Following is a report by our very own Skype man in Poland, Michal. Skype is very popular and growing in Poland and the following is a testimony and tribute to this...

One of the most important opinion weekly magazines in Poland, [“Przekrój”](http://www.przekroj.pl/), has its own awards called “Phenomenon of the Year” and gives it to outstanding people who make great things in their field of activity. The laureates of “Przekrój” accolade are usually people of business, politics, culture and science.

“Przekrój” has been published since 1945. In 2001 it was rebranded, editorial office was changed and moved form Cracow to Warsaw and the magayine got a younger look. Magazine has separate pages about new technologies, computer games, comics and a lot of news about cultural events. The chief editor is Piotr Najsztub – a celebrity, one of the enfants terribles of Polish journalism, an autor of talk-shows on public TV and TVN, which is a private tv station.

This year, “Przekrój” has awarded Niklas Zennström the “Phenomenon of the Year 2006” „for his invention that has revolutionized the social life and the corporate world”. Niklas is the first non-Pole ever awarded the “Phenomenon”.

The list of nominees included famous Polish actors, TV journalists, scientists, sportsmen, writers and even the president of the constitutional tribunal.

The awards were granted during the ceremony held on February 1st in the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw. The event gathered more than 1000 people and was attended by many journalists from the main Polish newspapers, radio stations and obviously tv stations.

As Niklas was unable to be in Warsaw on that day, he did agree to record a short speech on video saying thanks and telling a little bit about Skype revolution. The speech was later played on large screens on the stage.

I received the “Phenomenon” statue on his behalf. I will keep it at home until I am in London next time.

The event got extensive coverage in the media including public television.

These are some pictures from the ceremony. The large screens where Niklas speech was transmitted were behind the stage and those folks sitting there are the nominees so this is why the screen is behind their backs