Poland in Libya

The UN estimates that more than 12 million people in war-torn Ukraine are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, including food, shelter and medical supplies. The UN and its humanitarian partners have scaled up their operations in response to the overwhelming need.

On May 3rd we celebrated the anniversary of the adoption of Europe’s first written modern constitution and the world’s second (after the US)! The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth’s Constitution was adopted in 1791 by the Sejm (parliament) and signed by the King. It was an attempt to reform the country and preserve its independence after the Commonwealth‘s first partition by Austria, Prussia and Russia (in 1772). This progressive document introduced, among other things, a tripartite separation of powers and reformed the existing political system, ensuring better equality to representatives of different nationalities in the country.

Almost one year ago, as Poland marked the 230th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of 3 May, Warsaw was visited by the presidents of Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Besides neighbourly bonds, our countries share common values, culture, history and present-day challenges.

A special permit of the Ukrainian ministers of culture and defence, hasty evacuation, a long journey: all that to reach the destination in the end – Warsaw. It is here that the rehearsals to the European concert tour of the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra began. The programme addressed the heroism of the defenders of Ukraine, the drama of the murdered, yet at the same time it instils hope for victory.

We are entering the third year of what has been an extremely difficult pandemic, face a growing economic crisis, and now there is an additional menace coming from our eastern neighbour. Vladimir Putin is effectively and cynically exploiting European weaknesses and crises.

On the 80th anniversary of renaming Poland’s Union of Armed Struggle, one of the largest and most efficient armed resistance organizations in German-occupied Europe, the Home Army, the IPN Office of International Cooperation is releasing a video commemorating the Home Army women.