WOMAN + MAN on the way to the culture of love

The Master Academy of Love is an initiative by Mira Jankowska, who encouraged a circle of friends to develop it. The Academy was created out of a need of heart and it is an answer to the demand for modern, cheerful, and reasonable ways of approaching the topic of femininity - masculinity.

WHY? - THE PROJECT'S PRESUMPTIONS
Each of us is either a woman or a man. The relationships between a woman and a man are the most ranging topic in the contemporary world. Due to the lack of models in this area, understatements, shallow approach to this topic and its vulgarisation, contemporary Poles know little about their femininity and masculinity or about communication between the two sexes, or about their body, sensuality, the sphere of erotica, sex, formation of man-woman bonds that express the culture of love instead of use. In result, we have unhappy relationships, split marriages, unwanted children, loneliness of women and men (the so-called singles), frustration and a feeling of being deceived by contemporary models of behaviour, addiction to disordered love and sex, pornography, paedophilia etc.

WHAT FOR? - CONTINUOUS  EDUCATION AND FORMATION
The aim of The Master Academy of Love, MAL (Mistrzowska Akademia Miłości, MAM) and of the project WOMAN + MAN on the way to the culture of love is to provide education in the area of the integration of human personality (its physical, psychological and spiritual spheres) so that we may become sound, fulfilled and happy women and men, who understand the opposite sex, know and accept the differences between them, enjoy experiencing this dissimilarity and are able to manage it well. This is the only way we may become good and wise women and men in all our roles (wife, mother, female friend / husband, father, male friend, employee, citizen, Christian etc.)

As it turns out, complex education in this area doeas not exist, though as we know, the domain of femininity/masculinity, just as any other, requires constant educational and pedagogical effort. Judging by the condition of society today, this need seems to be even more urging. This is confirmed by the conduct of young people, the low self-esteem among girls and boys, women and men, the growing brutality and the ridiculing of this sphere of life.

The aim of the project WOMAN + MAN on the way to the culture of love is to provide help with forming oneself as a woman or man of mature personality and with regaining inner joy, enthusiasm for life, creative action, work and starting families (well-functioning, not disfunctional) and to give life in all ways: biologically, psychologically (support) and also spiritually. It takes a self-aware, fully developed and integrated human beeing to form healthy relations in marriage, family, in the work environment and one's own community.  

The Master Academy of Love initiative is designed as the first among  the complex  actions which use various multimedia for the promotion of the culture of love and the civilisation of life. The action may therefore be able to embrace entire Poland and, taking into account the technical solutions (press, radio, TV, internet), it is not constrained by any space limits.

LIVE MEETINGS
The Master Academy of Love is a series of open meetings devoted to the topic WOMAN + MAN. They take place on neutral ground (venues linked to education and culture) in the evenings and last about three hours. The number of participants of a single meeting amounts to ca. 400 people (with a tendency to grow with each meeting). The sessions are organised monthly in the same place: in Warsaw in the assembly hall of the renowned High School of S. Batory in Myśliwiecka Street 6. 
 
THE SHAPE OF THE MEETINGS AND THE GUESTS: EXPERTS AND WITNESSES

Specially for the purposes of MAL a drama scene is written and performed by professional actors. It serves as a neutral and humorous introduction into the topic of the session. Next, the floor is given to ”an expert” (psychologist, psychiatrist, sexologist, sociologist, mediator, marriage councelor, theologian...), who refers to the drama scene and orders the knowledge in the given field. Next to speak are the so called ”witnesses” (a marriage, singles, parents-in-law...) who tell parts of their life stories connected to the topic of the session.

Among the invited guests are the practitioners, renowned Polish and foreign orators, authors of books on this topic, authors of radio programmes and sometimes therapists, persons of distinctive charisma, privately husbands, wives and sometimes priests or nuns.They are people of authority in this topic area. It is due to their knowlege and wisdom that the members of the audience are ready to spend their time listening to a lecture and then taking part in a conversation and discussion.

After a break, during which coffee, tea and biscuits are served, everyone can ask the guests a  question. It is also a time when interpersonal relations form. During the second part of the meeting the guests answer the questions asked by the participants of the session.

THE AUDIENCE
The meetings are meant mainly for young women and men. The greatest number of people are between 20 and 45 years old. Still, bearing in mind the experience we have already had with the previous MAL sessions, older and younger people also come and take part in them. We would not like to exclude nor leave anyone out because this may be the only place where the participants find out how to be a wise mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law or son-in-law and this may also have influence on the relationships of their children and on the raising of children in the culture of love. I would like to point out that among the audience there are both married and unmarried people. 

THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE MEETINGS

The participants stress the kind and friendly atmosphere during the MAL sessions. In a big group one may both remain anonymous or start relations. The break and the occasion to ask questions create an environment which encourages people to open up to new acquaintances. The participants are not only given a portion of ordered knowlege on the topic of man and women issues but also have the opportunity of meeting many interesting people who are also concerned with similar topics and who share a comparable system of values. They meet attractive people, who are just like themselves. ”I am not alone with my doubts and questions” - they say. It has also been noticed that the  atmosphere itself has soothing and heartening influence on the participants. The atmosphere of MAL sessions is unique and we will protect it as a special value.

The meetings are hosted by Mira Jankowska – a journalist, the author of the programme „Życie jest piękne” (”Life is beautiful”) broadcast by the catholic Radio Józef.

THE MATERIALS FROM THE SESSIONS
Each meeting is recorded on professional radio equipment and filmed with the aim of using the materials for educational purposes. Already available is a CD from the first MAM session. The remaining CDs are currently being prepared.

THE INTORDUCED TOPICS
”WOMAN+MAN: How to build a successful relationship”
”WOMAN+MAN: Mr. single looks for  Miss single”
”WOMAN+MAN: What men want”
”WOMAN+MAN: What women want”
”WOMAN+MAN: How to heal love”
”WOMAN+MAN: How to learn to love your mother/daughter-in-law”

FIRST STEPS OF THE MAL NEWSLETTER
Since March 2007 we have been issuing the MAL Newsletter, which is distributed during meetings. These are the first steps of a magazine, which, as we believe, may lead us to the establishing of a monthly magazine in the future. The newsletter is very simple but its contents are of great importance and they are presented  in clear sections. It is edited by professionals: journalists and graphic designers who work for renowned companies and corporations.

PLANS
During the nearest MAL session in September we would like to host the US Army ex-general JOHN ROTH, the Secretary-General of the Catholic Businessmen Association LEGATUS form the USA (www.legatus.org). The association was founded by Tom MONAGHAN, the founder of Dominos Pizza.

At the future MAL sessions we plan to host famous couples (public persons), who will share their marriage experience and their life stories (Ewa Bem, Andrzej Blikle, Andrzej Turski, Krzysztof Ziemiec, Adam Nowak, Cezary Żak, Bogdan Rymanowski, Marek Nowicki and others).

There is need to organise live sessions of this kind in other cites in Poland. MAL has been invited to Toruń, Gdynia, Rumia, Gniezno, Łomża, Lublin and other cities. We are currently preparing for this.

Thanks to modern media technology (the Internet, TV, radio, the press)  we will soon be able to reach our audience without any limits. It is a matter of time. We are currently working on a portal www.akademia24.pl (at the moment it is only a draft site). We plan to organize videoconferences in real time. Our plans include also undertaking cooperation with e-radio and e-TV. Additionally we are preparing a major project of cooperation with one of the TV channels. 

MAL can become the platform which will support and promote all activities of institutions, organisations and people acting for the cause of education in the area of broadly understood culture of love in Poland and in the world. You are most welcome to cooperate with us!

CONTACT
Mira Jankowska

+48 (0) 692 513 538

e-mail: isp@op.pl