48. BALTIC NATIONS KOMMERS
Baltic Nations Kommers is an annual event organised in one of the countries: Germany, Estonia and Latvia. The tradition was set up at the beginning of XIX century, when such events have been organised on the Technical University of Riga and the Dorpat University. Present edition of the Kommers (in it's present form) has first taken place in 1964 in Western Germany, and after the communism fall in the Middle-Eastern Europe, it has also been organised in Estonia and Latvia. In 2011, for the very first time in an almost half-century history of the Kommers, it is going to be held in Poland.
Baltic Nations Kommers is a forum of introducement and cooperation of the students - members of korporations - from countries devoted to the baltic tradition. Annual meetings result in making not only new friendships, but also scientific, business and cultural contacts. Many of the korporations' members hold responsible positions in country administration, NGO's and business companies.
The participants of Baltic Nations Kommers are members of 57 student corporations from Poland, Germany, Latvia and Estonia. The oldest corporations have been founded back in XIX century (i.e. K! Polonia in 1828 in Dorpat (Tartu), K! Arkonia in 1879 and K! Welecja 1883 in Riga) and they constantly function up to this day. Corporations gather students and graduates of universities, who exceed others in scientific achievements and community involvement. Baltic Nations Kommers is a ceremony, that gathers representatives of national intelligence and leaders of opinion from baltic tradition countries.
Baltic Nations Kommers is also a platform of cultural exchange. Each and every time the organiser uses this gathering for promotion of his Motherland among the participants, what is very significant, especially in the context of European Union's regional policy.
The Kommers is a cultural and social meeting. Now, as it has been for decades, the program consists of: a charity ball, in which many representatives of science, culture, business and public life; a ceremonial gala, which is attended by the highest representatives of academic and state power; the Kommers itself, which is a kind of a significant supper, where corporations' members present their own academic traditions.
48th edition of Baltic Nations Kommers is the first one to be held in Poland. We expect about 500 participants. We wish to show the most important traditions of our country, including cultural, historical and culinary. By careful organisation and elegant setting we wish to present Poland as a country of great history, even greater potential based on european tradition, and Poles as outgoing, smart and well organised. We strongly believe, that with such actions are an essential element of forming Poland's image in the opinion of business and cultural mentors of Germany, Estonia and Latvia.