Since 5 February, an exhibition dedicated to the Jizera Mountains and Polana Jakuszycka has been on display in the Sejm. Patronized by the Karkonosze–Jizera Parliamentary Group, the exhibition consists of more than thirty photographs presenting Polana Jakuszycka and the beauty of the Jizera Mountains in different seasons. The photographs show their sporting, landscape, natural and recreational qualities.
The exhibition was officially opened by Marshal of the Sejm Ewa Kopacz, the exhibition’s originator, MP Zofia Czernow, and Senator Jan Michalski, who is a member of the Karkonosze–Jizera Parliamentary Group.
Among the many guests were parliamentarians, local government officials and journalists – including Marek Niedźwiecki – as well as foresters from the Świeradów Forest District, who prepared the exhibition and promotional materials together with the Izera Partnership Association. A large group consisted of students from secondary schools in Lwówek Śląski, who came to the Sejm at the invitation of Senator Jan Michalski.
During the opening, Senator Jan Michalski presented the Marshal with the film “Izerskie Klimaty”, produced by Telewizja Bogatynia. It is a series consisting of two installments devoted to the region’s artists, treasures and history. In addition, the head of the Świeradów-Zdrój Forest District, Wiesław Krzewina, presented the Marshal of the Sejm with a green frog, explaining that it refers to the legend of a frog. The legend says that, while staying in Świeradów-Zdrój (formerly Bad Flinsberg), the Berlin physician Leonard Thurneyssen noticed a dead frog lying in one of the springs during a walk. At first, it did not arouse the physician’s interest; however, during his next walk near the spring, he was surprised to find that the frog had not decomposed. This led Count Schaffgotsch to commission a chemical analysis of the waters in 1739, confirming the springs’ healing properties. Today, the frog is a symbol promoting Świeradów-Zdrój.
Referring to Polana Jakuszycka, Bieg Piastów founder Julian Gozdowski spoke about the beginnings of cross-country skiing in Jakuszyce and the Bieg Piastów Association’s plan to turn the clearing into a centre for classical skiing and a world championship venue. The event’s phenomenon is the annual participation of competitors from more than thirty countries.
The presence of Lower Silesian Voivode Aleksander Skorupa, county heads Walery Czarnecki (Lubań County), Stanisław Mrówka (Lwówek County), Zgorzelec Deputy County Head Mariusz Tureńca and mayors from the municipalities of the Jizera Foothills underscored the local governments’ willingness to cooperate in promoting the qualities and attractions of the Jizera Mountains.
(commissioned information)