Words of welcome by Prof. Jacek Majchrowski, Mayor of the Royal City of Kraków and Patron of “How Far Can We Go?”

Prof. Jacek Majchrowski

Prof. Jacek Maria Majchrowski is the Mayor of the Royal Capital City of Kraków. he was elected Mayor in in 2002 and has subsequently been reelected 3 times (in 2006, 2010 and 2014). He is a lawyer and an historian, and a professor at the Jagiellonian University. He has written 14 history books, mostly specialising in the history of Polish political thought and doctrines.

Charismatic songstress Joanna Słominska opens ASPIRE 4 ALL with a a heartfelt rendition of a Ukrainian folk ballad - a stirring gesture of solidarity with our neighbours to the East.

Joanna Słowińska

Kraków’s favourite and most characteristic of artists performs two of his best known songs, with a couple of surprising twists to captivate his international audience.

Grzegorz Turnau

Grzegorz Turnau is a composer, pianist, poet and singer, born in 1967 in Kraków. At 17, he won First Prize at the renowned Kraków Student Song Festival and later joined the equally renowned Piwnica pod Baranami Cabaret, composing such hits as "Znów wędrujemy”. In 1991, he released his first album, Naprawdę nie dzieje się nic ("Really, nothing is happening”). He has released eleven albums to date and all have enjoyed considerable chart success. His characteristic style consists of strong, clear lyrics and music composed in special keys and harmonies, using instruments such as piano (played by himself), saxophone, violin and various horns. Influenced by such Kraków artists as Marek Grechuta and Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz, his music style has been described as "soft jazz".

Spell-binding talk by award-winning war photographer Giles Duley, telling the story of own dramatic and life-changing experience, blown up by a mine in Afghanistan, to his continued drive to document the endurance, courage and humanity of people living in the most extreme and challenging environments.

Giles Duley

Giles Duley was born in 1971 in London. After 10 years as an editorial photographer in the fashion and music industries in both the US and Europe, Duley now focuses his work on humanitarian projects. Working with well respected charities such as Medecins Sans Frontiers, IOM and UNHCR to highlight lesser-known stories deserving of public attention and action. Although documenting challenging, and at times, horrific situations, Duley captures the strength of those who fight their adversity rather than succumb. His photographs draw the viewer to the subject, creating intimacy and empathy for lives differing from ours only in circumstance.

In 2011, whilst on patrol with 75th Cavalry Regiment, United States Army in Afghanistan, Duley stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). He was severely injured, losing both legs and an arm. He is now back working.

His work has been exhibited and published worldwide in many respected publications including Vogue, GQ, Esquire, Rolling Stone, The Sunday Times, The Observer and New Statesman.

In 2010 he was nominated for an Amnesty International Media Award and was a winner at the Prix de Paris in 2010 & 2012.

His self-portrait was selected for the 2012 Taylor Wessing Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.

For photographs used in Giles’ talk and many more photos in his portfolio visit Giles’ website - www.gilesduley.com

Polish Jazz fuses with Yemeni & Congolese rhythms in this mesmerising performance by legendary sax player Marek Stryszowski and his new band, Black Percheron.

Black Percheron

Black Percheron is an exciting new project by Marek Stryszowski, founding member, vocalist and sax player with legendary band, Laboratorium. The project brings together the best of World Jazz and World Music in an orgy of sound.

Stomping performance by Poland’s biggest band of the early 21st century, including new material and a stirring rendition of the 4 x Platinum an them “Czerwone Korale.”

Brathanki

At the beginning of the noughties Brathanki’s fusion of Polish folk with rock took the Polish music scene by storm as they enjoyed hit after hit, with songs such as Kino w Lublinie and 4 x Platinum anthem “Czerwone Korale.”

Scintillating talk on innovation, entrepreneurship and brand building all the way to space by the former President of Virgin Galactic and Director of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.

Will Whitehorn

Will joined Virgin Group in 1987 as head of corporate public and investor relations and was responsible for all public relations activity relating to the buyout of the Group from the stock market in 1988 and for presenting Virgin's new joint venture strategy in the years 1988 to 1991.

From 1993 to 1995, he worked with Sir Richard Branson, and other directors from around the Virgin Group on developing a strategy to expand the brand into a number of new areas, resulting in the launch of Virgin Radio in 1994, Virgin Direct in 1995, Virgin Cinemas in 1995, Virgin Net in 1996, Virgin Rail in 1997 and Virgin Mobile in 1999.

From 1997, he began developing Virgin branded venture capital model for global expansion. In 2000, he was appointed Brand Development and Corporate Affairs Director of Virgin world-wide and in 2004 he also became President of Virgin Galactic. In 2007 he took on that role in an executive capacity and became a special advisor to Sir Richard Branson.

Will retired from Virgin Galactic at the start of 2011. He is currently Chairman of Next Fifteen Communications and Loewy Group Ltd. He is also a member of the British Government’s Science and Technology Facilities Council and The Space Leadership Council.

Poland’s best-selling composer Piotr Rubik brings ASPIRE 4 ALL to a close with a stirring premiere of the ASPIRE Suite, his brand new composition for cello and choir written specially for the occasion of “How Far can We Go?”

Piotr Rubik

Piotr Rubik is a Polish composer of symphonic pop music for orchestra, films and theatre.

His magnum opus to date is the oratorio “Tu Es Petrus", Latin for "You Are Peter", which he dedicated to Pope John Paul II. It forms only one part of his "Tryptyk Świętokrzyski" (Holy Cross Triptych) which he composed to texts written by Zbigniew Książek. The other parts are “Oratorium Świętokrzyska Golgota" (Holy Cross of Golgotha) and “Oratorium Psałterz Wrześniowy” (September Psalter) with “Tu Es Petrus" forming the second part.

In the summer of 2007, Rubik again teamed up with Zbigniew Książek to write and conduct an orchestral and choral cantata for the 750th anniversary of Kraków’s establishment, called “Zakochani w Krakowie” ("In love, in Cracow"). It played to multiple encores at the sole performance that took place in Kraków’s Market Square on June 1, 2007.

“Zakochani w Krakowie” follows the history of the city of Kraków, from its rebuilding in 1257 by King Bolesław V the Chaste to the present, chronicling Polish heroes from artist Wit Stwosz to Pope John Paul II, as well as historically significant places, such as Wawel Cathedral its Bell of Sigis mund.