The finals of the 11th edition of "Our Neighbours - The Jews” competition.

June 29, 2023

by tskz

The Social and Cultural Association of Jews in Poland once again supported the latest edition of “Our Neighbours – The Jews” competition.

We would like to congratulate all the successful contestants!

The 11^th edition of the national competition titled “Our Neighbours – The Jews” ended with prize-giving ceremony for the successful contestants during the Chmielnik Cultural Fair. The contest, which started on 17 January 2023, proved to be highly popular with students from across the country. Schools from such locations as: Chmielnik, Drugnia, Tokarnia, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Działoszyce, Wodzisław, Małogoszcz, Kazimierza Wielka, Sobkow, Wola Jachowa, Chęciny, Jasło, Żywiec, Kamienna Góra, Nowa Iwiczna, Warta, Zawiercie, Dąbrowa Białostocka and Wolin took part in the competition.

Like every year, the Contest Jury was faced with the difficult challenge of selecting the authors of the best art and film works. The Jury gathered on 31 May at the domicile of the National Archive in Kielce. The Jury members included: Edyta Majcher-Ociesa, PhD Habilitatus (Faculty of History, Jan Kochanowski University of Kielce), Grzegorz Maciągowski (Director of the Kielce History Museum), Łukasz Maj (Board of Education of Kielce), Wiesława Rutkowska (Director of the National Archive in Kielce), Elżbieta Więckowska – Pięta (Józef Szermentowski State Art Schools in Kielce), Aleksandra Gronek – Piotrowska (TVP3 Channel), Paweł Pryt (history student, Jan Kochanowski University of Kielce) and Edyta Ślusarczyk (Świętokrzyski Shtetl Educational and Museum Centre in Chmielnik).

The prize-giving ceremony took place on 18 June, during the Cultural Fair in Chmielnik. The event was attended by contest participants, as well as their parents and teachers.

Mr Jakub Osajda took the floor on behalf of Piotr Wawrzyk, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, and stressed the importance of the competition. He also expressed his gratitude to all students and other individuals taking part in the organisation process. Professor Jerzy Gapys, Head of the Faculty of History at Jan Kochanowski University of Kielce stressed the fact that this year’s edition saw the highest number of entries in the history of the competition. Michał Zawisza, who represented The “History Stop” Educational Centre congratulated all successful contestants. The last one to take the floor was Edyta Majcher-Ociesa, PhD, President of the Jury, who added that this year’s Jury deliberated very intensely and passionately over the choice of the best entries, as the level of works was very high.

After the organizers’ addresses, the eagerly awaited moment for the students gathered in the market square in Chmielnik came i.e. the announcement of the winners of the 11^th edition of the ‘Our Neighbours – The Jews’ competition.

By the decision of the Jury, the prizes were awarded to:

“The Artworks” Category:

First Place: Jagoda Słoma (John Paul II Primary School in Sobków)

Second Place:

Agata Zając (Stefan Żeromski Primary School in Chmielnik)

Third Place – Ex aequo:

Michał Jaśkowski (Janusz Korczak Primary School in Tokarnia)

Oliwia Sperka (Janusz Korczak Primary School in Tokarnia)

Distinctions:

Zofia Wójcik (Stefan Żeromski Primary School in Chmielnik)

Olaf Rogowski (The 5^th Public Primary School in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski)

Eliza Szymczyk (Stefan Żeromski Primary School in Chmielnik)