30 YEARS OF AGORA

Another Agora Cup, a football tournament for the employees and collaborators of Agora Group was held on the day of Agora Ball - 11 May.

The winner was the team Gazeta.pl (combined Łódź and Olsztyn teams). Runner-up was Helios and the third place was taken by the combined team of Tychy and Piła printing plants

On 8 May 2019 Gazeta included the first issue of Gazeta Wyborcza from 1989. The anniversary was also celebrated by the present-day logo incorporating ’30 years’ in the red rectangle.

The anniversary issue of Gazeta Wyborcza featured a text by Editor in Chief, Adam Michnik, about the daily, an article by Justyna Suchecka describing one day in the life of the editorial team. Gazeta also offered the readers an opportunity to write what they expect from the daily for the next 30 years.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Gazeta Wyborcza and the first free election in Poland, the editorial team developed a special magazine 1989 with memories of Poland from 30 years back. Journalists wrote about day-to-day life in Poland of late ‘80s – what we ate, wore, watched on television, what we queued for, made fun of, what was the role and place of women in the society of the time. On the 30th anniversary of the first issue of Gazeta Wyborcza, its employees talked about its beginnings. Poet and publicist Antoni Pawlak recalled editorial team meetings in a sandpit and Teresa Kruszona, editor and corrector with the title from its beginnings, remembered how the language of Wyborcza changed over the years. .

Gazeta Wyborcza chose Personality of the Year for the 20th time. In 2019 the title was granted to Donald Tusk, President of European Council and former Prime Minister of Poland. Commendation speech was given Timothy Snyder. The ceremony, held on 10 May 2019, as part of the 30th anniversary of Gazeta Wyborcza, prizes for Gazeta Wyborcza Readers’ Man of the Year were also announce and a special distinction for the editor in chief Adam Michnik. The winners of Readers’ Awards were: President of Gdańsk Paweł Adamowicz – in recognition for his dedication to Gdańsk, and Jerzy Owsiak, President of Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation, for bringing Poles together. Live coverage of the gala was available on Wyborcza.pl, and the moment of Donald Tusk receiving the title – also on TVN24. Reports were also published on the profiles of Gazeta Wyborcza in the social media, including Instagram. Complete recording of the ceremony - link, and highlights, are available on Wyborcza.pl - link.

Gazeta Wyborcza Personality of the Year has been awarded annually since 1999, as part of the celebrations of the daily’s anniversary. Previous bearers of the title are: Vaclav Havel (1999), George Soros (2000), Siergey Kovalyov (2001), Joschka Fischer (2002), Günter Verheugen (2003), Bronisław Geremek (2004), Javier Solana (2005), Zbigniew Brzeziński (2006), Abp Józef Życiński (2007), Andrzej Wajda (2008), Tadeusz Mazowiecki (2009, Man of the two decades), Władysław Bartoszewski (2010), Richard von Weizsacker (2011), Tadeusz Konwicki (2012), Yoani Sánchez (2013), Mikhail Khodorovsky (2014), Bronisław Komorowski (2015), Timothy Snyder (2016), Frans Timmermans (2017) and Anne Applebaum (2018). A special award for Man of Quarter-century was handed to Lech Wałęsa.

At a special dedicated exhibition Gazeta Wyborcza, presented items and symbols associated with the beginnings of Agora, early history of the daily and historical events. The collection included everyday items from 1989 and the beginnings of 90. With the computers, typewriters, phones and other exhibits, the team of Wyborcza recreated a workstation of 1989/1990 as well as other important locations such as a darkroom with an original enlarger, trays and photos hanging from a string, typists ‘ room and editor in chief’s office. The exhibition also contained historical photos and documents from Gazeta’s archives as well as memorabilia and photos brought by the employees and friends of Gazeta Wyborcza.

From Tuesday, 4 June 2019, printed Gazeta Wyborcza gained a more modern, clear and reader-friendly style. The new layout that debuted on the 30th anniversary of the daily, was created by Jacek Utko, a renowned designer and consultant working for media around the world. Additionally, the daily offers its readers new sections in the main issue, such as Highlight of the Day, and on Fridays - local weeklies combining existing magazines with the cultural guide Co Jest Grane 24"

Gazeta Wyborcza acquired a new layout, introduced in the year of the 30th birthday of the daily and after several years from the previous change. The newspaper acquired a modern, neat and consistent design, its issues are clear and more readable. This was achieved by a slightly enlarged, simpler font, larger spaces on individual pages and better-exposed photographs, e.g. on the second page of the issue. The authors of comments, columns and opinions are presented with drawn portraits.

Gazeta Wyborcza has been accompanying successive generations and changes taking place in Poland for 30 years.

- Years go by and, despite our different ages, genders and origins, we share words, images and emotions. This is why our new image campaign shows how we support our readers and respond to their needs, in spite of their differences. This has been the distinguishing mark of ‘Gazeta Wyborcza’ for 30 years – a medium of many generations, a witness and sometimes the initiator of not only social day-to-day changes to our lives in Poland. We are proud to say ‘Wyborcza over generations’, says Jerzy Wójcik, publisher of Gazeta Wyborcza.

The campaign ‘Co pokolenie, to Wyborcza’ (Wyborcza over generations) presents young and older people with diverse interests and passions. Subsequent scenes are combined with the use of the characteristic red rectangle from the Gazeta Wyborcza logo.
This is how the editorial team at Gazeta Wyborcza and Wyborcza.pl remind us of the diversity of issues that it handles daily and the variety of subjects covered. More information can be found at the campaign website.
The advertisements refer to the 30th anniversary of Gazeta Wyborcza celebrated in 2019. They show how this daily has been accompanying successive generations for years.

RODZIĆ PO LUDZKU (CHILDBIRTH WITH DIGNITY)

Rodzić po ludzku is a widely known, and at the time of its delivery flagship campaign of Gazeta Wyborcza, launched in 1994 and repeated regularly over a span of more than ten years. The campaigns held so far succeeded in changing Polish maternity wards, sensitize Polish health care professionals to the needs of parents and children in the special moment of labour and birth. Today women can give birth accompanied by their loved ones, in a single room, in comfortable conditions. One of the outcomes of the campaign is a manual for hospital and maternity wards. An organization Rodzić Po Ludzku (Childbirth with Dignity Foundation), namesake of the campaign, continues its work to this day.

NIKE LITERARY AWARD

Nike Literary Award is presented annually in October for the best book published in the previous year. The main idea behind the award is to promote Polish literature. The contest open to all literary genres, is organized by NIKE Foundation and Gazeta Wyborcza, and the prize is funded by Agora Foundation. Nike was established in 1997.

SZKOŁA Z KLASĄ (SCHOOL WITH CLASS)

School with Class was launched in 2002 by Gazeta Wyborcza and Centre for Citizenship Education. The campaign was addressed to primary and secondary schools and was designed to promote civic and interactive teaching standards and attracted participation from thousands of schools countrywide. School with Class is based on six smart school principals, of a school welcoming to students, teachers and parents. Challenges were developed for each principle and any school participating in the programme was tasked with achieving one challenge for each principle. For unlocking all achievements the school received the title of School with Class. The campaign was recognized in the 30×30 Ranking of national CSR projects of the highest value for the community in the last 30 years (Ranking 30×30 – CSR projects of the 30 years).

FABRYKA ŚW. MIKOŁAJA GAZETY WYBORCZEJ (SANTA CLAUS FACTORY OF GAZETA WYBORCZA)

Santa’s Factory is a charity project conducted every year before Christmas by Wrocław Gazeta Wyborcza since 2003. Readers and local firms are invited to join a collection of funds and items for people in need.

AMS POSTER GALLERY

AMS Poster Gallery was launched in April 2004. It is a non-profit project aiming to stimulate public interest in outdoor advertising, promote the best Polish poster designs and bring closer advertising and academic communities. The annual open competition for a poster on a social or cultural theme is addressed to students of art schools and young graphic designers. With hundreds of designs entering each year – it is probably Poland’s the largest competition for young graphic designers. Award-winning designs are presented in national campaigns and on AMS citylights (display boxes bus/tram stop). Selected contestants were offered a placement in Poland’s top advertising agencies, some were later employed. Twelve Poster Gallery competitions have been held to date:

1. Zapraszamy do...(Welcome to ..) – promotion of Polish cities and regions
2. Popatrz w chmury, zostaw mury! (Keep walking! Leave that wall alone) – fighting vandalism
3. Bądź mądry – czytaj prasę (Be smart, read news) – promotion of newspaper readership
4. Wszyscy jedziemy na jednym wózku (We are all in it together) – raising public awareness of the problems of disabled individuals
5. 20th International Poster Biennale – poster promoting Poster Biennale
6. Zostaw samochód – daj odetchnąć miastu (Leave the car, breathe with the city) – promotion of public transport
7. Sieć = alienacja lub sieć = wspólnota (Net = alienation or net = community)– social role of the internet
8. Myśl rowerowo! (Bicycle state of mind) – promotion of bicycle of means of transport in the city
9. Fryderyku! Wróć do Warszawy! (Fryderyk, come back to Warsaw!) – Warsaw connections of Fryderyk Chopin
10. Skłodowska-Curie była kobietą (Skłodowska-Curie was a woman)– supporting women’s fight for equality
11. Dzisiaj Polska! (Poland now!)– promotion of Poland during our EU presidency
12. Miłość nie cukierki – najlepiej w rodzinie – Foster if not biological
13. Przemoc. Twoja sprawa (Violence, your business, too) – call to react to violence
14. Tacy jesteśmy. Polacy 1989–2014 (This is Us. Poles of 1989–2014) – self portrait of Poles AD 2014
15. Przestrzeń wspólna – przestrzeń niczyja? (Public space – whose is it really?) – discussion about public space
16. Szekspir do nieskończoności (Shakespeare to Infinity) – universality of Shakespeare works 400 years after his death
17. Myślę o Wiśle (Wisła on My Mind) – promotion of Wisła river in 2017 – the Year of Wisła
18. Rzeczpospolita = rzecz wspólna (Rzeczpospolita means Commonwealth) – how we understand common good on the 10th anniversary of Poland regaining independence after partitions
19. Jedz ostrożnie (Drive Safe) – promotion of healthy eating habits and their social importance
20. Zwierzę też człowiek (Give the Animal a Break) – animals’ rights to wellbeing

AGORA FOUNDATION

Agora Foundation was created in October 2004. Since 2005 it has been an OPP organization (public benefit organization). In recent years Agora Foundation has focused on organizing and financing campaigns conducted with Gazeta Wyborcza and on charity programmes. Activities of Agora Foundation, often supported by the media of Agora, including Gazeta Wyborcza, have a long history. The breakthrough campaigns, Rodzić po ludzku, Leczyć po ludzku (Childbirth with Dignity, Healthcare with Dignity) and Narkopolacy (NarcoPoles) or Pomóż swoim rodzicom (Help Your Parents) - promoting volunteer caregiving, were financed from the collection of one percent of income tax write off.

POLSKA BIEGA (RUNNING POLAND)

Polska Biega campaign and web service Polskabiega.pl were started in 2006 to encourage Poles to start jogging and provide them with instruction on how it can be done safely and effectively. Polska Biega Weekend, the crowning event of the campaign, is a great celebration of running and runners.

POLACY ODWAGI! (POLES, WEIGH DOWN!)

Polacy Odwagi! was launched in 2009 to encourage all who struggle with excessive weight to take care of their weight and health. The great dieting with Gazeta Wyborcza included a series of texts with useful advice, information about eating habits and proper nutrition as well as interviews with nutrition experts.

RYSZARD KAPUŚCIŃSKI AWARD

The idea behind Ryszard Kapuściński Award is to distinguish and promote worthwhile non-fiction books that touch on important contemporary issues, invite reflection and offer insights into different cultures. It also aims to pay posthumous homage to Ryszard Kapuściński – the eminent reporter, journalist, essayist and poet, apart from Stanisław Lem, the most translated Polish author, who spent over 60 years of his life in Warsaw. Established in 2010, Ryszard Kapuściński Award is presented by Gazeta Wyborcza and Capital City of Warsaw to the authors of the best non-fiction book and the best translation of the year. Alicja Kapuścińska is an honorary patron of the award. The project includes an educational campaign promoting the work of Ryszard Kapuściński among Warsaw school children and youth. Participants can nominate themselves or be proposed by their school, other educational facilities, culture centres and libraries.

ANNA LASZUK AWARD

Anna Laszuk Award of Radio TOK FM was founded in 2011 to recognize individuals and organizations for bold, unconventional and unusual initiatives, work or expression that had high impact on public awareness or drove change to Polish reality within the passing year. Among the winners of Anna Laszuk Award are Black Protest/Polish Women on Strike, Col Krzysztof Olkowicz, Robert Biedroń, Adam Bodnar and NGO Coalition and Defenders of Białowieża Forest. 2019 Award was given to Free Courts Initiative. Anna Laszuk was a journalist of Radio TOK FM, widely appreciated for her courage in fighting stereotypes, commitment and passion to fight for human rights, especially the rights of women and minorities.

MATEMATYKA SIĘ LICZY (MATHS FESTIVAL AND MATHEMATICS COUNTS)

Mathematics Counts has been organized since 2013 to stress the importance of mathematics in life and emphasise how proper teaching and talking about mathematics is a key to success. Throughout the campaign Gazeta Wyborcza describes various maths problems and statistical phenomena, discusses when mathematics started and is it possible for it to end.
The project’s culminating event in Mathematics Festival held in Warsaw office of Gazeta Wyborcza. Creators of the campaign sum up the activities of the campaign and visitors can be transported into the world of mathematics in which passionate promoters of the queen of sciences deliver mathematics workshops.

FUNDACJA AKADEMIA INTEGRACJI – PRACA, EDUKACJA, SPORT (ACADEMY OF INTEGRATION FOUNDATION – WORK, EDUCATION, SPORT)

The Foundation was established by AMS SA and is a continuation of the project AMS for Integration. Its main focus on the broad issues associated with life, activity and social role of people with disability, with special emphasis on work, education and sport. The originators and employees of the foundation are among others the fencers in wheelchairs, outstanding athletes and multiple medallists of World and European championships, who volunteer for the foundation with other employees of AMS. Goals of the Foundation are: raising sensitivity to fellow humans, helping people with disabilities to integrate into society as well as activating people with disabilities.

KINO NA TEMAT I KINO NA TEMAT JUNIOR (CINEMA TO THE POINT AND CINEMA TO THE POINT JUNIOR) IN HELIOS CINEMAS

Kino na Temat and Kino na Temat Junior are projects addressed to youth and children and delivered by Helios cinemas since 2013.
Kino na Temat is addressed to older kids, students of senior grades of primary school and secondary school students. Film screenings are accompanied by debates with guest speakers – experts and journalists selected through polls.
Kino na Temat Junior combines screenings with games. Every screening is preceded by an educational workshop developed by film educators to fit the core curriculum for a relevant education level.

#USŁYSZ... (HEAR YOUR …) – CAMPAIGN OF RADIO TOK FM

Usłysz (Hear Your ...) debates of Radio TOK FM - Hear your city, Hear your school, Hear your representative – have been organized since 2014 and accompany important events such as parliamentary, self-governmental and educational reforms. Debates of Radio TOK FM offer a platform for dialogue – viewers and listeners can ask questions to event participants, e.g. MPs. TOK FM debates are organized in selected locations where the station is present.

DŁUGOWIECZNI (LONG-LIVED)

Długowieczni is a campaign started in early 2015. Throughout the campaign Gazeta Wyborcza covers topics related to population ageing and organizes special events and debates about the needs of seniors. The campaign was launched jointly by: Jolanta Kwaśniewska, President of Porozumienie bez Barier Foundation, Juliusz Braun, former President of TVP, Jurek Owsiak, Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity and Jarosław Kurski, Deputy Chief of Gazeta Wyborcza.

CITY LAB

City Lab is a platform for dialogue between inhabitants, local authorities, activists, and representatives of central government, business and culture. The campaign of Gazeta Wyborcza is unique in that it is not limited to discussions but instead it produces actionable solutions to problems. City Lab offers local authorities practical instruction what could be done to make their cities a better place to live. Suggestions and recommendations are implemented, monitored and summarized by the reporters of Gazeta Wyborcza.

KULTURA DOSTĘPNA (ACCESSIBLE CULTURE) IN HELIOS CINEMAS

In 2015 Helios cinema chain was Poland’s first cinema operator to join Kultura Dostępna project of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Kultura Dostępna w Kinach aims to bring Polish film to a broad range of viewers and to promote Polish cinema through offering affordable ticket prices and promote Polish cinematic production.

ADOPTUJ PSZCZOŁĘ (ADOPT A BEE)

Since 2015 Gazeta.pl worked with Greenpeace Polska, supporting Adopt a Bee campaign. Every year Gazeta.pl encourages readers to help bees through virtual adoption. Each adopted bee equals 2 zł donated to the Greenpeace campaign for the protection of bees.

SUPERBOHATERKA WYSOKICH OBCASÓW (SUPERHEROINE POLL OF WYSOKIE OBCASY)

Wysokie Obcasy, Sunday magazine of Gazeta Wyborcza organizes Superheroine poll. The winner is selected by the Super heroine committee and by the readers who nominate women who made the biggest mark on them in the passing year. The nominees are the heroines of the articles published in Wysokie Obcasy and women who, according to the editors of WO, have enough courage to change the world, inspire others with their energy, can break through personal, social and political barriers. Among the nominees are women recognized nationally and locally.

WYBORCZA NA ŻYWO (WYBORCZA LIVE)

Wyborcza na Żywo events have been held since 2016 across Poland. The sessions Focus on political, economic, cultural and sports events, as well as local matters. Discussion participants are journalists and the heroes of texts published by Gazeta Wyborcza and Wyborcza.pl, members of local self-government, civic activists, artists or athletes.

MIASTA IDEI GAZETY WYBORCZEJ (CITIES OF IDEA OF GAZETA WYBORCZA)

Miasta Idei is an effort to draw the public attention to the processes taking place in urban areas and, more importantly – find such directions for development that would make the cities attractive to inhabit.
The series of events employed the creativity and enthusiasm of participants, particularly local communities, urban activists and non-profits who joined forces with experts and decision-makers to develop relevant solutions to be applied in their locations.

JUTRONAUCI (TOMORROWNAUTS)

Jutronauci Gazeta Wyborcza is a project featuring outstanding people: artists, scientists and entrepreneurs, who share interest in the world of tomorrow. Since 2017 printed Gazeta and Wyborcza.pl/Jutronauci has presented portraits of people whose work and ideas have the potential to shape the future of the world. The project is accompanied by a number of events and a special gala held in Warsaw.

CZERSKA 8/10 PREMIERE CENTRE

8/10 Czerska Street Premiere Centre is a forum for creators and creative works in literature, film, theatre and music. Czerska Premiere events are organized by Gazeta Wyborcza in cooperation with Agora brands and held in Agora’s Warsaw headquarters and streamed on Wyborcza.pl and in the social media. Each premiere is a multimedia event with films featuring the heroes of the event.

FAMILY FEST

Teams of eDziecko.pl, Avanti24.pl and Czterykaty.pl organized the third Family Fest picnic on 1 and 2 June 2019 in Kubicki Arcades in Warsaw. The free admission event offered attractions for the youngest children as well as to those slightly older. Family Fest is a unique project that combined fun with education with the aim to stimulate development in children, broaden their horizons and knowledge of the world. The two-day event included concerts for children, games and quizzes, performances, workshops of creative LEGO building and shows. Family Fest was organized in cooperation with Warsaw Royal Castle.

PRYVIT – FIRST FREE NEWSPAPER FOR WROCŁAW UKRAINIAN COMMUNITY

Pryvit is the first newspapers for Ukrainians living in Poland. It is a joint project of Wrocław Gazeta Wyborcza, City of Wrocław and Ukraina Foundation. The idea behind Pryvit Wrocław is to help Ukrainian learn more about Wrocław, how to benefit from the projects and events organized there and what brings Poles and Ukrainians together. Since 2017 free copies of Pryvit have been available in locations frequented by Ukrainians, the office of Ukraina Foundation, the Orthodox church, offices, schools as well as restaurants managed by Ukrainians. The list of locations is available on http://wroclaw.wyborcza.pl. The circulation is six thousand.

GAZETA WYBORCZA FOUNDATION

Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation was established by Agora in 2018. Following the example of New York Times Company and The Guardian Media Group, the publisher of Gazeta Wyborcza founded a non-profit organization to develop worthwhile media projects and execute important social goals.
The main goals of the foundation are to inspire development of independent, ambitious works of journalism about the key social and political subjects: investigative journalism, environmental reports and international journalistic projects, etc.

WYSOKIE OBCASY FOUNDATION

Fighting for women’s rights, supporting disenfranchised groups, bringing forward unknown herstories, and publicizing issues connected to health and psychology is a daily commitment of the Wysokie Obcasy Magazine for 20 years.
Wysokie Obcasy Foundation was established in 2018 as a joint initiative of Agora and Wysokie Obcasy to support independent journalism and social initiatives to protect and promote women’s rights and integrate diverse communities. Wysokie Obcasy Foundation focuses primarily on activities aimed at dismantling discrimination based on gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, health and social status, and appearance both in Poland and at a global stage.

WYBORCZA NA ZIELONO (GREEN WYBORCZA)

Gazeta Wyborcza continues to increase its commitment to highlighting ecological and climate crisis themes. Early 2019 saw the launch of Wyborcza na zielono – all sections of the daily feature texts about Poland’s rapid climate change. In June 2019 water report was published, documenting the dramatic hydrological situation in Poland. Articles published in the series cover coal policy, waste management, anti-smog solutions, etc. Wysokie Obcasy launched  Szanuję, nie marnuję campaign (Preserve, Don’t Waste)  with a series of articles aimed to inspire readers to change simple day-to-day habits of conscious buying in the spirit of less waste. An eco-newsletter was also developed, with texts about possible solutions for preventing climate disaster.

GAZETA.PL RELEASES THE LAST EVER ISSUE OF TWÓJ WEEKEND (YOUR WEEKEND) TO CELEBRATE WOMEN

To celebrate International Women’s Day Gazeta.pl, VMLY&R Poland and partners published the last issue of Twój Weekend magazine, celebrating special women. Closing down of Poland’s longest-running adult magazine that reduced women to sex objects for 27 years, was a symbolic protest to objectifying them. The last issue, instead of typical for this type of magazine photos and texts, featured materials about strength, wisdom and beauty. The familiar sections and columns were kept but filled perversely with reimagined content to give it new meaning. Interesting stories of men and women were presented in articles, interviews and commentaries. A special cover photo featured Ewa Kasprzyk, Orina Krajewska and Joanna Jędrzejczyk. The project gained international recognition in prestigious advertising industry competitions and enjoyed immense popularity.