Kulturotwórcza rola Światowego Festiwalu Polonijnych Zespołów Folklorystycznych w Rzeszowie (1969-2019)

Since 1967, Światowy Festiwal Polonijnych Zespołów Folklorystycznych [World Festival of Polish Community Folklore Ensembles] has been organized in Rzeszow. After over 50 years, the 18th edition was organized of this unique event taking place every three years in the capital of Outer Subcarpathia. During each edition, the festival attracts over 1,200 Poles living in various parts of the world, from North America to Australia. Ultimately, the Festival has become one of the biggest events of the Polish diaspora in the world. Among the main ideas of the festival has been integration of Polish communities abroad and propagation of Polish culture among Poles living abroad. Many cultural and social developments testify to the culture-forming role of the Festival which enjoys a high rank and significance in the system of forging the Polish diaspora’s bonds with the mother country. For decades, folklore has been an important element of the emotional relation with Poland’s history and culture, a symbol of the ties with the nation and the regional tradition.