The projects used the city coat of arms, the logo of the city's centenary celebrations, and Gdynia's modernist architecture – the recognisable form of the Polish Ocean Lines building. The badges were created using materials characteristic of the work of Tadeusz Dobkowski – amber, gold and bog oak. Their combination made it possible to create a small yet expressive form where natural colours and textures meet.
From family tradition to anniversary execution
Tadeusz Dobkowski is an amber artisan from Gdynia and a creator of original jewellery. Run by him since 1997, his workshop continues a family tradition of amber working lasting over 50 years. In his work, Dobkowski emphasises the natural beauty of amber, creating unique jewellery and artistic objects.
This is not his first project connected with an important jubilee. Dobkowski made an amber egg for the famous Fabergé's Amber Millennium Egg – of a gift for the 1000th anniversary of Gdańsk made by Victor Mayer.
Pins for the occasion of Gdynia being inscribed on the UNESCO list
Anniversary lapel pins were given to the representatives of Gdynia participating in the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, which took place from 19 to 29 July 2026.
For Gdynia, the session was of particular importance. On 27 July, the Committee decided to inscribe Gdynia's Modernist Centre on the World Heritage List. Consequently, the modernist part of the city, being one of the most distinctive testimonies to its history and development, joined the ranks of places recognised as heritage of outstanding value to the entire world.
It is a huge honour for me to have been able to create unique lapel pins for the representatives of Gdynia who took part in the historic event in Busan – emphasises Tadeusz Dobkowski.
Small badges thus combine several important symbols: Gdynia's centenary, the city's modernist architecture, and amber – a material strongly associated with Pomerania. As a result, they have become not only a memento of the anniversary, but also part of the story of Gdynia at a time when its modernist heritage has been recognised on the world stage.