The International Amber Association was established in 1996 thanks to the drive and voluntary work of its members. It is an initiative of amber enthusiasts who were – if I may put it that way – crazy about amber and were aware that the community needed an organisation that would support amber professionals. Since 2002, the IAA has been an international organisation that brings together people of various professions – all united by amber. To paraphrase a sports slogan, amber unites us – said Ewa Wagner-Wysiecka, DSc, PhD, Eng, university professor and vice-president of the IAA, assuring that the IAA will continue to promote amber, the most beautiful city in the world, namely Gdańsk, and Poland in its activities.
MSB has been doing this for 25 years. All efforts made are aimed at ensuring Baltic amber holds a high status in Poland and on the global market, inter alia by building permanent cooperation with foreign scientific centres, creating a Baltic amber identification system, inspiring and conducting publishing activities, and taking all actions to ensure the sustainable development of the Polish amber industry.
This year we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Association's operation. This award is a huge satisfaction and proof that the potential and passion of our members have been translated into activities engaging a group of enthusiasts, fans and explorers of the magic of amber from all over the world. This is a thank you to them for every day of work towards building the strength of Gdańsk and Pomerania as a source of comprehensive knowledge about Baltic amber – summed up Aleksandra Harasiuk, director of the IAA office.
The Maciej Płażyński Amber Sword Award is dedicated to Pomeranian non-governmental organisations that are an inspiration to others and focus on innovative activities and unconventional solutions. The jury examines the credibility and originality of the initiatives undertaken by the organisation, and whether it has a fresh approach to the matter that corresponds to its character. Also important are the sustainability and repeatability of activities, as well as cooperation with other partners, in particular public sector institutions. The award relates to the organisation's overall activity for building civil society, educational activities among children and young people in the field of ecology, and for integrating and involving volunteers and the local community.
