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Krysztof Lewandowski and Slawek Kiwilsza were two cadets who deserted the Polish tall ship Dar Mlodziezy during Québec 84. As soon as their sailboat docked, the two young sailors sought refuge in the city, fleeing their country and the Communist regime they were in disagreement with. After settling down, they worked in a bookshop in Québec City, sharing their extraordinary literary culture.
1975 - 2019

An ever-more diverse population

At the end of the 20th century, migration and population movement increased around the world. Québec City’s cultural landscape rapidly diversified during this time. The city’s quality of life and professional opportunities attracted people from all over. Some endured great difficulty, fleeing authoritarian political regimes in Haiti or Eastern Europe for instance. Others sought refuge from armed conflicts, such as those in Congo, Vietnam and Cambodia. Get a glimpse into the lives of individuals to discover how this sweeping phenomenon of immigration played out on a smaller scale in Québec City!

From Poland to Québec City... and from sailors to booksellers!

André Pichette Krysztof Lewandowski and Slawek Kiwilsza were two cadets who deserted the Polish tall ship Dar Mlodziezy during Québec 84. As soon as their sailboat docked, the two young sailors sought refuge in the city, fleeing their country and the Communist regime they were in disagreement with. After settling down, they worked in a bookshop in Québec City, sharing their extraordinary literary culture.
Chronoscope Do you have any memories of this bookshop? (unilingual French for a limited time) Source: Ville de Québec All rights reserved: Ville de Québec - Le Soleil Fonds - Date: September 1984