Benedykt Polak Award for Joanna Bocheńska, a specialist in Kurdish studies
25.06.2022
The leading Polish specialist in Kurdish studies dr Joanna Bocheńska received the Benedykt Polak Award. The ceremony was held at the University of Warsaw on 25 June 2022.
This award is granted to Polish citizens for “outstanding exploratory achievements on earth, in the sea, in the air and in space” and to foreigners for “promoting Polish research topics and cooperation with our scientists”.
The main prizes, awarded to persons with Polish citizenship, were awarded to Dr Joanna Bocheńska from the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, a specialist in Kurdish issues and Prof. Janusz T. Pawęska, the head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases of South Africa, virologist, organizer of international research expeditions to Africa.
The main prize, awarded to foreigners, was granted to the British astronomer Prof. Jan Charles Żarnecki, who was one of the six scientists conducting the unmanned “Huygens Surface Science Probe” mission to Titan, the moon orbiting Saturn.
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Benedykt Polak, aka Benedict of Poland or Benedictus Polonus, (ca. 1200 – ca. 1280) was a Polish Franciscan monk, traveler and translator. He accompanied Giovanni de Pian del Carpine in his journey as delegate of Pope Innocent IV to the Great Khan Guyuk of the Mongol Empire. he was the author of the chronicle On the Journey of the Franciscan Friars to the Tatars and the source of a larger work, History of the Tatars.
