Speakers

Founder and president of Klub Gaja. A professional social entrepreneur, expert in civil society activism in the area of environmental protection and animal welfare. Awarded with the Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta for building civil society (2011). He completed a number of courses in Poland and abroad concerned with ecology and social activism, including those at the River Basin Management Fellowship and the German Marshall Fund of the United States (1994). He received the scholarship from the government of New South Wales, Australia and worked at the Rainforest Information Center. A stipend holder and fellow of the international association Ashoka Innovators for the Public (od 1997). Involved in Klub Gaja nationwide and international programs including the National Campaign "Now the Vistula" (since 1994), environmental education programs „Adopt a River” (since 2005) and „Tree Day” (since 2003). Founder of the social education program "The Way of a Gaia Warrior". He gives lectures and workshops. In his work, he uses a range of artistic activity forms, directing happenings and theatre shows including “The Living World” (presented during the Nova Polska 2004 Polish Season in France). Experienced in working in a number of advisory and consulting teams of various levels: national – National Nature Conservation Council (2004-2009; 2009-2014); provincial – Silesian Voivodeship Regional Commission for Environmental Impact Assessments (2009-20014), Silesian Voivodeship Council of Landscape Parks (2010-2015) and international – Eurogroup for Animals (1998-2011). In 2014 he was appointed the deputy chairman of the National Environment Protection Council. Jacek Bożek co-authored books such as Antologia praw zwierząt (An anthology of animal rights, 1995), Jak uratować rzekę (How to save a river, 1997), Saving a River (1997), Człowiek i pies (Man and dog, 2003), Ekologia wyzwaniem XXI wieku (Ecology as the challenge of the 21st century, 2011). O zmienianiu świata Droga Wojowników Gai / On Changing the World: The Way of Gaia Warriors (2013). Winner of individual and collective awards, he received, amongst others, Polcul Award of the Independent Foundation for the Support of Polish Culture for cultural activities and protection of environment (2000); the honourable title of the Man of the Year 2001 in Polish Environmentalism (2002); the Polish Forester Cutlass, highest honour of the National Forests, for Klub Gaja actions on behalf of nature conservation and the Tree Day environmental education program (2008); the Minister of Environment's badge of honour – “For the Merits in Environmental Protection and Water Management” (2009); the Shining World Hero Award (2010); the Green Cheque in the category of Environmental Education of Children and Young People (2014); the Wojciech Dutka Organic Work in Environmental Protection Award (2014). A mountains lover.