On the eve of Foreign Service Day, Head of the Foreign Service Arkady Rzegocki met in Warsaw with the Polish diplomats to award them with crystal trophies and certificates of distinction. These were funded by Professor Leszek Sibilski, the driving force behind World Bicycle Day that since 2018 is celebrated on 3 June under a resolution of the United Nations.

“Over 100 Polish embassies, consulates, permanent representations and Polish Institutes informed about the day and as many as 55 organised various cycling-related events,” stressed Joanna Wajda, Deputy Director of the Department of Public and Cultural Diplomacy at the Polish MFA.

She added that bicycle diplomacy is an opportunity to show Poland as a country that supports sustainable transport, is environmentally friendly, takes care of cyclists, boasts picturesque cycling routes, and has towns and cities that constantly develop their cycling infrastructure.

“Polish diplomacy effectively harnesses the potential of World Bicycle Day. More and more diplomatic missions get engaged in this global initiative in interesting ways. I would like to thank you for this and offer my congratulations,” said Professor Leszek Sibilski, who attended the event via video link from Washington.

In recognition of their particularly interesting initiatives, the following three Polish missions abroad were awarded: the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ottawa, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Panama, and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Prague, as well as their staff that organised cycling-related events. This year, diplomatic missions across the world, from Belfast to Singapore, organised, among other things, bicycle rides and trips, competitions for children, and inspired films related to cycling.

In over 50 countries, Polish diplomatic missions invited local partners, representatives of authorities, and foreign diplomats to take part in all these events. Additionally, these cycling-related events were often an opportunity to remind participants of the ongoing war in Ukraine, including in places where it would be difficult to do so in another, more political manner.

“Some might think that cycling is a trifle, however, it not only helps us to develop sustainable transport but it also offers a way to combat contemporary civilisational problems and helps us take care of our health,” said Paweł Piotrowski of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Prague as he received the award from Arkady Rzegocki and Igor Krymski, the track cycling coach of Poland’s national men’s team sprint.

The awards went not only to representatives of Polish diplomatic missions abroad, but also to the MFA’s Department of Public and Cultural Diplomacy, which has for two years supported global events organised as part of World Bicycle Day, as well as its representatives that have been particularly involved in these activities.

The ceremony took place at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose mission is, among other things, to develop Poland’s foreign service.

The list of awardees:

 

1. Ambassador Witold Dzielski, Karolina Willmann-Duralska, and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ottawa

2. Ambassador Leszek Biały, Joanna Zakrzewska, Maryliana Manrique-Guerrero, and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Panama

3. Paweł Piotrowski and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Prague

4. Rafał Wolski, Director of the Department of Public and Cultural Diplomacy, the MFA

5. Joanna Wajda, Deputy Director of the Department of Public and Cultural Diplomacy, the MFA

6. Agnieszka Skieterska, Head of the Programming and Analysis Section of the Department of Public and Cultural Diplomacy, the MFA

7. Dagmara Sobczyk-Stankiewicz, the Department of Development Cooperation, the MFA

8. Barbara Kosińska, the Minister's Office, the MFA

9. Patrycja Sadowska, the Lech Kaczyński National School of Public Administration

 

Łukasz Jasina
MFA Spokesperson