| A Monumental Mound in distant Krakow built of earth and soil gathered from around the world honours General Thaddeus Kosciuszko, symbol of liberty, equality, integrity and human dignity. A natural eminence in his name stands proudly in the Australian Snowies. Over 200 bronze and marble monuments have been built worldwide to memorialise the Hero of Many Nations. And today - today we are unveiling yet another - made of rhymes, shapes and melodies – a reservoir of creativity and inspiration. Creativity and inspiration authored from around the world by gifted participants in the Kosciuszko Bicentennial Graphic Arts, Music, and Literature Competition, sanctioned by UNESCO; echoed by the Polish Parliament Proclamation of 2017 as the Year of Kosciuszko.
The Polish-Australian community celebrates the Year enjoying Honorary Patronage of the Speaker of the Polish Senate, Stanislaw Karczewski. Results of the International Competition will be announced on October 3rd, at the Gala Celebrations at The Connnection in Rhodes in the presence of our Aboriginal friends, representatives of Ngarigo, traditional custodians of Mt Kosciuszko & the Monaro Land; of Deputy Speaker of the Polish Senate, senator Maria Koc, of Hon Ray Williams representing Premier Gladys Berejiklian, and of many other VIPs.
358 entries, including 101 in the youth category, in the Competition announced in February 2017 that concluded at the end of July have been evaluated by a 15 member expert Jury Panel from Australia, Poland, USA and Germany under the leadership of the Polish-American Pulitzer Prize winner, Prof. Alex Storozynski, a past Director of The Kosciuszko Foundation based in New York, author of the acclaimed book “The Peasant Prince. Thaddeus Kosciuszko and the Age of Revolution” and the documentary film based on the book: “Kosciuszko: A Man Ahead of His Time”. The jury settled on its Verdict on September 2nd.
18 countries made submissions: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Lebanon, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
Due to the high quality of the entries, The Prize Pool was almost doubled from the initial $11000 to nearly $19000.
A total of 58 prizes to the value of $18,950 have been awarded. The prizes were funded by the Polish Senate, Association Wspolnota Polska, Polish Consulate in Sydney and portal Puls Polonii.
In the Youth Category we have winners from Australia, Poland, Ukraine and USA.
We have Adult winners from Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine and USA.
In Music Category 37 songs and 7 instrumental compositions were received.
142 Graphic Works were submitted. The winning songs and images will be made into a Souvenir DVD and Kosciuszko Heritage Inc in 2018 will also publish a bilingual anthology comprised of the 172 short stories and poems that were entered into the Competition.
After the Gala Concert three documentary films about Kosciuszko will be screened.
1. Imię Jego Polska (His Name is Poland), TVP, dir. L. Smolinska, English subtitles, dur. 54,30”
2. Kosciuszko: A Man Before His Time, USA, dir. A. Storozynski, dur. 54,38”
3. Pierwsza miłość Kościuszki (Kosciuszko’s First Love), archival film produced in Poland in 1929 by J. Orshon, digitalised specially for the Australian Celebrations of The Kosciuszko Year, dur. 59 mins. This silent movie is illustrated with music composed by Josef Miller from Melbourne.
More information:
Dr Ernestyna Skurjat-Kozek
President, Kosciuszko Heritage Inc.
office@kosciuszkoheritage.com
Phone (02) 9484 1740, M. 0414 353 307
Sydney, 28/9/2017
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