Polish Language Blog

On July 1st 1907 in Lwów there was a match between 1st Lwowski Klub Piłki Nożnej and Pogoń Lwów. This date is the beginning of the Polish Hockey. On October 31st  1926 in Poznań Polish Hockey Association originated. Since 1927 PHA has been the member of the International Hockey Federation.

Since the first start in The Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952 Men’s national team have been known in the World. Men’s teams five times have taken part in The Olympic Games (1952, 1960 1972, 1980, 2000), Women’s – one (1980).

Poland played six times in World Cups (1975, 1978, 1981/82, 1986, 1998, 2002), ten times in European Championships (1970, 1974, 1978, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2005) and one in World Cup U-21 (2005). Men’s National and club teams belong to the top of the world in indoor hockey. Men’s team became Vice Champion in 2003. Earlier, in 1996, Men’s U-21 team had become European Champion. Pocztowiec Poznań won European Club Championship in 2003. Many times Men’s (1999, 2001), Men’s U-21 (1985, 1992, 1996, 2000), Women’s (2005) and club teams Pocztowiec Poznań (1995, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005) and Grunwald Poznań (1994) has stood on podium during European Championships.

Many international tournaments have been organized in Poland e.g. 5th International Cup (World Cup Qualifier) in 1993 in Poznań also many events in youth categories in Gniezno,

Poznań and Siemianowice Śląskie. Since 1996 Polish Hockey Association have organized world – known international tournament Junior Challenge Open.

In Polish Hockey there are thousands of players, officials, coaches, umpires and volunteers.

Some of them are known in the world. Tadeusz Socholik from Katowice was one of the initiators of European Hockey Federation. For nearly 30 years he was a member of the Executive Board EHF.

In 1967 Poland, as a reward, got Paul Leautey’s Cup and in 1988 special Rene Frank’s reward for popularizing hockey.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

This year, 2012, the International Day of Peace is on a Friday, special activities and celebrations will take place all across the world over the 2012 Peace Day Weekend, including festivals, concerts, a global Peace Wave with moments of silence at noon in every time zone, and much more.

The International Day of Peace, a.k.a. “Peace Day” provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date.

It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982.

In 2002 the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace.

By creating the International Day of Peace, the UN devoted itself to worldwide peace and encouraged all of mankind to work in cooperation for this goal. Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and people.

Since its inception, Peace Day has marked progress toward peace. It has grown to include millions of people in all parts of the world, and each year events are organized to commemorate and celebrate this day. Events range in scale from private gatherings to public concerts and forums where hundreds of thousands of people participate.

Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact if millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense.

International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire (Dzień Zawieszenia Broni)– personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefire would mean to humankind.

Polish kindergarden I know celebrated that day last year in a special way: every child made pigeon of peace. Then children planted as many trees as many continents are. Teachers spoke with children about cooperation, tolerance and respect for other people.

How will you celebrate it?

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

A Polish feminist organization (organizacja feministyczna) is campaigning to help promote the use of the word ‘cipka’ – a native slang term for the female vagina.

In a recent interview with Newsweek, members of the Boyowki Feministyczne group outlined their ambition to shed the word’s negative connotations (negatywne konotacje) and make it more acceptable.

“We do not think the word ‘cipka’ is vulgar! It is perhaps the most appropriate word we have for this part of the body in the Polish language and we wish to bring it back to the general public,” says a spokesperson for the organization.

One of the ways that the group aims to promote the word is with its so called ‘Cipka Days’ (‘Dni Cipki’) – the first of which took place in Warsaw on April 18-21.

 “Two years ago, we came up with the idea for the event after hearing about an incident in which a TV presenter refused to say the word ‘vagina’ on air whilst announcing the name of a film,” says the group.

During the course of the event, documentaries were shown, discussions were held and various workshops were set up in order to show that there is more to the word than just its current ‘vulgar’ associations.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)