The fourth edition of Nordic Focus Festival organized by the Academic Culture Centre "ALTERNATOR" and the Department of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Gdańsk took place from November 22 to 24, 2019. Those three days significantly helped us understand the culture of Nordic countries, namely Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

IMRE KÁLMÁN

THE CSARDAS

PRINCESS

Will love between the artist Sylva and the Hungarian prince EDWIN conclude similarly to the all-time love-story of Romeo and Juliette?

Will the romance between the artist and the prince, presented with music and dance in the rhythm of waltzes and csardases, stand the test of time?

Several thousand people took part in the first Festival of Polish Culture organised at the Museum of the World Ocean in Kaliningrad. The University of Gdańsk had a presentation in Russian at what was the festival’s largest stall. University of Gdańsk lecturers also presented the university and its faculties during a meeting with Kaliningrad secondary school pupils.

The Academic Choir of the University of Gdańsk proved unrivalled at the International Choir Festival and Competition “CANCO MEDITERRANIA” Barcelona – Lloret de Mar. The choir, under the direction of Prof. Marcin Tomczak, won the festival’s GRAND PRIX, four gold diplomas and a special cash prize.

On 12 April 2018 the University of Gdańsk’s Confucius Institute organised a conference entitled “Kung fu / wushu – tradition, practice, sport, upbringing” in partnership with the Shaolin Kung Fu Chinese Martial Arts Section. The event was targeted at all fans of martial arts. The large audience which attended the lectures had the chance to become acquainted with the techniques and philosophy of the martial arts popular in China.

The second edition of the festival of Nordic culture, the Nordic Focus Festival, organised by the Academic Culture Centre “Alternator” and the Institute of Scandinavian Studies, was held between 23 and 25 November 2017 at the University of Gdańsk. During the three days we had the chance to acquaint ourselves more with the culture of Nordic countries ─ Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

The University of Gdańsk Academic Choir has won all the major awards during the first Andrea Del Verrocchio International Choral Festival in Florence – gold medal in the category “Mixed Choirs”, gold medal in the category “Sacred Music”, special prize for the best rendition of a contemporary piece (“Gloria” by Huo Won Woo) and the Festival’s Grand Prix. The choir performed under the direction of Aneta Majda.

Between 14 and 22 July 2017 students from the University of Gdańsk’s Confucius Institute, faculties of Languages, Law and Administration, Economics and Management, accompanied by directors of Tri-City schools which cooperate with the Confucius Institute, and City of Gdańsk authorities took part in a summer camp in Beijing, organised by the Office of Chinese Language Council International − HANBAN.

On 2 March 2017 Jan A.P. Kaczmarek (Academy Award winner for his music for the film “Finding Neverland”) paid a visit to the UG Rector, Prof. UG, Dr. hab. Jerzy Gwizdała, accompanied by Prof. Marcin Tomczak, conductor and artistic director of the University of Gdańsk’s Academic Choir.

The Spring Festival or Chinese New Year is fast approaching. To mark the occasion, on 17 January 2017 the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre opened its doors to the National Beijing Opera Theater of China. To acquaint Poles with this traditional Chinese dramatic art, the group from the province of Hubei presented selected scenes from several classic Beijing opera works such as Havoc in Heaven, Sylph Scattering Flowers, The Great Wu Sells Pancakes and Three Forked Crossroads, the whole event being accompanied by music played on traditional Chinese instruments.