Author: Katarzyna Halicka

The Foundation for the Support of Development JA ALSO invites you to the III EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES BALL, organized as part of the social campaign #jestem21 in partnership with the City of Gdańsk and the Olivia Centre. On February 11, 2023 at the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre. We will sum up 10 YEARS OF THE ROAD for a better future for people with Down syndrome.

We will have fun together while raising funds for new activities: support for inclusive education and supported housing. The musical star of the evening will be Natalia Kukulska , and the main auction will be hosted by Przemek Kossakowski, and not alone. And that’s just part of the attractions.

At the very beginning of the ball , the guests will be invited to listen to a short story about the mission for which the I TOO Foundation exists and operates. There will also be thanks to the sponsors and the presentation of a few snapshots from the activities of the educational and rehabilitation center, which was created thanks to auctions and the support of the participants of the two previous charity balls.

THE STAR OF THE EVENING will be NATALIA KUKULSKA, one of the most famous and respected Polish vocalists, author of lyrics and co-author of music. At the ball, he will perform in a unique duet with a guitarist and sing atmospheric versions of his greatest hits. The concert will last approx. 30 minutes plus encores at the request of the audience.

In 2021, the singer celebrated 25 years of artistic work, which she celebrated with a unique release “Unanimous”, as well as participation in the “MTV Unplugged” format. She has over 400,000 followers on social media. Her clips on YouTube have been viewed tens of millions of times, and her concerts sell out. No wonder, since Natalia constantly surprises the audience with new scenes: although she has been faithful to electronic music for years, this does not prevent her from having a love affair with acoustic and even symphonic forms.

Natalia is a laureate of the Telekamera award, the award of the Polish Television for the Individuality of the Year, repeatedly recognized as the Vocalist of the Year by radio stations and trade magazines. Viewers could also watch her in the seventh edition of “The Voice of Poland”, where she was the coach of Ania Karwan, who was the star of our previous ball in 2020.

A very important part of Natalia’s career is her charity work, and the singer herself has been recognized with the “Charity Star” statuette. We are very pleased that now she will present this big heart and wonderful voice at our ball.

The MAIN AUCTION WITH AUCTION will be hosted by PRZEMEK KOSSAKOWSKI, an unconventional journalist, documentary filmmaker and traveller. For over 8 years, he surprised with his programs on TTV and TVN (“Kossakowski. The Sixth Sense”, Kossakowski. To be like…”, “Kossakowski. Initiation”, “Kossakowski. Initiation”, “Kossakowski. Not obvious”). For us, the program “Down The Road. Band on the Road”, which was a huge hit and won the hearts of viewers all over Poland. Its three editions have unbelievably demystified the subject of Down syndrome and broken many stereotypes. For this program, he received the Icebreakers 2020 award in the “Journalist Without Barriers” category and the Telekamera 2021 award in the “TV Personality” category. Przemek will be accompanied by JANEK SKIBA, a participant of the second edition of the DTR program . So it will be very unconventional, spontaneous, true and from the heart.

Of course, as always, there will also be a SILENT AUCTION and a RAFFLE. More information about the planned auctions will be provided by the Foundation closer to the event. At the first ball, the items in the auctions were auctioned for over PLN 52,000, and the lottery brought an additional PLN 5,000. At the second ball, a total of almost 70,000 PLN and 3000 PLN from the lottery were collected in the auctions. So the bar is set very high.

THE CELEBRATION BAND, which consists of experienced and educated musicians from the Tri-City, will play for dancing. Each song is played 100 times live, and the meticulously prepared arrangements often surprise. The band has already played for us at the second edition of the ball and did a great job, warming up the atmosphere on the dance floor and this time they could not miss them either.

BALLROOM DANCE SHOW will be presented by sports couples from the Creative Dance Sports Club taking part in tournaments in Poland and abroad.

We will listen to the song “JA TOO” – the anthem of the Foundation – performed by Żaneta Proma from the band SPARK, against the background of a music video recorded in the interiors of the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre. The vocalist will sing this song live for the guests of the ball for the first time. Artur Gadowski from the band IRA will accompany her in the recorded music video. The main character of the recording is Michał Milka, the first person with Down syndrome working in the Gdańsk City Hall, one of the participants of the first edition of the “Down the Road. Band on the road” and for several years an ambassador of the JA TOO Foundation.

For the third time, the ball will be hosted by a person with a big heart and extraordinary lightness of words, i.e. BEATA SZEWCZYK, a journalist of Radio Gdańsk, and in the past also of Radio Kolor and Radio ZET.

The MENU during the evening will be taken care of by BANGLOB: welcome drink, 2-course dinner served, cold and sweet buffets, hot snack, hot and cold soft drinks and unlimited wine. Other alcohols additionally payable – can be purchased on the spot.

All the details in the links below:

• S Prom Seat
• Ball program
• Reservation form
• Auction

The mission of the Foundation for Development Support is all activities for the development, education and social integration of children, adolescents and adults with developmental and functioning disorders, in particular people with Down syndrome. The Foundation was established on 6 December 2012 in Gdańsk. It is celebrating its 10th anniversary. They have a lot of work behind them, many struggles for a better life for people with Down syndrome and extraordinary achievements. There are more and more opportunities ahead of them and the sun is getting brighter. “We are glad to be in Gdansk, where you can truly see the sea of opportunities.” Since 2017, the foundation has had the status of a Public Benefit Organization (PBO). He is a member of EDSA (European Down Syndrome Association) and DSI (Down Syndrome International).

The Golden Choir of Olivia Centre! Our choir, under the direction of Wiktoria Pagieła, won the Golden Band in the category of “Mixed Choirs” in the XVIII National Competition of Christmas Carols and Pastorals in Chełmno. This is the first competition in which our artists have participated. The greater the admiration and the greater the joy. Congratulations!

The competition took place on 21 January this year and was attended by choirs from all over the Polish, m.in from Warsaw, Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Grudziądz, Gdańsk and Łódź. The GRAND PRIX OF THE XVIII National Competition of Christmas Carols and Pastorals – Chełmno 2023 was awarded to the Canto Youth Choir of the Music School Complex named after Czesław Niemen in Włocławek under the direction of Marian Szczepański.

Jury: prof. Ph.D. Andrzej Ryłko (Chairman), Ph.D. Joanna Maluga and Michał Rajewski (members of the jury), Martyna Jarzębska and Marta Frąckiewicz, organizational directors (secretaries of the jury) decided to award the Golden, Silver and Bronze Bands in the category of “Mixed Choirs” to the following ensembles.

More information about the winners

Learn about the history of the Olivia Centre Choir

As the year begins, many of us show signs of fatigue. We feel a lack of energy, apathy, weariness. Blue Monday, as the most depressing day of the year is commonly called, is behind us. Scientists emphasize that in autumn and winter we need much more light stimulation and more frequent contact with nature. However, do you have to go on an exotic vacation to recharge your body with positive energy?

This year’s winter, in which there is hardly any sun, has an exceptionally strong impact on our well-being and encourages us to escape to warm countries. However, not everyone can afford it. We miss not only the sun, but also contact with lush nature, with greenery and energy, which so positively stimulate us to act in spring and summer.

There are many methods to get tired in winter. Scientists emphasize that one of the most effective solutions is phototherapy, which we need to cope with the seasonal blues. Doctors recommend exposure to light 5 to 10 times stronger than that used for indoor lighting, i.e. from 2,500 to as much as 10,000 lux for 30 to 120 minutes a day, in addition for a period of 14 days. Mood improvement after this type of therapy occurs in 60-75% of patients.

A similar effect can be achieved through frequent contact with nature, especially in cities, where everyday fatigue and the ubiquitous greyness of the surroundings are much more noticeable than outside them. As he points out, Ph.D. Łukasz Balwicki, Head of the Department of Public Health and Social Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk Increasing urbanization contributes to negative well-being and you should consciously choose places filled with greenery: In science, we are currently analysing the phenomenon of the regenerative environment and its impact on human health and well-being. This environment rejuvenates, reduces emotional and psychophysical stress, and rebuilds depleted attention resources.

Scientists from the Medical University of Gdańsk mentioned Olivia Garden – an oasis of exotic nature in the Olivia Centre – as one of the places that have a positive effect on humans. This tropical year-round garden is filled with thousands of plants from 4 continents, some reaching up to 11 meters. A significant number of them were brought from very distant corners of the world.

One such plant is the ficus. It comes from the south of the United States and has a unique history associated with it. Its unnatural shape is the result of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and most of South Carolina in 2005. After many trials, the tree found its way to Europe, from where it reached Gdańsk, to Olivia Garden. There are more examples of such stories in the garden. You will find them on labels near shrubs or flowers, so a visit to this place is a great opportunity to learn about many species of plants, the rules of their care, as well as… taste the fruits that grow on the garden trees in the TIKI bar.

Ph.D. Łukasz Balwicki poutlines the unique value of this place for health and work efficiency: Such gardens allow you to break away from the daily routine, are conducive to contemplation and rest. Thus, they have a positive impact on the ability to take on everyday challenges related to professional work. They also foster good social relations, creating a space for meetings. Increasing urbanization and the negative impact of ill-conceived architectural designs are prompting many scientists to study their impact on health and to develop concepts that can reverse these effects. Contact with nature is part of the idea of green cities.

Such a garden is also a technological challenge. Specially designed adaptive lighting provides plants with optimal growing conditions, but also has a beneficial effect on humans:

• we used as many as 120 specialized assimilation lamps that imitate daylight;
• they were designed by a Polish physicist, Tomasz Braczkowski, an expert in the field of lighting simulating sunlight, who perfectly combines breakthrough technologies in the field of LED lighting with the biological needs of plants;
• We have divided the lighting system into zones, thanks to which the lamps “cooperate” with natural light, which prolongs the day for plants;
• the lamps have specialized lenses, also designed for Olivia Garden, which shine pleasantly to the eye and give the plants the energy necessary for life;
• They also have a beneficial effect on humans, which can be safely described as phototherapy (light therapy).

The plants are irrigated not only by the soil, but also by sprinklers installed on the glass ceiling of the garden. The system has been designed in such a way as not to limit the ability of Olivia Garden guests to work and rest during sprinkling plants. Interestingly, during the day, the systems control the humidity level and temperature in the room, but once the garden is closed, everything starts to resemble a real tropical jungle, where the humidity reaches 100% and the temperatures rise well over 30 degrees. Importantly, the water circulation in the facility is closed, which allows to reduce its consumption to a minimum.

• We water the plants, extract and purify the water that is left and reuse it.
• As many as 88 fogging nozzles spread a mist of water vapour (at a pressure of 70 bar), increasing the humidity and comfort of plants.
• We have as many as 13 independent zones with individual hydration regulation.
• The dosing centre covers an area of over 100 m2 – there the water is filtered and enriched with appropriate doses of care products.
• All this to meet the requirements of each plant group individually! After all, they come from different parts of the world.
• During the opening hours of the garden, the humidity will be adjusted to the comfort of people. At night, after the closure of the facility, it will grow above 80% so that the plants are properly cared for:)
• The designer of this unique solution is engineer Tomasz Pogorzelec, whose greenhouse systems operate on the basis of the most modern global technologies! For many years he was associated with the Faculty of Horticulture, Biotechnology and Landscape Architecture.

The garden covers nearly a thousand square meters of space, which allowed for the creation of numerous zones for various forms of spending time. There is a zone in it, the so-called deep work, where you can perform tasks that require concentration on beanbags, a TIKI bar with an offer of exotic, healthy food, but also a café with original desserts. An amphitheatre and suspended wicker baskets are waiting for guests, conducive to relaxation and regeneration.

– The garden exceeded our expectations. It has become not only a favorite space to work, but also one of the most interesting attractions of the Tri-City, attracting residents and tourists all year round. I am convinced that its value increases in the autumn and winter period, where, apart from interesting facts about nature, we can take advantage of the beneficial effects of communing with nature and a truly summer climate. The garden is also a big market differentiator for Olivia, making it a truly multifunctional centre. It is one of the arguments that determine the choice of Olivia as the headquarters of even the most demanding employers – sums up Katarzyna Szymańska, Director of the Resident Relations Department at Olivia Centre.

Employees of Olivia Companies use the garden free of charge. All they have to do is generate their ticket to Olivia Garden in the My Olivia app.