What's it all about?
In music finale stands for the closing piece of music act such as a sonata, symphony, or an opera. In January in Poland the Grand Finale stands for a day-long public fundraiser organised by the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity foundation. The Orchestra plays for the benefit of sick children and appropriate and dignified medical care available in geriatric wards. Each fundraiser is held in order to support one medical objective, and each time we scrupulously report our progress in fulfilling the objectives set by the last year's drive.
The fundraiser is organised locally by volunteers running Collection Centres, which coordinate public fundraisers and host a variety of events accompanying the Finale such as concerts, stand-up performances or sporting events and competitions. A network of Collection Centres is active nationwide and GOCC volunteers are active everywhere, where there is a thriving Polish community. In the previous years volunteers have established nearly 1700 Collection Centres and coordinated the work of 120 thousand volunteers - young and old take to the streets to raise funds in support of medicine in Poland. The Grand Finale is a manifold event - a telethon is broadcast simultaneously to the public fundraiser, an online auction is held alongside live concerts in the TV studios.
Traditionally, at 8 pm we invite everyone to join us in front of the stage at the Place of Culture and Science for a fireworks display called 'Light to the Sky'. The events planned in Warsaw might be the most spectacular, but the entire country braves the cold January weather to 'play' together in aid of a concrete medical objective. Every year we are impressed by the ingenuity of the initiatives taking place as a part of the Grand Finale.
