jarek
The February CEM club meeting took place in an “African atmosphere” on 16 February of this year at the MOK cultural center. This was made possible thanks to the presence of guests who, through their stories, transported us to Tanzania.
Magdalena Tatara (an Esperantist from Kraków) and Robert Kamiński (President of the Main Board of the Polish Esperanto Association) participated in the 109th World Esperanto Congress, which took place from 3 to 10 August 2024 in Arusha, Tanzania – a historic event, the first of its kind on the African continent. Magda and Robert spoke in a very direct, warm, and engaging way about their journey to the congress venue, about Tanzania and Zanzibar, about the congress itself and its atmosphere, and about the places they visited. All of this was illustrated with photographs they had taken themselves.
Tanzania – the United Republic of Tanzania – is a country in East Africa formed from the union of former British colonies: Tanganyika (German until World War I) and British Zanzibar. This is symbolized by the name created from the first syllables of both countries: TAN + ZAN.
Zanzibar is an island in the Indian Ocean belonging entirely to Tanzania. While presenting the country, the speakers showed important landmarks as well as the everyday life of residents in places that are not wealthy but are colorful with stalls selling local products, where the main means of transport offered to tourists is the motorcycle.
The people of Tanzania are very friendly and open, as shown by their greeting “jambo” (“hello”) and the phrase “hakuna matata”, meaning “don’t worry” or “no problems,” often heard as a greeting or a response to everyday concerns. Although popularized by The Lion King, it is deeply rooted in East African culture.
. The congress was held at the International Conference Center (AICC) in Arusha, in a hall that can accommodate about 1,500 people. Around 700 participants from more than 60 countries attended, and the main theme was: “Language, people, and the environment for a better world”. Arusha is one of the largest cities in Tanzania (over 600,000 inhabitants), located near the border with Kenya at the foot of the majestic Mount Meru – the second-highest peak in Tanzania after Kilimanjaro. The city of Arusha is the starting point for safaris in northern Tanzania. This gave congress participants the opportunity to take a trip during which they could observe local wildlife from the car windows.
A particularly interesting place to visit was the National Natural History Museum, which features exhibitions on early humans, the plants and animals of the region, and the history of the city. On the museum grounds, a huge tortoise – around 200 years old – roams freely.
Another important site is the Cultural Heritage Centre, a large art gallery housed in an impressive building inspired by African symbols. The extensive museum complex presents a collection of African art, including wooden sculptures, statues, masks, paintings, furniture, tools, and traditional doors from Zanzibar.
Our guests also spoke interestingly about their visit to the cemetery of Polish refugees in Tengeru, in the Arusha region. This cemetery is the largest and best-preserved burial site of Polish citizens in Tanzania and in all of Africa. It is the resting place of 150 Polish exiles from World War II who accompanied General Anders’ Army on its journey from the Soviet Union to Iran and Palestine. They were transported and settled in British colonies, including the territory of then Tanganyika (now Tanzania). The refugees established settlements, the largest of which was in Tengeru, with about 5,000 inhabitants. The cemetery, like other Polish cemeteries in Tanzania, is maintained by the Polish Embassy in Tanzania and is very well cared for – which is exceptional compared to local burial sites, which are not preserved or commemorated in this way.
The organization of the trip to Tengeru was assisted by the then Vice-Consul of the Polish Embassy in Tanzania, Krystyna Fatyga, who also took part in the visit and recounted the cemetery’s history. The account given by our guests – enriched with many photographs and personal impressions – transported the meeting participants to another fascinating and, in many ways, little-known African country.
The congress held in Tanzania highlighted the growing interest in the language and the increasing role of Esperanto in Africa. The stories about the congress – which included scientific and cultural events, environmental initiatives, and ecumenical services – confirmed that it is an event promoting unity, cooperation, and Esperanto as a tool connecting people across cultural boundaries.
The presentation by Magdalena Tatara and Robert Kamiński was warmly received by the participants and rewarded with loud applause. During the meeting, the President of the Main Board of the Polish Esperanto Association, Robert Kamiński, presented brief information about the association’s activities and invited everyone to participate in the 43rd Polish Esperanto Congress, which will take place in Bielsko-Biała from 23 to 26 July 2026.
Maria Baran
“June kaj kune” is the first musical in history that was originally created in the Esperanto language — it is therefore not a translation of any other work.
Its premiere took place during the 78th International Youth Congress (Internacia Junulara Kongreso, abbreviated IJK). The title of the musical is also the motto of TEJO and means “young people together”.The story follows participants of a fictional International Youth Congress: some of them find love, others discover their current “place on Earth,” and still others receive unexpected help.
There is no single protagonist – the theme and the true “main star” of the show is the congress itself. 34 young people from 14 countries and 5 parts of the world joined forces to create this unique project. The performance was presented on 26 August 2022 at 20:00 during IJK 2022 in Westelbeers, the Netherlands.
To carry out this project, TEJO received funding from the Erasmus+ program under KA152. In addition, five other associations contributed to its realization: Catalan Esperanto Youth, German Esperanto Youth, the Italian Federation of Esperantists, EUROKKA, and the Polish Esperanto Association.
The entire musical and a list of individual songs are available for viewing on YouTube:
June Kaj Kune – La Muzikalo
Organizanto – June kaj Kune
Kantoj – June kaj Kune
Lidia Komar
Every year in December, to commemorate the birth of the creator of Esperanto, the Center for Intercultural Education (CEM) celebrates “Zamenhof Day.” This year, our celebrations took place on December 19, 2025. The event featured the traditional Zamenhof cake, tributes to our late friend Roman Dobrzyński, and the singing of Christmas carols in both Esperanto and Polish.
“Zamenhof Day” and the exhibition “Esperanto Beyond the Borders of Time and Space” (which had its official opening on November 7, 2025, at the Galician Town Hall in Nowy Sącz) were our two major events honoring Ludwik Zamenhof. Information regarding these initiatives was published on the global Esperanto platform, “Eventa Servo.”
The celebration at the Municipal Cultural Center (MOK) began with a welcome speech by Jolanta Kieres, Vice President of the CEM Board. Among the guests was Jadwiga Banach, representing the Board of the SUTW (University of the Third Age). While thanking for the invitation, she extended her heartfelt wishes for the continued success of our association and expressed her confidence in the ongoing cooperation between CEM and SUTW.
Jolanta Kieres provided a brief overview of the traditions and various ways Zamenhof Day is celebrated by Esperantists worldwide. Following this, the “Esperanto Anthem” was performed, accompanied by Alicja Skalska on the accordion.
The highlight of the meeting was a tribute to the late Roman Dobrzyński, an outstanding Polish Esperantist, journalist, and documentary filmmaker. Maria Baran delivered a lecture on his life and work, focusing particularly on his collaboration with the Esperantists of Nowy Sącz. Her presentation concluded with a poem by Halina Różanek, an Esperantist from Szczecin, read by Wanda Śmigielska. Halina wrote the poem in 2022 during our 30-person group’s visit to Germany.
The meeting continued with personal anecdotes from our members. Bożena Kocyk spoke about her private meetings and engaging conversations with Roman. She also presented several of his books, warmly encouraging everyone to read them. Alicja Skalska, Jolanta Kieres, and Lidia Komar also shared their personal memories of him.
The late Roman Dobrzyński – an eminent Esperantist, writer, filmmaker, and a kind-hearted man with a great sense of humor – remains in our hearts as a dear Friend.
During the event, students from the Esperanto language courses led by Jolanta Kieres performed a short, humorous sketch based on a text by R. Dobrzyński. The script was adapted by Ewa Merha, and the roles were performed by Zofia Homoncik and Wanda Śmigielska.
With Christmas approaching, the gathering joined in a choral singing of carols in Esperanto and Polish, again accompanied by Alicja Skalska. Christmas and New Year wishes were exchanged, with a particularly joyful set of wishes presented by Wanda Śmigielska. In a warm and friendly atmosphere, everyone enjoyed the traditional “Zamenhof Cake”.
Maria Baran & adm & AI
With great sadness we received the news of the passing of Roman Dobrzyński. He was for us not only a dear friend, but also a man of extraordinary sensitivity, intelligence, and sense of humor, which could brighten even the most difficult moments.
Roman was an outstanding Esperantist, whose passion for the Esperanto language turned into tangible works. He created books that not only promoted this language, but also showed its beauty and presence in the world, in people, cultures, and everyday stories.
Through his films he presented the activities of Esperanto communities on various continents, including Japan and Brazil, thereby bringing the idea of Esperanto closer to thousands of people and making the ideals of mutual understanding and openness more tangible.
We have lost not only a remarkable specialist and ambassador of the idea that unites people across borders, but above all a good, wise, and kind man. His creativity, work, and presence will forever remain with us — in our memories, conversations, and in his works, which will continue to inspire.
Museum of the Sądecki Region in Nowy Sącz, together with the Center for Intercultural Education, organized the exhibition “Esperanto beyond the boundaries of time and space”. The exhibition will last for three months and is located in the town hall building of the Galician Town. It was officially opened on November 7, 2025..
Panels in Esperanto and Polish, illustrating the life and achievements of Ludwik Zamenhof and providing many interesting facts about the Esperanto movement in Poland and abroad, were originally prepared in 2017 on the centenary of Zamenhof’s death. That year was declared by UNESCO as the Year of Zamenhof (alongside Tadeusz Kościuszko), following a proposal from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and indirectly from Polish Esperantists.
During that time, several years of efforts to include Esperanto on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Poland were finalized. One of the panels depicts the moment when the decision was handed over to Halina Komar and Kazimierz Krzyżak by the Deputy Minister of Culture.
Alongside the panels, a brochure featuring the same photos was published. The publishers were the Ministry of Culture, the Polish Embassy in Seoul, and the Center for Intercultural Education. The embassy in South Korea was involved because the World Esperanto Congress took place in Seoul in 2017, with over 1,000 participants from dozens of countries. The brochure was published in Esperanto and English to reach the widest possible non-Polish-speaking audience.
The opening ceremony program included an official welcome by the deputy director of the museum, a greeting from the president of the Center for Intercultural Education, and thanks to the museum staff for enabling the presentation of Esperanto achievements to a broader audience.
Special thanks go to Alicja Skalska, Maria Baran, Jarosław Szewczyk, and Marian Kocyk for their contributions to organizing the exhibition.
After watching a simulated greeting by Zamenhof himself (using Artificial Intelligence), we sang the Esperanto anthem accompanied by Alicja Skalska on the accordion.
Next, we listened to a lecture by Maria Baran titled “115 Years of Esperanto in Nowy Sącz”.
We learned many details about the activities of the local branch of the Polish Esperanto Association in Nowy Sącz, as well as the work of the Center for Intercultural Education, which has existed since 2012 as an independent non-governmental organization with a broader range of interests. In addition to Esperanto courses, we have added English language courses.
Finally, we raised a toast to the successful initiative and enjoyed a white-and-green cake – the colors of Esperanto. Guests could also view various types of Esperanto-language publications displayed in showcases.
Bożena Kocyk
From October 20 to 25, 2025, Nowy Sącz was visited by a group of Lithuanians from the University of the Third Age in Panevėžys. Our association enriched their stay by participating in and organizing several program activities, especially since the visit took place as part of the Erasmus program, in which CEM is also involved. One of the participants was a Lithuanian Esperantist, who proved invaluable, as Esperanto was our primary language of communication.
One of the CEM members – Marian Kocyk – guided the group around Nowy Sącz, showing them the most interesting places and the most important historical landmarks of the city.
The following day, a meeting was held between CEM members and the Lithuanian group, during which we discussed the activities of our associations and the specifics of working with seniors.
Bożena and Marian Kocyk also accompanied the group to Kamienna, to the “Honey Clinic” center, which specializes in apitherapy. Workshops were held there, led by an expert in beekeeping and related topics. Esperanto was again very useful for translation.
The final item on our side was a presentation by B.M. Kocyk titled “Dubai – Luxury in the Desert”, featuring beautiful travel photos and interesting information about the United Arab Emirates.
The guests from Lithuania surely took home fond memories of their stay in our city.
Bożena Kocyk
A club meeting of CEM members inaugurating the new year of the association’s activities took place at the Public Library in Nowy Sącz.
The first item on the agenda was a presentation of memories and photos from a trip to the United Arab Emirates, prepared by Bożena and Marian Kocyk, titled “Luxury in the Desert”. This part of the meeting was open to the public and attracted many travel enthusiasts and regular attendees of library events.
At the beginning, we learned several details about the history, geography, and economic situation of the Emirates.
The most important of them is Dubai, which in 60 years grew from a city of 60,000 inhabitants into a metropolis of over 3 million. Huge oil reserves enabled investments unseen elsewhere. It is home to the tallest building in the world – Burj Khalifa, with 150 floors, offering a panoramic view of the entire area. Another remarkable building, shaped like a sail, is Burj Al Arab – the tallest and most luxurious hotel in the world.
Undoubtedly, the biggest attraction is the Palm Islands – artificially created areas connected to the mainland, shaped like a palm trunk and leaves. They host apartment buildings, hotels, shopping malls, and amusement 
parks. Only one of the islands was completed, as unexpected difficulties delayed the construction of the remaining two.
An attraction of a completely different style is the Miracle Gardens, featuring life-sized objects such as an airplane made entirely of flowers. In total, 1.5 million flowers were used throughout the garden. In Abu Dhabi, notable sites include the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Presidential Palace.
In the second part of the meeting, reserved for CEM members only, the work plan for the upcoming season was discussed. Esperanto and English language courses, club meetings, and excursions will continue. In cooperation with the Regional Museum in Nowy Sącz, an exhibition titled “Esperanto – A Window to the World” will be opened, and as every year, Zamenhof Days will be organized in December.
Bożena Kocyk
The Center for Intercultural Education supported a very interesting initiative to promote our local artist, Stanisław Chomiczewski, who resides in Uhryń.
On September 25, 2025, the vernissage of the exhibition “Art That Moves” took place at the Galaxy Hotel in Kraków. During the event, an auction of the artist’s works was held, with proceeds supporting the charitable activities of the Lions Clubs in Kraków — the main organizers of the exhibition and vernissage. As a unique part of the program, guests could witness and take part in a photo session with the artist in front of the hotel on a real horse, participate in the painting auction, and enter a drawing for a painting among those who purchased the exhibition catalog.
Students from the Kraków Flamenco School enriched the celebration with a magnificent flamenco dance performance. Several members of the CEM had the pleasure of attending this event.
“Chomiczewski’s paintings teach us about Poland, make us aware of our identity. They transport our egoistic entanglement in everyday ‘self’ into a metaphysical space that offers a sense of authentic freedom” – Zofia Weiss, art critic.
Bożena Kocyk
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