Jolanta Kwaśniewska visited Bolesławiec in support of MP Małgorzata Sekuła-Szmajdzińska. In a special interview with istotne.pl, the former first lady explained why it is harder for women than men to pursue a political career. She also spoke about the “Taming Old Age” programme she initiated to raise awareness of the issues faced by older people in Poland.
The First Lady spoke about our city and region with great warmth. She was delighted by the warm welcome at the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre – International Ceramics Centre. During her visit, she stopped by Mateusz Grobelny’s ceramics studio and came across a class for adults. She told the participants that if she lived in Bolesławiec, she would sign up for the class immediately.
Jolanta Kwaśniewska on frosted people
During the meeting with supporters of the Democratic Left Alliance, the head of the Porozumienie Bez Barier Foundation focused on her “Taming Old Age” programme.
She spoke about the lack of tolerance for old people and about old age being an embarrassing and neglected subject in Poland. She even coined a name for older people, calling them “frosted”, comparing people over 65 to majestic trees covered in frost during winter.
“I photographed trees in spring, summer and autumn, but the winter ones, with their frosted, silvery branches, were the most beautiful,” Joanna Kwaśniewska said at the meeting. “I love frosted people, but old people are discriminated against in Poland. I was surprised to discover that it was easier to raise funds for causes involving children and animals than for old people. Adult children and grandchildren do not devote as much time to their grandparents and parents as they devoted to them during their childhood. This is most visible when an older person needs to be taught how to use modern equipment: a computer, smartphone or tablet. Yet thanks to these tools, old people can actively participate in social life, learn, find entertainment centres, contact specialists and make medical appointments,” the First Lady explained.
Jolanta Kwaśniewska also stressed the importance of non-governmental organisations and warmly greeted our Amazons.
With great tact, she reminded the audience to switch off their mobile phones. During Jolanta Kwaśniewska’s speech at today’s meeting, phones rang frequently, disturbing the speaker. Eventually, Jolanta Kwaśniewska stopped and gave the audience time to silence their phones, and during the break she told a humorous anecdote.
During a concert in Poland by the world-famous cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who has since died, a mobile phone rang. It was louder than the master’s cello. The First Lady, who was attending the concert, was dying of embarrassment on behalf of her fellow countrymen because, as she said, this had never happened at any foreign concert she had attended. Eventually, the phone stopped ringing, and the master approached the microphone and jokingly said in Russian to the anonymous owner of the unfortunate phone.
“So, is everything all right at home?” Rostropovich asked, disarming the audience and easing the tension.
The anecdote also amused the Bolesławiec audience, but immediately after it ended, someone’s mobile phone rang again...
Below, we present photographs from the meeting at BOK-MCC.
