More than 7,400 young people, 1,534 original social projects and thousands of beneficiaries all over Poland - this is the result of this year's edition of the Zwolnieni z Teorii (Exempt from Theory) practical Olympiad, the official conclusion of which will be the 12th Grand Finale. Already on May 28 this year. Legia Warsaw City Stadium will become the site of a day-long celebration of youth proficiency and the largest educational event in Poland. During the event, Silver and Golden Wolves will be awarded for the best social projects implemented by high school students from all over Poland. Krzysztof Gawkowski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digitization, and Katarzyna Lubnauer, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Education, among others, have already confirmed their participation.
Behind the initiative is the Zwolnieni z Teorii Foundation - an organization that for 13 years has shown that the most effective education starts with action. To date, nearly 50,000 young people have carried out more than 10,500 original social projects, learning in practice cooperation, responsibility, communication and project management as part of the practical Zwolnieni z Teorii Olympiad organized every year.
The Grand Finale is the culmination of the year-long work of the participants of the Olympiad. This is the moment when young authors of social projects from all over Poland meet to celebrate their actions, exchange experiences and inspire others to change their immediate environment.
projects that respond to real needs
In this year's edition of the Olympiad, 7426 male and female students carried out 1,534 social projects responding to real problems of the modern world - from educational campaigns and environmental activities, to initiatives supporting mental health, to technology projects, social events and charity collections.
This year's Finale will be attended by some 4,500 people - young people, teachers, school principals, representatives of business, social organizations and public administration.
debates, experts and discussions about the future
An important part of the event will be an educational and development program, including debates, talks and meetings with experts, representatives of science, social organizations, business and public administration. Among the topics of this year's panels will be the impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market, the development of social resilience in youth, and increasing the influence of young people on social and civic reality.
The Zwolnieni z Teorii Olympiad
© organizers archive
Thematic stages will await participants, including the Inspiration Stage, the Knowledge and Possibilities Stage and the Education Stage, as well as development, expert and partner zones. In the partner zones, activities will be prepared by, among others, ING, Allegro, Enea and Grupa Pracuj - partners supporting young people in developing future competencies and gaining experience beyond school theory.
Participation in the Zwolnieni z Teorii (Exempt from Theory) Olympiad gives young people something they often lack at the start - a real space to act, test their ideas and build a sense of agency. At Grupa Pracuj, we have been supporting this initiative for years, because we see the great value of such experiences - not only for the development of competencies, but also for conscious entry into the labor market. That's why we also develop our own activities, such as "Project Grant. The Easiest First Step," in which we give young people the means and support to test their ideas and translate them into real work experience. This is a natural complement to the idea of Zwolnionych z Teorii - another space to act and test themselves
-says Anna Goreñ, PR expert at Pracuj.pl.
In addition, to provide the finalists with a moment of respite before the Silver and Gold Gala, ING will invite them to a concert by Fukaj, one of the most popular Polish artists of the young generation.
Golden Wolves for the best projects and awards for establishments
One of the highlights of the Grand Finale will be the presentation of awards for the best social projects of this year's Olympiad. During the event, young authors and authors of initiatives will receive Silver Wolves, and the culmination of the day will be the Golden Wolves Gala, which will be hosted by Michal Sikorski - an actor known, among others, for the TV series "1670" and the film "Sonata."
Golden Wolves statuettes will go to the best social projects in the following categories: civil society, health and sports, urban space, culture, ecology, education and community.
During the Golden Gala, awards will also be given to schools from the 2026 Schools Exempt from Theory Ranking, a compilation that prioritizes the development of soft skills and student proficiency, rather than solely exam results.
Also on the agenda is the Pitch Contest - a dynamic public speaking competition in which the Olympiad finalists and finalists have just three minutes to captivate the audience with the story of their project. They will present their ideas in front of a jury of business and media representatives and in front of nearly 5,000 participants at this year's Finals. The best male and female speakers will compete for the Golden and Silver Wolves of the Pitch Contest.
The Grand Finale of Zwolnionych z Teorii is the moment when we celebrate the proficiency of young people and projects that make a real difference in their environment. The twelfth edition shows that young people are getting bolder and bolder in taking on topics that are important to their surroundings - from mental health and ecology to educational initiatives and community action. What resonates most strongly today is their maturity, empathy and willingness to act where they see a need for change. In a world where artificial intelligence can do more and more, experience gained in real social projects becomes even more important. It teaches cooperation, responsibility and confidence in one's own agency - competencies that stay with young people for years. The Grand Finale shows that we are not talking about the future of education, but about the change that is already happening now
-says Paula Bruszewska, president of the Zwolnieni z Teorii Foundation.
More information about the event is available at: Zwolnieni z Teorii. Coverage of the event will also be available online:
