Association of the Friends of Four Continents
Asia, Africa, America, Australia

Goals – Scope of activity

Friends Of Four Continents Society has been registered in 1991 in Poland as a social independent non-governmental organization. It`s statutory activity is concentrated in spreading and promoting knowledge on non european countries and enhancing public interest in their history, tradition, cultural heritage, scientific achievements, social-economic structures as well as in their problems and their future in our global world. Our is the important task to guide the public, beyond the Europe-centered media, towards overseas horizons. We achieve these goals by organising club-meetings, social gatherings, cultural events and literary or scientific panels.

The Society aims of a contribution to encourage foreign and economic policy which fosters close links with the overseas countries. We consider these links to be an important asset at our country when we join the European Union.

Activities of our Society are not strictly limited to the overseas countries. In our global world most problems of the Four Continents cannot be separated from the political, economic and cultural trends of some developed European Countries. Whenever global or specific problems call for closer contacts with European or International Missions in Poland our Society seeks and highly appreciates cooperation with them.

Therefore we highly appreciate presentations, when welcoming in our Club representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other institutions both public and private who support our activities. We initiate panels of topics related to important events and Declarations by UN and their Agencies (ecologic, demographic, social, economic, etc.).

We make steady progress in achieving our goals within our very modest financial means, limited to contributions from our regular and supporting members. Besides specific undertakings are modestly supported by Sponsors (institutions, firms, embassies).

At present we have about 250 regular members and several hundred sympathizers who participate in those activities which evoke their specific interest.

Our Society cooperates closely with Warsaw University, Polish Writers` Union, Catholic Missions Center, National Economic Chamber (KIG) and enjoys support from the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Economy, Affairs Labour & Social Policies and the Ministry of Culture. It maintains contacts with Museums, Editors, Media, Students` Unions and with schools and get substantial support from `Civitas Christiana`, which extends access to their office and club-rooms facilities.
Special Events

Our Society in the close cooperation with the Warsaw Agricultural University (SGGW) and with participation of a number of professors of Warsaw & Poznań Universities as well as lecturers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has organized a Conference `North – South: conflict or cooperation?`. The patronage was assumed by the Rector of Warsaw Agricultural University. The full scholarly product of the Conference has been published in a special edition (2001).

On November 2003 our Society jointly with the Warsaw University (the Institute of Oriental Studies) organized a Scientific and Educational Conference titled: `Native Peoples` - `The Fourth World! A legacy of colonialism? A Scansen curiosity? Or perhaps our future partners in a global world?` This event aimed at recapitulation of the `United Nations International Decade of the Native Peoples` (1994-2004). The Conference had the privilege of being held under the honorary patronage of the UN-Agency in Warsaw. UNIC Director, UN Resident Coordinator in Poland Mr. Colin Glennie addressed the participants of the Conference on the opening ceremony. During two days 24 lectures representing various academic institutions were presenting their view on crucial subjects covering the areas of international law, ethnology, politics and social aspects. Every lecture was followed by a discussion.

The Society has organized Several Regional Festivals in the premisses of the Warsaw Ethnographic Museum. Year after Year – African, Latin American, South and South-Eastern Asian culture was presented in a comprenensive form including: objects of art, films, pictures, music, regional dresses and dances. A substantial contribution was imparted by Embassies, foreign students, tourist agencies, cultural institutions, etc. This form of popular promotion permitted to some hundreds visitors to get acquinted with various samples of national culture, customs as well as the beauty of architecture and landscape.

Our Society does not engage in commercial or other profitable activities, but recognizes the importance of economic links in promoting good-will and understanding among peoples. Therefore we do appreciate our cooperation with the National Chamber of Commerce (represented in our Board) and with Polish diplomatic and commercial missions abroad. We also enjoy support and guidance from Ministry of Economy, Labour & Social Affairs. As a result a number fo economic panels (on Vietnam, China, Magreb, Latin America) took place in the premisses of the National Chamber of Commerce with our meaningful participation.

The President of our Society is a former member of the Board of the Polish Writers` Union. So, naturally a number of literary and cultural events aimed at promoting the knowledge of literature and culture of specific countries take place in the premises and under auspices of the PWU. We welcome any suggestions to promote writers or works of overseas authors.

Heads of Foreign Missions in Warsaw avail of the opportunities to present various aspects of their countries to our members and sympathizers. Our schedule for this events is usually full and evenly distributed. During 10 years of our activity we hosted over 60 Heads of Foreign Diplomatic Missions.

Our Board (based on a honorary unpaid employment) is composed by persons of high standing and with professional, executive and scientific background and experience.

Presently it includes the following personalities:

PRESIDENT:
Tadeusz Strojwąs – Chairman of Foreign Relations Committee.

V-PRESIDENTS:
dr Witold Gerlicz – president of the Economic Chamber in Łódź.
Krzysztof Kudera, M.Sc.

-includes persons attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Labour and Social Policies, public and private media.