The miners celebrated Barbórka Day
On the eve of their holiday, on December 2nd, miners came to the Silesian University of Technology for the National Barbórka „Gwarków” Meeting. The day-long celebration program included: St. Barbara's Academy, solemn march, holy mass, brass band concert and meeting in the Arena Hall.
The event was organized by: Faculty of Mining, Safety Engineering and Industrial Automation of the Silesian University of Technology, National Secretariat of Energy and Mining of NSZZ Solidarność and the Coal Mining Museum in Zabrze.
The solemn St. Barbara's Day Academy gathered many distinguished guests, including the Rector's authorities of the Silesian University of Technology, members of the Senate of the Silesian University of Technology, representatives of friendly universities, representatives of the government, representatives of the local government, representatives of mining companies and representatives of the broad socio-economic environment of our University.
In his speech, the rector of the Silesian University of Technology, prof. Arkadiusz Mężyk emphasized that the organization of the meeting at our University is an expression of the highest respect for the mining tradition of Upper Silesia and the Silesian University of Technology, as well as the ethos of work and mutual assistance. - I am proud to stand before you in a mining uniform, which has become a permanent part of the tradition of Upper Silesia and the history of my family - said the rector.
Prof. Arkadiusz Mężyk reminded that the Silesian University of Technology was established 77 years ago in the heart of the region based on the mining industry - as a forge of engineering staff constituting a base for the economy of Silesia and the country.
As the rector pointed out, heavy and mining industry were the source of the development and success of the Silesian University of Technology, but a lot has changed since then - there has been an economic transformation and many social changes, and the mining industry is now facing many challenges. - Changes are inevitable, but they do not mean the decline of the mining industry, on the contrary - mining engineering, as an area of human activity related to the exploration of natural resources and underground construction, has a great future - said the rector.
Prof. Arkadiusz Mężyk also pointed to the issue of interest and attracting young, talented people to this profession, e.g. by adapting the curricula and didactic offer to the needs of future technological development.
- Developing effective technologies for the extraction, processing and further use of various natural resources, increasing work safety and automating mining processes are the main directions of our future activities in the coming years - assessed prof. Mężyk.
- I am convinced that creativity, openness to change and willingness to acquire new knowledge will drive the necessary technological transformation of the natural resources extraction industry. I also believe that we have great opportunities in this area, supported by the centuries-old mining tradition of good work. Not only coal, but people and their hard, honest work are the greatest treasures of this land - summed up the rector.
The Dean of the Faculty of Mining, Safety Engineering and Industrial Automation of the Silesian University of Technology - prof. Franciszek Plewa - presented the didactic potential of his faculty. He spoke about expanding the offer of fields of study in recent years (including postgraduate studies such as Cybersecurity of industrial systems), plans to open further fields of postgraduate studies in the coming years, as well as extensive cooperation between the faculty and schools by organizing events aimed at children and youth. The dean also presented the effect of a thorough renovation of the entrance area to the faculty and the inner courtyard. The investment was recently awarded at the XXIV Construction Gala.
An element of the event was the traditional "leap through the leather", an old custom symbolizing the admission of young adepts to the mining state, cultivated at our University to this day.
The representation of first-year students takes part in the "leap through the leather” ceremony. The tradition is for the student to be girded with a miner's leather, then jump over it and tap the miner with a sword by high-ranking representatives of the mining state. This custom came to Silesia from Austria after World War II. Miners' leather is a type of semi-circular apron once used by miners when working underground.
More photos here: Politechnika Śląska | Uroczystość Barbórkowa na Politechnice Śląskiej (polsl.pl)
