LET’S SAVE THE CULTURE PROMOTION CENTRE ‘GAUDE MATER’ IN CZĘSTOCHOWA!
On 10 July 2012 the president of Częstochowa Town Krzysztof Matyjaszczyk started a procedure of dismissing Małgorzata Nowak from the post of director of the Culture Promotion Centre ‘Gaude Mater’. Moreover, the authorities of the town want to pursue a reorganisation of the Centre and pass the International Festival of the Sacral Music ‘Gaude Mater’ to the care of the Częstochowa Philharmonics. Fr. Roman Majewski, the prior of Jasna Góra expressed his attitude with a great concern about the plans of the authority of the Częstochowa Town. ‘In my opinion, the reorganisation of functioning of the Culture Promotion Centre ‘Gaude Mater’, planned by the local authorities of Częstochowa, is exposing the previously elaborated formula of the activity to a serious de-stability, which may lead to the destruction of the whole wealth and blocking of the further fruitful work of the worthy institution’ – wrote Fr. Majewski in his statement. The prior of Jasna Góra points to the role which has been played by the Culture Promotion Centre ‘Gaude Mater’ for many years, in forming the culture of the town. ‘The wealth of this worthy institution is very imposing, as far as the organisation of other editions of the International Festival of Sacral Music ‘Gaude Mater’ is concerned, during which the town residents and many guests participated in the concerts performed by the most prominent contemporary artists. The festival ‘Gaude Mater’ brought Częstochowa an opinion of one of the most important cultural centres in Poland’ – reads in the statement of the prior of Jasna Góra.
In the opinion of Fr. Majewski, the initiatives of the Centre ‘Gaude Mater’ assure the town, its residents and pilgrims the participation in the events ‘which can be rightly named as high-level culture’. ‘The previous achievements of the Centre are undoubtedly the merits of the excellent team of its employers under the supervision of Director of the team Mrs Małgorzata Nowak, who elaborated a professional formula of activity, also in the sphere of management’ – emphasizes Fr. Majewski.
The prior of Jasna Góra also recalls an excellent cooperation of Jasna Góra with the Culture Promotion Centre ‘Gaude Mater’, which was realized in the ‘feeling of care about the common good of the Częstochowa community’ and he appealed to the authorities of Częstochowa town ‘for reasonability and giving a possibility to the mentioned Centre ‘Gaude Mater’ for a further activity for the sake of the welfare of our town’.
The decision of the authorities of Częstochowa town met with a critical attitude of people of culture and the Church, among the others, Fr. Nikodem Kilnar OSPPE, a national priest of Church Musicians at the Polish Episcopal Conference, the chairman of the Association Jasna Góra band and the member of the Programming Council of the Festival ‘Gaude Mater’.
In the letter written to the president of Częstochowa he emphasized that the Culture Promotion Centre ‘Gaude Mater’, directed by Małgorzata Nowak, ‘became an example of a modern European managerial work in Poland today. It is one of the best managed and perceived self-governing culture institutions in Poland – a recognisable brand’. Fr. Kilnar also wonders ‘who is aiming at destroying what is functioning well and creates the organisational framework of the culture life on the area of our town for the whole year? In Częstochowa there is still so much to do, so who wants to ruin the wealth of such a worthy institution which is the Culture Promotion Centre ‘Gaude Mater’? – asks Fr. Kilnar. In his opinion, transferring the Centre to the Philharmonics means its liquidation in practice.
The editorial office of the Catholic Weekly ‘Sunday’ was informed that in 2011 the Commission of Culture, Sport and Tourism of the Town Council took an attitude in which it opposed to the transferring the Culture Promotion Centre ‘Gaude Mater’ and the Festival to the Częstochowa philharmonics. The correspondence signed by the representative of the Commission Marcin Maranda, was sent to the president of Częstochowa Krzysztof Matyjaszczyk on 20 September 2011.
Just before giving the edition for publishing, we had received a copy of the newspaper, which a member of the Artistic-Programming Council of the International Festival of Sacral Music ‘Gaude Mater’ - Jan Łukaszewski had sent to the president Krzysztof Matyjaszczyk. He expressed his indignation with the fact that he was intending to dismiss the director of the Centre – Małgorzata Nowak- ‘one of the best managers of culture in Poland’.
The Catholic Weekly ‘Sunday’ is still receiving letters in the defence of the Culture Promotion Centre ‘Gaude Mater’, addressed to the Chancellory of the president of Częstochowa town.
(AA)
"Niedziela" 30/2012