INFORMATION PORTAL OF THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE OF THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE Region IN TORUŃ

Polish and Brazilian folk songs and dances are part of the repertoire of the Polish diaspora’s Song and Dance Ensemble “Wisła” from Curitiba, in the Brazilian state of Paraná. The group performed yesterday in Włocławek and will appear tomorrow on Mill Island in Bydgoszcz. The energetic artists, visiting our region at the invitation of the Ziemia Bydgoska ensemble, met today (July 28) at the Marshal’s Office with  Vice-Marshal Zbigniew Ostrowski and the Marshal’s Representative Grzegorz Borek.

“Meeting you is a great experience. We are happy to have you with us,” said Vice-Marshal Zbigniew Ostrowski during the meeting. Earlier, in a conversation with journalists, he emphasized that the activities of Polish diaspora artistic groups play a significant role in promoting Poland abroad. Marshal’s Representative Grzegorz Borek thanked the ensemble’s members for preserving Polish heritage and expressed hope for Polish-Brazilian youth exchange and cooperation. He also recalled his great-granduncle, a Catholic missionary in Paraná, who worked for many years in Curitiba. Both officials greeted the guests in Portuguese, which sparked enthusiastic applause.

Today’s planned open-air performance by “Wisła” in Toruń had to be cancelled due to weather conditions. Instead, the singers and dancers from across the ocean were applauded in the Marshal’s Office building.

The group from Curitiba is the oldest Polish folk ensemble in the world, founded in 1928. It has both dance and choir sections, performing folk songs and dances from many Polish regions, as well as Brazilian folklore and shows based on folk customs. The group has received numerous awards, including at the World Festival of Polish Diaspora Choirs in Koszalin and the World Festival of Polish Folk Ensembles in Rzeszów. It also performed for Pope John Paul II during his visit to Curitiba in 1980. The current ensemble consists of 200 members, three-quarters of whom are of Polish descent.

The ensemble’s current tour of Poland has been financed by the Senate of the Republic of Poland, the “Polish Community” Association, and the self-government of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region.

Press Office of the Marshal’s Office

July 28, 2025