We are joined together by a community of hearts.

Butterfly is the Symbol of the Foundation "Communication Without Barriers". It was by no means considered as a symbol of mutability or transitory nature. The Foundation's creators wanted it to be associated with spring, with nature bounding back to life, with joy and hope.

In 1997, the Sign of the Butterfly rewards were granted for the first time. Their recipients were the Polish firms particularly active in making efforts to support the handicapped, namely those participating in the program of removing the architectural barriers in public buildings and obstacles in public transport and those introducing any new measures to secure a normal existence in society for the handicapped.
The right to use the Sign of the Butterfly has been given to date to:
the National Museum in Warsaw for adapting its building to the needs of handicapped visitors;
the Jelcz S.A. Motor Works for the latest model of a low- floor bus;
the MEDEN firm in Kalisz for developing the SAM device enabling totally paralysed people to use electrical domestic appliances;
the Agricultural-Pedagogic High School in Siedlce for adapting the buildings to the needs of the handicapped.
the community of Solec Kujawski for numerous solutions facilitating daily life for the handicapped;
the HARPO firm in Poznan for developing the Auto-Lektor, enabling the blind people to read printed texts independently;
the Le Pont Neuf Association for enabling young Polish doctors to get practical training abroad;


the Institute of Aviation Technique and Applied Mechanics at the Warsaw Polytechnic for constructing PARAPODIUM PW, enabling the handicapped to take an upright position and walk;
the Karelma S.A. firm in Piechowice for constructing and producing the Universal Wheelchair K38 DeLux which eases the locomotive problems of the handicapped;
Andrzej Kowalczyk in Olsztyn for devising a globe with a three-dimensional representation of the earth's surface to be used by blind children;
the Association for Supporting Rehabilitation of the Handicapped in Koszalin for editing the catalogue Rehabilitation 2001;
the Centre of Sub-aquatic Tourism Nautica in Kraków for rendering diving accessible for the handicapped;
Grażyna Barszczewska and Alfred Andrys for the hope they gave to the people suffering from multiple sclerosis in their drama A solo piece in two parts;
Konrad Lukaszewicz for devising a speaking notebook Kajetek 2000 to be used by blind people;
Jarosław Deszczynski for the construction and application to the medical practice of Dynastab 2000, an external stabilizing unit useful in the functional treatment of bone and joint fractures;
the Foundation DOM DOSTEPNY (Home with Easy Access) for the guide ABC of dwelling without barriers which popularize the knowledge on the methods for adaptation of buildinge and flats for the needs of the handicapped;
Jan Pągowski for developing an electronic device that enables the people with severe motion and speech disorders to communicate with one another
the Stalbet Project firm for constructing Cheops, a treading vehicle for the handicapped.

All firms, organizations, and institutions interested in participating in the next round of the competition for the Butterfly Sign are kindly requested to submit applications to the address of the Foundation until the end of April 2005.

The Foundation also awards the annual Crystal Butterfly prize . It has to be considered as a token of the gratitude expressed by Jolanta Kwaśniewska and the Main Council of the Foundation "Communication Without Barriers" to the most generous donors. Without their donations, the realization of the Foundation's plans would be extremely difficult to achieve

The Crystal Butterfly prize was given:

in 1998 to:
Andrzej Gołota
the Rhone-Poulenc Roher Co.
the Louis Organization

in 1999 to:
Sławomir Tomaszewski
the Żywiec Group S.A.
the Petrochemia for Children Foundation
the Kulczyk Holding S.A.

in 2000 to:
Boehringer Ingelheim
the Polska Chemia (Polish Chemistry) firm
the Warta Foundation
the Oasis Tours

in 2001 to:
PTK Centertel
Winterthur
the American Centre of Polish Culture in Washington, D.C.

in 2002 to:
Kronospan PL, Ltd.
the Western Bank WBK S.A. Foundation
Polish Baltic Shipping - the Agency in Warsaw