Author: obc_adm

The Olivia Six building located in the Olivia Business Centre, is now home of an organisation supporting entrepreneurs – Regional Pomeranian Chamber of Commerce (RIGP). The new Resident will support the development of economy in Pomerania, being located in a modern office in one of the most ecological buildings in this part of Europe. Welcome on board!

 

The Regional Pomeranian Chamber of Commerce (RIGP) is a local government economic organisation grouping now over 250 companies of various sizes, operating in the Provinces of Pomerania, West Pomerania, Warmia-Masuria, Kujawy-Pomerania and Wielkopolska. Its core tasks include representation of economic interests of its members, establishing cooperation and exchange of experiences with domestic and foreign business support organisations, development and dissemination of ethical business principles or providing opinions on the functioning of the economy to competent bodies and organisations.

“Our presence in the Olivia Business Centre is closely related to our business profile. We cooperate directly with enterprises and due to our presence at Olivia CONNECT, we have better contact with them than ever before. Often this is not just a telephone call or an e-mail message, but meetings at the complex. We live in a symbiosis here – we have direct access to the daily business of companies from Pomerania and thus we are better positioned to respond to their problems. And also we are easier to reach and resort to our assistance”, says Magdalena Raczyńska, RIGP Office Manager.

RIGP Office is located on the 13th floor of the Olivia Six building, in the Olivia CONNECT space, designed specifically for institutions supporting business and for NGOs. The objective of the space was to develop a place in which important social and economic projects integrate and develop as a result of close location of various environments.

“We believe that the presence of RIGP at our Centre inspires for acting and effective cooperation with other Residents. Now RIGP is developing an important project “Pomeranian Export Broker” with its neighbour – Pomerania Development Agency. RIGP effectively supports the development of regional economy and is certain to generate additional benefits to all our Residents. In the situation, it is of no importance if it represents a global company or just a brand new start-up. At the Olivia Business Centre we create space for development at various stages of their activity”, says Agnieszka Zglinicka, Project Manager at the Olivia Business Centre.

 

Contact:

Regional Pomeranian Chamber of Commerce

Office Manager – Magdalena Raczyńska

Olivia Business Centre, Olivia Six building

Al. Grunwaldzka 472D, 80-309 Gdansk

Tel. +48 58 305 23 25

E-mail: biuro@rigp.pl

 

_________________________________________

About Olivia Business Centre

There are over 100 companies at the Olivia Business Centre, including for instance: Allianz, Amazon, Bayer, Energa, Epam, Generali, Hays, PwC, Sii, T-Mobile or thyssenkrupp as well as the Pomerania Development Agency. Global corporations have their offices at the Olivia Business Centre; the Centre has also developed an offer for SMEs, NGOs and business environment organisations and start-ups. The Centre has been growing regularly since 2010, adding one building annually. In June 2016 a cornerstone was ceremoniously laid down for the Olivia Star skyscraper.

Everything in one place

One of the core assumptions underlying the idea of the Olivia Business Centre in Gdańsk Oliwa has always been its multi-functional character. The institutions present here offer trainings, support in acquiring funding for development, legal consultation, HR support and much more.

The team of the Centre cares to maintain balance between work and personal life of all the people who work here: in 3 conference centres available here business, educational, cultural and sports events are held regularly.

• Catering at the Olivia Business Centre includes 5 various outlets: Starbucks, Gorąco Polecam Nowakowski bakery, Lobster Restaurant (e.g. fresh lobster and shrimps), Koku Sushi and a One Minute store.
• We care about health and beauty at the Medicover medical centre with a pharmacy, P. Roccialli beauty salon, CityFit two-storey fitness club, an exclusive tailor Cafardini and an outlet with shoe repair and tailoring services.
• White Cat Kindergarten and Thinking Zone Junior High School were established for children.
• Accounting and financial services are provided by 4 banks (PKO Bank Polish, Noble Bank, Alior Bank, Idea Bank), Tax Care, Open Finance; there are 2 ATMs.
• The services available at the Olivia Business Centre include an Energa Salon (Customer Service Outlet – BOK), Talent Development Centre (branch of the Poviat Labour Office in Gdańsk), notary, dry cleaners, parcel machines, or a car wash with an option to leave the car in the parking lot and keys at a reception of any building.

On 13 and 14 October, in the O4 space (Olivia Four), the 2nd Nutrition Conference entitled “Nutrition Conference” will be held. “The Challenge of Healthy Upbringing”. The event is dedicated mainly to parents, and the subject matter focuses entirely on children. The main topic will be the proper development of the child in terms of 3 pillars: nutrition, mental health and physical activity.

 

During the 2 days of the conference:

• You will learn about the latest trends in children’s nutrition (Food and Nutrition Institute);
• You will learn about the latest reports on civilization diseases affecting children, i.e. diabetes and obesity;
• You will learn about the latest research on gluten-free diet in the context of child nutrition (Medical University of Gdańsk);
• You will learn about the impact of sensory-motor food selectivity on children’s nutrition

Practical advice will also be provided:

• How are the most interesting prevention programs for children implemented?
• How to motivate children and whole families to change their eating habits in your own office?
• How to create healthy, immune-building meals for children?

A detailed program of the event, the agenda and all information can be found on the We Think Healthy website.

The conference is organized by the We Think Healthy group, which brings together a community of experts in the field of dietetics, parents and people who want to have a real impact on the nutrition of children in schools and kindergartens. The event is co-created by the Macherki Association, which organizes various workshops, meetings and conferences supporting social activities and the O4 space.

We cordially invite you!

We cordially invite all male Residents to celebrate Boy’s Day! At 3 p.m., on the 1st floor of the O4 coworking space, there will be a one-of-a-kind table football tournament and FIFA on PS4. Interesting prizes await the winners. We encourage you to have fun with us!

Registration: on the O4 website

Good luck!

We would like to invite you to the next chamber concert – Olivia Camerata – at the Olivia Sky Club (Olivia Tower building, 12th floor, al. Grunwaldzka 472A, Gdańsk), which will take place this Saturday (i.e. 8 October) at 5.00 p.m.

 

The program of the concert will include the following works:

• Zygmunt Noskowski – 6 Cracovians op. 7
• F.X.W. Mozart – Variations on a Theme of Je t’aime tant
• Emanuela Kani – Lyrical Works op. 50: Evening Song, Luli to the Baby, Krakowiak, Why?, My Pet, Dumka
• Vlahek – Variations on a Croatian folk theme

 

Excellent artists will perform: Anna Liszewska & Anna Mikolon – piano duo, and as part of the promotion of young talents, we will hear: Sara Mocarska – violin – student of the Secondary School of Music in the second degree. in Gdańsk – Wrzeszcz and Benjamin Brzozowski – tuba – student of the Primary School of Secondary Education. in Gdynia.

 

PIANO DUO – ANNA LISZEWSKA and ANNA MIKOLON

The artists’ acquaintance dates back to the time when they studied together at the State High School of Music in Łódź. Anna Liszewska is a graduate of the Academy of Music in Warsaw in the piano class of prof. Lidia Kozubek and postgraduate chamber music studies in the class of prof. Barbara Halska. She obtained her PhD in Łódź (supervisor – Prof. Cezary Sanecki). Anna Mikolon studied at the Academy of Music in Gdańsk under the supervision of Prof. Bogdan Czapiewski and Prof. Andrzej Artykiewicz and at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw (artistic internship in piano chamber music with Prof. Katarzyna Jankowska-Borzykowska) and has recently been awarded the title of habilitated doctor. Both pianists have separate artistic achievements, and they treat making music together as a continuation of their friendship, a confrontation of musical experiences, an opportunity to learn about chamber literature and its public presentation. Their interests include transcriptions of songs and arrangements of operas for four hands in the form of fantasies or potpourri (Carmen, Faust, Samson and Delilah, Werther, Il trovatore). The repertoire also includes works by F. Chopin, S. Rachmaninoff, P. Tchaikovsky, I.J. Paderewski, M. Moszkowski, F. Schubert, F. Liszt, J. Brahms, C. Saint-Saëns, C. Debussy, A. Dvořák, C. Chaminade, E. Kania, Z. Noskowski and others. In 2014 they took part in the International Piano Duo Festival in Gdańsk. They performed as a duo m.in. at the Baltic Philharmonic, the Academy of Music in Łódź, the Sierakowski Manor House in Sopot, and the Ecumenical Centre in Oliwa. In addition to their artistic activities, the pianists are also involved in pedagogical work – Anna Liszewska is an assistant professor at the Department of Chamber Music at the Academy of Music in Łódź at the Faculty of Piano, Organ, Harpsichord and Early Instruments (she is the Deputy Dean), and Anna Mikolon – at the Faculty of Vocal and Acting of the Academy of Music in Gdańsk.

 

Sara Mocarska graduated from the State Music School. in Gdańsk-Orunia in the class of Krystyna Przybylińska-Zgaj, MA. During her studies, she was a laureate of many competitions (distinction at the 1st National Violin Competition in Grudziądz, 3rd and 2nd place at the Slavic Music Festivals in Tczew, 1st place at the 10th Sopot Violin Competition, 2nd place at the 11th Gdynia Violin Competition, 1st place at the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th Oruń Violin Competition, 2nd place at the 1st National Violin Competition in Elbląg). Currently, she is a student of the Secondary Music School. in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz in the class of the outstanding violinist and pedagogue Anna Śliwa. Despite her young age, she has already given concerts in Germany and Finland. Sara’s recent achievements include: fourth place at the National String Instrument Competition in Elbląg and third place at the First Violin Confrontations in Gdynia.

 

Beniamin Brzozowski was born in 2005 and as a child of musicians, from the beginning of his life he grew up surrounded by the sounds and sound of instruments. As a four-year-old, already showing musical talents, he announced without much hesitation that he intended to play the tuba in the near future. After reaching the age allowing him to learn, he began to learn to play the tuba, in the trombone and tuba class of the excellent musician and teacher Marek Sikora, M.A., at the Primary and Secondary Music School. Zygmunt Noskowski in Gdynia. At the moment, Beniamin is learning to play the tuba for the second year and is a laureate of the Young Sheet Music Competition “Szansa na sukces” in Gdynia, where students of Pomeranian music schools present their skills. In March 2016 he took part in the Regional Workshops for teachers and students of trombone and tuba classes in Kwidzyn, which were led by ace. Krzysztof Mucha from the Academy of Music in Poznań. He actively participates in school and community concerts as a soloist and chamber musician.

 

Admission to the event is free. On-site registration is required.

Artistic director of the concert series: Anna Mikolon, Anna Sawicka

We cordially invite you!

On October 15, 2016, the largest conference will be held in Gdansk again. NETowa in Northern Poland – GET.NET. The program will include 11 speeches by well-known and respected experts from around the world. The keynote speaker of the event will be a special guest from the United States – Mathias Brandewinder. We invite you to Amber Expo – it will be the 6th edition!

GET.NET is a cyclical programming conference that is organized twice a year in Łódź and Gdańsk on the initiative of Sii. So far, more than 1500 participants have had the opportunity to take part in the events of the GET.NET series. This group is growing steadily from year to year, and the conference itself is becoming more and more popular in the IT environment in Poland and Central Europe. InThere are well-known and respected .NET experts such as Udi Dahan, Oren Eini, Iris Classon, and Maurice de Beijer. The audience consists of experienced programmers, testers, project managers, as well as IT students and all enthusiasts of new technologies.

In the upcoming edition, the star of the GET.NET will undoubtedly be Mathias Brandewinder from the USA – author of many books, F# authority. In addition, the participants will take part in English-language speeches by Glenn Henriksen from Norway and Sebastien Lambl from the United Kingdom. In addition, speakers from Polish will provide participants with a solid dose of technical knowledge. On stage, presentations will be given by such Polish stars as: Tomasz Kopacz, Michał Smereczyński, Grzegorz Rycaj, Sławomir Sobótka, Tomasz Onyszko, Szymon Kulec, Szymon Komorowski, and Piotr Kątny.

You can sign up for the conferences and register on the website. The number of places is limited.

Detailed program of the conference.

 

We cordially invite you!

The global labour market, of which Tri-City companies are a part – both corporations, start-ups and the entire SME sector (small and medium-sized enterprises) – is constantly growing. This contributes to various organizational changes in companies, it also causes changes in management styles and creates new needs for changes in the field of communication between people in international and virtual teams.

The two main challenges faced by people responsible for the implementation of processes in companies are: cultural differences, as well as the quality of language competences of employees and managers. Such a situation becomes an impulse to make new decisions to improve the quality and efficiency of the main areas of management.

On 21 September, the inaugural meeting of the “Let’s talk Business” series was held at Olivia Sky Club, the aim of which is to initiate a dialogue on the role and importance of effective communication for business development. We talk to the initiator of the series of meetings under this title – Paweł Banaszak, Communication Manager from “LEC Centre Spółka z o.o.” and Mike Hogan – Director of York Associates.

Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre): How did you come up with the idea of a series of events on effective communication in a dynamically changing work and business environment, and what are your goals in this project?

Paweł Banaszak, Communication Manager, LEC Centre Spółka z o.o. – initiator of the “Let’s talk business” meetings that take place in Olivia Sky Club: For more than 20 years, we have been supporting our clients in learning foreign languages. We do this mainly by sending them to language courses abroad. Many of our clients want to be comfortable using a foreign language at work. And they’re getting better at it. But to communicate effectively in the world of international business, it is not enough just to have a good command of everyday language. The ability to combine language with typical business skills such as giving presentations, negotiating or conducting teleconferences is becoming increasingly important. In addition, there is an equally important sphere of awareness of cultural differences and their impact on the project, the work of the team, or business in general.

We have good relationships with educational institutions around the world. Thanks to them, we can not only send clients to courses abroad, but also invite experienced experts to Gdańsk to share their knowledge. We want to give knowledge to people who use languages in business, which is why we called the series “Let’s Talk Business”. We will invite foreign experts to the meetings to provide practical knowledge. One that anyone with international business relationships will be able to apply right away.

MB: How do you assess the scale of the challenges in the area of building relationships faced by managers responsible for the implementation of global business processes? What is the biggest barrier/problem that managers face?

One of the challenges faced by managers all over the world, not only in Poland, is to realize that the basis for success in international relations is not only the knowledge of a foreign language and management skills, but also the awareness of the importance of cultural differences. And it’s not just about “curiosities” about how a business card is served in Asia, or that Americans give very direct feedback. It’s about the importance of how the cultural baggage of team members affects team dynamics and effectiveness. The more cross-cultural interactions there are in a team or company, the greater the role this element plays. Awareness of this issue and knowledge in this area is needed not only by people working in large corporations. Startup founders who, for example, talk to investors, should also know the difference between building relationships with Asians and working with Europeans. On the basis of this knowledge, it is easier to build trust.

MB: How can we influence each other to understand each other well despite cultural differences, which often determine whether a given team or company has the possibility of success or is doomed to lack it?

I think there are two pillars of success in this regard. The first, basic one, is the awareness of cultural differences and their impact on business. It makes it easier to function in the business world. The basics of this awareness are acquired in business practice. An effective way to achieve the full use of the potential that lies in the conscious management of an international team is training conducted by experienced trainers. In this case, it is worth taking advantage of the opportunities offered by cooperation with foreign schools, because there is still little knowledge in Poland. The second pillar is trust. A manager who is aware of cultural differences, has competence in this area and knows how to listen to the people he works with will be able to effectively use these differences to build trust in the team. And this, according to the managers who took part in our panel during “Let’s Talk Business”, is the basis for effective communication and growth.

Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre): Communication and cooperation in international teams faces many obstacles and pressures that we face every day when entering into relationships with people we often do not know, do not see and do not understand their way of behaving. How do you help such managers and employees to do their job well and develop their companies?

Mike Hogan, Director, York Associates: Our mission is to support professionals who work in an international environment in more effective cooperation, leading to better results. It is based on the philosophy of the learning cycle, which consists of analysis, action and feedback. In this way, we help managers and their team members achieve high performance through continuous learning.

York Associates’ training in international leadership and team building is based on two approaches:

1. Understand the 4 key challenges of internationalizing teams: uncertainty, complexity, paradox, and diversity.
2. Build a strategy to manage 9 critical factors that affect the success of international leaders and teams:

The complexity of the processes that take place in international companies is primarily about building relationships and trust, which you call the pillars of professionalism in action. In your opinion, what are the best ways to develop these competencies in individuals and entire teams in companies?

When we ask business people about the essential factor that allows international teams and organizations to function perfectly, the answer is often only one word – “trust”. Trust is built ongoing, and to achieve it, leaders must be seen as competent, compliant, committed, empathetic, cohesive, and trusting in one another. My colleague Bob Dignen described these elements well in his book “Effective International Business Communication”. Collins).

MB: You are the head of York Associates, which has developed a unique formula of 4 scopes/pillars of language and communication skills education. Please describe the main assumptions of this method.

We believe that the purpose of our language courses is to help our clients communicate effectively in English. However, in order to be truly effective, we need to go beyond learning vocabulary, grammar and professional skills such as using English for meetings, presentations, etc. In addition to these skills, we look at the international context in which our clients communicate and help them develop the cultural sensitivity and international cooperation skills that are essential in international business. To better illustrate this approach, we have created a unique four-dimensional approach, which is described in the pyramid below:

MB: In your presentation during the meeting with the managers of Olivia Business Centre, you presented a very interesting description of the strategy and style of “push” and “pull” communication in order to achieve business goals. Which of these strategies and why do you think is more likely to be used in international teams and what makes it more effective?

It is impossible to say which of these two styles is the best in an international context. However, we should be aware of which style is natural for us and consciously consider whether this style will bring us closer to success and help us achieve the desired results, or whether it will hinder us. So, instead of using one style or the other, we need to be aware of the styles and needs of others, be flexible, and choose the one that is most appropriate for the situation.

We will invite you to the next meeting of the “Let’s talk business” series later this year.

On October 28 (Friday) at 5.00 p.m. in Olivia Sky Club (12th floor of Olivia Tower) there will be a free lecture on phonoholism by Dr. Maciej Dębski. Mr. Maciej will talk about what we are looking for in our smartphones, it will be a short story based on facts.

During the lecture, we will get answers to the following questions:

• What turns us on, what excites us about mobile devices?
• How can you tell a phonoholic and what are the effects of being “glued” to a smartphone?
• Why and how to create rules for the use of digital mobile devices, and what good can come out of it?
• How to regulate habitual use of a mobile phone or other mobile device?
• Or maybe a joint detox? How do we function when we are disconnected from the internet and digital devices for a full 72 hours?

 

The lecture is free of charge, you will be able to purchase additional materials on site for PLN 20. Registration is open until October 26, at events@oliviacentre.com.

 

Maciej Dębski, PhD – founder and leader of the Foundation, sociologist of social problems, academic lecturer, social educator, expert in the implementation of scientific research, expert of the Supreme Audit Office, the Commissioner for Human Rights, Founder and President of the DBAM O MÓJ Z@SIĘG Foundation, author/co-author of strategic documents, local programs, originator of nationwide research in the field of phonoholism and the problem of cyberbullying carried out among 22,000 students and 3,500 teachers. In 2016, he implemented the first social experiment in Europe to cut off 100 people from all digital devices (mobile phones, tablets, Internet, online games, Playstation games, television) for 72 hours.

We cordially invite you!

Tomorrow (25.10) from 10.00 a.m., in the booth on the patio (opposite Lobster), a warm surprise will be waiting for everyone 🙂

To warm up these cold mornings, we invite everyone to a hot autumn infusion of dried fruit with a choice of additives: ginger, rum, quince, raspberry juice, herbapol, honey, lemon or brown sugar. There will also be spice cookies.

Let us brighten up your day!

 

The Informal Blood Donor Cub ” Kropelka Energii” invites all those working at Olivia Business Centre in Gdańsk and their friends to participate in the blood donation campaign, which will take place on Thursday, December 8, 2016 in the car park C.

In one place and at one time, two blood buses of the Regional Blood Donation and Haemotherapy Centre will be available to donors. Donor registration will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The following persons are responsible for the smooth running of the campaign and providing organizational information: Tomasz Rubanowicz (tel. 785 873 326), Piotr Krysiński (tel. 601 529 929). The action will be coordinated by the Organizers directly at the ambulances, where you can meet them and make an appointment to donate blood.

We suggest that you agree to participate in the action with your supervisor in advance.

Information on who can become an Honorary Blood Donor is available at http://www.krew.gda.pl/

REMARK! People who plan to donate blood must remember to:

• be well-rested and well-rested;
• be healthy, i.e. you cannot have symptoms m.in. colds (e.g. runny nose, cough, cold sores);
• do not donate blood on an empty stomach, that is, it is necessary to eat a light meal and drink a large coffee, tea;
• did not take medications such as: aspirin, paracetamol, anti-allergic;
• two hours before donating blood, do not smoke cigarettes;
• do not drink alcohol, including on the day before donating blood;
• Be sure to bring your ID card or driver’s license.

Bone marrow donor database

If you are interested in registering in the bone marrow donor database, you should report it to the ambulance. For more information on how to become a bone marrow donor, visit the bone marrow transplants page or the donor website.

Bonuses

For donors who will donate blood on that day in an ambulance or at a blood donation station in Gdańsk, the organizers provide:

1. Voucher for free coffee or tea at Starbucks OBC Gdańsk.
2. A voucher for a meal at the “Lobster” Restaurant or for lovers of Japanese cuisine at KOKU Sushi in Gdansk.

In accordance with the provisions of Article 9 of the Act on Public Blood Service of 22 August 1997, persons who donate blood are entitled to leave from work on the day on which they donate blood.

 

Contact with the organizers: ekropelka@energa.pl.

 

Health is the most important value, which we wish for most often, in every possible circumstance. However, does the fact that we wish this for ourselves and others mean that we use good eating habits on a daily basis and consciously shape our good, healthy lifestyle? When children come into our lives, there comes responsibility for the health of the whole family, and often that’s when the good changes in food choices begin. For 10 months of the year, even more than 8 hours a day, our children spend time at school or kindergarten. Are we able to take care of what our children eat? Can we influence the quality and quantity of meals?

On 13-14 October 2016 in Gdansk, in Olivia Business Centre (O4 conference centre), a nationwide conference was held devoted to the proper development of a child in terms of three pillars: nutrition, mental health and physical activity. The balance of these three areas together gives a picture of a healthy and balanced development of the child.

We invite you to talk to the author of the initiative, a community of people interested in making changes in the area of food and health in our homes, schools and kindergartens.

Monika Bogdanowicz: “To be healthy” – this slogan sets a goal that many people want and would like to achieve. However, do each of us nowadays treat them as a great challenge to be implemented? How much time do you spend thinking about food every day?

Edyta Poniatowska-Zaremba: It all depends on the stage of my life. There was a time when I ate everything and didn’t think about what I was eating. I grew up in a time when we didn’t commonly think we could divide food into: eco, unprocessed, fast food or processed. Only in the last 20 years have thousands of new products appeared. The most important thing is the price and the fact that my children eat it and that it is quickly available.

Nowadays I think about food quite often, it’s a kind of habit. In my case, I think on several levels, what to cook, what to buy, what is healthy, what is good for my family, but also at the level of my work. I’m still thinking about how to effectively educate, what tools will help to convey difficult content in an effective way. I mean parents, grandparents, children, education workers. And the topic is difficult, because here we are entering the area of psychology, and more precisely the change of habits. The process of changing habits can also arouse resentment, anger, and the feeling that someone is taking something away from me.

“We Think Healthy” is the idea of creating changes in the area of children’s health in the educational environment. Is it possible to teach children good habits if they do not have good examples in their day to day in the family environment? How and why did the topic of food become important in your life?

What I do now is largely due to the passion of my parents, they love the land, wherever they live, they always have to have a piece of land to cultivate. Even when they lived in a block of flats, our balcony looked like an allotment garden. With these situations in mind, I follow their example and grow kale on my balcony in autumn and winter, and tomatoes, strawberries and herbs in summer. For as long as I can remember, my family home has been baking bread, pickling cucumbers and cabbage for the winter, and making cold cuts. The second half of summer and autumn is a very intense time of mortars and preparations for winter. “We Think Healthy” is really a summary of my activities, putting them together. For the last few years I have been involved in nutrition education for children and adults, with time I have noticed that I am closer to the education of children. You could say that it started in a classic way for me, the arrival of my daughter into the world caused me to reevaluate many principles in my life. I began to observe the world even more closely, from a completely new perspective, especially since we were affected by allergies and food intolerances. My observations show that the most common impulse to change eating habits is primarily the illness of loved ones, less often the fear of illness in old age. It was the same for me. This is how the idea for such an activity was born for children and parents who want to change their food and lifestyle choices for the better.

Food today is very readily available, but let’s not delude ourselves that quality is the standard in our choices. Many stores compete for our attention with their price and diverse, rich offer. How do you organize your home shopping to make good health decisions and how much time does it take you to organize meals for yourself and your family each week?

To get to where we are now, we put in a lot of work as a family. It was a process. At the beginning, there was a decision that a change was needed and determination had to be added to it. However, it must be remembered that the implementation of such changes is a process, an evolution, not a revolution. And most importantly, we start with ourselves! At the beginning of the journey, it is worth assuming that the changes will last for some time, we are talking about even a few months of time. We assume that there will be days or even weeks when we will cook and behave in the old, proven way. The most important thing then is not to blame yourself, but to slowly return to your new lifestyle.

Currently, I organize my life in such a way that once a week I visit a bazaar with healthy food, I have reliable vendors there, I buy meat and dairy products there. In the summer and autumn, I also buy vegetables and use the resources of my parents’ garden. There was a time when I was involved in food cooperatives and once a week I was stocking up on an organic farm. When my daughter goes to school, she eats lunches on the spot, where they have good catering, so I’m calm about her meals. I generally try to prepare meals at home, but when I’m working intensively, it’s not always possible to take care of everything. And that’s what normal life looks like. The most important goal is to learn how to optimize the way you prepare food. If I know I won’t be able to make dinner, I buy it in the city, but I’m looking for good cuisine. At the moment, there really is a large availability of healthy snacks, meals, drinks. Yesterday in Wrzeszcz I found a big shelf with snacks: chia dessert, yoghurts, vegetable chips, green salads, carrots, fruit salads. Even gas stations are already offering healthy snacks. There really is a choice, the problem is that we don’t have time, we’re tired and we don’t want to make another effort. Because changing habits is an effort, and our brain is a master at creating habits, because it simply makes our lives easier in a world full of information.

Where exactly do you think the front line of the battle for our future is located, expressed in compulsive shopping and excessive consumption?

It all starts in our homes. Children imitate us, parents. They’re going to eat what we eat. Then, when they go to kindergarten, responsibility begins to dissipate. And that, unfortunately, results in bad choices. However, it must be added that there are many wonderful people in kindergartens who care about the quality of food and about the education of children in this area. It is important to reach those facilities that are unaware or need support, which is what the “Gdańsk-We eat healthily” program provides. Then the parents’ interest in children’s nutrition education decreases, and more social emphasis is placed on primary and secondary schools. But by then it is often too late. Schools should continue nutrition education, which should function as a standard in nurseries and kindergartens. I’m talking about practical classes, just counting how many fruits and vegetables you should eat and presenting a food pyramid is not enough. Children remember content through the emotions that accompany it, if something is boring, unpleasant they will not want to go back to it.

What do we need to change to make the health effect of habit changes visible and how much time is needed? “You are what you eat,” nutritionists urge. Surely these appeals still do not reach the general public?

It takes years to feel the effects of change. If we take care of our children now, the effects will be noticeable only in many years. And that’s the hardest part about change. It’s easier for us to get involved in something whose effects we can see right away. If someone tells us that your child will get sick as an adult, that’s an abstraction for us. On the other hand, if we look at the statistics of civilization diseases, they are frightening. It is said that our children’s generation will live about 10 years shorter. This appeals to some adults, but some people still do not see the seriousness of the problem.

How do you assess the nutritional awareness and daily practice of the eating habits of Poles?

According to the results of the survey, the nutritional awareness of Poles is high. Poles have a lot of knowledge about nutrition, I mean parents. They know what children should eat, what a healthy diet looks like. However, the problem is that these are only declarations, because most of the respondents did not put these principles into practice. And this begs the question, why is that? How can we, busy but aware of the importance of food, influence our children to eat healthily? Where exactly do we start this change in our families? Let’s at least start with this: one meal a day together. And you will see what miracles will begin to happen.

And can we allow food to be available quickly on our menu?

This question is often asked. My assumption is: 70% healthy eating, taking care of eating habits, unprocessed products, 30% other products (any, but within reason). Let’s remember that food is a basic part of our life, if we reduce it to the fact that we have to constantly control it, count it, read it, measure it, and we don’t feel pleasure, it will be difficult for us to put healthy eating into practice. Balance, consistency and joy in what we do are important!

What are your main recommendations for parents after the recently concluded II nutrition conference “Healthy Upbringing Challenge”?

Let’s spend more time with children, let’s cook together, let’s involve children in grocery shopping, let’s be an example for them.

 

“We Think Healthy” – a nationwide nutritional but also a group of people – a community that brings together experts in the field of dietetics, parents and people who want to have a real impact on the nutrition of school and preschool children. The event is co-created by the Macherki Association, which organizes workshops, meetings and conferences supporting social activities and the O4 space in Olivia Business Centre (Olivia Four). The program included presentations on the proper development of the child in terms of three pillars: nutrition, mental health and physical activity. The balance of these three areas together gives a picture of a healthy and balanced development of the child.

Mission statement: “We believe that healthy eating habits mean healthy and happy adults and a better society. By investing in healthy lifestyles for children, we are investing in a better future.”

EDYTA PONIATOWSKA-ZAREMBA

Originator and organizer of national nutrition conferences “Healthy Upbringing Challenge” and “Healthy Nutrition for Children and Youth”. In addition, he is the vice-president of the Macherki Association. A pedagogue and dietician by education. On a daily basis, he deals with consultations on Nutrition for children zdrowyprzedszkolak.org, conducts culinary workshops for children and parents. As a parent, she is active in the Healthy Nutrition of Little Pomeranians group. She is a co-creator of the “Gdańsk – We eat healthily” project, which aims to change the improvement of the quality of meals in school canteens in Gdańsk.