A new year usually means new plans and goals to achieve. Often, plans can be turned into real causes, experiences and successes. But just as often, ambitious intentions remain only a trace in our memory. We talked about how to translate concepts, ideas and dreams into projects that can change us and our surroundings – during the author’s meeting at Olivia Business Centre – with Marek Kamiński, a traveller, polar explorer and entrepreneur. The event took place on January 13 at the O4 Olivia Business Centre coworking space as part of the interdisciplinary project OBC, Olivia Cooltura.
The book “The Third Pole” and the film “The Pilgrim. Marek Kaminski’s Camino” directed by Jan Czarlewski are excellent sources of knowledge about the expedition, “a pilgrimage between the poles of faith and reason”, as Marek Kamiński calls the space between Kaliningrad and Santiago de Compostela. It is also an extraordinary story about the road, people, and contemporary Europe. The event took place in 2015. Marek Kamiński walked 4000 km in 100 days along the legendary Camino pilgrimage route, known as the Way of St. Paul. Jacob. Kamiński calls this journey “a journey into oneself” and “the most important journey in my life”.
A large audience of the meeting in O
BC (a record number of guests, over 130 people!) listened to Marek Kamiński’s colorful story about mental preparation for the expedition, which gave a traveler’s life a different, new dimension. In the beginning, when he started thinking about the route (and it was more than 13 years ago), he only had a goal in mind: “Go to Santiago”. Later, there was a strong need for personal development – during the journey and conversations with the people I met on the way.
In an interview with Monika Bogdanowicz from Olivia Business Centre, who hosted the meeting, Marek Kamiński talked about why being physically active and… Mentally, it’s our inner choice and it’s worth following our heart in life. He spoke, as always, in a colorful and interesting way, about his thoughts on the Camino. He revealed that the trip was not only a great adventure and an opportunity to meet amazing people, but also an unusual lesson in history, humility, patience and endurance. It turned out that the most important experience and the most important lesson that Marek Kamiński learned from the expedition was a spiritual lesson, the awareness that the journey brought him what he was looking for, gave him a sense of meaning and peace of mind. Finding new goals and new ways to go.
The route that Marek Kamiński had to take at the beginning seemed not too complicated, compared to the previous ones he had taken. It led through quite simple, lowland regions of Central and Western Europe, and in the finale it turned out to be as physically and emotionally exhausting for Marek Kamiński as his polar expeditions. Thanks to the fact that the pilgrimage was demanding, the traveler was able to experience his spiritual transformation to the fullest. And to find the meaning of a true pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
During the expedition, Kamiński met many interesting people: from students who provided him with accommodation support, regaled him with modest supplies, or supported him along the route, walking several kilometers together, through people associated with science and the church, to other enthusiasts, travelers and pilgrims. These meetings brought the wanderer a lot of good, selfless help and interesting and inspiring conversations.
Full photo report from the event
We cordially invite you
to the next meeting of the
Olivia Cooltura series, which will take place February 20 at 18.00 at Olivia Sky Club. Our guest will be
Maciej Kosycarz
, a photojournalist associated with Gdańsk and Pomerania.
Registration for events@oliviacentre.com
In 2000 she graduated from the piano class of prof. Zbigniew Śliwiński at the Academy of Music in Gdańsk. In the same year, she began working as an accompanist at the Faculty of Instrumental Music at her alma mater. She owes her skills in the field of chamber music to a large extent to her work in chamber ensembles led by Prof. Anna Prabucka. While still a student, she received the second prize at the National Competition of Chamber Pianists in Częstochowa, and in 1993 she received numerous awards for accompaniment during competitions at which she performed: at the National Double Bass Competition. Wiktor Gadziński in Katowice (2006), at the XXXII Young Musician Competition in Szczecinek, at the First Meeting of Young Wind Musicians in Elbląg, at the National Competition for Wind Instruments Miniatura 2011, twice at the Double Bass Competition in Starogard Gdański (2010, 2012), at the II Włocławek Violin Meetings (2011), at the CEA National Auditions of Secondary Music School Students. Violin and Viola Classes in Kielce (2013), at the VI West Pomeranian Clarinet Festival in Szczecin (2014), at the XVI Academic Clarinet Competition in Włoszakowice (2015), at the National Viola and Double Bass Competition in Gdańsk (2016), at the CEA National Clarinet Competition in Katowice (2016). She has accompanied many courses and workshops conducted in the Tri-City by artists such as Jean-Marc Fessard, Antonio Saiote, Nicolas Baldeyrou, Andrew Marriner, Wolfgang Meyer and others, as well as during three editions of the International Wind Instruments Workshops in Szczecinek (2008, 2009 and 2010). He also works as a teacher at the Music School Complex in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz. She often performs in a duo with her husband, Grzegorz Wieczorek, a clarinetist.
Born in 1974. He graduated from the Secondary Music School in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz in the clarinet class of prof. Andrzej Pietras. In 1996 he began his studies at the Academy of Music in Gdańsk under the supervision of the same teacher. After the death of Prof. Andrzej Pietras became a student of prof. Mark Schiller, in whose class he graduated with honors in 2001. He is a laureate of many awards and distinctions. In 2000 he received the Scholarship of the Mayor of the City of Gdańsk, and a year later he was honored with the second prize in the category of the Best Student of the Tri-City, in the competition for the “Red Rose” Award. He perfected his skills during courses, working under the guidance of such outstanding teachers as: Andrzej Janicki, Mieczysław Stachura, Philippe Cuper, Wolfgang Meyer, Jean-Marc Fessard, Antonio Saiote, David Campbell.
A first-year PhD student at the Academy of Music in Gdańsk. He graduated with honors in 2016 in the class of Dr. Grzegorz Wieczorek. Participant of many national and international competitions. Winner of the first prize at the 12. International Independent Music Competition “Individuals” in Kiev (November 2014). Winner of the first prize at the eMuse Music Competition in Athens (April 2016). Winner of the second prize at the VI International Music Competition, Stockholm (June 2016). He has received numerous awards at national competitions. Together with the clarinet quartet, with which he has been collaborating since 2011, he has won many awards, m.in. second prize at the VI International Music Competition, Stockholm (June 2016), third prize (twice) at the 6th and 7th West Pomeranian Clarinet Festival (national and international). He has collaborated with many conductors, m.in Sigiswald Kuijken, Zygmunt Rychert, Wojciech Michniewski, Kai Bumann, Paweł Kotla, Adam Sztaba. He took part in many workshops conducted by: Prof. Mieczysław Stachura; Prof. Florent Heau, Prof. Jean-Marc Fessard (France); Antonio Saiote (Portugal); Gabor Varga (Hungary); Mark van de Wiel (England); Hannah Morgan, Andrew Marriner (England); Jan Jakub Bokun, PhD; Igor Frantisak (Czech Republic).
A graduate of Katarzyna Rywalska’s clarinet class – a teacher of the Zygmunt Noskowski Primary and Secondary Music School in Gdynia. Laureate of many national and regional competitions, m.in. 2nd place in the national auditions of the CEA, 2nd place in the National Clarinet Festival in Szczecin, 2nd place in the Poznań Competition of Wind Instruments. Currently, he is studying at the Fryderyk Chopin Secondary School in Gdańsk Wrzeszcz in the class of Dr. Grzegorz Wieczorek.
Alicja Wieczorek
Grzegorz Wieczorek
Dawid Głowacki 
Aleksandra Wasilewska
Agnieszka Kamińska – psychotherapist, psychologist. She completed one of the first editions of Core Training in Poland – an advanced, comprehensive training in the field of ISTDP (Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy), obtaining an international ISTDP psychotherapist certificate, entitling her to independently conduct psychotherapy in this trend. Originator and co-founder of the Polish Institute of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy – SENTIO. Ambassador of this innovative method of personal development and psychotherapy in Poland. For 16 years, she has been inspiring and helping people with personal development and emotional balance in life. She actively participates in an international project – a cyclical, annual social campaign “Marriage Week International” implemented in 22 countries on 4 continents, since 2015 she has been co-responsible for its Polish edition of “Marriage Week”, which takes place annually from 7 to 14 February. She is socially involved in the Association of Christian Psychologists, where she is the president of the Gdańsk branch. Her life motto: Be bold and act.
Monika Spotowska – Attorney-at-law, tax advisor, graduate of the Faculty of Law at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) and the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. A graduate of postgraduate studies in “International Tax Strategies” at the Warsaw School of Economics. He specialises in issues related to double taxation treaties, income taxes and social insurance, with particular emphasis on the issue of cross-border employment of employees and optimisation of tax burdens. She is also interested in issues related to investments in Special Economic Zones. Co-author of books entitled “Work of foreigners in Poland”, “Functioning of enterprises in a special economic zone” and “Clause against tax avoidance”. Author of many publications on legal and tax issues.
Iwona Łaska-Rutkowska – A graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw and postgraduate studies in “Taxes and Tax Law” at the University of Warsaw. Erasmus scholarship holder at the Technical University of Dresden. A specialist in the field of value added tax (VAT), corporate income tax, as well as an expert in the field of Special Economic Zones. He regularly participates m. in numerous Due Diligence and tax reviews. She is the author of many publications on tax law.
Piotr Mrowiec – A graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań and the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), where he obtained the title of Master of German & Polish Law. He specialises in providing comprehensive legal advice to companies with foreign capital, cross-border redress, as well as securing the interests of Polish entities investing abroad, in particular in Germany. Piotr Mrowiec also advises entities from the renewable energy sources industry. Since 2012, he has been entered on the list of mediators at the Regional Court in Poznań. Piotr Mrowiec is the author of many publications, as well as a frequent speaker in Poland and abroad.
