In the camera of Waclaw Bargno.
"Biesiada" at Bartnik was officially opened by Janusz Kasztelewicz along with the coloured guards of the Carpathian Beekeeping Association in Nowy Sacz, Beekeeping Circles from Bukowina Tatarzanska, Grybow, Kamionka Wielka and Moszczenica.
The people gathered in Zaremba Park included Andrzej Harezlak, vice-governor of Malopolska District, Kazimierz Zmuda from the Ministry of Agriculture, Senator Stanislaw Kogut, Parliament representatives Barbara Bartus and Andrzej Mularczyk, as well as representatives of local authorities.
Some special letters were sent by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour Janusz Piechocinski, the Minister of Agriculture and the Marshal of Malopolska Marek Sowa, the MEP Jaroslaw Kalinowski.
There were also a number of Bartnik's friends and business partners from many different countries, including Germany, Japan, Moldavia, Italy, Trinidad and Tobago, Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The honoured guest of "Biesiada" was Prof. Jerzy Woyke who was introduced by Prof. Jerzy Wilde. The hosts of "Biesiada", Anna and Janusz Kasztelewicz, presented the honoured guest with a commemorative portrait.
The distinction of Golden Cross of Merit was given to Prof. Slawomir Bakier, Marian Sobel, Jozef Bondarczyk and Stanislaw Lenard, whereas the Silver Cross of Merit was granted to the veterinarian Janusz Lopucki.The vice-governor Andrzej Harezlak decorated the nominees.
There were also special distinctions for "meritorious in agriculture" granted by the Minister of Agriculture Marek Sawicki. This year, the decorated people included Danuta Dabrowska, Halina Kmak, Elzbieta Molda, Marek Grzymala-Moszczynski, Wladyslaw Malek and Piotr Tkaczuk. Kazimierz Zmuda from the Ministry of Agriculture did the honour of decorating.
In the official part of "Biesiada" there was some time traditionally devoted to a discussion concerning honey and bee products, in which Dr Ryszard Czarnecki and Prof. B. Kedzia took part. Those who wanted to broaden their beekeeping knowledge could participate in two panels: "Current problems of beekeeping" moderated by Prof. Pawel Chorobinski, Dr Zbigniew Lipinski, Prof. R. Sokol, Prof. S. Bakier and "Apitherapy of the 21st century" moderated by Prof. Ryszard Czarnecki and Prof. Bogdan Kedzia.