Be The Spark! #2

free of charge | #2

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE POLISH BID TO HOST THE 25TH WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE

DISCOVER POLSKA

Copyright © 2014 The Polish Scouting & Guiding Association

Publisher: Główna Kwatera ZHP ul. M. Konopnickiej 6 00-491 Warszawa Poland

Editor-in-chief: Agnieszka Podhajska

Authors of the texts: Julita Borek, Anna Omiecińska, Katarzyna Świejkowska, Wojciech Sidorowicz, Grzegorz Zieliński

Proofreading: Filip Stanisławski, members of ICG working group

Design: Michał Kacprowicz

Cartoon: Michał Kulasek

Graphics: Patryk Sikora, Freepik.com, Alphacoders.com (miroha)

Photos: Piotr Rodzoch, Scouterna, World Scout Bureau, Inc., Flickr (MFApoland)

WHAT’S INSIDE?TH

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EDITORIAL 6

POLISH POWER 8

DID YOU KNOW...? 10

MEET THE FAMOUS POLES 12

THE MOST FAMOUS POLISH SIGHTS 14

MAP OF POLAND 18

THE MOST POLISH... 20

ABOUT POLISH SCOUTING 24

OUR BEST PROJECTS 25

THE SCOUT LEADER 27

SCOUTING IN POLISH SOCIETY 28

INTERNATIONALLY ACTIVE 30

RECIPE FOR POLISH JAMBOREE 34

OUR NEW SYMBOL 36

FIRST MEETING OF THE SPARKMAKERS 37

SCARF 38

STEP BY STEP TO THE JAMBOREE 41

WHY? 43

SCOUT CARTOON 46

Warsaw (capital of Poland) by night

Members of the World Organiza-tion of the Scout Movement are from more than 160 countries around the world. Each of these countries is dif-ferent. Each of them is unique. And one of them is Poland. It is a country which has an important role in build-ing the Young Europe. It is a coun-try that with just a few other coun-tries had established WOSM in 1920. Scouting has been in Poland for over a hundred years, and its history is deep-rooted in our tradition. Without it, we wouldn’t be the same nation we are now. So how does Poland look? Who are the people who live in our country? How does the Polish scout-ing look like? Why does Poland want to organize Jamboree? Are we ready for this?

The word which best describes Po-land today is “change”. 25 years ago, thanks to the steadfastness of Poles who had the courage to believe in their ideals and created the “Solidar-ity” movement, we regained our free-dom. Poland had deeply transformed, and today, we continue to build young and modern Poland. One of the el-ements in those changes is Polish scouting, which inspires young peo-ple, teaches them courage and think-ing outside the box. Our organization has also undergone such a transfor-mation: we have dealt with econom-ic challenges, we have dealt with im-proving our programme, structure and volunteer support. Now we are a stable, mature and growing NSO.

I think we all agree that scouting with its worldwide reach is an in-credible movement. It is so amaz-ing that us – scouts all around the world – despite different gender, skin colors, religion etc. – we all want to change the world for the better. And there is such an event World Scout Jamboree that can be called a cele-bration of all the scouts and which, without a doubt, is one of the greatest scouts’ adventure.

Although the tradition of this event has almost hundred years, it had never been in Poland. We feel that it is time for us. We are ready to invite to Poland thousands of scouts from all around the world. We strongly be-lieve that the way our country has overcame obstacles in the last years can be an inspiration for the whole world. We believe that the mes-sage of “Solidarity’s” peaceful fight for human rights can show the way to achieve goals that are so close to every scout’s heart, no matter where – in the developing world as well as in developed countries. We believe that through sharing our story, we can be the spark of the whole scout world. Our story can help the scout world to serve the local communities worldwide. That’s why The Polish

Scouting and Guiding Association decided to take up the challenge and raise the bid to organize World Scout Jamboree in 2023.

In this magazine we want to tell you about our country and the Polish scouting. We want to show you how much we have engaged in the prepa-ration of our application to host the Jamboree. We want to share with you the Polish energy and joy. We

still have at least three years (till the World Scout Conference in Ba-ku) during which we will be work-ing hard. We want to ensure you that will be asking and we will be learn-ing from more experienced organi-zations. We will not stop dreaming and our dream will be transferred in-to real actions. We want to be a true spark. In the youth’s hearts, in the local communities, in Poland, in the world of scouting around the globe. Through our service we can create a better world. And you are invited to join us!

With best wishes! Editor-in-chief

Agnieszka Podhajska

EDITORIAL

THE WORD WHICH BEST DESCRIBES POLAND TODAY IS “CHANGE”.

DISCOVER POLSKA

POLISH POWERIT IS SAID THAT WE HAVE AN INVALUABLE STRENGTH TO CHANGE ANYTHING. OUR TALENTS, CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION, INDIVIDUALITY, CHARM AND DYNAMISM ARE THE STRONGEST QUALITIES OF OUR NATION. LET’S SEE WHAT POLISH POWER MEANS!

Anna Omiecińska

POLISH POWER INITIATIVESInside Poles there is a dormant energy which powers everything they would like to do. We are interested in the world and each time we would like to know something new, we go for it. Some mysterious power still pushes us forward and never allows to stop. We never have enough. We are not afraid to take risks so we discover something new in our life. Our enthusiasm affects others and gives them energy to act. Last time we made a great event – UEFA Euro 2012™. It was a success and it clearly shows that we are ready to host other international events.

POLISH POWER ENTREPRENEURSHIPWe have became leaders of Young Europe. We drive busi-ness with new ideas and do other incredible things. Polish people also like go against and break down the schemes. Thanks to this attitude we had a strength to face the financial crisis. Our country is still evolving and changing.

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POLISH POWER EXPERIENCESWe are famous because of our hospitality – everyone who visits our country can feel important. Due to our open-ness, people who come to Poland experience their visit very intensively. We have a huge treasury of cultural val-ues such as architecture, art and a very interesting histo-ry. But the best way to get to know Poland is to get to know the people – they are additional value to everything else. Thanks to all these things – material and non-material culture – we have become an attractive point on the map of Europe.

POLISH POWER IMAGINATIONNot only historical achievements are important in our country. The present is also something interesting to know. We have creative nature which gives us possibility to do amazing things and ideas. Nowhere else in Europe you can find so original and surprising festivals in very original places such as steel mill or former tram. Have you ever attended this kind of event? We want to give you a chance to have an amazing adventure.

Scouting in Poland has more than 100 years – we are one of the oldest scout organizations in the world. During those hundred years we have become an integral part of Poland. Polish scouts – like other Polish people – have a lot of ener-gy and enthusiasm. So we would like to empower the whole Scout Movement. We want to share our spark from which inspiration starts!

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DID YOU KNOW...?WE ARE SURE THAT YOU HAVE HEARD A LOT OF STEREOTYPE STORIES ABOUT POLAND. HERE ARE SOME INTERESTING FACTS THAT WILL SHOW YOU THAT OUR COUNTRY IS SOME-THING MORE!

Katarzyna Świejkowska

1. The highest building in Poland –The Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw was built in 1955 of around 35 million bricks. In addition, it has the second largest clock in Europe with the diameter of 6 meters. Today, the Palace of Culture and Science is a place where many companies and public institutions have their offices. For example cinemas, theatres, uni-versity and dozens of offices.

2. Aleksander Wolszczan, Polish as-trophysicist, discovered the first planet outside the solar system. Cur-rently he is a professor at Pennsylva-nia University in USA and at Nico-laus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. And by the way, Coperni-cus who discovered that Earth goes around the Sun (not the other way...)was Polish too!

3. 17 Nobel Prize winners have Pol-ish origin. 6 of them are native Poles. There are 4 winners in the field of literature, one Peace Prize for Lech Wałęsa and two awards for Marie Skłodowska-Curie in chemistry and physics.

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4. In the history of reaching the eight-thousanders, also many Poles appear, men and women as well. Kin-ga Baranowska is a polish mountain-eer who reached eight peaks. Cur-rently she participates in the “Wom-en’s Himalayan Crown” programme. Her goal is to reach all 14 eight-thou-sanders without supplemental oxy-gen.

5. It may seem strange, but there is a trail of volcanoes in Poland. Of course these are extinct volcanoes. It is an extremely attractive route pass-ing through Pogórze Kaczawskie and its volcanic landscape. This area is rich in fauna and flora and is strong-ly recommended to be visited.

6. Every fifth apple on the European table comes from Polish orchards. Poland is the third largest producer of apples in the world, and the first in Europe!

7. Polish cinema called „Pioneer” lo-cated in the city of Szczecin is the oldest continuously working cinema in the world. It was built in 1909 and currently has two projection rooms.

8. Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Ho-ly Cross Mountains), next to the Su-dety, are one of the oldest mountain ranges in Poland and Europe. The landscape of the highest parts of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains is char-acterized by steep slopes and deep-ly incised valleys, rocks and mo-nadnocks. Holy Cross Mountains are covered with forests of fir and beech. The famous Świętokrzyski National Park is also there.

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MEET THE FAMOUS POLESHISTORY OF POLAND AND POLES DATES BACK TO TENTH CENTURY. IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT DURING OVER THOUSAND YEARS OF EXISTENCE THERE WERE MANY TALENTED, FAMOUS AND RESPECTED PEOPLE BORN IN POLAND. HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THEM?

Grzegorz Zieliński

ANDRZEJ WAJDAAndrzej Wajda is one of the most known Polish film director. During his career he tried his hand at writing screenplays and also worked as producer and actor. For over sixty-years-long career Andrzej Wajda worked at several dozen movies. Wajda was many times awarded. His artistic achievements was appreciated at the Venice International Film Festival in 1998 where he received a Gold Lion. But the most impor-tant price he received two years later – the Oscar. Further-more, in 2006 he obtained on Golden Bear, the highest prize at the Berlin International Film Festival. Both, Oscar and Golden Bear, Wajda gained for his lifetime achievement.

JUSTYNA KOWALCZYKJustyna Kowalczyk is a cross country skier who is competing since 2000. Kowalczyk is a double Olympic Champion and a double World Champion. We are proud that she is also the only skier who won the Tour de Ski four times in a row and one of two female skiers, who won the FIS Cross-Country World Cup three times in a row!

Justyna Kowalczyk is admired among Poles for her perseverance and the will of the fight. She doesn’t give up even in the face of se-

rious injury. In Poland, she was awarded as The Best Sportsman, Woman of the Year, The Most Popular Sportsman, Person of the Year. And that only a few of her honors!

One of the curiosities about Justyna Kowalczyk is that she has double birth-day! Officials made a mistake. They typed to documents wrong date of birth. Now, Kowalczyk celebrates her birthday twice a year!

LECH WAŁĘSAThe most known Poles thanks to huge activity in Independent self-govern-ing Trade Union “Solidarność” which was founded on 17 September 1980 at the Gdańsk Shipyard. He became a co-founder and leader of the Solidarity trade-union movement.

Between 1980 and 1981 under leadership of Lech Wałęsa trade union became a massive socio-political movement. In the best time numbers of members reached about 10 million. In the meanwhile were formed satellite organiza-

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tions, including Independent Self-Governing Trade Union of Individual Farmers “Solidarity” and the Independent Stu-dents’ Association.

Worth adding, that in 1983 he won Nobel Peace Prize! Since that time, he was very involved in politics. In the Polish election of 1990, he successfully ran for the newly reestablished office of President of Poland. Today, Lech Wałęsa con-tinues to speak and lecture in Poland and abroad on history and politics.

POPE JOHN PAUL IISaint John Paul II was pope of the Catholic Church from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005. He was the second longest-serving pope in modern history. He was also the first non-Italian pope since XIV century.

John Paul II is recognized as helping to end communist rule in his native Po-land and eventually all over Europe. He significantly improved the Catholic Church’s relations with Judaism, Islam, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion.

A key goal of his pontificate was transformation and repositioning of the Catholic Church. His wish was “to place his Church at the heart of a new re-ligious alliance that would bring together Jews, Muslims and Christians in a great religious armada”. In fact, during his pontificate, Pope John Paul II made trips to 129 countries, travelling more than 1 100 000 km (680 000 mils) while doing so!

John Paul II was open to people. He did a lot of thing “as the first pope ever”. Firstly, John Paul II became the first pope to visit the White House in October

1979 where he was greeted warmly by then-President Jimmy Carter. Secondly, he was the first pope ever to visit sever-al countries in one year, starting in 1979 with Mexico and Ireland. Last but not least, he was the first reigning pope to travel to the United Kingdom where he met Queen Elizabeth II.

MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIEMarie Skłodowska-Curie was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She gained great successes in science thanks to that she won Nobel Prizes twice as the first person in the world. Additionally, she was the only person to win twice in multiple sciences. She shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with her hus-band Pierre Curie and with physicist Henri Becquerel. She won the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Maria Curie was a very talented person and who broken many barriers and shown that women also can achieve success science career. She was also the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris, and in 1995 be-came the first woman to be entombed on her own merits in the Panthéon in Paris.

Her achievements included a theory of radioactivity techniques for isolat-ing radioactive isotopes and the discovery of two elements: polonium and ra-dium. Under her direction, the world’s first studies were conducted into the treatment of neoplasm, using radioactive isotopes.

During her life, Marie Skłodowska-Curie founded the Curie Institutes in Paris and in Warsaw. Today institutes are major centers of medical research. More-over, while World War I she established the first military field radiological center.

Marie Skłodowska Curie as French citizen never lost her sense of Polish identity. She taught her daughters Polish and took them to Poland. As one of the proof, she named the first chemical element that she discovered, which she first isolated in 1898, polonium – after her native country.

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BIESZCZADY MOUNTAINS GDAŃSK

WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL ZAKOPANE BALTIC SEA

BELA

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SLOVAKIA

RUSSIANFEDERATION LITHUANIA

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Bay of Gdańsk

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StargardSzcecinski

OstrówWielkopolski

Brest-Litovsk

Jelenia Góra

Lomza

Legnica

Pabianice

Tczew

Zgorzelec

Zielona Góra

Bielawa

Chojnice

StarogardGdanski Malbork

Stalowa Wola

Swidnica

Szczecinek

Wejherowo

Wolin

Zary

Zyrardów

SopotGdynia

Gniezno

Lubin

Chrzanów

Cieszyn

Oswiecim

Tarnowskie Góry

Tarnobrzeg

Brzeg

Mielec

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Zakopane

Gliwice

Radomsko

Zawiercie

Legionowo

Bytom

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MinskMazowiecki

Otwock

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Ciechanów

Nowa SólZgierz

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Zdunska Wola

Starachowice

TomaszówMazowiecki

Skarzysko-Kamienna

Hrodna

Ostrava L'viv

RacibórzRybnik

Zabrze

Tychy

Kaliningrad

Elk

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Stary Sacz

Suwalki

OstrolekaTorun

Koszalin

Slupsk

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Inowroclaw Wloclawek

Grudziadz

LesznoKalisz

Konin

Walbrzych

Boleslawiec

Glogów

PiotrkówTrybunalski

Sieradz

Skierniewice

Plock

Czestochowa

Radom

Siedlce

Zamosc

Chelm

BialaPodlaska

OstrowiecSwietokrzyski

Pulawy

ElblagKolobrzeg

KrosnoPrzemysl

Jaroslaw

Bielsko-Biala

Wodzislaw Slaski

Nowy Sacz

DabrowaGórnicza

Klodzko

Tarnów

Olesnica

Lebork

Opole

Katowice

Lódz

Bydgoszcz

Gdansk

Olsztyn

Lublin

Rzeszów

Kielce

Kraków

Szczecin

Wroclaw

Bialystok

GorzówWielkopolski

Poznan

Pruszków

Warszawa (Warsaw)

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MAP OF POLANDPOLAND IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO VISIT. YOU WILL FIND HERE WILD NATURE, OLD MONUMENTS, HISTORICAL PLACES AND MODERN CITIES. SEE HOW DIFFERENT AND INTERE-STING IS OUR COUNTRY!

Anna Omiecińska

BALTIC SEASTOŁOWE

MOUNTAINSMAZURY LAKE

DISTRICTGRUNWALD

RECONSTRUCTIONSLOWINSKI

SAND DUNES

BELA

RUS

GERM

ANY

UKRAINE

SLOVAKIA

RUSSIANFEDERATION LITHUANIA

CZECHREPUBLIC

Dra

wa

WislaB ug

Wiepz

San

Notec

Warta

Prosna

O bra

Nys

a

Nysa

Pasteka

Narew

Lyna

B A L T I C S E A

Bay of Gdańsk

Bay of the V

istula

Bóbra

Wkra

Slupia

JezioroMamry

JezioroSniardwy

Wisla

O dra

Warta

Wisla (Vist

ula)

P il i c a

Odra

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Ca r p a t h i a n M o u n t a i n s

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50 mi0 25

0 25 50 75 100 km

StargardSzcecinski

OstrówWielkopolski

Brest-Litovsk

Jelenia Góra

Lomza

Legnica

Pabianice

Tczew

Zgorzelec

Zielona Góra

Bielawa

Chojnice

StarogardGdanski Malbork

Stalowa Wola

Swidnica

Szczecinek

Wejherowo

Wolin

Zary

Zyrardów

SopotGdynia

Gniezno

Lubin

Chrzanów

Cieszyn

Oswiecim

Tarnowskie Góry

Tarnobrzeg

Brzeg

Mielec

Nysa

Zakopane

Gliwice

Radomsko

Zawiercie

Legionowo

Bytom

Chor

zó

w

Sosn

owiec

MinskMazowiecki

Otwock

Sanok

Ciechanów

Nowa SólZgierz

Kutno

Zdunska Wola

Starachowice

TomaszówMazowiecki

Skarzysko-Kamienna

Hrodna

Ostrava L'viv

RacibórzRybnik

Zabrze

Tychy

Kaliningrad

Elk

Sw

inoujscie

Ilawa

Stary Sacz

Suwalki

OstrolekaTorun

Koszalin

Slupsk

Pila

Inowroclaw Wloclawek

Grudziadz

LesznoKalisz

Konin

Walbrzych

Boleslawiec

Glogów

PiotrkówTrybunalski

Sieradz

Skierniewice

Plock

Czestochowa

Radom

Siedlce

Zamosc

Chelm

BialaPodlaska

OstrowiecSwietokrzyski

Pulawy

ElblagKolobrzeg

KrosnoPrzemysl

Jaroslaw

Bielsko-Biala

Wodzislaw Slaski

Nowy Sacz

DabrowaGórnicza

Klodzko

Tarnów

Olesnica

Lebork

Opole

Katowice

Lódz

Bydgoszcz

Gdansk

Olsztyn

Lublin

Rzeszów

Kielce

Kraków

Szczecin

Wroclaw

Bialystok

GorzówWielkopolski

Poznan

Pruszków

Warszawa (Warsaw)

BALTIC SEAWe have a sea with a lot of beaches, where you can rest, sunbathe and relax.

WOODSTOCK FESTIVALThe biggest outdoor festival in the Europe. You can listen to the different kinds of music – rock, reggae, hip hop and also participate in artist activities.

GRUNWALD RECONSTRUCTIONIn year 1410 Polish and Teutonic armies took the big battle on the Grunwald Fields. Every year about 15th of July takes place great reconstruction with more than 1000 people participate in. You must see this big show.

GDAŃSKThe city with historical architecture, modern shipbuilding industry. It is a symbol of political changes which finished the communism era.

MAZURY LAKE DISTRICTThe wonder of nature. The region of lakes, forests and wild nature. The best place for the fans of swimming, sailing or kayaking.

SLOWINSKI SAND DUNESThe part of Slowinski National Park, located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. You can find there „moving” sand dunes which change their shape every season. The biggest dune rises to 42 meters above sea level.

ZAKOPANEThe town situated in the Tatra Mountains. It is called “winter capital of Po-land”. Around Zakopane you can find a lot of trails for skiing. In the past it was really popular as a holidays destination for the artists.

STOŁOWE MOUNTAINSInteresting rock massive with the labyrinths and rock formations. They are the location “The Chronicles of Narnia”.

BIESZCZADY MOUNTAINSSouth part of our country is occupied several ranges of mountains. One of them are Bieszczady – which is a are great place to see wild nature.

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THE MOST FAMOUS POLISH SIGHTSA UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND THE MOST VALUABLE CULTURAL OR NATURAL OBJECTS OF WORLD’S HERITAGE. SOME OF THEM ARE IN POLAND – LET’S SEE THE MOST FAMOUS ONES!

Anna Omiecińska

CRACOW’S HISTORIC CENTRE The Old Town of the Cracow – former Polish capital. You can see Wawel Hill with royal castle, Jewish district called Kazimierz and medieval urban layout with old buildings. Others important places in Cracow’s center are e.g. market square with Cloth Hall, gothic church and city walls. Cracow is the city with a lot of monuments, museums and cultural events – this is the “must see” town in Poland.

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WIELICZKA SALT MINEOne of the oldest salt mines in the world – it was created in XIII century. Tourists can visit here 20 large chambers with 3 kilo-meters long route that is located from 64 to 135 meters below ground. In the cham-bers you can see a lot of sculptures made by salt.

AUSCHWITZ CONCENTRATION CAMPAuschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and exter-mination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was created in 1940 and today reminds next generations about how important are the peace and brotherhood. This place is important to memorize the history of Eu-rope in XX century.

BIAŁOWIEŻA FORESTNational park in the east part of Poland. It’s a forest complex with best-preserved natural deciduous. This is the region with the valuable wildlife – thousands of

plants and animals. In big forests you can find e.g. bison (the symbol of this national park), lynx, wolf, fox and oth-ers unique species of animals.

HISTORICAL CENTRE OF WARSAWThe historical centre of Warsaw – the capi-tal of Poland – reconstructed after II World War. Originally most of the buildings came from the XVII century, when king Zygmunt III Waza moved the capital from Cracow to Warsaw. The heart of the area is the Old Town Market Place, Royal Castle and ca-thedral.

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OLD CITY OF ZAMOŚĆZamość is the great representative of renaissance architecture; well it’s called “Pearl of Renaissance”. It was built in the XVI century in accordance with the Italian theories of the “ideal town”. The key mon-uments of Zamość are city hall, cathedral, synagogue and Zamoyski’s Palace.

CASTLE OF THE TEUTONIC ORDER IN MALBORK The Castle in Malbork is the largest castle in the world by area. This brick castle at Malbork was the residence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order and the larg-est structure of its kind in Medieval Eu-rope.

MEDIEVAL TOWN OF TORUŃ Toruń got one of the most imposing old town halls in northern Europe. It’s a small historic trading city that preserves to a remarkable extent its original street pattern and out-standing early buildings, and which provides an excep-tionally complete picture of the medieval way of life. To-ruń was also a home town of famous astronomer – Nico-las Copernicus.

KALWARIA ZEBRZYDOWSKA: THE MANNERIST ARCHITECTURAL AND PARK LANDSCAPE COMPLEX AND PILGRIMAGE PARK

The religious complex (calvary) founded by Governor of Kraków Mikołaj Zebrzydowski on December 1602. Complex in Kalwaria includes the church, the pilgrimage park and monastery. It was created in XVII century in the baroque style. The Calvary has two ways – Way of the Cross and Way of Compassion of God’s Mother with a lot of chapels.

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CHURCHES OF PEACE IN JAWOR AND ŚWIDNICA

The Churches were named after the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 which permitted the Lutherans in the Ro-man Catholic parts of Silesia to build three Evangelical churches from wood, loam and straw outside the city walls, without stee-ples and church bells. The construc-tion time was limited to one year.

WOODEN CHURCHES OF SOUTHERN LESSER POLANDSix wooden churches from south part of Poland – in Haczów, Blizne, Binarowa, Sękowa, Dębno Podhalańskie and Lipnica Murowana. The oldest was built in XV century. The wooden church style of the region originated in the late Medieval, the late sixteenth century, and began with Gothic or-nament and polychrome detail.

MUŻAKOWSKI PARKThe landscape park of the eccentric Prince Her-mann Ludwig Heinrich von Pückler-Muskau in Bad Muskau, on the border with Germany. It is one of the most outstanding achievements in Europe-an landscape architecture of the XIX-th century. Occupying more than 1700 acres, it’s one of the largest landscape parks in Europe – it covers 3.5 square kilometers (1.4 sq mi) of land in Poland and 2.1 km2 (0.81 sq mi) in Germany.

CENTENNIAL HALL IN WROCŁAWIt was constructed between 1911 and 1913 to mem-orize the hundredth anniversary of the Battle of the Nations, fought with Napoleon in 1813. At the beginning it was a place of Centennial Exhibition. At the time of its construction, the Hall had the biggest reinforced concrete roofing in the world. The covering central cupola had 67 meters in di-ameter and the maximal width of the interior equals 95 meters.

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DISCOVER POLSKA

THE MOST POLISH...

THE MOST POLISH WORDŻółć – why did we choose it? Because this word consists of 4 typically Pol-ish letters! There is no other word like this in our language. Żółć is a name of the colour – yellow.

THE MOST POLISH DISHWith vegetables, sweet or with meat. This dish can be prepared in many ways – probably because everyone likes it. Although it is also popular in Lithuania, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, China and Japan, it is considered as the most Polish dish. It is of course about... pierogi! They were served already in the old history, probably since the thirteenth century. Today the majority of Poles, but also for-eigners, if asked about the most Pol-ish food, will answer – pierogi!

THE MOST POLISH ANIMALThe white stork is the most Polish bird. In 2004 it was estimated that there were over 50 thousand pairs of these birds in Poland so every fourth stork in Europe was Polish. These are migratory birds – for the winter they fly back to Africa. But when it starts to get warm they return to Poland and are the first sign of the coming spring. It is primarily a symbol of fer-tility and happiness. In the past peo-ple believed that storks bring chil-dren and this theme is used in chil-dren’s fairy tales until today.

ąó

ść

ę

ń

łźż

boci

an

pier

ogi

żółć

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DISCOVER POLSKA

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT IS THE MOST SPECIFIC DISH OR WORD FOR YOUR COUNTRY? THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT ARE LIKE SYMBOLS OF POLAND.

Julita Borek

THE MOST POLISH FRUITApples are the best of all Polish fruits. Our country is the largest in Europe and the third largest in the world producers of apples. Around 100 varieties of this fruit grow in our orchards and every Pole eats in av-erage 13 kg apples per year. The first apple trees were grown in Poland al-ready in the sixteenth century and nowadays apples are still the most popular fruits and the symbol of our country.

THE MOST POLISH SOUVENIRAs a Baltic country, Poland is full of souvenirs from the sea. The most fa-mous one is a small, yellowish brown, transparent stone – amber, which you can find on the beach, if you are lucky. You can also buy it in many forms. Artists use it when making jewellery, figurines or pictures. In Po-land, the earth still conceals more than 1,000 tons of this stone! For ages Gdańsk has been the European capi-tal of amber.

THE MOST POLISH CHARACTER TRAITPolish hospitality is a legendary fea-ture. It was typical for Polish people already in the ancient times. Hosting pilgrims and travelers in a house was a sign of great pleasantry, and the hospitality was just a badge of hon-or. Even nowadays, Poles are eager to help, entertain their guest and make feel comfortable. The Polish proverb says: “Guest in house, God in house!”.

gościnno

ść

burs

ztyn

jabłko

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DISCOVER POLSKA

POLISHSCOUTING

ABOUT POLISH SCOUTING

After the I World War when Poland regained in-dependence after 123 years of captivity scouts ac-tively took part in the reconstruction of our coun-try and in process of creation a new Poland. The Polish Scouting and Guiding Association (ZHP) was a founding member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. ZHP was one of the larg-est social and educational associations in Poland with over 200 000 members at this time. Those people were sparks for new Poland and they had taken part in creation of emerging democracy.

This dynamic development was stopped in 1939 when everyone – scouts too – had to defend the homeland. Polish scouts felt obliged to fulfill their promise to serve the country and nation. During the war our organization operated under a code name “Szare Szeregi” – “Grey Ranks”. The end of the war for Poles didn’t mean freedom and peace because Poland became to be strongly influenced by communists from Soviet Union. We tried our best to remain an independent organization, how-ever it was still not enough. As we couldn’t ensure the safety of our values, we had to withdraw from WOSM and WAGGGS. Nevertheless, ZHP contin-ued their work, involving successive generations of young people. The Polish Scouting and Guiding Association (ZHP) was one of the few organiza-tions that was moderately independent from the communist party. It resulted in the expansion of the organization, and in 1980 ZHP had more than 3 million active members! In 1989 communism in Poland collapsed and Poland gained its freedom.

In 1993 President Lech Wałęsa (Nobel Prize Win-ner and a leader of Solidarity movement) became the honorary protector of scouting. In 1996 ZHP re-joined the World Organization of the Scout Move-ment.

Today – after 25 years of freedom and huge chang-es – ZHP primarily educates and prepares young people for the adult life. We are the largest scout organization in Poland and the only one that is recognized by WOSM and WAGGGS. We are an organization that continues growing and mov-ing with the times. The organization, in which in recent years undergoing significant and visible changes for the better. ZHP is open to all young people, regardless of origin, nationality, race and religious beliefs. After huge transformations in years before, now ZHP counts about 100 000 mem-bers and growing.

Polish scouts’ motto is “Czuwaj!” which means simply “Be prepared!”. Polish scouts were ready for action when defending the homeland and are ready now, but serve others in different ways. Our association retains traditional values, but con-stantly adapts its work to the challenges of the modern world. We educate by creating new chal-lenges. We encourage children and young peo-ple to improve themselves, acquire knowledge and skills. We inspire them to overcome difficul-ties and to think in a constructive and innovative way. We can proudly say that the people who were scouts, are right now one of the most influential people in Poland – the true, responsible creators.

STORY ABOUT POLISH SCOUTING STARTED IN THE FIRST DECADE OF THE XX CENTURY WHEN ANDRZEJ MAŁKOWSKI TRANSLATED ROBERT BADEN-POWELL’S BOOK “SCOUTING FOR BOYS”. THANKS TO THIS SPARK, THE FIRST POLISH SCOUT TROOPS STARTED WORKING IN 1910 – JUST THREE YEARS AFTER THE BROWNSEA CAMP.

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POLISH SCOUTINGPOLISH SCOUTING

OUR BEST PROJECTS

BETHLEHEM LIGHT OF PEACEThe Peace Light of Bethlehem was organized for the first time in 1986 in Austria as part of the great Christmas charity for children with disabilities and people in need. Since then, each year the light of Bethlehem reaches people all over the world.

Polish scouts participate in Beth-lehem relay since 1991. Over 2 000 guides and scouts meet on Bethle-hem Jamboree in Zakopane (Tatra Mountains). During the two days in the capital of the Polish mountains they take part in city games, moun-tain trips, workshops, conferences and concerts. The most important moment is to give the Light, which takes place either in Poland or Slo-vakia. In the ceremony take part scouts from all regions of the Pol-ish who take light to their cities and hand them out to people. Scouts de-liver the Light to all who need hope and solace: hospitals, workplac-es, schools, orphanages. The Peace Light Of Peace isn’t rally in Zakopane

only. It is program and positive social actions, which is realized in teams in whole country.

The Polish Scouting and Guiding As-sociation is one of element of relay race. Guides and scouts passes on the Light to other scouting organiza-tions in Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Germany and Denmark.

THE EXTRAORDINARYAbout 11 000 members in The Polish Scouting and Guiding Association are scout instructors who every day do extraordinary things, considering every smile of a child as the biggest prize. For them every year is organ-ized plebiscite “Niezwyczajni” (eng. “The Extraordinary”).

This plebiscite is a great moment to say “Thank You!” this very young, charismatic and go-ahead people. Practically everyone can propose their candidate or vote for them. Two-level system of grading candi-dates ensures the highest quality of the voting. The instructors proposed are graded both by internauts and by

a board made up of several dozen re-spected instructors. Finally, organ-ized the gala, during which awards are given. It is also a big prestige, as the title and the prizes are handed in by well known people.

Everyone can participate in the ga-la – it is transmitted be the scout In-ternet TV ZHP360. The plebiscite has met with great interest and with the support of Polish entrepreneurs and politicians.

ZHP360ZHP360 is a unusual project run in Poland since 2011. This is a nation-wide scouts TV that specializes in live programs. During 3 years they covered most events held on national level.The team consists of guides and scouts and the youngest member is 13 years old! Thanks to new technol-ogies all the members of our organi-zation may participate in the biggest events scout sitting in your home.This team is a about 40 people who works under the supervision of spe-cialists. They learn new skills, devel-op your passion and prove that noth-ing is impossible. ZHP360’s team is something special, is composed of young volunteers who believe that scouting can truly change the world.

YOUNG SCOUTS ARE BROUGHT UP BY PUTTING NEW CHALLENGES. WE INSPIRE THEM TO OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES AND TO USE CONSTRUCTIVE AND INNOVATIVE THINKING. HOW DO WE DO IT? LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR BEST PROJECTS!

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POLISH SCOUTING

WĘDROWNICZA WATRAIs an event organised for 16-25 year old who get together to share their experience and en-joy common programme. This jamboree is held every year by Polish Rangers and Rovers with a team of which part of the country who win in com-petition. It is a celebration of all the Rovers and Rangers, in one place brings together hun-dreds of young people pursu-ing their motto every day. This event consists of two parts: a multi-day hiking and sever-al days of the rally, when the participants have classes that have prepared. In this jambo-ree can take part scouts from other countries.

GRUNWALD HIKEThe Grunwald Hike is the larg-est educational and tourist event of ZHP. Every year, the beginning of the holiday hun-dreds of tourists travels routes in the north-eastern part of Poland to reach Grunwald af-ter 5 days – the field where a famous medieval battle took place.

What can happen during the hike? First, participants must choose the route – there are story routes, performance routes and typical sightsee-ing routes. People who love role-playing games can take part in the game Live Action Role Playing, which is RPG in the field. They can become one of the characters from the Mid-dle-Ages, follow the trail of the lost pieces of art, participate in the intelligence battle dur-ing II World War or even move to the future. Other routes are fun with inventions, adventure for Indiana Jones fans. People interested in ethnography and social psychology will find something for themselves. Sightseeing trips, kayak raft-ing and cycling tours are on a daily basis during this hike.

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POLISH SCOUTING

TRUE SCOUT LEADERPOLISH SCOUT LEADERS ARE TRUE SUPERHEROES.HOW CAN WE DESCRIBE THEM IN A FEW WORDS?

Katarzyna Świejkowska

Involved…

...in the life of society. The mover,the initiator. Takes the risk,and knows it’s worth trying.

ReliableYou can rely on him/her in every

aspect of life. No matter if at work, school or in family. You can be sure

that he/she will never disappoint you.

AmbitiousCares about own

development. Upgrades his/her skills, masters

his/her abilities.

CourageousDoesn’t bury head

in the sand. Faces the problem and finds

a solution!

DynamicCan’t stay in one place for long time. Is an explorer, constantly on the move!

CreativeHe/she is THAT person - able to find

answer for almost every question. And he/she will find the weirdest, but the

most accurate solution for the problem.

ResponsibleFor himself/herselfand for the others.

Open-mindedAlways willing to listen

and hear different points of view.

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POLISH SCOUTING

SCOUTING IN POLISH SOCIETY

S couting has a huge influence in the process of raising pol-ish young generations. In the

awareness of polish society, scout-ing is way more than just one of the “after-school” activities. It is believed to be an element of education. Draw-ing upon sources rooted in the past and trying to find in our history the most valuable authorities that young people can follow, scouting also tries to answer the needs of current direc-tions of development that includes social, cultural and economical as-pects of the polish society. Polish Scouting and Guiding Association plays an important role in prepar-ing a young human to live in society, supports children and youth in grow-ing to the roles and functions in adult life. It is a place where redefinition of ideals and rules is being made. The attitude is changing – from focusing on oneself to noticing the needs of people around.

We mentioned an influence of scout values on people and place not con-nected with scouting. Every scout and adult leader is a citizen too. Members of our organization learn in schools, pass exams, study, work, start a family. We support each other on carrying those tasks out. We pre-pare young people to aware creation attitude as a person who is active in a society.

Scouts live in synergy with their sur-rounding. They are not afraid of tak-ing responsibility for themselves and for the others, giving help, react-ing on noticed needs. They look for their place in society. Those aren’t only empty words. Our scouts organ-ize with pleasure many local actions during “Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity” – the biggest polish fund-raising action which for over 20 years has been supporting public health facilities buying medical equipment that saves lifes. We are present dur-ing difficult moments of our nation – we were carrying organised help during huge floods in Poland. When in 2010 a plane with Polish President (and 95 other VIPs) on board crashed in Russia, we were responsible for all the logistics during the funerals of the most important people in our country. Not being indifferent to the conflict ongoing in Ukraine, we or-ganized whip-round for local scouts. These are only few from many ac-tions we take.

Polish scouts participate for many years in transfering the Bethlehem Light of Peace, with a smile on face we bring it to offices, public institu-tions and places of religious worship – no matter the religion. The light is always delivered to our President and Prime Minister as well as to all polish houses – wherever the mes-

sage of peace and hope is needed. Bethlehem Light of Peace is of course only a symbol, however its message was, is, and always will be actual and needed. It shows that it is worthwhile to think about the others, to live in harmony, to show the good in spite of the many difficulties in the mod-ern world.

Polish scouts don’t forget their roots, with a rich, interesting, but also trag-ic history of their nation. Modern scouts are aware of how Polish his-tory was built, often involving scout-ing. This year we organized in the capital of our country a national jam-boree commemorating the 70th an-niversary of the Warsaw Uprising where scouts played a very impor-tant role. For this event we have en-gaged the entire local community. Learning about a history of our coun-try, we were showing it to inhabit-ants of Warsaw. We participated with them in happenings, concerts and urban games. We have shown that our history is still alive. We know the Polish achievements which we can be proud of and tell about them on world’s forum. The best current ex-ample of this is a wish of opportunity to organize World Scout Jamboree in 2023 by Poland.

Our scouts are active members of the communities – local, family, school,

POLISH SCOUTING AND GUIDING ASSOCIATION SINCE ITS VERY BEGINNING PLAYS AN IMPOR-TANT ROLE IN RAISING POLISH YOUNG GENERATIONS. MANY FOREIGN SCOUTS SAY THAT SCOUTING IN POLAND IS NOT JUST ANOTHER NGO, BUT BECAUSE OF MANY FACTORS IT HAS A REALLY SPECIAL PLACE IN POLISH SOCIETY. WHY?

Wojciech Sidorowicz

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POLISH SCOUTING

student, professional. As citizens of the communities they are involved in the activities of many organizations, whether formal or not. Thanks to this we co-create the reality. Wanting to change the world for better, we in-fluence on people’s decisions, Poles’ mentality, but we also try to be at the same time trustworthy partners for them, not imposing our opinion.

As the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association we feel responsible for the young people, for the generation of Young Europe. We have taken up, for our society, a very satisfying, but also a very difficult task. About how we are perceived, tells the engage-ment in our activities of the entire nation. Successive reigning pres-idents gives their protectorate to scout organizations, appreciating

our role in society and in order to as-sist in the development of Scouting in Poland.

When we shape, change and edu-cate children and youngsters we give them scouting’s values. They are the next scout generation – aware and mature citizens. By putting a spark in young people, we change Poland into a better place.

POLES TRUST IN SCOUTING. ACCORDING TO THE BIGGEST POLISH RESEARCH CENTER, SCOUT ORGANIZATIONS ARE

ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTED INSTITUTIONS OF PUBLIC LIFE IN POLAND. WITH MORE THAN 70% POLES TRUSTING US, THERE ARE ONLY JUST A FEW ORGANIZATIONS MORE TRUSTED THAN SCOUTS – ALL OF THEM ARE CHARITY. WE ARE MORE TRUSTED

THAN CITIZEN RIGHTS SPOKESPERSON, POLICE, COURTS OR TRADE UNIONS, AND IT DOESN’T CHANGE FOR YEARS!

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POLISH SCOUTING

INTERNATIONALLY ACTIVE

AS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE WORLD ORGANIZATION OF SCOUT MOVEMENT, WE BELIEVE THAT EACH OF US SHOULD BE A PART OF THE WORLD SCOUT FAMILY. PARTICIPATING IN MANY INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS WITH SCOUTS OF ALL NATIONS, WE ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CO-CREATE A DIVERSE REALITY TO FULFILL OUR MISSION.

Wojciech Sidorowicz

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POLISH SCOUTING

In order to call ourselves the citizens of the world, we need know something about it first. Each year our units are sup-plied with proposals of the pro-gram that allows them to learn about the diversity of the world. They aim to develop an interna-tional awareness and improve the knowledge about different continents, nations and cul-tures. The most recent program “It’s time for Africa!” helps the scouts gain a much wider per-spective on somewhat distort-ed image of the continent and disprove its most harmful ste-reotypes. To reach this goal, the Polish Scouting and Guiding As-sociation provides the leaders with tools, methodological guid-ance and plenty of useful mate-rials that can be a measure to in-spire the scouts and account for their further interest in the top-ic. Exploring Africa and meeting African scouts can be a great ad-venture, but it’s also a chance for personal development.

It is also worth to mention Maż-da – our scout leader with Syr-ian roots. Her deep concern about the disturbing situation in Syria resulted in the propos-al for the program that aimed to stop the discrimination leading to extreme conflicts in the soci-ety. It was the part of the charity project “Polish Scouting for Syr-ia” that also consisted of several educational movies about this country. We also pay attention to the needs of a more proximate world – we were actively sup-porting the Ukrainian scouts who performed a sacrificial ser-vice during their recent patriot-ic uprising.

Our scouting organization is very active on the Internet. When Austrian scouts announced the “National Scout Scarf Day” on the 1st of August, one of our leaders has decided to spread information about the event through the social media. Thousands of people joined the event that day and each year the

number of people participating increases. Many Polish scouts also sing up for JOTA and JOTI to connect with scouts from the utmost ends of the Earth. So, yes – we love Jamborees! In May 2015 we will be hosting the Intercamp and in the next few years Polish Scouting and Guiding Association will organize the European Scout Jamboree, Central European Jamboree and the Polish National Jamboree to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the foundation of our organization.

Before those become reality, let us meet in a few months in Ja-pan! Over 350 people from Po-land will participate in the big-gest scouting event in the world. Some of us will get there by… bike. Starting January 2015 a group of seventy people will go through Europe, the Middle East, Central and East Asia all the way to Yamaguchi in Japan for the 23rd World Scout Jambo-ree. The participants of the ex-pedition will join their forces, skills and enthusiasm to cycle almost twelve thousand kilom-eters and spend almost seven months on the road.

Our dream is to host the 25th World Scout Jamboree in Po-land. To make our wish true, we start the action very early. Re-cently, we introduced the pro-ject “Ambassadors of Jamboree 2023”. It aims to promote knowl-edge about the initiative of or-ganizing WSJ in Poland. Actions undertaken as a part the project will improve the competence of the youth leaders in cooperation with the public administration, organization of events, commu-nication and promotion, as well as networking with peer groups abroad and other international organizations.

The above is just a glimpse of what we are capable of. We hope to see you in Poland in 2023, so you can experience our culture yourself. Let us spark the adven-ture!

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POLISH SCOUTING

THE JAMBOREEDREAM

RECIPE FOR POLISH JAMBOREETHE POLISH SCOUTING AND GUIDING ASSOCIATION DREAMS ABOUT ORGANIZING THE 25TH WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE IN 2023 IN POLAND. WE WANT TO HAVE AN HONOUR OF INVITING SCOUTS FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD TO POLAND. WE FEEL THAT POLAND IS FULFILLED WITH THE ENERGY OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND IT CAN SHARE ITS PASSION WITH THE WHOLE WORLD OF SCOUTING. WE WANT TO GIVE ADVENTURES, INSPIRE WITH INNOVATIONS AND SHARE EXPERIENCES. HERE ARE SOME FACTORS THAT HELP US!

Agnieszka Podhajska

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THE JAMBOREE DREAM

WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE!Right now Jamboree 2023 Project team consists of about 100 special-ized volunteers. They are a gener-ation of youth who were raised in the first years of our country’s inde-pendence, they are experienced cre-ators, ready to take responsibility for the future. People that have the leg-end of “Solidarity” as an inspiration, right now enter their adulthood and start to create the better world. They are specialists who want to combine their experience with unique skills and give the world something from themselves.

WE HAVE GOVERNMENT’S SUPPORTOur bid is officially supported by all living Presidents of Poland and our Prime Minister. What is more, we al-ready have government guarantees required to organize World Scout Jamboree. The list of these guaran-tees is of course much longer. Guar-antees value is very important – gov-ernment support is a clear signal that the organization Jamboree is not a dream of a bunch of people, but of the entire country.

WE HAVE BUSINESS’S SUPPORTOur bid is perceived as a very impor-tant for the business environment in Poland. Polish businesses see the chances in volunteering, creating the human capital and empowering the world of scouting – and they are eager to help us. We are proud to have official support of Polish Business Roundtable – its President directly committed himself to the prepara-tions as the head of our Organizing Committee.

RECOGNITION OF WOSMIn May 2014 Poland was visited by the highest representatives of WOSM. The Secretary General, Scott Teare in an interview for our scout TV “ZHP360” said that the work we have done so far is impressive. He also mentioned that it was the first time he saw that nine years before the po-tential event all the arrangements were so advanced.

MASTERPLANWe – of course – have a masterplan of our preparations. It is divided into six paths of preparations and many phases, and actually it’s way more than just a plan of creating our bid. It touches many other areas of our or-ganization such as e.g. programme, volunteer support and external part-nerships and is fully focused on mas-tering the key fields of our organiza-tion, not only in our candidacy’s con-text.

BE THE SPARK!It’s official motto of our application – it’s not just a marketing slogan, but an idea that we deeply believe in. We want every scout in the world – no matter their sex, skin colour, religion etc. – to be that spark which releas-es energy. We believe that Jamboree which may be organized by us can be an inspiration and impetus for the World Scout Movement. We want to be the spark, which will give expe-riences and share our imagination with other scouts.

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THE JAMBOREE DREAM

OUR NEW SYMBOLROBERT BADEN-POWELL SAID THAT SCOUTING IS A MOVEMENT, BECAUSE IT STILL CHANGES AND MOVES FORWARD – IF IT DOESN’T CHANGE, THEN IT’S NOT A MOVEMENT. THE SAME HAPPENS TO US. A FEW MONTHS AGO WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THE JAMBOREE 2023 PROJECT TEAM AND WE HAVE SEEN A NEW HORIZON, NEW POSSIBILITIES AND NEW CHALLENGES. THAT’S WHY WE NEEDED A NEW SYMBOL.

Grzegorz Zieliński

Our project started a new chapter. The first meeting of members of the Jamboree 2023 Project Team was an ex-cellent time for change. Thanks to new volunteers who joined our project we gained new power and new energy. We set new milestones, we saw new horizons. Now, we start to work with new ideas, plans and enthusiasm which spreads among all people. That is why we needed a new symbol.

We designed a symbol that re-flects our energy, innovations, motivation… The Spark.

We wanted that any scout or guide, no matter their nation-ality and culture, will recog-nize the most fundamental scout symbol – fleur de lis. We are a one huge scout fam-ily, and we have common val-ues and intentions symbol-ized just by that symbol. World Scout Jamboree is one of the opportunities where we all can meet and learn from each other. From now on we want to ensure scouts and guides all over the world that we have the same core. We can unite!

Scout values are the core. But what makes us special? It may seem trivial but… we are Polish. Our symbol’s colours

– red and white – are our national colors, the same you can see on polish flag. It symbolizes our origin and what we believe in as a nation.

Dynamic shapes, lines and cutting reflects symbolize constant changes, actions, energy and creativite tension. Poles are not a nation that can sit in one place for a long time. As a result, we are en-gaged into a several activities in the same time. We want to more and do everything to our dreams become true.

But energy is not everything. If you look at our symbol again, you can see a com-pass as well. It’s a symbol of the right direction, wisdom, balance, safety, guidance and learning. We believe that hosting World Scout Jam-boree in Poland will super-charge the world of scouting. This has to be done in a wise and balanced way.

New symbol of our candidacy is combining global scouting features, the energetic nature

of Poles as well as our origin, and a compass which re-minds us of keeping the right direction. And the direc-tion is the same to all of us. We want to create a better world!

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THE JAMBOREE DREAM

FIRST MEETING OFTHE SPARKMAKERS

WE WERE PREPARING OUR BID FOR A SOME TIME ALREADY, BUT THE REAL WORK BEGAN ON THE LAST WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER 2014. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS ORGANIZED THE FIRST MEETING OF THE JAMBOREE 2023 PROJECT TEAM WHICH CONSISTS OF 100 VOLUNTEERS. WE LIKE TO CALL THEM THE SPARKMAKERS!

Julita Borek

The members of the Jamboree Pro-ject Team were selected in Septem-ber and October 2014. In the recruit-ment process there could take part every scout leader from our organiza-tion. Due to huge interest, we had to provide multi-stage recruitment. As a result we have true specialists with a lot of passion and energy onboard!

The volunteers decided to be the part of Jamboree Project Team because of a lot of reasons. The motivation was for example taking on new challeng-es, participation in great adventure or sharing their knowledge and ex-perience with the scout movement. Jamboree Project Team is a possibil-ity for making a perfect Jamboree. We should show all over the world how much energy, ideas and charis-ma have Polish scouts. I believe that we can make the Jamboree that the world has never seen before. – said Dorota Limontas, the Jamboree Pro-ject Team volunteer.

The Jamboree Project Team meeting was organized in Warsaw from 28 to 30 of November. It was the first time the volunteers had met each other.

The volunteers are divided into 10 working groups: Programme, Com-munications and Promotion, Admin-istration and Budget, Internation-al Contact Group, Human Resources and Volunteer Support, Logistics and Transportation, Security and Crisis Management, Site Design and the last, but not least – Information and Communication Technologies. Each group had time for discussion and preparing the plan and tasks for the near future.

The person who is responsible for the coordination of our candidacy is our Deputy Chief Scout – Krzysztof Budziński. He is the head of the bid’s Steering Committee. This committee makes strategic decisions in the pro-cess of preparation and organization Jamboree or other preceding events.

The Jamboree Project Team is the executive body – it consists of about 100 specialized volunteers.

The Jamboree Project Team is going to work for at least next 4 years, but of course we hope it will be longer. Its first aim is to prepare an applica-tion which will be presented during World Scout Conference in Azerbai-jan in 2017. On the way to Jamboree there are also other smaller events that Jamboree Project Team will be

responsible of – Intercamp 2015, Cen-tral European Jamboree 2016, Na-tional Jamboree in 2018 (100-anni-versary of Polish Scouting and Guid-ing Organization) and if we will win the right to organize Jamboree – the official preceding event – Eurojam 2021.

THE JAMBOREE PROJECT TEAM IS THE EXECUTIVE BODY – IT CONSISTS OF

ABOUT 100 SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS.

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THE JAMBOREE DREAM

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Could you tell us how it happened, that you started to be interested in scouting in a different way than on-ly Polish Scouting and Guiding Asso-ciation? Not every scout has it in his-area of interests.

After, more or less, 10 years being scout in our organization, my first contact with scouting abroad was with girls from Montreal. To be more precise, they were scouts from Pol-ish Scouting and Guiding Associa-tion abroad in Canada, and it was all thanks to the project “Scoutemoti-cons” (polish: ”Harcemoty”), (2006-2008). Soon I took part in Silesia Jam-boree in 2008. That was my next, but this time non-virtual, contact with scouting.

Marek, we know you’re involved in the Scout Scarf Day. What is it about?

In 2007, on the occasion of cente-nary of scout movement, Austrialian Scouting Organization announced the 1st of August to be “Nation-al Scout Scarf Day” and asked ac-tive and former scouts to wear scout scarf in public places. Many people, including well-known business per-sonages, answered for the call in or-der to show the spirit of scouting – once you became a scout, you are a scout forever.

After three years, dr. Michael Wuko-schitz, Australian scout and former Assistant District Commissioner of cub scouts in Vienna decided to reac-tivate the event via Facebook. It was rather small event for his friends created on his private profile. In 2011 one of my foreign friends invited me to take part in this event. I joined to the Facebook group too – not big – for about 50 people. I really liked the vi-sion of this project – I created some graphics, occasional cards and with other scouts’ help – four language versions. I was following the event for about a year and I made a decision to write to fellow scout Michael and ask him for an agreement to create a Facebook page about this event. I told

him that it has a potential to reach out to the wider group of people.

On 12th of July 2012 a page fb.com/Scout.Scarf.Day was created. It was the main source of information about the event. Via this page, fol-lowers could find information e.g. how they can celebrate this event, but also how to share with their own ideas about it. Each day the amount of users grows almost twice. It – of course – takes some time to create right words to encourage new users, but thanks to random scouts’ help it was successfully translated into 14

languages, what really increased the range. In this year’s event, from 40 thousand invited people, 14 thousand took part in it, what is comparable to the amount of people taking part in the World Scout Jamboree.

If we talk about plans for next event in 2015, then, for sure, I’d like to build a team. To be honest – organization of Scout Scarf Day on Facebook takes a lot of time. Last 3 editions I coped with that alone, but this time I need some help. In 2015 a World Scout Jamboree in Japan takes place, so there’s a quite wide range of possi-bilities to activate scouts during this event. The idea of making a huge cord

of scarves and beating the Guinness record appeared – who knows, may-be we’ll try?. Next important step is legalizing this event by WOSM. I can only lift the veil of secrecy, that after my conversations in Ljubljana with WOSM members, I didn’t face any criticism but big support and posi-tive attitude to the event.

Why is it worth to cooperate with scouts from the other countries?

I like cooperating with them because there are things that can be problem

ALTHOUGH IT IS BASED ON ONE IDEA LAUNCHED MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO BY BADEN-POWELL, SCOUTING IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD SOMETIMES DIFFERS QUITE MUCH FROM EACH OTHER. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO LEARN ABOUT DIFFE-RENCES OF SCOUT CULTURE. ONE OF THEM IS MAREK PĘCZAK – MEMBER OF THE JAMBOREE 2023 PROJECT TEAM. WHERE DOES HIS PASSION COME FROM?

Wojciech Sidorowicz

IN THIS YEAR’S EVENT OUT OF 40 THOUSAND INVITED PEOPLE, 14 THOUSAND TOOK PART IN IT.

IT IS COMPARABLE TO THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE TAKING PART IN THE

WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE.

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in Poland but in their countries – no. They are usually open to help. It is hard getting to particular scouts, but if you finally find someone who will respond, then there’s a big possibil-ity for longer beneficial cooperation. I usually work with scouts on graph-ics or translations for Scout Scarf Day. The closer the idea of this event is to them, the more miracles they can make. If you cooperate with ac-tive scouts, you can sometimes find out that they hold an important ap-pointment in their organizations and, thanks to this, they do their best and also talk with friends that they helped in such project, what is surely good for promotion. Establishing co-operation with scouts is not only vir-tual work – many of them I can meet on jamborees. Showing that we have a beautiful country and we want to organize World Scout Jamboree for sure gives more than just making an opportunity to read about us in some kind of brochure.

Marek, we know that your huge dream is to take part in Jamboree in Japan. Is it going to come true?

The idea of a trip to Japan was born in the 2nd class of high school – I was learning Japanese then. In 2008 on a website skauting.zhp.pl I found information that Jamboree in 2015 will take place in the land of the ris-ing sun appeared. Then I came up with an idea that I want to go there. That time it wasn’t a real dream. I started thinking more seriously about it when I decided to save mon-ey every month for this – it was fixed amount of money from April 2010 to March 2014. I also tied this jambo-ree with my life outside-scouting life. I enrolled in a Japanese course and chose studies connected with Japanese culture in Warsaw. When applications for this jamboree start-ed, I had no doubt to apply for IST. I really hope that I’ll get admitted to the Marketing and Communication Team, because it is a field I feel strong on and I really enjoy meeting scouts from such areas. I count on experi-ence exchange and friends for the whole life.

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STEP BY STEP TO THE JAMBOREE

1. THE IDEA OF THE ORGANIZATION JAMBOREE IN POLAND – JAMBOREE 2007

First thoughts about organizing Jamboree in Poland cre-ated in 2007 (8 years ago!) during the Jamboree in the UK.

2. THE OFFICIAL DECLARATION – AUGUST 2010During the Polish Jamboree in 2010 the Internation-al Commissioner of the ZHP, Rafał Bednarczyk, the first time officially said that Poland is ready to organized World Scout Jamboree.

3. POLISH STATE JOINED TO OUR DREAM – AUGUST 2011

The First Lady of Poland, Anna Komorowska, visited Pol-ish scouts participating in the 22nd World Scout Jambo-ree in Sweden. She supported the idea of hosting a simi-lar event in Poland in the year 2023.

4. WE HAVE IMPORTANT SUPPORT! – 2013In this year the president of Poland, Bronisław Ko-morowski, accepted the invitation and took over the pres-idency in the Honorary Committee of the ZHP Candidacy. The president of Poland thus emphasized the role of the honorary scout protector.

5. THE JAMBOREE AMBASSADORS – AUTUMN/WINTER 2013

This project has joined more than 100 young people from across the country to spread the knowledge about the or-ganization Jamboree in Poland. They had the opportuni-ty to improve their competence in cooperation with the public administration, establishing international con-tacts and they got the inspiration to work in their teams.

6. THE 38. GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON JAMBOREE – DECEMBER 2013

In December 2013 the ZHP National Congress, which is the highest authority of our organization, decided that the The Polish Scouting and Guiding Association (ZHP) will apply to host the World Scout Jamboree in 2023.

7. GOVERNMENT GUARANTEES – MAY 2014The Council of Ministers adopted a resolution on govern-ment guarantees for supporting the ZHP candidacy to host the World Scout Jamboree in Poland in 2023. These are to relate in particular to respect the Constitution of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, take ac-tion to ensure fulfillment of the obligations by the ZHP, ensure free entry to our country and traveling through it by accredited persons.

8. WE WERE VISIBLE IN SLOVENIA – AUGUST 2014

During the World Scout Conference in Slovenia The Pol-ish Scouting and Guiding Association (ZHP) ZHP had vis-ible, modern and friendly stand where scouts liked eager to spend the time. Then we started the global promotion of our candidature.

9. JAMBOREE PROJECT TEAM – AUTUMN 2014Nine years before the organization of the Jamboree was created team that will prepare Polish candidacy. It con-sists of about 100 young people who are not afraid of any challenges and their dream is to organize Jamboree in Poland. In December, the first meeting of the whole team.

WHAT DID WE ALREADY DO AND WHAT DO WE PLAN? LET’S HAVE A QUICK LOOK!Agnieszka Podhajska

PAST

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10. INTERCAMP IN POLAND – 2015 This is an international scouting camp where each year participate 3000 scouts from Belgium, Holland, France, UK, USA, Canada, Polish, Ger-many, Czech Republic and Switzerland.Each year a different country is responsible for its or-ganization in 2015 will be Poland.

11. WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE – 2015The next World Socut Jamboree will be held in 2015 in Japan. There will be Polish scouts out there who will promote our candidacy.

12. CENTRAL EUROPEAN JAMBOREE – 2016

These are cyclical rallies organized by Scout As-sociations of Central Europe. There are a contin-uation of rallies, which began in 1931 in Prague (Czech Republic). Every eight years event takes place in Poland.

13. THE ELECTION OF THE HOST – 2017In 2017 years will be held World Scout Conference in Azerbaijan. It is for us a very important event, because it was then scheduled to vote on the or-ganizer 25. World Scout Jamboree.

14. ZHP’S 100. ANNIVERSARY – 2018In 2018 year will be held Polish Jamboree, which will be attended by about 10 000 scouts. We will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the establish-ment of our organization.

15. EUROJAM – 2021 This will be the last test before the Jamboree, which will arrive about 15 thousand participants. It will be held at the same place where two years later will be held Jamboree.

16. JAMBOREE 2023!We very much hope that we will organize the 25st World Scout Jamboree and will be able to in-vite to our country about 40,000 scouts.

FUTURE

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WHY?

GOSIA SMRECZAK, INTERNATIONAL CONTACT GROUPFirst of all organizing Jamboree 2023 is a great challenge for me. Taking into account my working group I will meet with various scouting organizations in many countries. It’s a first time when I have a unique opportunity to build up my skills which I have gained through my scouting life. Furthermore I have met kind and friendly scouts from all over my country. Jamboree is a multi-national event and for me it means that I am a part of something very big and very important for my organization. That’s why I feel responsible for every step that I take during preparations. Nevertheless I know that it is going to be one of the greatest time in my life full of fun, joy, new people and of course work.

OLGA ROSIAK, PROGRAMMEI’m not sure I can describe what it is for me. But I think the phrase “extraordi-nary challenge” fits perfectly.

PIOTR RODZOCH, COMMUNICATIONS AND PROMOTIONScouting instilled in me a sense of changing the world for the better. I would like to tell my children and grandchildren how much I accomplished in life through scouting. I would like to change the world and mark my presence in it. Jamboree organization seems to be a great opportunity to do it!

IN OUR PROJECT THERE WORK YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE A PART OF THEMSELVES, TO COME TOGETHER, TO CREATE SOMETHING WONDERFUL. EACH OF THEM IS A SPECIALIST IN THEIR FIELD, EACH OF THEM IS DIFFERENT. HOWEVER, WE ALL HAVE THE SAME GOAL – JAMBOREE IN POLAND. WHY THEY DECIDED TO JOIN THE TEAM AND HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN THE PROJECT?

Agnieszka Podhajska

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ŁUKASZ CZARNECKI, PROGRAMMEFor me, participating in organization of the Jamboree is possibility of development in different areas. This project is an opportunity to exchange experiences among scout leaders from all over the country who are experts in their fields. The feeling that we are doing something really big is great. This action gives me great satisfaction and inspi-ration for other activities. In this project the most unique is that we do not focus only on this one Jamboree in 2023, but also prepare smaller events that will be held earlier. Besides, it’s participation in this project is a good entry into the CV.

BARTŁOMIEJ SZCZEPANIAK, INTERNATIONAL CONTACT GROUP Jamboree 2023 is the greatest scout adventure in my life. I can’t compare it with anything else – any camp, any oth-er event, jamboree or whatever I do. This is because Jam-boree 2023 can be a historical moment in Polish scout-ing – the future generations will remember about it for a long time.

MICHAŁ MOTYKA, SECURITY AND CRISIS MANAGEMENTAction in team of Poland 2023 (25th World Scout Jambo-ree Candidate) for me is a challenge and possibility to use my knowledge – professional and organizational, and ex-perience in the field where I work in a ZHP . Moreover that is excellent opportunity to learning new things or create new solutions, upgrade my skills and meeting new peo-ple with great ideas and cooperate with them while many interesting tasks. Division of which I am a member is re-sponsible for all safety and security issues and thereby I feel personally responsibility for that part of project and in future for protection of all participants and crew of Jamboree 2023.

KASIA ŚWIEJKOWSKA, COMMUNICATIONS AND PROMOTIONJamboree is for me something extraordinary. It’s an amazing challenge which I’m proud to be a part of. It’s a dream, and we’re working hard to make it come true!

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