With the launch of Poland’s National Census, a number of grassroots campaigns have taken off which aim to get respondents to declare uncommon affiliations pertaining to their religion or ethnic status.

Following on from similar campaigns in the English-speaking world, a number of grassroots groups, including some on social network Facebook, are advocating that respondents declare their religion as Jedi.

In the 2001 Census in England and Wales, almost 1 percent of respondents stated that they were Jedis, with the British Office of National Statistics releasing a statement headed “390,000 Jedis there are” soon after.

It is not known how many Jedis will come forward and declare their affiliation during Poland’s National Census, although surveyors across the country “are ready to accept” such declarations, Renata Ptak from the Statistical Office in Krakow told public broadcasters TVP.

Meanwhile, another group on Facebook is tempting Poles to declare their affiliation to Sarmatism, a reference to the belief of the szlachta nobility in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth that its members were descendents of the Sarmatian people from the times of classical antiquity.

So far, as many as 231 people aspire to the noble classes in the National Census. (jb)