Twelve women, twelve personal stories of illness, hope, and returning to everyday life. Olivia is once again hosting the exhibition “Women, You Are Strength,” prepared by “Dziennik Bałtycki” in cooperation with the Gdańsk-based OmeaLife Foundation. The exhibition is part of the October #Pinktober campaign, reminding us of the importance of breast cancer prevention.
The heroines of the exhibition are beneficiaries of the OmeaLife Foundation who have faced cancer and decided to publicly share their experiences. In photographs by Agata Zatorska, we see women who, despite difficult experiences, pursue their plans, develop passions, and enjoy life. The portraits are maintained in warm, amber colors. Amber symbolizes feminine strength, to which the project’s title refers. Each photograph is accompanied by a QR code leading to the heroine’s personal story. These stories can be heard, among other places, on the dedicated project page of “Dziennik Bałtycki.”
One of the exhibition’s heroines is Anna Ziemiańska, former president of the Amazonki association, who participated in its opening. “We, women who have experienced breast cancer, talk about how to get through it. We also show how important prevention is. And that it’s not the end of the world; you can live on and help others.”
During the opening, Izabela Malicki, a psychologist and psycho-oncologist, also spoke, drawing attention to the fear accompanying a suspected cancer diagnosis and the importance of early detection. “The first reaction is usually anxiety and the question: will I live, can this be cured? That’s why prevention is so important. Early detection of changes offers a very high chance of full recovery.”
Photo by Przemysław Świderski | Dziennik Bałtycki
This October at Olivia Centre is rich in initiatives dedicated to health and prevention. On October 2, during Health Day, 59 women benefited from examinations in the mammobus, and 90 people had blood tests. The event concluded with the 4th MotoCYCle Rally, during which motorcyclists in pink attire rode through the streets of Gdańsk, encouraging regular check-ups.
The opening of the “Women, You Are Strength” exhibition was also accompanied by the pink illumination of Olivia Star. The tallest building in northern Poland lit up in pink once again as a gesture of solidarity with those battling breast cancer.
Photo by Maciej Roszkowski | We Love Photo
The exhibition can be viewed in the Olivia Star lobby until November 4.
We invite you to visit the exhibition and learn the stories of its heroines.
In accordance with our tradition, we are supporting the Bayer team, which is organizing the ‘JUMP HIGH FOR SANTA CLAUS!’ charity Christmas volleyball tournament for the 6th time. When? This time on November 29th, because it’s well-known that time is needed to pack gifts! Anyone can participate in the tournament! Gather your team, let Dawid, who oversees everything, know, have a great time, and multiply good deeds in the process! THE ENTIRE ENTRY FEE once again goes to Father Dutkiewicz Hospice in Gdańsk!
When do we play? November 29th from 9:00 AM until… (it all depends on the number of teams)
Where do we play?At Ergo Arena (plac Dwóch Miast 1, Gdańsk)
Who are we playing for? All collected funds will go entirely to sick children from Father Dutkiewicz Hospice in Gdańsk, because – whenever we can – we want to ensure children have peaceful holidays with their dream gift under the Christmas tree.
What do we promise? Action-packed matches, fun moments, and above all, immense satisfaction from helping others!
Entry fee:1500 PLN per team
Mark this date in your calendars:November 29th! Gather your team and sign up with Dawid. You have untilNovember 22nd. Email:dawid.frymark@bayer.com
Here are some assumptions. We have a moment, so we’ll clarify everything soon! We assume that:
Tournament participants form teams representing their companies/organizations.
A team consists of 6 players on the court and some reserves 😉
Each team must designate a captain.
The tournament will be played according to official volleyball rules, with certain possible modifications that will be announced before the tournament begins.
The registration fee is 1500 PLN net per team.
Team or player registration is done by email to the organizers and by paying the registration fee to the Hospice’s account.
A food-sharing station in Oliwa, photographic portraits of residents marking the 100th anniversary of the district’s incorporation into Gdańsk, intergenerational craft workshops, and another edition of the concert in Oliwa Park. These are the four projects awarded in the 7th edition of the Oliwa Neighborhood Budget. This year’s program pool amounts to PLN 24,000, with prize funding provided by Olivia Centre, Andrzej Stelmasiewicz, and Przemysław Skokowski, a councillor for the Przymorze Małe district.
The awards ceremony took place on October 20 at the Oliwa Culture Town Hall. This year’s winners proposed projects of a very diverse nature, ranging from practical solutions that make food sharing easier to cultural initiatives that highlight the district’s history, encourage community gatherings, and draw attention to important social issues. The ceremony concluded with a lecture titled “Oliwa Park and the Green Surroundings of Oliwa,” delivered by Dr. Habil. Eng. Arch. Katarzyna Rozmarynowska, an architect, urban planner, and researcher of the history of Gdańsk’s gardens, a longtime lecturer at Gdańsk University of Technology, and author of numerous academic publications on the history of urban greenery, including the book “Vanishing Gardens…? From the History of Gdańsk’s Public Green Spaces 1708–1945.”
The Oliwa Neighborhood Budget was established in 2020 on the initiative of Olivia Centre, to support ideas from residents and local organizations working for the benefit of Oliwa and Przymorze Małe. From the very beginning, the project’s partner has been Andrzej Stelmasiewicz, an Oliwa-based entrepreneur, community activist, and cultural animator, founder of the Gdańsk Community Foundation. In 2024, Przemysław Skokowski, an entrepreneur and councillor for the Przymorze Małe district, joined the group of funders. Together with Olivia Centre, they contribute their own funds to carry out neighborhood initiatives. This year, that amount totals PLN 24,000.
Funding may be applied for by non-governmental organizations, foundations, associations, local organizations, as well as residents themselves. Projects are evaluated by a jury made up of representatives from local institutions, community activists, district representatives, and Olivia Centre.
Four funded projects
One of the winners is the Regional Volunteer Centre in Gdańsk, which submitted the project “Food-Sharing Station at RSM Budowlani.” The first small food-sharing station in Gdańsk—a publicly accessible fridge and shelf for food placed inside a building—will be set up in a housing cooperative building at 569 Grunwaldzka Avenue. Anyone will be able to leave surplus, good-quality food there or take products donated by others free of charge. Local entrepreneurs will also be invited to take part in the initiative. The project, coordinated by Karol Krzyczkowski, aims to reduce food waste and serve residents, including the many seniors living in the cooperative’s housing stock. The Regional Volunteer Centre in Gdańsk already has experience running a food-sharing station in Gdańsk’s Orunia district.
“Faces of Oliwa. Stories and Frames” is a project by Daria Balabai, a cultural animator, film director, and founder of the Ukrainian Library in Gdańsk. To mark the 100th anniversary of Oliwa’s incorporation into Gdańsk, a series of resident portraits will be created using traditional photographic techniques, in the style of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Those photographed will include both people with generations-long ties to Oliwa and its newer residents, including people with migration backgrounds. The photographs will be accompanied by their personal stories and memories. The project also includes analog photography workshops, an outdoor exhibition, and the creation of a digital archive, which will help preserve residents’ stories for future generations.
Also among the winners is the Park ON Association, which supports people with Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, as well as their caregivers. The association will organize, for the eighth time, the “Concert in the Park with James P. and a Hat in the Background.” The free event will take place on July 4, 2027, in Oliwa Park. Concerts organized by Park ON have attracted residents and tourists for years, combining music with raising awareness about Parkinson’s disease. They are also an opportunity to thank individuals and institutions that support patients. The organizers place particular emphasis on making the event accessible to those whose health makes it difficult to attend concerts held indoors. It has also become a tradition for the audience to wear hats and fanciful headgear. The concert will be accompanied by a presentation of ceramic works made by association members and the presentation of “Uskrzydlenia” statuettes.
The fourth award-winning project is “Intergenerational Meetings,” submitted by Anna Wesołowska-Owczarskaof the informal neighborhood group Pirates Club. Four craft workshops will be held at the “Przy Rynku” library in Przymorze, during which residents of various ages will work together to create jewelry from beads, natural stones, and elements of old ornaments. The project’s initiator hopes to encourage participants not only to creatively reuse recycled materials, but also to talk and share family stories. The workshops will be an opportunity to meet neighbors, develop interests, and spend time without phones or social media.
From Idea to Implementation
In the Oliwa Neighborhood Budget, what matters most are ideas that respond to residents’ needs. This year’s winners propose both new ventures, such as the Food-Sharing Station and Oliwa’s photographic archive, and the continuation of initiatives that already have loyal and engaged participants and audiences.
Seven editions of the program also mean seven years of cooperation between Olivia Centre and residents, social organizations, local entrepreneurs, and district representatives. Thanks to joint funding, projects can be realized that their initiators would otherwise find difficult to finance on their own. And residents of Oliwa and Przymorze Małe gain new places, events, and opportunities for working together.
The event is organized by Erste Bank Polska S.A. (formerly Santander Bank) and the Erste Bank Polska S.A. Ignacy Jan Paderewski Foundation. Olivia Centre once again supports this initiative, and just like in previous years, the run will start right here! Participants will set off from our resident’s headquarters at 11:00 AM. In other words, from NetWork Spot Erste Bank Polska at al. Grunwaldzka 472. The finish line will be at Plac Zebrań Ludowych, near the Oliwa Gate.
This is an event where the result takes a back seat. The distance of 7.4 km can be covered by running or power walking, at your own pace, and those who cannot be in Gdańsk can also join virtually, from anywhere in the world.
PÓŁNOCNY POMAGA is taking place for the ninth time. Since 2018, 12,979 people have participated, and a total of PLN 632,206 has been donated to the Hospice Foundation. Thanks to this support, it has been possible, among other things, to help build the Respite Care Centre and support the ongoing, vital activities of the Hospice of Father Eugeniusz Dutkiewicz SAC. This year, the common goal is to raise funds for the reconstruction of the hospice.
The run will take place on October 3, 2026.
The entry fee for adults is PLN 60.
Children and youth up to 18 years of age can participate free of charge.
Registration for the stationary run is open until September 30, and for the virtual run until October 2.
You don’t have to break records. You can run, walk, or join virtually. The common goal is the most important thing. Join the 9th PÓŁNOCNY POMAGA Charity Run and cover 7.4 km for the Gdańsk hospice!
We cordially invite you, together with the PARK ON Association, to a concert organized on the occasion of the 7th anniversary. The Gazebo of Oliwa Park will feature the most beautiful Polish hits, including songs from the repertoire of Agnieszka Osiecka and Wojciech Młynarski, as well as songs from the interwar period. During the concert, “Wings” will be presented – awards for people who change the world of people suffering from degenerative brain diseases and their loved ones.
Performers:
Magdalena Czerwińska, Katarzyna Perera and Radosław Blonka, Piotr Słopecki – pianist and arranger, and a music ensemble conducted by Jagoda Brajewska.
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The organizers encourage participants to put on fancy headgear.
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Date: July 5, 2026, Sunday Time: 12:00 Place: Gazebo of Oliwa Park Admission is free!
