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PRESENTATION OF ELABORATION ON REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES BY POLISH TEAM.

	Poland as each European country has its national and ethnic minorities within state borders. Considering minorities we should give the definition of the terms of national and ethnic minorities. According to Polish law recently passed by Polish Parliament (Sejm) on 5^th November 2004 – the certain minority is national if it has been existing in Poland for at least 100 years and comes from the nation that has its own state. The certain minority is ethnic if similarly it has been existing in Poland for at least 100 years and does not have its own state. Foccusing on numbers, due to the last official national census (register) which was held in Poland in 2002, there are following national minorities (numbers of population): 1. Germans 147,094 2. Belarussians 47,640 3. Ukrainians 27,172 4. Lithuanians 5,639 5. Russians 3,244 6. Slovaks 1,710 7. Jews 1,055 8. Czechs 386 9. Armenians 262 Respectively there are the following ethnic minorities: 1. Roms 12,731 2. Lemkos 5,850 3. Tartarians 447 4. Karaites 43 NATIONAL AND ETHNIC MONORITIES CONTEMPORARY LIVING IN THE REGION OF THE CITIES LUBIN AND LEGNICA There is one Ukrainian natonal and two: Lemko and Roma ethnic minorities living there. The Ukrainian and Lemko minorities. The Ukrainian and Lemko people used to live until 1944 in the south of Poland, in the Carpatians along Polish-Slovak border. The Lemko people are thought to be an ethnic group of Ukrainian nation but stressing their separate character including the language and folk customs. In 1944-1947 some of them were displaced to the Soviet Ukraine soon after marching in of Red Army. Not later the east border of Poland was established as a result of the three allies agreement signed by Stalin, Roosvelt and Churchill in Yalta. Some of the Lemko people were incorporated to the Red Army and sent to the war front. The others were deported, as a result of military action called “Action Wisla”, to the west and north parts of Poland, the land that was a Soviet compesation for the lost lands in east. Most Ukrainian people about 15,000 settled in our region called Lower Silesia and among them 7,000-8,000 Lemko people who has been living in administrative district of Lubin and Legnica since then. For example, in the territorial district of Rudna the Ukarinian people make a whole 10 per cent of the local population. Regarding religious aspect both nations profess Greek-Catholic and Orthodox religions. Therefore the largest Greek-Catholc parish is located in the city of Lubin. The Ukrainian and Lemko minorities lead very active educational, cultural and social lives. In the town of Legnica mentioned already before there are two schools: lower secondary (gimnazjum) and secondary comprehensive (liceum) where the pupils can learn Ukrainian language and obtain official certificates. In a small town of Przemków, not far from Lubin the small children can learn the Lemko language as their mother tongue. Taking into account the higher education the Jagiellonian University in Cracow is the best example of opportunities to study both languages in the newly opened language Faculty which was established four years ago. It is expected the fresh graduated from the university next year. Speaking about minorities we cannot forget about their cultural and social activities. The best example of popularization of Lemko culture, among the others, there is the Lemko Folk Song and Dance Group “Kyczera” that was created in 1991. Its founder and artistic director is Mr Jerzy Starzyński. The members are young people at the age of 15-25, mainly from Legnica and its vicinity. There are 110 members divided into 3 sections: children, youth and adult. The group propagates the unique folklore of Lemko people and the young are the descendants of those Lemkos. The program comprises both authentic and stylized forms: vocal, musical and dance compositions. In the folklore of the Lemkos there are influences of Ukrainian, Slovak, Polish or even Hungarian and Romanian cultures. The group presents their program in the clothes from different parts of Lemko Region. “Kyczera” has already given concerts nearly in the whole of Europe: Germany, Slovakia, Ukraine, France, Romania, Portugal, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Bulgaria Czech Republic and even Mexico. The group has recorded for Polish Radio and Television on many occasionsand is the winner of many prestigious prizes and honourables. From the very beginnings of its existence the group has been acting as an independent social and cultural association. The group organizes the International Folk Festival of National and Ethnic Minorities “Pod Kyczerą” which is held every year. In addition, it also focuses on documentary activities concerning Lemko folklore and the Lemko community life. In 2005 the group is planning the celebration of the 60^th anniversary of the Lemko settlement on the new land. It operates together with the Lemko Culture Centre which is the only one in Poland with its own library, archive and ethnic chamber. The group as the representative of the Lemko culture has met great esteem from the international organisations associated in UNESCO, like: Conseils International Organisation de Festival de Folklore et d’Arts Traditionnels, Conseils International de la Danse and Inernational Organisation fur Volkskunst. The Roma Nation Minority. The population of Roma nation living in Lower Silesia district is about 1,319 people. The Roma people in Poland belong to 4 main ethnic groups: Polish Roma (Polska Roma), Carpathian Roma (Mountain, Bergitka), the Kelderaris (boiler makers) and the Lovaris (horse traders). The first document mentioning the presence of the Roma nation in Poland was dated from 1401 and comes from the town of Cracow. Since the XVI century the Roma people from Germany started to come to Poland, later called Polish Gipsies. The Carpathian group members are the descendants of those wandering along the Carpathian Mountains or those heading towards Poland from the Hungarian Lowland (plain). In the second half of the XIX century the migration of the Kelderaris and Lovaris started from the area of Transylvania and Valachia. Today most of Roma nation, leading an itinerant mode of life in the past, live in the cities like Warsaw, Cracow, Poznan, Gdansk and, of course, small towns. Most of young people go to state schools learning in the integrated classes together with Polish pupils. The schooling system aims to attract and integrate Roma children. Altogether there are more than ten classes in the whole country. The Parish Roma School in the town of Suwalki in north of Poland is the best example of private education organised by non profit institution. Unfortunately, there are about 30 per cent of Roma population who have failed to meet educational obligation and do not attend school at all and that is upsetting authoriries responsible for national education system. As for the religious aspect Polish Roma people are the members of Roman-Catholic Church but there are also some who profess: Orthodox, Jehova’s Witness and Whitsuntide religions. Worth of mentioning is the fact that the Roma minority is well organised in the following institutions: Central Council of Gipsies and Polish Association of Gipsies. We cannot forget about cultural and social Gipsy life which results in the International Meetings of Gipsy Bands “Romane Dyvesa” in town of Gorzow Wielkopolski, also the International Festival of Gipsy Songs and Culture in town of Ciechocinek and finally The Opening and Closing Gipsy Season Festival in town of Tarnów. The Gipsy minority remembers of their martyr during the last world war. They commemorate and celebrate the Gipsy and Sinti families extermination in Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau commited during the one night on 2 August 1944. Elaboration: Elżbieta Trocińska Monika Krzeszowska Translation: Mirosław Romańczyk Romania, Slatina, 22.11.2004r.