Poland in New Zealand

On the 19th of September, the day we mark 130 years of universal women's suffrage, took place the opening of the exhibition at the National Library in Wellington „Outstanding Polish Women”. Among the guests attending the opening night were representatives of local cultural institutions and mayors of regional cities and towns. The members of the The Diplomatic Corps, representatives of the Ministry of Culture, and various cultural and educational institutes participated in the event.

During his speech, the Ambassador Grzegorz Kowal not only mentioned the significance of this year's 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Poland and New Zealand but also focused specifically on the story of the women-heroines of the exhibition. Nicola Young, a member of Wellington City Council, shared her feedback on the lives of the Polish women and their achievements.  Sacha Copland, 2022 Arts Wellingtonian of the Year, recited the poem by Wislawa Szymborska „Nothing twice”.

The exhibition at the National Library is the fourth presentation of „Outstanding Polish Women” in 2023. It was presented on the occasion of Women’s Day on 8th of March in Palmerston North as well as during the #PolishHeritageDays in May in Christchurch. On both occasions, the events were enriched by the meeting and discussions with the outstanding women of New Zealand. The art was also presented for a week at Te Awa Wellington City Library, aligned with the Women’s Equality Day (on the 26th of August).