http:// 2012-11-15T03:03:44Z 2012-11-15T03:03:44Z pole-dancing-is-back-at-federation-square

Polish Festival @ Federation Square Sunday 18 November 2012 10.00 am - 5.00 pm www.polishfestival.com.au Whenever two or more Poles get together you are sure to have a good time, but when a whole community gathers for their annual festival you know that things are going to be electric. Poles are generous and hospitable and proud of their country surviving against the odds so if that is not a good reason to hold a festival to share with fellow Melburnians we don’t know what is. There will be lots of Poles dancing. The main stage at Federation Square will be filled with colour and the boundless energy of folk dances performed by Polonez and Łowicz dance troupes comprising first and second generation Australians keeping in touch with their heritage. This year Gintaras, a Lithuanian Folk Group, join the Festival for the celebrations. Don’t be surprised to also see and even experience spontaneous outbreaks of dance amongst the crowd, because that’s just a Polish thing to do when you are happy, you dance and sing. One of the underrated gems of European cuisine, Polish food is distinctive and most importantly absolutely superb. There is a lot to try and savour at the Festival with names that you have the greatest difficulty getting your tongue around but you taste buds will love you forever. The Festival also has plenty to satisfy the shopping bug, with an abundance of merchandise on offer including books, clothes, fashion accessories, Christmas decorations and travel packages, much of it unique to the Festival. Perhaps most enticing is the range of elegant amber jewellery, crafted in Poland and renowned worldwide for its beautiful honey colour and calming properties. Don’t forget to check out our website for a chance to winner a trip to Warsaw brought to you by Qatar Airways. Come join the Polish community on Sunday 18 November and experience Pole dancing in its original form. -ends-

2012-04-26T04:06:38Z professor-norman-davies-comes-to-melbourne

Professor Davies is the renown bestselling author of such classics “God's Playground: a history of Poland”, “Heart of Europe: a short history of Poland” and his latest title “Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations”.Born in Bolton in 1939, Professor Davies studied in Oxford, Grenoble, Perugia and Sussex, before gaining a doctorate from the Jagiellonian University in Krakw for a study on the Polish-Soviet War of 1920. In 1998 he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland awarded in 1998, a Polish order awarded to those who have rendered great service to the Polish nation. As recently as February this year, Professor Davies received the Aleksander Gieysztor Memorial Prize for his services in the promotion of Polish cultural heritage abroad. Accepting the award at the Royal Castle, Warsaw, he said that one of the main goals of his writings is to make as many people as possible acquainted with the history of Poland and Eastern Europe. He is an honorary citizen of four Polish cities - Warsaw, Wrocaw, Lublin and Krakw. “It is a great privilege to have Professor Davies come to Melbourne” says Mr Christopher Lancucki, President Polish Community Council of Victoria “His books have played an enormous role in enhancing Poland’s prestige and fostering greater understanding of our history outside of Poland”. In addition to speaking at the Commemorative dinner, Professor Davies will conduct a lecture on Sunday 29 April at the Alexander Theatre Monash University Clayton. Professor Davies visit to Melbourne has been made possible through the Polish Community Council of Victoria. - ends –

2011-11-16T06:56:16Z igniting-a-little-polish-in-everyone

Now in its seventh year, the Polish Festival @ Federation Square is more than just a passing fancy. It is a fixture on the Melbourne festival calendar. It is all about igniting a little bit of the Polish in every one who visits our festival. How is that done? Have you ever experienced the delight of savouring Polish cuisine? It is an experience rarely forgotten. Whether it is pierogi1 (boiled, baked or fried dumplings of unleavened dough traditionally stuffed with potato filling, cabbage, ground meat, cheese, or fruit) or pczki2 (traditional Polish doughnut filled with jam) your taste buds will be left in a state of bliss. But it is much more than just food, it is a spirit that is echoed in the folk dances filling the main stage with a blast of colour and boundless energy, infecting spectators. This infection starts with simple toe tapping, progressing to clapping combined with laughter and finally some even break out and join in. Once filled with the spirit that is uniquely Polish, there are still lots of things to do from Polish craft demonstrations to the Art Exhibition "The Power of Colour" by a collection of artists with Polish links living and working in Melbourne. Young ones are not forgotten. They have a dedicated area - KIDSTOP – with a variety of craft activities designed for young children. So come along and see what everyone's talking about. You don't need an invitation as far as we are concerned you are part of our family.www.polishfestival.com.au -ends- 1Pronounced - pierre-roh-gee2Pronounced - ponch-keeAbout the Polish Festival @ Federation Square:The Polish Festival @Federation Squareis a not for profit festival run under the auspices of the Polish Community Council of Victoria Inc. Now in its seventh year, the Polish Festival @ Federation Square is a major ethnic event on Melbourne’s calendar. In 2009 32,000 people visited the festival to sample the array of Polish culture in the heart of Melbourne. For more information please visit - www.polishfestival.com.au