History of Klub Gaja

I want to thank here all my teachers who awakened a warrior in me who now works for the Earth and all beings.  Thank you to my
parents, to Jerzy Grotowski, Joanna Macy, John Seed, Chogyam Trungpa and my wife.

Jacek Bożek
founder and president of Klub Gaja

The History of Klub Gaja
Klub Gaja was established by Jacek Bożek as an informal group in 1988. The common idea for the people connected with Klub Gaja was deep ecology and uncompromising protection of Mother Earth. Being aware that elements of the world around us are inseparable and that there is a necessity to satisfy our needs, we focused the activities of our club on individual development and group work.
The club was first mentioned when information was placed in the underground newspaper "Solidarność Podbeskidzia" on the 20th of March 1989, which referred to a direct action to protect the trees in the city centre from being cut down.  From the very beginning, workshops were factors which united Klub Gaja as a group of people who lived and worked together for the Earth. At first, these included "Workshop for All Beings" and then "The Way of Gaia's Warrior".
The strength of Klub Gaja consists of the possibility of sharing the experience of the sanctity of Life, as well as a profound contact with ourselves and the world, by means of various methods.
Dear Friends
We are the ecological and cultural association Klub Gaja based in Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
We are an independent, fully registered, non-profit making, non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 1988.
We lead two national and increasingly international campaigns.
The first, "Teraz Wisła" ("Vistula Now"), is a campaign for the pro-ecological, pro-social development of one of Europe's largest, most natural and wild rivers, the Vistula.
The second campaign, in which we have had significant major success, is for animal rights. It is called "Zwierzę nie jest rzeczą" ("An animal is not a thing").
In addition we lead a selection of local activities under the title of "Local Earth".
Coalition work and co-operation with other groups and organisations, around the World, forms an important part of our activity, which we call "Our Belief".
"Art for the Earth" forms an important part of our work.  We use many art forms such as theatre, happenings and graffiti-street art.
Klub Gaja believes in and uses only peaceful methods, we promote and demonstrate co-operation in our work.
Network building, publication of literature in Polish and English, leading workshops, creation of high profile events, lobbying, use of theatre, direct action, exhibitions, working with scientists, politicians, institutions, national and local governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), interested individuals and the media, are all methods of our work.
Klub Gaja was founded through underground channels by its present day president Jacek Bożek, who is also a Fellow of the Ashoka Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs.
Klub Gaja has won many awards for its work as an organisation and for its campaigns.