Poland Today: Exporting Warsaw

Paulina Potasińska – Lecture and workshop

Poland Today: Exporting Warsaw
March 18th, 16:00 – 18:00 at Veröld – house of Vigdís, Brynjólfsgata 1, 107 Rvk.

Warsaw is a city that was meant to disappear. Nearly obliterated during World War II, rebuilt from ruins, reshaped by socialism, and radically transformed after 1989, it is today one of Europe’s most dynamic – and contradictory – capitals. At the event “Poland Today: Exporting Warsaw”, organized by the Language Centre of the University of Iceland and held under the patronage of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, we will explore how Warsaw tells its story to the world.

The first part of the meeting will be a lecture titled “Warsaw’s Cultural Export Goods”, held in English and open to everyone curious about the capital of Poland. The lecture will show how Warsaw “exports” its identity through legends, symbols, iconic figures, urban spaces, monuments, cuisine, music, and everyday rituals. Rather than a conventional historical overview, it will provide an engaging introduction to Warsaw as a cultural phenomenon, inviting participants to move beyond stereotypes and experience the city as a vibrant metropolis with much to offer.

The second part, a workshop titled “Warszawa dla początkujących” (Warsaw for beginners), is aimed at participants on beginners’ level (A1/A1+). In this session, they will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the city, expand their vocabulary, and strengthen their cultural competence.

The Polish Ambassador to Iceland, Mr. Aleksander Kropiwnicki, will deliver the opening address, and refreshments related to the subject of the event will be offered.

Paulina Potasińska is a literary scholar and specialist in language acquisition (glottodidactics). She is an Assistant Professor at the Polonicum Centre at the University of Warsaw, where she teaches Polish as a second language. Her research focuses on contemporary Polish literature, with particular emphasis on the literary geography of Warsaw, and she has delivered lectures on this subject around the world.