How many planets are there in the cosmos/How many stars shine in the sky/So much happiness and joy/You can find for yourself (...) - these are some of the many wishes which were sent in for the competition entitled "Wishes for Copernicus", organised by the Centrum Spotkań Europejskich "Światowid" in Elbląg. It was very difficult to select the winners, so in addition to the three best, the jury awarded as many as seven distinctions.

 

48 works - that's how many young Elbląg residents were sent to the competition, in which they were supposed to make birthday wishes on the occasion of the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus. The submitted works show that some of them knew the biography of the great astronomer well.

- The knowledge and great commitment of the participants are evident. There were truly original ideas, which show that even today's children can be very close to the figure of the astronomer - say the organisers of the competition. - Wishes for Copernicus to have a successful birthday party, e.g. with paintball or go-karts, to receive the latest iPhone as a present to help him with his future discoveries, or to play basketball on the court next to the Lidzbark castle were intertwined with assurances that the memory of the scientist would never be lost.

The organisers selected the winners, who were:

Piotr Kawczynski, Fabian Bona and Wojciech Drobiszewski.

Honorable mentions: Maria Tazuszel, Mikołaj Falkowski, Liliana Koziczkowska, Michał Wołkowicz, Daria Tomasik, Julia Narbuntowicz, Anna Antoniuk.

Congratulations to all the winners!

The award ceremony will take place on Sunday, 19 February during the 'Copernicus Birthday' event, which will begin at 4 p.m. On that day, a film about Nicolaus Copernicus, which was made at the Regional Digitisation Workshop, will be shown. Małgorzata Czupajło from the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum in Frombork gives a very interesting and factual account of the astronomer. The screening will be followed by a family quiz with prizes on the astronomer's life and achievements. There will be a cake, baked by "Torty Robione Nocą" and a selfie wall with Copernicus.

- Families with children of any age are invited to celebrate Copernicus' birthday, it is intended to be a gathering full of fun. Admission is free - the organisers add.