We do connect people and build inter-cultural bridges

We organize discussion panels, meetings, concerts, publish books, produce movies and cultural projects.

The Foundation’s goal is to facilitate positive civic engagement through culture, art and education.

We are an organization operating for public benefit (not-for-profit). The Foundation was established in January 2018 and registered in the National Court Registry in Poland. The seat of the Foundation is in Sopot.

The founders of the Foundation, Ela Kinowska and Ryszard Komenda, represent over 30 years of experience in project management in the field of human rights, culture and art.

Ela Kinowska, emigrated from Poland in 1987 and spent 30 years abroad building bridges between Canada and Poland. She managed film productions, art exhibition and major projects such as the “Red Couch Tour”.   To celebrate 150th anniversary of Canada she and her partner traveled 30,000 kilometers through Canada, taking a red sofa on a journey, looking for an answer to one question: “What does Canada mean to Canadians?” (grant CAN$ 200,000). While in Canada, she also help showcase modern Polish cuisine with Katarzyna Bosacka. Kinowska moved to Poland in 2018 and currently lives in Sopot.

Ryszard Komenda, vice-president of the Foundation represents over 30 years of his career in the field of human rights. Currently, he is the Director of the Regional Office for Human Rights in Central Asia on behalf of the United Nations. He currently lives in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).

Both founders of the EKS Foundation and members of the management board bring to the Foundation experience in tackling issues the field of social exclusion, human rights, culture and art.