Anniversary “Polish Flowers” take place na Wileńszczyźnie

“Because all Polish people – is one big family” – this joint singing connected all: either big or small in the final motet that was heard as completion of the festival “Polish Flowers”, which happens the twentieth time on the initiative of the tireless organizer of this measure – dr. Gabriel Jan Mincewicz.

This is the biggest cultural enterprise of the Polish in Lithuania that first took place 25 years ago, on May 13, 1989. What is important is the case that despite the fact that the first festival took place 25 years ago, today’s its edition is the twentieth (not the twenty-fifth), because the festival doesn’t occur annually.

The initiator, organizer and stage-director of the festival “Polish Flowers” is Gabriel Jan Mincewicz, the executive of Dance and Song Ensemble “Wileńszczyzna”. According to him, a big amount of school and adult artistic collectives arose up during these 25 years together with “Polish Flowers” in order to participate in the festival. These groups are the same age as “Polish Flowers” and are also celebrating their anniversaries now.

As time went by the festival was getting bigger and bigger. The level of professionalism of artists was growing up, the number of participants was increasing. At the same time organizers needed more money to carry out the show and lack of them made holding the festival impossible some years. Last festival “Polish Flowers” took place in 2012 – after a five-year interruption.

Anniversary twentieth festival “Polish Flowers” began with the solemn walking of participants in the streets of Nemenčinė at midday on Sunday. Just after that, in the Nemenčinė’s amphitheatre the saint mass was carried out by priest dr Eduardas Kirstukas, who is the vicar of St. Michael the Archangel parish in Nemenčinė.

After divine service in Forest Amphitheatre at K. Parczewskiego Gymnasium, a concert took place. A record number of groups, that is 40, performed in public. These bands came from Vilnius, Wileńszczyzna, different other remote parts of Lithuania and also from foreign countries.

In the festival participated about 1000 choristers, dancers and instrumentalists. These are school groups, bands from houses and centers of culture and even parochial choirs. As enterprise lasted the exhibition of handicraft wares took place. All of the presented goods could be bought by interested in them people.

Waldemar Tomaszewski, head of EAPL (Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania), deputy in The European Parliament, thanked the indefatigable organizer of all festivals – Gabriel Jan Mincewicz and, for sure, gave thanks to all leaders of choirs, who are distributing and strengthening the Polish culture on Vilnius Earth. Waldemar Tomaszewski also underlined, that the culture is the biggest power of every nation and people who are developing and improving their own culture among children and young people should be given the biggest gratitude.

Yaroslav Czubiński, ambassador of The Polish State in Vilnius, directed the special gratitude to the organizer of the measure dr G. J. Mincewicza, and handed medals, decorations and titles “Contributed a lot in Polish culture” to eight leaders of collectives on behalf of Bohdan Zdrojewski, minister of culture and national inheritance of The Polish State. The most vivid personalities and participants are: Alicja Rusiecka, Jasia Mackiewicz, Olga Krasodomska, Iryna Iljina, Wioletta Leonowicz, Teresa Kołtan, Mykhajlo Treszczyński, Wioletta Cereszka. Jarosław Narkiewicz, vice-marshal of the Seym of the RL (Republic of Lithuania) also handed rewards and diplomas.

Among guests, who arrived at the festival “Polish Flowers” were also Rita Tamašunienė, head of the fraction of EAPL in the Seym of RL, Wanda Krawczonok ,deputy of the head of the faction, ambasador in the Seym of RL, Maria Rekść, the  mayor of the Vilnius district and also councillors and management of subcapital government. On the enterprise arrived the representatives of different districts and Polish organizations, including Hanka Gałązka, vice-chairman of Association “Polish Community”, which is the sponsor of the festival as well as the government of the Vilnius district.

At the end of the enterprise dr Gabrial Jan Mincewicz and Maria Rekść thanked all who assisted and helped to organize the festival. The leaders of the groups and bands were given special memorial statuettes and albums “Polish Vilnius” for participation.

“I am extremely glad, that this anniversary festival became the general festivity for all participants, audience and also those, who assisted its realization” – said the main organizer of “Polish Flowers”.

In turn, leaders of collectives on behalf of all participants and artists gave G. J. Mincewicz a souvenir and sang the traditional “One hundred years”. At the same time singing of “Rota”, executed by artists as well as by the audience concluded this amazing Sunday measure.

Source: http://l24.lt/pl/kultura-pl/item/33522-na-wilenszczyznie-odbyly-sie-jubileuszowe-kwiaty-polskie

Tłumaczenie by Diana Donichenko w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Diana Donichenko within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.