Year of Poland: from trade to culture (04/04/04)

Year of Poland: from trade to culture

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - Officials of Ukraine and Poland announced here on March 22 that they would commence a Year of Poland in Ukraine beginning on March 30 in order to stimulate closer economic, political and cultural cooperation.

"The development of a closer relationship with Poland is important to us as a primary strategic partner especially in conjunction with its entry into the European Union," explained Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister for Humanitarian Affairs Dmytro Tabachnyk.

The Ukrainian vice prime minister noted that Poland has most enthusiastically supported Ukrainian membership in the EU and worked with Kyiv to help Ukraine begin to meet the minimum requirements. He said that one of the goals of the Year of Poland in Ukraine was to intensify the process.

"The purpose is to use the successful Polish example in completing political and economic reforms," explained Mr. Tabachnyk. He said that similar events in conjunction with Russia held in 2002 and 2003 in Kyiv and Moscow had proved very successful, particularly in developing economic relations.

The Ukrainian government official said that another goal with Poland would be to tighten the relationships between civic organizations and the divergent elements of society, as well as to further heal the historical acrimony between the two nations.

Poland's ambassador to Ukraine, Marek Ziulkowski, noted that the Year of Poland in Ukraine would proceed under the slogan, "Poland and Ukraine together in Europe." Mr. Ziulkowski explained that as Poland entered Europe it did not want to leave Ukraine behind. "We want our friendship in Europe to be as effective and successful as it has been in the last 12 years," he said.

Mr. Tabachnyk explained that he and Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage Waldemar Dombrowski had signed an agreement on March 15 in Warsaw that delineated an extensive program of business, economic, political and cultural events for the next 12 months.

The economic and business aspects would include conferences, exhibits and forums aimed at developing further business contacts and trade ties between the two countries. Mr. Tabachnyk noted that Ukraine's trade turnover with Poland grew by 40 percent last year - the largest increase with any country. In comparison, 2003 trade with Russia in goods and services grew by 32 percent.

The Year of Poland in Ukraine also involves an extensive cultural program. It will include concerts by contemporary Polish musicians, conductors, and orchestras; photo and art exhibits, including the works of Jewish-Polish writer and artist Bruno Schultz, whose mural was uncovered in 2002 in Drohobych; literary evenings; drama and film presentations.

Several Polish film directors, including internationally regarded Jerzy Hoffman, have agreed to give workshops in Kyiv for aspiring young Ukrainian directors.

Among the highlights of the year is a Festival of Polish Music scheduled for September-October in Kyiv. The event will focus on the contributions of Polish minorities to its cultural heritage, with Ukrainian ensembles receiving much of the attention. Ukrainians are considered the largest ethnic minority in Poland.

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