User:Raw05002/sandbox

What is Quo Vadis?
Quo Vadis is an annual congregation of college and graduate students as well as young professionals aimed at creating a sustainable world-wide network of young members of the Polish Diaspora. The Quo Vadis conference series originated in Canada when a group of students at the University of Ottawa decided to put this idea into action in 2009. The main aim of this project is to unify and strengthen local communities as well as provide networking opportunities. During the three days the conference is held there are a series of discussions, lectures, and panels. These all focus on leadership, heritage, and the future of our Diaspora. To date, there have been five editions of Quo Vadis in Canada and the United States. They have attracted delegates from all corners of the North American continent as well as Europe and Australia. The Quo Vadis network alone is already 500 alumni strong.

The second installment of the Quo Vadis conference in the United States will be held in New Britain, Connecticut. New Britain has a long history of Polish immigrant settlement as well as a strong cultivation of Polish culture and heritage. This year’s conference will focus on increased Polonia presence in politics, discussion of career success, and also highlight Polish presence in the arts. It will cover several industries to not only create a lasting network for the delegates but also prove that successful young Polish professionals can be present in a variety of fields.

Theme
The theme of Quo Vadis Connecticut is “Growing our Roots.” This highlights that the young professionals of the community are growing as individuals while recognizing that the common heritage is what initially brought this initiative together. It also demonstrates that through dialogue, teamwork, and unity of the Polish Diaspora will create success for individuals as well as the community as a whole.

The second American edition of Quo Vadis in Connecticut will be the first time on the East Coast. The organizational committee hopes to provide opportunities for students and young professionals to create lasting ties with other Polonia communities in the United States as well as world-wide. The team also will aim to demonstrate to future generations that great things and initiatives can also happen in smaller cities.

Motivation for Quo Vadis
The committee’s motivation for bringing the Quo Vadis conference to Connecticut stems from several different areas. This includes bringing the mission of the conference to the East Coast, creating unity within our community, and also enriching the lives of the residents here. We have a strong Polish presence in Connecticut and have been a vibrant part of the community for decades. The conference would demonstrate to other communities that there is a strong Polonia presence in New England and also highlight that Polonia can exist in both a large city but also a small town.

While we may be a state that is much smaller in size than compared to most, there are many points of interest that can be explored further. This is especially true of the Polish population that resides in mainly the central part of the state. The city of New Britain has been affectionately renamed “Little Poland” due to the long standing history of the Polish community here. The community can be credited with many positive changes that have occurred throughout the years. This includes renovating sections of the city to bring New Britain into the modern era and attract more business owners to the area.

The Polish population of Connecticut today boasts a Polish language school, Polish language newspapers, a yearly Miss Polonia scholarship pageant, Polish scouts, and several community events that occur throughout the year. This includes Dozynki, Odpust, and the Little Poland Festival. The Broad Street area, the center of the Polish businesses, has been officially designated as the Little Poland section of the city by the Mayor. Many of the business owners created Polish American Happy Hour where local business owners meet monthly for a networking event. The Happy Hour recently celebrated their second anniversary. There are also several community clubs, organizations, and the Polish National Home located in Hartford. The New Britain Herald, the local English language newspaper, also offers a Polish version that is printed every Wednesday. Many of the streets and highways in this area are named after Polish military officials. Pope John Paul II also visited in 1969 during the time when he was a Cardinal in Krakow. At Central Connecticut State University students can find several avenues to explore their Polish culture and heritage. In 1974 the Polish Studies Program was established at the university. The program was initiated by local Polonia activists. From this program the Endowed Chair in Polish and Polish American studies was established in 1996. Within the endowed chair many lectures, concerts, and exhibits are organized. The University currently has a Polish Studies minor that one can incorporate in their plan of study. The University also has an active Polish Club on campus that exposes students to the culture, traditions, and language. The Polish Heritage Collection is featured in the library. The University is currently hosting Polish Movie Nights where students and people from the community can view Polish movies with English subtitles. These movie showings are open to the public. This has been made possible through cooperation between the Endowed Chair, the Semper Polonia Foundation, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

With all these resources available to us we would like to take the community a step further to create a better sense of unity. While each sector has made amazing strides in their own capacity there can be a better sense of community and have each member actively involved. The Quo Vadis Conference in Connecticut will be the driving force that not only engages our entire community; it will also create a dialogue with members of other Polish communities. We will not only be able to showcase all that our Polonia has to offer but we will also be exposing members of our community to other young professionals all working towards a common goal. There are many young leaders of tomorrow residing in this area; we would like to give them the chance to not only attend the Quo Vadis conference but also to instill a sense of pride in their hometown. At the moment, residents of Connecticut tend to travel out of the state to attend conferences or large scale events. These events tend to occur in the New York City area or in Boston, which is a two hour commute to either city. We would like to bring the Quo Vadis Conference to demonstrate that large scale events can not only occur in smaller cities but that they can be successful. This will show future generations that by believing in themselves and working hard they can achieve any goal they set their minds to, no matter where they are.

Connecticut is also within driving distance to several other Polish communities on the East Coast. In Massachusetts there is a significant Polish population and it is about an hour commute by car to our area. From New York City it is a two and a half hour commute and many participants can travel by car or by train for an affordable fee. Many students pay only about $14 one way. New Jersey is also about a three hour car ride, depending on what part of the state a person is traveling from. Our geographic location and proximity to other Polish communities on the East Coast will make the conference more accessible to students and young professionals to attend. Connecticut is the ideal place for the next Quo Vadis Conference in the United States. Our long history in this community, the rich expansion of Polish programs, and proximity to other communities will provide an outstanding experience for participants. The Quo Vadis Conference will unite a community, create access to the conference on the East Coast, and show future generations that big things can happen in small cities.