Editor's Note: These are courtesy translations of local news provided by the U.S. Army Garrison Poland Public Affairs team for the benefit the military community stationed here. Views or opinions are not endorsed by USAG Poland or the U.S. Army.
Toruń with the UNICEF title of "Child-Friendly City"
On November 15, the Centre for Contemporary Art “Znaki Czasu” will host a ceremony to award Toruń the title of “Child-Friendly City” by UNICEF Poland.
One of the strategic goals of the city of Toruń is to provide children with the best possible conditions for living and development, which in practice translates into the real implementation of the provisions of the "Convention on the Rights of the Child" and the assumptions of the UNICEF Poland "Child-Friendly City" program.
“I am convinced that investing in children and youth, in many areas and fields, is the best investment in our common future. We consistently, step by step, implement and undertake new activities that focus on the artistic, social, sports and civic development of children and youth,” says Paweł Gulewski, the president of Toruń. “With the youngest residents of Toruń in mind, we have undertaken and are undertaking numerous projects that respond to their needs. We also invest in school infrastructure, thanks to which we systematically expand the attractive school, kindergarten and nursery offer. We implement cyclical programs in the field of health prevention for the youngest residents of Toruń and access to health services. “
On June 1, 2021, the city of Toruń began efforts to obtain the title of "Child-Friendly City" awarded by UNICEF Poland. The initiator of these activities was Paweł Gulewski, then Deputy Mayor of Toruń, who became the head of the team for preparing the GMT application for the UNICEF "Child-Friendly City" Program.
Participation in the UNICEF Poland Program is a process that requires constant involvement, especially social and local. For this purpose, in accordance with the Program's assumptions, the Toruń local government has carried out a number of works and analyses, and the most important of them include conducting a diagnosis of the living situation of children in the city and, on its basis, developing the document "Actions of the city of Toruń for children and youth in 2022 and the action plan for 2023".
The diagnosis was developed based on the analysis of children's and youth's opinions on the assessment of their living conditions and quality in the city. Anonymous surveys were completed online, in all Toruń primary and secondary schools, among children aged 10-18. Additionally, statistical data in this area were collected and analyzed. Based on the diagnosis report, the document "Actions of the city of Toruń for children and youth implemented in 2022 and the action plan for 2023" was created, these are operational activities and goals for the period 2022-2023, for children and youth in the city of Toruń, which cover eight main areas.
As a result of the positive assessment of the activities of the city of Toruń for children and youth implemented in 2022 and the plan for 2023, on May 9, 2023, an agreement on the city's accession to the Program was officially signed.
As a candidate city, we started the implementation of the second stage, i.e. the implementation of the program, which ended with the assessment of the implementation of the tasks described in the document "Actions of the city of Toruń for children and youth implemented in 2022 and the Action Plan for 2023". The actions taken as part of the Program also contributed to the creation of attractive living conditions for young people, providing them with access to high-quality social and health services, education and care for the youngest. The established and dynamically operating Youth City Council enables young people to develop autonomously and participate in culture, sports and recreation.
On July 31, 2024, the Chapter of the UNICEF "Child-Friendly City" Program sent documents describing Toruń's activities for children and youth in 2022 and 2023, as well as a report on the implementation of the Program's assumptions. In August 2024, the Chapter of the Program decided to award the city of Toruń the title of Child-Friendly City.
Child-Friendly City is a title that comes with a special obligation. The certificate is awarded by UNICEF Poland for two years. The city will have to prove that it still deserves this title and implement current and subsequent elements of family policy in order to successfully pass the next certification.
The Child-Friendly City Program is an international UNICEF initiative that has existed since 1996. The program operates in 45 countries, covering over 4,000 cities worldwide, including: Paris, Lyon, Cannes, Potsdam, Cologne, Aberdeen, London, Newcastle, Quebec, Baden, Bern. In Poland, 14 cities currently participate in the program: Gdynia, Sopot, Krakow, Poznań, Toruń, Konin, Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Opole, Lubliniec, Kwidzyn, Rybnik. Bolesławiec, Bydgoszcz, Bielsko-Biała.
The program is based on three pillars: local government involvement (making changes within administrative structures), children's involvement (directly involving children in the life of the city) and partners' involvement (involving the local community in building a child-friendly environment). The title of Child-Friendly City is awarded for two years, after which the activities carried out are re-evaluated and whether the city meets all the required criteria is checked.
Christmas market opens in Torun
The Toruń Christmas Market is approaching, which will traditionally take place in the Old Town Square. The event will start on November 23.
The official opening of the fair gates is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. On this day, there will be no shortage of writing letters to Santa Claus, a fair theater or musical performances.
The official start of the fair is the traditional Great Parade with St. Nicholas and the Brass Band from Złajwieś Wielka. The parade will set off at 6:00 PM from the New Town Square and will go through the streets of Królowej Jadwigi and Szeroka to the Old Town Square, where residents, guests and participants of the fair will be welcomed. The performances on stage are planned for 6:30 PM. The star of the evening will be the vocalist Gosia Andrzejewicz, who will perform at 8:00 p.m.
This year, visitors can expect exhibitors offering original Christmas decorations, regional products, natural food products, jewellery and leather goods. As in recent years, the event will include a ride on a Venetian carousel, a sightseeing wheel or a Christmas train.
The Toruń Christmas Market will last until December 22.
Opening hours:
- Monday to Thursday 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Fridays from 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m
- Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
- Sundays from 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Microforest in Bydgoskie Przedmieście in Torun
Residents of Toruń and nature lovers planted hundreds of trees and shrubs in Bydgoskie Przedmieście in the form of a microforest.
On November 9, at the intersection of Lindego and Słowackiego streets, on the edge of the so-called Zajęcze Góry, 660 trees and shrubs of exclusively native species were densely planted, creating a microforest using the Japanese Miyawaki method. The event was attended by residents, representatives of the Bydgoszcz District Council, and President Paweł Gulewski was also present, who emphasized that this is the second, after Gdańsk, implementation of plantings in the form of a microforest in this part of the country. - This is a very specific form of planting, thought out from A to Z. Our microforest is being created on less than 400 square meters, divided into quarters, on which we will jointly plant shrubs and trees, including, interestingly, fruit trees, which is rare in highly urbanized places - said President Paweł Gulewski. There are as many as 39 plant species used in this microforest! They include, among others: small-leaved limes, two species of maple, three species of rowan, poplars, aspens, hazels, cherries, pears, plums and apples, junipers, barberries, brooms, spindle trees, roses, elderberries, currants, gooseberries and many others. At the same time, the president announced that in 2025 another microforest will be created in Toruń, in a different location than this one.
Marcin Urbański, acting director of the Department of Environment and Ecology of the City of Toruń, explained why this location was chosen: - We are located in a forest area, so continuing planting is absolutely appropriate here. It is also a transformed area, when the tram depot was built next to it, it was leveled, and as a result - very poor in nutrients, which is also due to its geomorphological structure.
“We look at this investment with great hope. It was prepared very professionally by specialists, preceded by analyses. We hope that it will be a model for further such implementations in the Bydgoskie Przedmieście area,” said Maciej Stawiński, chairman of the Bydgoskie District Council.
The contractor of the task is the Forest Maker company, and its cost is PLN 60,000. The company has already carried out almost 25 microforest projects in Poland. - The Miyawaki method consists in using the material that is in a given location. So, we prepared the soil here to a depth of one meter, we did not take anything away, in accordance with the closed-loop economy. Such dense plantings are typical of the natural regeneration of forests, and they also ensure biodiversity. Additionally, these species migrate, planting the microforest, so we give nature the helm - explained Dr. Kasper Jakubowski from the Forest Maker company.
According to the Miyawaki method used here, the plants were planted in properly prepared soil enriched only with natural and local substances, without the use of peat, the extraction of which destroys ecosystems. Additionally, for even greater resistance and health of the microforest, a mixture of mycorrhizal fungi was inoculated here.
Celebration of National Independence Day in Boleslawiec
On November 11, in Bolesławiec, the ceremonial celebration of the 106th anniversary of Poland regaining its independence took place, organized by the Bolesławiec County together with the 23rd Silesian Artillery Regiment, which gathered residents of the county and numerous delegations.
The celebrations began at 11:00 a.m. with a mass in the Bolesławiec Basilica of Our Lady. Then, the Independence Roll Call of Remembrance took place at the Monument of the 100th Anniversary of Regaining Independence. In his speech, the Bolesławiec District Governor, Tomasz Gabrysiak, emphasized the importance of independence for Poland and the memory of those who fought for the country's sovereignty.
During the assembly, students of the military profile class of the Second General Secondary School also took the oath. At the end, a wreath-laying ceremony took place, in which representatives of local government authorities, delegations of schools and social organizations participated.
A special point of the program was the parade of the Guard of Honour of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Regiment and the US Army on the Bolesławiec Market Square and the cavalcade of the horse patrol of the Reconstruction Group of the 6th Kaniv Uhlans Regiment.
An extraordinary spectacle of a horse drill by the Reconstruction Group of the 6th Kaniv Uhlans Regiment took place at Father Jerzy Popiełuszko Square.
During the ceremony, there were also stands promoting military activity, where young people could learn more about the possibilities of military service. At the Piłsudski Square, there was a display of military equipment from the 23rd Silesian Artillery Regiment and the US Army, as well as police and fire vehicles. It was an excellent opportunity to strengthen the bonds between the uniformed services and the residents of our county.
The military pea soup enjoyed extraordinary popularity; 1,200 portions were served, and there was a constant queue waiting for it.
The celebration of the National Independence Day was not only a commemoration of an important event in the history of Poland, but also an example of the activity of local institutions in cultivating patriotic traditions and values.
Additionally, as part of the district celebrations of the 106th anniversary of Poland regaining its independence, the Independence Concert organized by the Bolesławiec District took place at the Old Theatre.
The concert began with a speech by the Bolesławiec District Governor Tomasz Gabrysiak, who emphasized the importance of independence in the life of every Pole and drew attention to the value of community and cooperation between various institutions. The District Governor expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to the organization of this special event and emphasized the role of culture in shaping national identity.
The concert featured bands and soloists who put the audience in a patriotic mood with their performances. Among them was the State Music School of the 1st degree in Bolesławiec, whose students delighted the audience with the melodies of well-known patriotic songs. Their talent and commitment to the performances attracted the attention of both younger and older viewers.
The Vocal Workshop of the Youth Culture Centre also provided unforgettable moments, presenting various pieces that perfectly reflected the spirit of the holiday. The Synkopa II Choir from the 1st General Secondary School in Bolesławiec, known for its professionalism, presented a rich repertoire that fit into the atmosphere of the celebrations.
Scouts from the Szare Szeregi Scout Troop also joined in the celebrations, presenting not only artistic performances, but also showing scouting and patriotic values that are close to them. Students from the District Complex of Special Schools and Institutions in Bolesławiec had the opportunity to present their recitation skills, which moved the audience.
Gregorian Grace concert in Zagan
We invite you to a concert of the "Gregorian Grace" band on November 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Crystal Hall of the Żagań Palace of Culture.
The Polish band Gregorian Grace (often called the Polish Gregorians) after a series of concerts in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands returns to Poland to once again transport the audience to the world of Gregorian chant with their unique sound. Listening to this beautiful harmony of sounds, you will be able to admire ancient melodies and the harmony of the consonance of different styles and musical genres: next to the authentic and mysterious chant music of the Middle Ages, to which the opening part of the concert will be devoted, world pop, blues and rock hits will be presented, such as Ameno, Adiemus, Sound of Silence and many, many others (sometimes surprising), which, combined with the mystical Gregorian chant, will become true works of art that evening! Singers and instrumentalists of the Polish music scene associated with the largest art centers in the country and abroad will perform, thanks to whom it will be possible to immerse oneself in the entire palette of colors of the human voice: from the high soprano and its vocalizations with a white voice, through the soft countertenor, to the mystical, deep bass. The imagination of the audience will be additionally stimulated by the virtuoso improvisations of the live instrumentalists' team: electric violin, clarinet, keyboard instruments, electric guitar, percussion instruments and original medieval instruments! The Gregorian Grace concert is a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the Gregorian delicacy of sound and get to know the charms of medieval sound, as well as to rediscover already known music. You simply have to experience it!
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