Supported by
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity in Cyprus. Finals history, fundraising results, and stars who played with Polonia
WOŚP in Cyprus has been running since 2018. It began with a single final in Limassol and €8,500 raised during the 26th Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. Over time, events began to take place in other cities, and well-known Polish artists, actors, and television personalities appeared on Cypriot stages.
History will come full circle in January 2027. The 35th Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, scheduled for January 31st, will be the tenth final organized by the Polish community on the island.
The rest of the article is below
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity in Cyprus started playing in 2018
The first Cypriot final took place January 14, 2018, during the 26th Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity.
The headquarters was located in Limassol, and during the first meeting they managed to gather 8,500 eurosToday, the Orchestra's presence on the island may seem natural, but it was then that a story that has spanned almost a decade began.
In subsequent years, the event began to expand beyond a single city, featuring concerts, auctions, raffles, Polish food, children's attractions, first aid demonstrations and training, and further local initiatives.
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity has become one of the most recognizable cyclical Polish community events on the island.
How much was raised during the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity in Cyprus?
The first eight finals, organised between 2018 and 2025, brought a total of 85,861.86 eurosThe Cypriot staff summed up this result after the 33rd Final as over 85.8 thousand euros.
The highest result given in euro remains 15,300 euros collected in 2020.
After the 2026 final, the organizers initially announced the declared amount 11,315.36 euros, collected jointly by Paphos and Agia Napa. After the final settlement of eSkarboneks, auctions and contributions in various currencies, the result was announced by WOŚP in Polish zloty and amounted to 46,544.33 PLN.
This amount should not be added directly to previous results expressed in euros without adopting a specific exchange rate.
It's worth knowing
The amount announced immediately after the finals is the declared result. The final settlement may change after accounting for eSkarbonek donations, online auctions, bank deposits, and funds collected in various currencies.
2020 was a breakthrough year
The 28th Finale holds a special place in the history of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity in Cyprus.
On January 12, 2020, the events took place simultaneously in Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and Agia NapaIt was one of the greatest installments of Cypriot gaming.
A group of guests from Poland arrived on the island. Among them were, among others, Kaja Paschalska, Szymon Wydra and Carpe Diem, Eliza Wietrzyńska and Łukasz JędrysPiotr Kucharski also participated in the event in Larnaca.
Kaja Paschalska performed in Limassol. Łukasz Jędryś was also there, singing, acting, and participating in a joint auction with the actress.
Szymon Wydra and Carpe Diem also performed at the final in Limassol. This wasn't the end of their involvement with the island. The musicians later returned for further performances and filmed three music videos in Cyprus.
It was during the 2020 final that a record amount of money was raised. 15,300 euros.
WOŚP connected the Polish diaspora with the local community
The Cypriot finals were not limited to performances by Polish artists.
In 2020, even the following people joined the event in Limassol: Cypriot policeThe officers brought motorcycles and police cars and prepared road safety classes.
Participants could also try on special glasses that simulate visual impairments that occur after drinking alcohol.
In subsequent years, local companies, restaurants, Polish schools, organizations, volunteers and individuals joined in organizing the finals.
Thanks to them, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP) ceased to be just an event relocated from Poland. It became a part of the life of the local Polish community.
Tomasz Stockinger played with the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity in Limassol
Another special guest at the Cypriot final was Tomasz Stockinger.
The actor came to the island for the 30th anniversary Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity in January 2022. He attended the event in Limassol, and a few days later he also visited students of the Polish School in Cyprus.
His presence had an interesting connection to the finale from two years ago. In the series "Klan," Stockinger plays the father of Kaja Paschalska's character.
First, in 2020, the "series daughter" played with the Cypriot Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, and two years later the "series father" joined her.
30. The final came to Cyprus 12,654 euros.
In 2023, Paphos was filled with Polish stars
- The WOŚP finale brought another strong cast.
They performed on stage in Paphos Dorota Gardias, Marek Kaliszuk, Joanna Moro, Patryk Cebulski and Jakub ZdrójkowskiThe guests not only appeared on stage, but also led auctions and brought items to support the fundraiser.
Dorota Gardias combined her participation in the final with a winter stay on the island. She came with her daughter, posted photos from the seaside, and also sang for the participants at the event in Paphos.
In 2023, the Cypriot collection ended with the result 11,133 euros.
Paphos and Agia Napa took over
In recent years, the main events have started to focus primarily on Paphos and Agia Napa.
This was the case during the 33rd Final in 2025, when a total of €10,336.86 was raised. At that time, the combined total of the first eight Cypriot finals exceeded €85,800.
A similar model was used a year later.
On January 25, 2026, the 34th Final took place simultaneously in Paphos and Agia Napa. In Paphos, participants met at the Keg & Barrel, and in Agia Napa, at the Odyssos Tavern.
In Agia Napa, performances by artists such as Fifty Funk, Michał Kielak, and Kuba Andrzejewski were featured. The program included concerts, auctions, bingo, a raffle, and the traditional Light to Heaven.
The joint declared result of both events amounted to over 11.3 thousand euros.
In 2027, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity in Cyprus will play for the tenth time
The next finale will be symbolic.
The 35th Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity will take place on January 31, 2027. The Foundation has already officially confirmed its date.
For the Polish community on the island it will be the tenth edition of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity organized in Cyprus.
Details regarding the Cypriot headquarters, event locations, concerts, and volunteer registration are still pending. We will update this material as further information becomes available.
What started in 2018 with the first team and 8,500 euros, after nine finals has become a permanent element of the calendar of the Polish community.
Artists, actors, and television personalities graced the Cypriot stage. Polish companies, schools, restaurants, local institutions, volunteers, and hundreds of donors were involved in the organization.
And it all started one January Sunday in Limassol.
On January 31, 2027, Cyprus will play with the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity for the tenth time.
Sources: Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation, WOŚP Cypriot headquarters, Cypr24 archive, archival materials of the organizers of the WOŚP finals in Cyprus.
