A total of 20 ensembles from 10 different countries are expected to participate in this international cultural event in the Polish city near the Ukrainian border.
Mariusz Grudzień, the director of the festival, said that among the groups that have already arrived at the festival village are Junak from Curitiba, Brazil, Polanie from Calgary, Canada, Polacy Budżaka from Comrat, Moldova, Polanie znad Dniepru from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Lajkonik from the midwestern US city of Chicago.
All told, the festival will feature performances by some 600 participants from four continents, organizers said.
The United States will have the most representation, with eight groups arriving in Rzeszów.
Three groups will come from Canada, two will represent the Polish diaspora from the Czech Republic, and one each will come from Australia, Brazil, Lithuania, Moldova, Germany, the UK, and Ukraine.
Among the participants will be festival veterans, such as the Olza group from the Czech Republic, performing for the 17th time, and Wesoły Lud from Chicago.
Image: Stowarzyszenie Wspólnota Polska/wspolnotapolska.org.pl
The festival will officially begin on Friday afternoon with a parade of the various groups through the city streets. Over the following days, individual groups will be performing both in Rzeszów and other cities in the region.
Janusz Chojecki, the festival’s main choreographer, said that the main gala concert, where all the participating groups will perform, will feature Polish dances as well as those of other nations. The main theme will be Polish proverbs.
The festival dates back to 1969 and is organized by the Polish Community Association in collaboration with the Podkarpackie Marshal’s Office and Rzeszów City Hall. It is in part funded by the Polish Prime Minister's Office.
This year’s event will be held under the auspices of Polish President Andrzej Duda.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP, wspolnotapolska.org.pl