- April 25, 2013
- 264
Skakowska: I do not receive any help from the local businessmen
While talking with young people, I always stress that they are the future elite, that they will be the upper class of the community in the Vilnius Region, said to PL DELFI Apolonia Skakowska, the chairwoman of Stanisław Moniuszko Centre for Polish Culture in Lithuania. Skakowska has been recently active in the virtual space and enjoys every statement about her.
Stanisław Moniuszko Centre for Polish Culture in Lithuania is 20 years old. Which event organized by the Centre is the most important for you?
The greatest achievement of my work are the festivals organized because they join all generations. We also celebrate the 20th anniversary of Festival “Pieśń znad Wilii”. Since 10 years, Festival “Rozśpiewane przedszkole” is organized annually. In addition, we organize Festival of Folk Bands and Singers, Polish Christmas Eves in Vilnius. Those events are fundamental, they preserve the traditions of the Vilnius Region, they connect the population of Vilnius and the Vilnius Region. This is the most significant element in the activity of the Centre.
In which events abroad does the Centre take part?
Together with the bands, we go to Festival of Borderline Culture in Mrągowo, Days of Culture in Kraków, Lublin, Elbląg, Giżycko. Those festivals require high culture, and high culture on stage and I’m glad that our teams make the grade. While talking with young people, I always stress that they are the future elite, that they will be the upper class of the community in the Vilnius Region.
Who could you always count on during those 20 years? Who helped you?
I could only count on the Embassy of Poland in Vilnius. Purely and simply. Only the Embassy has appreciated and understood the sense of my work, the difficulties that the Centre battles with. It’s too bad that the Centre doesn’t receive any help from the local businessmen. Probably they are not mature enough to do that.
How is the cooperation with other national minorities?
They have always supported me. They are in similar situation, but I have always felt great kindness and warmth from them. We value and support one another.
How will the jubilee celebrations look like?
To celebrate the anniversary in May, the exhibition of famous caricaturist Szczepan Sadurski will be presented, I’m planning a popular science conference during which I will present all 20-year-old accomplishments of the Centre. I would like to familiarize young people with it in particular. The main focus of the celebrations will be the concert – performance in Siemens Arena on which all 70 teams which the Centre collaborates with are invited.
The concert will probably last all day?
No, I plan two and a half hour concert, but all teams will perform.
Recently you have been active in the virtual space, in community portals.
I really like it because I meet there many clever people, I learn a lot from them. I’m simply in touch with the whole world. With London, and with America, and Poland, with every corner of the world.
Famous people on the Internet often meet with trollism, i.e. unfavourable statements, even attacks from the Internet users. How do you treat such behaviour?
I react very positively, I appreciate all criticism about me. If I meet with criticism it means that there is something wrong with me.
Tłumaczenie Barbara Rożek w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Barbara Rożek within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.
