)
