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Take a Stand campaign
We are delighted to share the news that Pol'and'Rock Festival was shortlisted in the European Festival Awards in the "Take a Stand Award" category. The award is presented by the Take a Stand campaign, which aims to promote universal values of peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding. The initiative encourages European festivals to become active agents for social and cultural change - promoting humanitarian ideals and values as well as inspire festival-participants to become more socially conscious.
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| Members of the audience at the "No Hate, Just Rock!" debate at Pol'and'Rock 2019. Photo by Basia Lutzner |
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No Hate, Just Rock! campaign
Pol'and'Rock Festival got the nomination for our long-term anti-hate campaign 'No Hate, Just Rock!'. We decided to highlight the issues of hate and hate speech and make an attempt to find a viable solution to the epidemic of hate, which, regretfully, can result in violence. Our approach to the matter was multi-faceted - on the one hand, we consulted experts in the fields of education, law, and culture to find solutions. We invited them to take part in the highly-publicized open debate. On the other hand, we launched a nationwide awareness campaign. We used social media to reach people from different backgrounds. Our message was simple yet effective - we wanted to establish an online community which would offer a safe space and support to people struggling with hate. People joined our initiative to show that they are against hate and that they will be making an effort to be more tolerant, accepting and open.
The 'No Hate, Just Rock' campaign found its natural culmination during the 2019 edition of Pol'and'Rock Festival - the big Academy of the Finest of Arts tent welcomed 2500 people and thousands more watched the debate on screens and online. Jurek Owsiak, the influential social activist and promoter of the festival, was joined by the Polish Ombudsman, Adam Bodnar. |
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| | | Jurek Owsiak, Adam Bodnar, and journalist Janusz Schwertner. Photo by Lucyna Lewandowska |
| | | Socially-involved festival
Our festival, from its very conception in 1992, was the home of freedom and a catalyst for social change in the country, which was emerging from decades of stifling communist regime. Woodstock Festival Poland - inspired by the transformative Woodstock Festival of 1969 - was not only a free festival - it was the festival of freedom.
The event grew to be the biggest non-commercial festival in Europe, attracting an audience amounting to over 700 000 people. On top of a diverse, international line-up of music performances, the festival hosts one of the biggest showcases for non-governmental organizations in Poland. The festival's Academy of the Finest of Arts draws thousands of people to the Big Tent, where the audience can take part in meetings with some of the most influential public figures in Poland.
This year, Olga Tokarczuk, novelist, activist and Nobel prize laureate joined the impressive roster of AFA guests. The atmosphere of these meetings is unique - honest, open, and relaxed. Our guests engage in discussions with the audience, answering questions and allowing us a rare glimpse into their lives and creative process.
The festival, despite constant pressure from ultra-conservative right-wing government, continues to promote ideals of peace, community, and openness.
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