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
