Grabowiec, a small town founded by Dutch settlers in 16th century, has since April 2005 been the place to visit for Star Wars fans from all over Poland. It was then that plates with the street name "ul. Obi-Wana Kenobiego" (Obi-Wan Kenobi's Street) were installed by the local authorities.

The town is situated ~10 kilometers (~5 miles) to the south-east from the city of Toruń, in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie province. It would seem an unlikely place for a Star Wars event to take place. It did happen however and the news of naming one of Grabowiec' streets after a hero of the Clone Wars have traveled far beyond Polish borders.

The Imperial City Online staff has been aware of the 'Obi-Wan Kenobi's Street project' since its very beginning. We have studied the idea closely as it evolved and was finally introduced to and accepted by the local authorities. Mr. Leszek Budkiewicz, member of the district council and himself a citizen of Grabowiec, who was the initiator of the project, kept us informed on the progress and has recently agreed for a short interview for our website.

ICO: How did your adventure with Star Wars begin?

LB: When I first saw "A New Hope" I was more or less the same age as Anakin from Episode I. I cannot deny that the movie had a great influence on my life. I remember looking through the pages of "Swiat Młodych" [a popular Polish youth magazine in the 1980's - ICO] for any mention of the Star Wars Saga.

ICO: Where did the idea to give a local street the name of a Saga's character came from?

LB: We named our dog Leia and it seemed like naming the street would be the next logical step. The final choice however was made by my wife.

ICO: We noticed that people have recently been settling on the Obi-Wan Kenobi's Street. What are their reactions to the uncommon street name?

LB: (laughs) Well, generally, they react with puzzlement and cannot believe a street can have such a name. I have been asked many questions, for instance whether Obi-Wan Kenobi was the name of some freedom fighter in southern Africa. That is why we have prepared information on who Obi-Wan Kenobi was, for all those who wish to learn more about him. There have also been many pronunciation mistakes and spelling errors.

ICO: Any ideas for the future of Obi-Wan Kenobi's Street?

LB: We hope to erect a small statue of Obi-Wan sometime in the future. We want the street to be open for Star Wars fans, therefore we plan to organize a fan-meeting and exchange ideas about the future of Obi-Wan Kenobi's Street.

The idea met with great interest and enthusiasm within the region's authorities. Mr. Marek Olszewski, mayor of the Lubicz District, recognized that Star Wars is a worldwide phenomenon and was pleased that the district's citizens identify with Saga's characters. He hopes that fans from over the world will choose to visit Grabowiec to feel its unique atmosphere.

We have also learned that the chairwoman for the District Council, Mrs. Hanna Anzel, after agreeing to the street's name and watching all Star Wars Episodes, became a huge fan of the Saga herself.

Should you ever visit Poland and the city of Toruń, we encourage you to take the opportunity and visit Grabowiec and see for yourself the unique tribute to the Star Wars Saga - the Obi-Wan Kenobi's Street.