We invite you to join us on a journey with Polem and Nikija to follow the traces of Polishness around the world. .

Attractive learning of history
The aim of this animation prepared by the POLONIK Institute is to familiarise the youngest viewers with the Polish cultural heritage found abroad. Together with the cheerful, resolute characters, children will have the opportunity to learn about the most interesting places, monuments and people associated with our culture.

Film series
As the title suggests, "The First Journey" is only an introduction to the further adventures of Pola and Niki - the POLONIKA Institute is planning to create an animated series about the adventures of the cheerful siblings. Each subsequent episode will deal with a different topic and take the children on a journey through Polish culture to new, unexpected places. At the same time, all the films created as part of the series will relate to the core curriculum, so that they can serve as teaching aids and enrich lessons at school.

Our mission
The animation was created as one of the Institute's popularisation activities. Within the framework of the "Popularisation" Programme, the Institute conducts publishing, exhibition and multimedia projects bringing closer places, people and stories related to Poles and Polish cultural heritage abroad.

Educating the youngest recipients of culture is extremely important to us, so we prepare, among other things, lesson scenarios, colouring books and rebus books, as well as short animations adapted to the curriculum," says Magdalena Gutowska, head of the programme. - By means of engaging and attractive materials for children and young people, we are introducing concepts such as "polonics" to the consciousness of young Poles.

A gala premiere
The festive premiere of the film took place on 20 December 2018 at Kino Kultura in Warsaw.

The special screening was attended by students from Warsaw schools, who were welcomed by Dorota Janiszewska-Jakubiak, director of the POLONIK Institute. A short lecture on Polonics was given by the head of the "Popularisation" Programme, Magdalena Gutowska, and the film's co-author, Krzysztof Czeczot. The young viewers received the film with great enthusiasm and are eagerly awaiting the next adventures of the friendly characters. The event was combined with the celebration of the first birthday of the POLONIKA institute.

Polo and Nika, the fair, the grandfather and the golden rider

Polo and Nika travel to Dresden this time. One of the most famous Christmas markets is taking place here. What adventure awaits them this time? We invite you to watch the film. The fair, the grandfather and the golden rider.... The latter is Pol's unique guide to Dresden. King August II the Strong comes down specially from the monument to help the boy find his sister and the Traveller. In the 18th century, Dresden and Poland were united by great politics. With the coronation of Augustus II, Dresden became one of the two capitals of the then Polish-Saxon union. The other was Warsaw.

Polo and Nika. "Let it be cracked by lightning".

This time Polo and Nika recount their adventure during a school trip to Vilnius. During the trip to Vilnius, Polo and Nika also visited the Na Rossie cemetery. This is one of the four most important necropolises for Poles.
Watch the film to learn more about the many interesting characters.

Polo and Nika. Constructors

Polo and Nika learn this time that building a hut is not so simple after all.
Watch the next episode of the adventures of the inventive siblings. This time, they learn about sturdy structures that make it possible for buildings to survive even the heaviest downpour. They go on a journey to Lvov for this knowledge.

Polo and Nika and the mysterious machine
This September marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Stanisław Lem, one of Poland's most famous writers. Polo and Nika, thirsty for great adventures, this time end up in Lviv and meet young Lem there.

This time Polo and Nika have lost their friend the Traveller somewhere in the space of time. They try to find him, but how to do it when they are in 1930s Lviv? The ever reliable Stanisław Lem can help.

See how they managed and what machine they constructed together. You will also find out which hill is the highest in Lviv and on which street was the best patisserie.

Polo and Nika. Ryska awantura

The holidays have also started for Polo and Nika. We present the 7th episode of their adventures.

This time Polo and Nika get to know... Riga! The resourceful siblings visit Riga Technical University, meet its most famous graduates and find out the meaning of the mysterious 'circuses'.

Polo and Nika. Georgian expedition

During the holidays, Polo and Nika go on a trip to Georgia.

In the 6th episode of our series, the siblings wonder how they will find and describe the best polonik found during their holiday so that they can win a holiday school competition. As usual, the Traveller comes to the rescue and takes the children to Georgia. Here they meet not only Bolesław Statkowski, a Polish engineer who designed and supervised the construction of the Transcaucasian railway, but also Henryk Hryniewski, a Polish architect who designed the current building of the National Library of the Georgian Parliament (formerly: the Noble Bank).

The most mysterious person we met, however, turned out to be the forester Ludwik Mlokosiewicz. He was a zoologist and botanist, researcher of the Caucasus, traveller and discoverer of, among other things, the Caucasian black grouse.

Do you already know what polonics Polo and Nika will describe in the school holiday competition? If not, watch the film. You are welcome!

Polo and Nika. The American dream

Polo and Nika embark on another expedition! In the 5th episode of our series, a magic trunk takes the siblings to the United States, where they try to find a lost photo of their grandmother from their youth. Polo and Nika, along with the Traveler, also visit Pola Negri on the set of a film, tour the Polish Museum in Chicago and meet the ghost of composer Ignacy Paderewski.

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Polo and Nika. The mystery of the museum in Rapperswil

Join us on another journey with Polo and Nika! This time the merry siblings are going to Switzerland, where they intend to go skiing, but the children's attention is caught by the unusual castle in Rapperswil!

Polo and Nika decide to visit the castle and the Polish Museum inside, learn about its history and meet two mysterious ghosts... It turns out that these are the ghosts of the museum's founders - Władysław Plater and Henryk Bukowski - who are preparing the museum's collection to move to a new location.

Polo and Nika. The palace in Djodhpur

In yet another third episode, merry siblings Polo and Nika find themselves in India!

This time Polo and Nika embark on a journey to India. In Jodhpur, they have the opportunity to help Stefan Norblin complete the paintings that adorn the Maharaja's palace. They also learn that these works have been taken care of by Polish conservators, including Jozef Stecinski.

Polo and Nika. Armenian cathedral

Polo and Nika take the children on a journey to the Armenian Cathedral in the second part of our cartoon. There they have the opportunity to meet Jan Henryk Rosen, who is currently working on his masterpiece.

Polo and Nika not only decorate the cathedral together with the artist, but also meet the conservator Paweł Baranowski and learn what art conservation is all about and why it is so important.

Polo and Nika. The first expedition

The POLONIKA Institute presents the first film production through which children can learn about Polish cultural heritage outside our country.

The short animation "Polo and Nika - the first expedition" is aimed at children beginning their adventure with school, i.e. grades 0-3. Two amusing characters - the siblings Polo and Nika - while visiting their grandmother accidentally discover a mysterious trunk, which takes them on a magical journey on the trail of Polonica...