In the 1st January 2024, Poland and Poles took part in the Lord Mayor of London’s New Year Parade for the first time in history. Representatives of IBB Polonia London had the honour of being in the first very select group!
On the first day of 2024 the streets of central London are closed to traffic and the area is transformed to one of the largest street parades in the world.The event has been taking place annually since 1987 and each year the event grows in number and interest. Over a million spectators watched the event on live TV and half a million attended as spectators.
“I have watched the parade on TV each year for many years and never thought I would be part of an organisation that would be invited to such a prestigious event. It was exciting to be in front of a marching band from Chicago and for one of our coaches to be interviewed by one of the announcers on TV who told the world that a Polish volleyball team was taking part.” said director of Volleyball Chris Hykiel.
This year Poles were officially invited, alongside several dozen other nationalities and marched the route with pride from Green Park to Westminster. It was an amazing opportunity for IBB Polonia London to be allowed to march in the Polish part of the procession.
“We received an invitation to participate in the Lord Mayor’s New Year’s Day parade, and it was an obvious decision for me. For the first time in history Poles were invited to attend and march in the parade. We are proud that representatives of IBB Polonia London were a part of this event and could represent British volleyball. The spectacle has an enormous potential and I hope that next year we will also have the chance to march along the streets of London” said CEO of IBB Polonia London Bartek Luszcz.
It was an incredible opportunity to remind the world of the close relationship between the UK and Poland The “guest of honour” this year was Nicholas Copernicus a renowned Polish astronomer from several hundred years ago. We all know that Polish volleyball, including the National Team and many clubs, is of the very highest order globally and we are delighted to have played a small role in popularising this beautiful sport and we thank the organisers we could have been part of the New Year’s Day parade.
