Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in Canada, Ottawa Branch

Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in Canada, Ottawa Branch

P.O. Box 8711, Station "T", Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3J1

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Reports

ACTIVITIES OF THE OTTAWA BRANCH OF THE POLISH INSTITUTE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES IN CANADA
in the academic year 2001-2002
prepared by
Ewa Karpinska, Aleksander Maciej Jablonski, Marek Zaremba
translated by
Ewa Karpinska and Jerzy Sasiadek

Last year, the Ottawa Branch of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in Canada (PINK) co-operated with many Canadian Polish organisations, including the Polish Combatants' Association in Canada (SPK), Ottawa Chapter, and the Canadian Polish Congress (CPC), National Capital Branch. The Ottawa Branch of PINK has 53 members (one member passed away and one person was added to the membership). In the academic year 2001-2002, besides lectures, the Ottawa Branch expanded its cultural activities. Last year, the Executive Committee of the Ottawa Branch met 5 times.

One of our members, Mr. Antoni Smialowski, M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, has recently passed away. He was a retired research engineer in the National Research Council of Canada and a lecturer at University of Ottawa.

The members of the Executive Committee of the Ottawa Branch of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in Canada were:

  • Aleksander Maciej Jablonski, Ph.D., P.Eng., President of the Executive Committee in Ottawa and Vice President of the Executive Body in Montreal,
  • Professor Marek Zaremba, Ph.D., P.Eng., Vice President of the Executive Committee in Ottawa, member of the Executive Body in Montreal,
  • Ewa Karpinska, M.Sc., P.Eng., Secretary,
  • Joanna Welfeld, Ph.D., Treasurer,
  • Professor Jerzy Zbigniew Sasiadek, D.Sc., Ph.D., P.Eng., Representative to the Canadian Polish Congress, National Capital Branch,
  • Professor Pawel Wyczynski, Ph.D., Publications, member of the Executive Body in Montreal,
  • Regina Czapiewska, Ph.D., member,
  • Andrzej Garlicki, Ph.D., member,
  • Professor Irena Mazurkiewicz-Kwilecka, Ph.D., member.

There were 9 lectures and meetings organised in Ottawa. All events were held at Saint Paul University or Polish Hall, SPK. The Ottawa Branch co-organised a fund-raising concert for medical treatment in Poland of Polish children from the former Soviet republics. The Branch was also the main organiser of the Polish Independence Day celebrations on November 11-th. Dr. Pawel Dobrowolski, the Ambassador of the Polish Republic to Canada participated in that event.

An interesting lecture entitled "Second and Third Polish Republic: Differences and Similarities" was presented by Professor Piotr Stefan Wandycz, President of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America, foreign member of PAU and PAN, Honorary member of Polish Historical Society and Professor at Yale University. One hundred and twenty (120) participants attended this lecture.

The Polish Independence Day celebration, prepared by the Ottawa Branch took place on November 11-th. The President of the Ottawa Branch gave a lecture on "Independence 1918-trends and struggles". As a part of the celebration, Ewa Karpinska, the Branch Secretary, prepared an Artistic Program performed by Magdalena Goledzinowska and Agnieszka Kielczewska-poetry, and Caroline Freeze-piano.

On November 26, 2001, Jan Grabowski, Associate Professor of History at University of Ottawa, presented a very interesting lecture on "Multietnicity, multiculturalism and race theories in Canada".

As a part of a historic lecture series, on December 4, 2001, Dr. A. M. Jablonski gave a lecture entitled "Second Lupaszka - Mjr Zygmunt Szendzielarz 1910-1951", and Professor Juliusz Lukasiewicz, presented with a great sense of humour a lecture on "Soldier's Diary" ("Dziennik Zolnierza") - First Polish Paper in Great Britain. Professor Lukasiewicz talked about his work at the original publishing office of the paper. Both lectures were organised in co-operation with SPK, Ottawa Chapter.

On February 5, 2002, the lecture entitled "Paradoxes of Infinity" was given by Andrzej Pelc, Professor of Computer Sciences at Université du Québec à Hull. The lecture was attended by a large number of people representing different fields of interests.

The Ottawa Branch of PINK also co-sponsored, together with the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, and Slavic Research Group, University of Ottawa, and with the Embassy of the Polish Republic, a lecture entitled "Poland in Europe: Center or Periphery" given by Dr. Pawel Dobrowolski, Ambassador of the Polish Republic to Canada. The lecture took place at University of Ottawa, on February 12, 2002. Among participants were many guests representing scientific and diplomatic institutions from Ottawa.

On March 3, 2002, the Ottawa Branch prepared, in co-operation with the Canadian Polish Congress, a fund-raising concert for medical treatment in Poland of Polish children from the former Soviet republics. The program was prepared by Ms. Maria Knapik-Sztramko, a talented opera singer from Ottawa, and Ewa Karpinska, the Branch Secretary. The concert, attended by about 200 people, took place at St Paul University.

The detailed list of events for the academic year 2001-2002:

27 IX 2001 r. - Piotr Stefan Wandycz, Ph.D., Professor at Yale University, President of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America, "Second and Third Polish Republic: Differences and Similarities" - Saint Paul University

11 XI 2001 r. - Maciej Jablonski, Ph.D., President of the Ottawa Branch, "Independence 1918 - trends and struggles", a lecture given at the Polish Independence Day celebration, on November 11, 2001.

26 XI 2001r. - Jan Grabowski, Ph.D., Professor at University of Ottawa "Multietnicity, multiculturalism and race theories in Canada" - Saint Paul University

30 XI 2001 r. - Henryk Duda, D.Sc., Ph.D., Professor at Catholic University of Lublin - "Polish Language after the Communism Era" - Saint Paul University

4 XII 2001 r. - Maciej Jablonski, Ph.D., President of the Ottawa Branch, "Second Lupaszka - Mjr Zygmunt Szendzielarz 1910-1951" -Polish Hall, SPK (together with SPK, Ottawa Chapter)

8 I 2002 r. - Juliusz Lukasiewicz, Ph.D., "Soldier's Diary" ("Dziennik Zolnierza") - First Polish Paper in Great Britain - Polish Hall, SPK (together with SPK, Ottawa Branch)

5 II 2002 r. - Andrzej Pelc, Ph.D., Professor at Université du Québec à Hull "Paradoxes of Infinity" - Saint Paul University

12 II 2002 r. - Pawel Dobrowolski, Ph.D., Ambassador of the Polish Republic to Canada "Poland in Europe: Center or Periphery" - University of Ottawa (Inaugural Lecture of His Excellency Dr. Pawel Dobrowolski, Public Lecture/Lecture Series, together with the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, and Slavic Research Group, University of Ottawa, and the Embassy of Poland in Ottawa)

26 II 2002 r. - Alan German, Ph.D., Transport Canada, "High-Tech Solutions for Motor Vehicle Safety" - Saint Paul University

3 III 2002 r. - Fund-raising Concert for Medical Treatment in Poland of Polish Children from the Former Soviet Republics - Saint Paul University (under auspices of the Canadian Polish Congress and Ms. Maria Knapik-Sztramko). Music by Mozart, Moniuszko, Chopin, Wieniawski and Paganini and poetry by Slowacki and Mickiewicz (in English and Polish). Soloists: Gracer Ozorowska, Lila Lianeri, Thomas Franzky and Basia Knapik-Gasior (violin). Accompanists: Boguslawa Knapik-Gruza - flute, Janusz Rothbard - piano. Poetry readers: Magdalena Goledzinowska and Marcin Komorowski. Artistic Directors and Co-ordinators - Ewa Karpinska and Maria Knapik-Sztramko. Masters of Ceremony - Stanislaw Kielar and Richard Sztramko

7 V 2002 r. - Andrzej Wolski, Ph.D. "Jur"-"Powolne konanie" przezycia wiezienne mlodego Akowca z batalionu "Zoska" ("Jur" - "Slow Dying" experiences from prison of young AK member from the Batalion "Zoska") - book promotion, fragments will be read by Magdalena Goledzinowska - Saint Paul University.

The Ottawa Branch of PINK continues co-operating with other Canadian Polish organisations, local Universities, as well as, the Embassy of the Polish Republic.

Professor Jerzy Sasiadek and Dr. Maciej Jablonski participated in most meetings of the Canadian Polish Congress, National Capital Branch. The latter also participated in the Executive Body in Montreal meetings and took an active part in discussions on the future of the PINK. Such debate was based on the document "Ku przyszlosci", prepared by the Ottawa Branch. Professor Pawel Wyczynski also participated in meetings of the Executive Body in Montreal.

Additional Information

In February 2002, Professor Pawel Wyczynski published an interesting book devoted to French-Canadian poet, Emil Nelligan. This book entitled "Album Nelligan - Une biographie en images" was published by Fides Publishing House in Montreal. The album was a part of long standing series of the National Library of Quebec. The public promotion of the book took place in Montreal and Gatineau in March 2002. It is the 61-st book authored by Professor Wyczynski.

The Ottawa Branch Web Site is operational and maintained by Ms. Lidia Zielinski, P. Eng., from the Association of Polish Engineers in Canada, Ottawa Branch. The address is: http://www.kpk-ottawa.org/pink/.

Eva Karpinski, Alexander M. Jablonski

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