Cultural Events
Cultural Events 2006
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Cultural Attaché Jim Wolfe was among the guests awarded a special prize for the most faithful supporters of the International Dance Theaters’ Festival during the November 9 opening gala in Lublin. The Embassy has been supporting the festival since its conception. Attended by local authorities and dance fans from all over Poland, the opening performance star was the legendary Paul Taylor Dace Theater, showing 3 reconstructed pieces that the Festival commissioned especially for the occasion. (more)
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Young Leaders Conference
Mr. Łukasz Mężyk, Deputy Director of Konferencja Przedsiębiorstw Finansowych, has been invited to attend the “Young Leaders Conference” organized by the Council for the United States and Italy and the Brookings Institution. These conferences are annual events, held alternately in the US and Italy, bring together a group of accomplished individuals under the age of 40 to discuss a timely and relevant subject of common interest. (more)
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Professor Stephen Lacy To Speak At Krynica Economic Forum
Counselor for Press and Culture Ed Kulakowski announced that Michigan State University School of Journalism Professor Stephen Lacy would be a guest speaker at the Krynica Economic Forum in Krynica September 6-9. Mr. Lacy has written and edited numerous books and articles in the field of journalism (as well as working as a journalist and photographer) and is currently the co-editor of the Journal of Media Economics. He served as director of the Michigan State University School of Journalism from 1998 to 2003 and is a former president of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). Last year, Professor Lacy co-authored the Pew research center report entitled "State of the News Media" which will serve as a basis for his discussions in Krynica. To read more about Professor Lacy click here (more)
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Critically-acclaimed American writer Amy Tan read an excerpt from her book The Joy Luck Club and spoke about her life as a writer to about 100 guests at the Ambassador’s residence the evening of November 15. Mrs. Joan Ashe hosted this special edition of the America Presents series, which features talks and performances by American artists and lecturers visiting Poland. Guests included Polish and American students, Polish cultural figures and others. Ms. Tan answered numerous questions about her books and the writing process from the eager audience before she and her husband Lou DeMattei joined the guests for a reception. She also autographed many copies of her books, including her new release Saving Fish from Drowning. Ms. Tan had public appearances November 14 in Krakow and spoke at the American School in Warsaw on November 16. She also gave several radio and television interviews. (more)
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Josh Siegel, a film and media curator at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, will visit Warsaw October 20-22, announced Cultural Attaché James Wolfe. Siegel will speak about his recent exhibition, Tomorrowland: CalArts in Moving Pictures, proposing the California Institute of the Arts as a model for a new kind of art school in Poland, at an America Presents program on Friday, October 20 at 5:30pm at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw. Siegel will also participate in the Warsaw New Media Seminar at the Fine Arts Academy about the challenges of exhibiting moving-image art in a gallery setting. More info on the seminar /poland/magda.durda@asp.waw.pl. (more)
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Black alphabet, the first presentation in Europe of a group exhibition from the U.S. focused on the most powerful elements in contemporary American art created by African American artists, opened at Warsaw’s Zachęta Gallery on Friday, September 22 at 7:30pm. Ambassador Victor Ashe, an Honorary Patron of the Exhibit, joined Zachęta director Dr. Agnieszka Morawinska and 14 of the artists in welcoming the crowd of hundreds of opening night attendees. The Ambassador told the crowd that the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw is proud to be one of the sponsors of Black alphabet, which will be exhibited at the Zachęta Gallery through November 19, 2006.(more)
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The U.S. Embassy will co-sponsor the fifth annual Warsaw Gospel Days festival being held September 20-24 in Warsaw. The festival will be organized by the Mazovian Chapter of the Union of Polish Choirs and Orchestras and will once again provide a chance for gospel performers to improve their skills during Gospel Academy classes conducted by American singers. Cultural Attache James Wolfe has announced that the Embassy is proud to support the appearance of Reverend Lee Brown, Donna Brown, Dennis Legree and Tommi Harris who will appear in the opening concert on September 22 and again with all participants on September 24 at Pulawska 2A in Warsaw. For more information on how to participate, please visit www.gospel.waw.pl and www.pzchio.com.pl. (more)
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Cultural Attaché James Wolfe, honorary patron of the “Creative Redevelopment Festival: Vision Ksieży Młyn 2013, http://www.rewitalizacja.org which will take place in Łódż September 11-12, invites you to a special appearance of the key-note speaker, Ms. Julia Vitullo-Martin. A Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and Director of the Institute’s Center for Rethinking Development, Ms. Vitullo-Martin will offer a public seminar at the ZACHĘTA Gallery in Warsaw on September 13 at 2:00 p.m. (more)
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Counselor for Public Affairs Ed Kulakowski participated in the opening of the photo exhibit “Roma Rising” by American photographer Chad Evans Wyatt on August 2 at the International Youth Meeting Center at Auschwitz. August 2 is a Day of Remembrance organized by the Roma Society in Poland commemorating the 62nd anniversary of the extermination of the Roma camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. “Roma Rising” will be exhibited from August 2 to August 23 at the International Youth Meeting Center, Ul. Legionow 11, Oswiecim. For further information, check www.romarising.com and www.mdsm.pl. (more)
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As part of the Meet America program, Ambassador Ashe met with a group of students from the Jakub Kolasa High School located in Minsk, Belarus. The group is currently on a training program sponsored by the Catholic Intelligence Club in Warsaw. They visited the Embassy on July 11. The Ambassador welcomed the group, explained the close US/Polish bilateral relationship, and touched on the collaborative efforts between Poland and the US targeted at developing Belarusian democracy. (more)
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U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Victor Ashe, met with Miłosz Zieliński, the first Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellow from Poland, on June 28, 2006. In July, Zieliński will participate in this youth-oriented program funded by the U.S. Department of State to focus exclusively on U.S.-European relations and to involve youth from all regions of Europe and Eurasia. The State Department hopes this Summer Institute will pave the way for the establishment of other programs under the Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Initiative aimed at building bridges between American and European youth. Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, puts it this way: “Support for freedom is the foundation of our foreign policy, but America cannot advance freedom alone; Europe and the United States are partners in this great task. A new generation is growing up in Europe and America for which the Cold War, the advent of democracy in 1989, and the break up of the Soviet Union is history, not memory. It is only by renewing this close relationship between younger Europeans and Eurasians and American young people that we can continue this critical partnership in the 21st Century. And that’s why this program is so important to me.” (more)
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The Dixieland Band, or Rhine River Ramblers, is on tour in Poland from June 25 through July 4. The group, made up of members from the USAREUR Band, and stationed in Heidelberg, Germany, plays many concerts throughout Germany and Europe. The band is scheduled to play publicly at the city amphitheatre in Morawica at 6:00 p.m. on the 28th, the municipal stadium in Tyszowce at 3:00 p.m. on the 29th, the Nasza Chata restaurant in Chelm at 5:30 p.m. on the 30th, on Al. Jana Pawla II at 5:00 p.m. in Leczna on July 1, and in the Amphitheater of the Dom Polonia in Pultusk at 7:00 p.m. on July 3. (more)
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Ambassador Victor Ashe announced that the American Embassy is proud to help bring artists to Poland for the 15th Annual Warsaw Summer Jazz Days festival’s American Weekend, which opened its five-week festival on Saturday June 24. American jazz great Herbie Hancock will perform July 6 and numerous other American artists are slated to appear. The Embassy is pleased to continue its past support of the festival and encourages jazz fans to turn out. The full schedule is available at www.adamiakjazz.pl. (more)
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America and the World, Editorial Page Caricatures
Ed Kulakowski, Counselor for Press and Culture, invites you to "America & The World, 1980-2006: Editorial Art from INX Group, USA." The exhibit opens the June 26, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. and will be on display until August 6, 2006 at the Museum of Caricature and Cartoon Art, 11 Kozia Str., Warsaw. Please contact the Muzeum Karykatury directly at 022-827 88 95 for further details. (more)
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Rabbi Beth Schwartz, from the Temple Beth El of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Marilyn Kallet, Hodges Chair for Distinguished Teaching in English, University of Tennessee, are in Poland to give presentations at several Jewish organizations and interviews to several journals. Rabbi Schwartz has been the spiritual leader of the Temple Beth El in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the past seven years and is a regular speaker on Judaism and interfaith relationships at congregations and organizations. Ms. Marilyn Kallet is a professor, writer, and poet and has written five poetry collections and 12 published works. Schwartz and Kallet have engagements at Beit Warszawa – the Jewish Cultural Association, the Jewish Historical Institute, and the Schorr Foundation in Warsaw and at the Galicia Museum in Krakow from June 16th through June 21st. (more)
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For the fifth year, the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw will organize American Days, a vibrant festival celebrating America’s independence that brings the 4th of July and the rich traditions of American culture beyond the major city centers of Poland. This year’s festival celebrates American Diversity – cultural, ethnic, and even geographical. American Days 2006 will be held in Chełm and Łęczna. The Chełm festival will run from June 30th to July 2nd while the Łęczna festival will be on July 1st. American Days Website (more)
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Deputy Chief of Mission Kenneth Hillas, in his capacity as Chargé d’ Affaires during Ambassador Ashe’s travel abroad, attended a concert for which Ambassador Victor Ashe and Israeli Ambassador David Peleg were honorary patrons. The embassy supported the 86-year-old Haendel’s emotional return to her home town with a grant to Chełm’s Miasteczko Foundation, which initiated and organized the concert. Currently residing in Florida, Haendel played in the town of her birth for the first time since she was a five-year-old prodigy. CAO James Wolfe also attended. (more)
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On May 22, 2006, U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Victor Ashe, congratulated the nine Polish winners of the Aliante Competition who will travel to Holland in June to participate in the international finals. Aliante 2006 is an annual internet-based competition held in English and designed to promote understanding of NATO’s history and mission and encourage young people to consider careers in international relations. During his speech, Ambassador Ashe said that the U.S. supports NATO and believes the alliance should be given the tools to secure and advance freedom. Besides congratulating the finalists, he also encouraged them to continue studying international relations. (more)
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In town for a concert at the Warsaw Philharmonic’s Sala Kameralna, Diane Schuur and her quartet took time to meet with about 80 high school students at the Państwowa Szkola Muzyczna nr 2 im. F.Chopina. The band played several songs for the students who then asked questions about jazz music, life on the road as a musician, and the United States. Schuur and the band engaged the students and warned them of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. CAO James Wolfe and Cultural Specialist Iza Szarek attended the workshop after collaborating with Schuur's promoter to arrange the event. Her concert that evening was also a great success, delighting an audience of jazz aficionados. (more)
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On June 5 Ambassador Ashe, in coordination with the Fulbright Commission, hosted an award ceremony for the recipients of 2006-07 Fulbright grants for study in the United States. U.S. Fulbright Scholars who are completing their term in Poland were recognized at the event. The ceremony also provided an opportunity to honor Embassy Cultural Specialist Anna Wilbik, who is retiring after 35 years with the Embassy and extensive efforts with the Fulbright program.(more)
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On May 22, as part of the Embassy’s "Meet America" program, over 30 high school students traveled to Warsaw from the town of Kalisz to learn how a US Embassy functions. Public Affairs Officer Ed Kulakowski greeted the students, noted the historically important bilateral relationship between the two countries and described his career. In response to the students’ interests in US culture, politics and media Cultural Affairs Officer Jim Wolfe, Vice Consul Gary Schaefer and Political Military Officer David Morris described their respective roles and touched upon what it is like to be a US diplomat. (more)
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On May 17th, the US-Embassy Warsaw hosted a meeting to publicly announce the new State Alumni Association for Poland to former U.S. Government exchange program participants. Deputy Chief of Mission, Kenneth Hillas, welcomed the group of about 60 exchange alumni, while Public Affairs Officer, Edward Kulakowski, spoke about the importance of exchanges and alumni and how these programs can be transforming life experiences. Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer, Hilary Renner, gave a presentation on the alumni association describing the development, Embassy support, and benefits of the new organization. Several alumni present volunteered to be board members, while many others expressed their enthusiasim in taking part in the new association. (more)
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All former U.S. Government exchange program participants are invited to attend a meeting to discuss the launch of an exciting new alumni association. The association will encompass a broad range of USG programs including the International Visitor Leadership Program, American Fellows Program, Voluntary Visitor Program, Individual Grant Programs, Sponsored Programs, Educational Partnerships Programs, USBT (Education USA Advisers), Fulbright Study of the U.S., Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program, Fulbright Student Program (members of the Polish Fulbright Alumni Association), Ron Brown Fellowship Program, and the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program. The meeting will take place on May 17th at 5 p.m. at the U.S. Embassy on Al. Ujazdowskie. Please rsvp to: waciszmd@state.gov if you are a former exchange program participant interested in this new association. (more)
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On May 10, Ambassador Ashe welcomed over 40 students from the Teacher of Foreign Languages Collegium in Lowicz, Poland, who took part in the Embassy’s Meet America Program. The Ambassador described his role at the Embassy, touched upon the historically close US/Poland relationship, and answered questions from the group. (more)
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Counselor for Public Affairs Edward Kulakowski announced that the U.S. Embassy is supporting the Warsaw Jewish Film Festival which runs from May 11-16, 2006. During each day of the festival, the organizers, Jewish Motifs, celebrate the artists and films of a different country, and May 12th is American Day culminating in an evening reception, hosted by Deputy Chief of Mission, Kenneth Hillas. The festival will feature six American films and is being held at Kino Muranow, Ulica General W. Andersa 1, Warszawa. For more information on the festival, please refer to: www.jewish-motifs.com (more)
