April 2005
Issue
16
In This
Issue:
* Ambassador Ashe Extends Condolences
* Sundance Theater Lab
* Language and Identity: English and American Studies in the Age of Globalization
* Mars Photo Exhibit in Przemysl
* What is Architecture?
* Earth Day And GLOBE
* Document Alert
Ambassador Ashe Extends Condolences
On behalf of the Embassy of the United States of America, Ambassador Victor Ashe extends his deepest condolences to the people of Poland on the passing of Pope John Paul II today.
Pope John Paul II was a great son of Poland and a great world statesman, whose leadership transformed his native land, his world, and his Church. Karol Wojtyla’s inspirational prayer in 1979 in Warsaw for a renewal of “the face of the earth” has been amply answered in the democratic transformations that swept Poland and Central and Eastern Europe as well as in the continuing aspirations of people around the world for a more democratic and just society. No one could have imagined in 1978, when he became the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years, how fundamentally different the world would look at the end of his pontificate.
An ardent champion of human rights and an articulate exponent of personalistic humanism, Pope John Paul II significantly advanced the frontiers of freedom during his 26 years in the papacy. A genuine intellectual, his original contributions to philosophy and Catholic theology span numerous books and hundreds of articles.
His prolific mind was matched by his indefatigable energy and charisma. He conducted over 100 pilgrimages throughout the world. Americans recall with great affection his pilgrimages to the United States. Through his “ministry of presence,” the humble son of a soldier from Wadowice brought one of the oldest and most distinguished offices in the world to the reach of millions of people in every corner of the globe.
The death of Pope John Paul II, a loss to the world, is a special loss to his beloved homeland. His service as Archbishop of Kraków endeared him to the people of that city and diocese, believers and non-believers alike. His years of patient teaching as a faculty member of the Catholic University of Lublin brought him the respect and love both of his peers and his students.
The citizens of Nowa Huta will remember their Archbishop whose stubborn persistence guaranteed them a church in their town in which to worship.
The bells of Wawel toll today for a great man. The “shoes of the fisherman” will be hard to fill, and Karol Wojtyla’s loss will be especially felt in Poland. His pontificate will be felt for generations. May he rest in peace!
President Bush's Statement on the Death of Pope John Paul II: www.whitehouse.gov
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's Statement on the Death of Pope John Paul II: www.state.gov
The President presents the Medal of Freedom to Pope John Paul II during a visit to the Vatican in Rome, Italy in June 2004. White House photo by Eric Draper
Sundance Theater Lab in Krakow
The Stary Theater in Krakow will host performances and workshops by the Sundance Theater Lab from the United States in the framework of the bazart studio on April 13-18, 2005.
The program features the performances of "I Am My Own Wife" written by Doug Wright and directed by Moises Kaufman. The play tells of author's fascination with the life of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German caught up in the great European dramas of the 20th century.
Among numerous other awards, the performance is the winner of 2004 Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Actor and the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
The Sundance Institute Theatre Program is committed to invigorating the national theater movement with original and creative work and to nurturing the diversity of artistic expression among theater artists.
Performances:
Thursday, April 14, 19.15
Friday, April 15, 19.15
Saturday, April 16, 17.00, 20.30
Accompanying workshops and events: http://www.stary-teatr.krakow.pl/zap_sun_wram.htm
More information: Stary Teatr, tel. 12 422 40 40, e-mail: bilety@stary-teatr.pl
www.iammyownwife.com
Language and Identity: English and American Studies in the Age of Globalization
On April 20-22, 2005 the English Department of the Jagiellonian University is organizing its triennial international conference: Language and Identity: English and American Studies in the Age of Globalization.
More information: http://www.filg.uj.edu.pl/
Mars Photo Exhibit in Przemysl
Mars: Mission Possible, a photo exhibit organized by the City Council of Przemysl and the United States Consulate General in Krakow will be opened by the U.S. Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe in Przemysl. The exhibit features photos sent to Earth by Mars rovers Pathfinder, Spirit and Opportunity as well as other images of the Red Planet.
The opening will take place on April 18 at Kazimierzowski Castle in Przemysl and the exhibit will be on display from April 18 to May 13. The exhibit will be open from Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
On April 19, 2005, Diana Agrest will deliver a lecture in the series "What is Architecture" at the Manggha Center for Japanese Art and Technology in Krakow.
A principal of the New York firm Agrest and Gandelsonas Architects, Diana Agrest is also a professor of architecture at the Cooper Union University in New York City. She has also taught at Princeton and Yale universities and is the author of A Romance with the City; the Work of Irwin S. Chanin and Architecture from Without: Theoretical Framings for a Critical Practice.
The lecture is co-sponsored by the United States Consulate General in Krakow.
More information: http://www.manggha.krakow.pl/
April 22 is Earth Day, celebrated annually by millions of people worldwide. This year, Earth Day Network’s theme is "Protect Our Children and Our Future."
"Despite the extraordinary and often false obstacles that we face in our efforts to protect our natural resources and our biodiversity, few will dare argue with the moral imperative to protect our children from harm. As a consequence of that imperative, we call on governments, corporations, faith-based organizations, and all people in our troubled world to work with us to ensure that children everywhere are healthy, educated, and free from oppression." - From Earth Day Network website.
The GLOBE program in Poland will organize a 1-day introductory workshop for teachers from the Podkarpackie, Malopolskie, Slaskie, Opolskie and Dolnoslaskie provinces on April 23 in Rzeszow.
GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is an international project that unites primary- and secondary-level students, teachers and scientists in learning about global environmental issues and sharing this knowledge with each other.
More information: http://www.gridw.pl/globe/
Image of the Earth
© NASA
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Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2004-2005
The U.S. Department of State released its report, Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2004-2005, on March 28, 2005.
In her preface to the report, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the participation of Palestinians, Afghans and Iraqis in elections and the "Orange Revolution" in Ukraine "examples of the universal aspiration of all people to make their voices heard and to govern themselves."
"Although individual freedoms and rights can be repressed for a time by authoritarian and corrupt regimes," she said, "history shows us that progress toward democracy is inevitable and encourages our support of the inalienable rights of freedom-loving people everywhere."
The congressionally mandated report, issued annually, reviews U.S. efforts to promote human rights and democracy in 98 countries around the world.
Full text available at: http://www.state.gov/
http://krakow.usconsulate.gov
Cover of Supporting Human Rights and Democracy
U.S. Consulate General, ul.
Stolarska 9, Krakow, tel.: 12 424-5100
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