Poland in Australia

The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) has announced a call for proposals under the Polish Returns NAWA Programme.

100th birthday celebration of the Polish veteran of Monte Cassino and distinguished Polish community member took place on 3 July 2021 at the Polish Embassy in Canberra.

The celebration at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Canberra on May 10 was the culmination of the series of events that took place across Australia in connection with this year’s 230th anniversary of the adoption of the May 3rd Constitution. The special guest of that event was chargé d’affaires of the Republic of Lithuania Aistė Jakštienė. Also present were parliamentarians from the Australian-Polish Friendship Group, representatives of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, headed by the Chief of Protocol, Ian McConville, ambassadors and other members of the diplomatic corps, and friends of Poland. The program of the event included a performance of the Polish Song and Dance Ensemble “Lajkonik” from Sydney.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs announces a contest for the best foreign language publication promoting the history of Poland and the best Polish language publication on the history of Polish diplomacy. The contest welcomes works which were published in 2020. Historians can submit their works until 15 August 2021.

When on 3 May 1791 the Four-Year Sejm also called the Great Sejm adopted The Government Act of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth later known as the Constitution of 3 May, the Polish-Lithuanian state became the Europe’s first and the world’s second that passed the basic law. For its time, it was a progressive and bold legal act which initiated a number of reforms. It also constituted a crowning achievement of the centuries-old links between Poland and Lithuania.

Ambassador Michał Kołodziejski participated in the 3rd May Academy organized in Melbourne by the Polish Community Council in Victoria. At the initiative of the local Polish community and Polish Honorary Consuls across Australia, the celebrations commemorating the adoption of the May 3rd Constitution, as well as the celebrations of the Flag Day and the Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad on May 2nd were held in many Australian cities, including in Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Perth and Sydney; as well as in Papua New Guinea.

The applications for the Stanisław Moniuszko International Competition of Polish Music can be submitted until 31 May. The second edition of the Stanisław Moniuszko International Competition of Polish Music will be held at the Artur Malawski Podkarpacka Philharmonic in Rzeszów between 11 and 18 September 2021. The participants will contest in two categories: for pianists and for chamber ensembles, with the total prize money exceeding 80,000 euros. The event is organised by the Institute of Music and Dance, and its main financial prizes are funded by the Polish Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport.

The Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day celebration took place on 23 April at the Hungarian Embassy in Canberra. This year, in connection with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Visegrad Group, alongside representatives of the Polish and Hungarian communities, we also invited our friends from the Czech Republic and Slovakia to attend.