Wisniewski

Urodzinowy koncert Spodka
/ Spodek birthday concert, fot. /
photo PTWP
Debata „Spodek – wczoraj,
dziś i jutro” / ‘Spodek – yesterday,
today and tomorrow’ debate, fot. /
photo PTWP
Prof. Sławomir Smyczek oprowadza
uczestników dnia otwartego
w Spodku / Prof. Sławomir
Smyczek showing around the
attendees of Spodek Open Day,
fot. / photo PTWP
Dr Artur Grabowski podczas
debaty „Spodek – wczoraj, dziś i jutro”
/ Dr Artur Grabowski at a debate
‘Spodek – yesterday, today
and tomorrow’, fot. / photo PTWP
E. Lachowicz-Santos wśród
uczestników aukcji Krzesła dla
Iskierki / E. Lachowicz-Santos
among the participants of the
Chairs for Iskierka auction,
fot. / photo PTWP
The birthday anniversary of this
renowned arena was celebrated
with a unique concert and the
Open Day, when the general public
had an opportunity to visit Spodek
together with some well-known
people, including Prof. Sławomir
Smyczek, our Vice-Rector for
Education and Internationalization,
and attend a debate entitled
‘Spodek – yesterday, today and
tomorrow’, with the participation
of dr Artur Grabowski, an expert
from our University. The celebration
ended with a grand
reception during which
a charity auction – “Chairs
for Iskierka” – was held
to support a foundation,
which helps children suffering
from cancer diseases.
The 45th birthday
anniversary concert
of Polish stars for
Spodek
Some of the most popular Polish
rock bands – Lady Pank, Myslovitz,
Kaliber 44, Cree, as well as
Miuosh, a rapper, and Marek Piekarczyk,
a lead singer and frontman
of TSA – appeared on stage at the
Spodek birthday concert. The artists
took the audience on a sentimental
journey. We could listen to
the compositions of such bands
as Metallica, Depeche Mode and
Deep Purple or of such singers as
Eric Clapton, Leonard Cohen or
Joe Cocker, which once used to be
sung by the entire arena. It was
the first time Spodek saw a concert
like that! In addition to the
musical emotions, also the biggest
sports and entertainment events,
which had been held in this special
arena, were brought back to
mind. The hosts of the evening
were Piotr Baron and Piotr Stelmach.
Almost 7,000 people came
to the concert.
We had also prepared a special
auction for our students, during
which they could win 10 tickets to
the concert. What they needed to
do was find the tickets scattered
around our University. The clues
supposed to help them do that
were some photos of the places
where the tickets were hidden.
Once the tickets were found they
only needed to post a photo on
Facebook or Instagram, with the
hashtags of #urodzinyspodka and
#UEKatowice.
The Open Day and the debate
on the future of Spodek
On this special day some wellknown
people, including Prof.
Sławomir Smyczek, our Vice-Rector
for Education and Internationalization,
and Grzegorz Stasiak,
an actor and comedian from a TV
program entitled “Nauka jazdy”,
Ireneusz Dudek, a musician and
organiser of Rawa Blues Festival
and Kamil Durczok, a journalist
and creator of Silesion.pl. There
was also the debate about the
future of Spodek, attended by
urban planners, sociologists,
architects and economists. They
tried to find some answers to the
question: ‘What is the future of
Spodek?’ Our University was represented
by dr Artur Grabowski,
from the Faculty of Economics, an
expert in sports economics. Other
participants included Ireneusz
Dudek, the musician mentioned
above, Piotr Uszok, the mayor of
Katowice in the years of 1998-
2014 and Artur Rojek, a musician
and lead singer of Myslovitz in
the years of 1992-2012. The host
of the debate was Kamil Durczok.
The attendees emphasised
the fact that Spodek, despite its
almost half a century of existence
and the changes on the market
of sports and musical events, still
had a lot of potential to remain
the icon of Katowice but also
a driver behind the social and
economic activity in the city.
The Open Day program comprised:
skating on the ice rink,
entertainment for children, interactive
games, meetings and training
with famous sportspeople,
painting of greeting cards and
displaying them on a screen in
front of the building and meetings
with sports stars such as Mariusz
Czerkawski, Piotr Gruszka,
Andrzej Supron and others.
The University had a chance to
present our educational offer to
the participants at a special exhibition
stand.
“Chairs for Iskierka”
At the grand reception held
that evening the charity auction
was organized under the title of
‘Chairs for Iskierka’. The chairs
for the auction had been donated
by famous personalities such as
Krystyna Janda, an actress, Marcin
Krupa, the mayor of Katowice,
Wojciech Saługa, the Marshall of
Silesian Voivodship, Prof. Violetta
Skrzypulec, a highly reputable
doctor, Rafał Sonik, a Dakar rally
winner, and Tomasz Stańko,
a Polish jazzman and composer.
The auction was conducted
by Mirosław Neinert, director
of Korez Theater, and Dariusz
Kortko, editor-in-chief of the
Gazeta Wyborcza Katowice daily.
The total amount of PLN 106,000
was raised by selling the chairs at
the auction. The entire sum was
allocated for the needs of the children
who were the beneficiaries
of Iskierka Foundation.
About Spodek sports and entertainment arena
Spodek is a facility with an impressive track record of
entertainment, sports and exhibition events. It started its
operation in 1971 and since then has managed to become
a landmark of Katowice and one of the most recognizable
icons of architecture in Poland. For 45 years it has hosted
some great events and concerts, as well as sports competitions
and exhibitions. The Spodek multifunctional complex
arena can hold 11,000 people, who can enjoy e.g. an ice
rink, a swimming pool, a gym or stay at a hotel. Spodek,
together with the neighboring International Congress Center,
make one of the largest venues for such gatherings as
congresses, exhibitions, entertainment events and sports.
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