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30.05.2023

The Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad celebrated in Belfast

On 29 May 2023, Belfast, Northern Ireland, hosted a celebration in connection with the Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad, as well as Polish Heritage Days, The event was attended by Mateusz Szpytma Ph.D., Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance.

The Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad celebrated in Belfast
The Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad celebrated in Belfast
The Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad celebrated in Belfast

The celebration of the Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad, as well as Polish Heritage Days was initiated by Secretary of State, Plenipotentiary of the Polish Government for Polonia and Poles Abroad Jan Dziedziczak in 2022 during a visit to Iceland. This year's edition was held in Belfast with the participation of Poles from Northern Ireland, where some 30,000 of our compatriots live.

During the visit to Belfast, the government delegation, comprising of, among others, Minister Jan Dziedziczak and Head of Foreign Service Arkady Rzegocki, met with the Polish community, viewed murals dedicated to the Polish Air Force, Squadron 303 and General Stanislaw Sosabowski, and laid flowers at Milltown Cemetery, on the graves of Polish pilots killed during World War II. Among those resting there is the Polish aircrew of the 304th Bomb Squadron " Land of Silesia ", which was killed while performing the task of searching for German submarines.

As part of the celebrations, honorary decorations for Merits to Polonia and Poles Abroad were awarded. Professor Cezary Żołędowski, the Polish Ambassador to the UK, Professor Piotr Wilczek, Sister Superior General of the Missionaries of Christ the King for Polonia Mother Ewa Kaczmarek, the Superior General of the Society of Christ for Polonia Fr. Krzysztof Olejnik, the Rector of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Fr. Professor Miroslaw Kalinowski, and Professor Pawel Hut were presented with the Badge of Honor for their Services to Polonia and Poles Abroad and for strengthening the ties of the Polish community with the homeland.

POLCA School, the Maria Sklodowska-Curie Polish Saturday School in Belfast and the Polish organization Cooltura Polish Community Centre, which aims to introduce and popularize Polish history and cultural heritage in Northern Ireland also received recognition.

 


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