Once a year, for a few days in summer, Polish writers, publishers, and book lovers all gather in one place—Szczebrzeszyn, a little town with the most iconic Polish name ever where the Festival of the Polish Language takes place. Of course, the PRZEKRÓJ Foundation couldn’t miss such an event!
In Poland, we have a phrase “W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie,” which means “In Szczebrzeszyn a beetle buzzes in the reed.” Every Pole has known this phrase by heart since childhood, but not many of us are aware that the same poet who wrote this saying was the one who first called Szczebrzeszyn “The Capital of the Polish Language.” And it’s so true! For a few days every year, this little town in eastern Poland, whose name is almost impossible for foreigners to pronounce (but we still encourage you to try!), becomes the true capital of Polish literature, culture, and of course, the Polish language with all its beautiful, rustling sounds.
All day long there are discussions about books, as well as literature- or language-related events going on. There is also a gala for The Great Editor’s Award—the one and only award in Poland recognizing the hard job of editors, whose work is a crucial element in the process of a book discovering its final form.
The mission of the PRZEKRÓJ Foundation includes a special place for the Polish language, its precision and the beauty of its words in general. Since we share the same values and ideas, we have been supporting the festival for years, not only with our marketing skills but also with financial contributions. During each edition of the festival, we create a “reading space,” where one may stop, take a deep breath, sit down, relax and read the latest Przekrój, check out our crossword puzzles, or just spend some free time between the engaging events of the festival.
More about the festival: Stolicajezykapolskiego.pl