Stowarzyszenie Łemków (Rusyn: Стоваришыня Лемків)

Stowarzyszenie Łemków (Rusyn: Стоваришыня Лемків, 'Lemko Association') is a Rusyn-Lemko community and cultural organization based in Poland. It was founded in Legnica on 15 March 1989 and formally registered on 7 April 1989, making it the first Lemko social organization established after the political liberalization of Poland. Andrzej Kopcza served as its president from its foundation. The association is a member of the World Rusyn Council (Всемирный совет русинов). Its statutory aims include integrating Lemkos regardless of religious affiliation, preserving and developing Lemko spiritual and material culture, teaching the Lemko language, popularizing the history of the Lemko region and the life of Lemkos abroad, and promoting Lemko-Polish friendship and cooperation with other national-minority organizations in Poland. Its activities span cultural and educational events (concerts, theatre, film screenings, lectures, seminars, courses, exhibitions, dances), the creation of cultural centres such as libraries, reading rooms, clubs, community centres, museums and ethnographic rooms, amateur artistic ensembles, publishing, and the cataloguing and preservation of Lemko cultural monuments. It also organizes trips and rallies focused on the Lemko homeland in the Low and Krynica Beskids. Education has been central since the beginning: the association organized the first Lemko-language lessons in the 1991/1992 school year at a school in Uście Gorlickie, participates in developing Lemko-language curricula and textbooks, and initiated a course in Rusyn-Lemko philology at the Pedagogical University of Kraków. Publishing is another core activity. The association issues the bimonthly Besida, the press organ of its Main Council, with materials in Lemko and Polish; since 1995 it has included a children's and youth supplement, Lemkivska Lastivochka. It also publishes Lemkivskyi Richnyk (formerly Lemkivskyi Kalendar) and has released several dozen books. In 1989 it created the Theatre of the Lemko Association, and with its participation the children's ensemble Lastivochka was formed in Przemków. The association organizes several recurring events, the largest being the Lemko Watra na Obczyźnie ('Lemko Bonfire Abroad'). Its official website carries news, ticket information for the 46th Lemko Watra na Obczyźnie, the programme of that event, joint statements of Lemko organizations, and announcements such as the 2026 RuthenAle international biennale of Lemko/Rusyn culture in Krenytsia and Wysowa. In 2025 the Lemko language was entered on Poland's National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage as a carrier of Lemko cultural heritage, and the association received a congratulatory letter from Minister of Culture and National Heritage Marta Cienkowska. The site also announced that Daniel Horoszczak became a director.

Stowarzyszenie Łemków (Rusyn: Стоваришыня Лемків) is a Rusyn-Lemko community organization founded in Legnica, Poland, on 15 March 1989 and registered on 7 April 1989. It was the first Lemko social organization created after the democratization of Poland's political system. The first meeting of the future organization took place on 5 February 1989, when Andrzej Kopcza presented a draft statute and the participants discussed the organization's name and future activities. The first official session of the first post-war Lemko organization was held on 5 March 1989. Andrzej Kopcza served as president from the moment of its foundation. The association is a member of the World Rusyn Council. From the outset, the association's main activity was organizing Lemko-language lessons. The first such lessons were held in the 1991/1992 school year at a school in Uście Gorlickie. The association participates in developing Lemko-language teaching programmes and corresponding school textbooks, and it initiated a course in Rusyn philology with the Rusyn-Lemko language at the Pedagogical University of Kraków. Publishing has also been central. The association issues the bimonthly Besida, the press organ of its Main Council, publishing materials in Lemko and Polish; since 1995 it has included a supplement for children and young people, Lemkivska Lastivochka. In addition to Besida, it publishes Lemkivskyi Richnyk (formerly Lemkivskyi Kalendar) and has released several dozen books. In 1989 the Theatre of the Lemko Association was created. With the association's participation, the children's ensemble Lastivochka was formed in Przemków. The association organizes several recurring events, the largest of which is the Lemko Watra na Obczyźnie ('Lemko Bonfire Abroad'). Its website carries news, ticket information and the programme for the 46th Lemko Watra na Obczyźnie, joint statements of Lemko organizations, and announcements such as the 2026 RuthenAle international biennale of Lemko/Rusyn culture, to be held on 24 May 2026 in Krenytsia and 25 May 2026 in Wysowa. In 2025 the Lemko language was entered on Poland's National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage as a carrier of Lemko cultural heritage, and the association received a congratulatory letter from Minister of Culture and National Heritage Marta Cienkowska. The site also announced that Daniel Horoszczak became a director.

• First meeting of the future organization; Andrzej Kopcza presented a draft statute.

• First official session of the first post-war Lemko organization.

• Stowarzyszenie Łemków founded in Legnica.

• Association formally registered.

• Theatre of the Lemko Association created.

• First Lemko-language lessons held at a school in Uście Gorlickie.

• Children's and youth supplement Lemkivska Lastivochka added to Besida.

• Lemko language entered on Poland's National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

• 13th RuthenAle international biennale of Lemko/Rusyn culture in Krenytsia.

• RuthenAle continues in Wysowa.

A community and cultural association dedicated to preserving and promoting Lemko Rusyn language, culture and heritage in Poland and among the Lemko diaspora.

• Besida

  Bimonthly magazine, press organ of the Main Council, in Lemko and Polish.

• Lemkivska Lastivochka

  Children's and youth supplement to Besida, since 1995.

• Lemkivskyi Richnyk

  Annual publication, formerly Lemkivskyi Kalendar.

• Lemko-language textbooks and curricula

  Developed with the association's participation.

1. 1Stowarzyszenie Łemków official websitestowarzyszenielemkow.pl
2. 2Wikidata: Stovaryshyni︠a︡ lemkivwikidata.org
3. 3Содружество лемков — Wikipedia (Russian)ru.wikipedia.org