Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria marks the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus
18.08.2023
On the occasion of the 550th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Polish astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria, in cooperation with Pretoria Boys High, organized on August 18, 2023 in Pretoria a special lecture on his life, legacy, and achievements of contemporary Polish scientists, as well as a significant Polish contribution to the construction and operation of the South African SALT telescope in Sutherland, South Africa.
Dr Świerkowski, a well-known Polish astronomer and futurologist, gave a fascinating lecture, which aroused great interest among students of the prestigious high school in Pretoria. Combining science and art, he introduced young science fans to the complex issues of astronomy and the complexity of the cosmic perspective in a very accessible way. He explained to the students why the discovery of Nicolaus Copernicus, which destroyed the entire vision of the universe at that time, was so important and so ground-breaking for the further development of science and knowledge about the world. At the time when Nicolaus Copernicus lived, it was believed that the sun revolved around the earth. Nicolaus Copernicus "stopped the Sun, moved the Earth". His greatest achievement was the development of the heliocentric model of the solar system, according to which the sun is at the centre, the earth is a planet and, like other planets, it revolves around the sun in a circular orbit. He documented this in his work "On the Revolution of the Celestial Spheres", which was published in 1543 in Nuremberg.
Lecture by Dr Świerkowski gathered a large audience. The event was moderated by Willem Truter, science teacher and Pretoria Boys High Astronomy Club tutor. The occasional speech was delivered by the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, Adam Burakowski. The school management also organized a number of competitions and quizzes about Nicolaus Copernicus and astronomy. The Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, Adam Burakowski, presented the winners with prizes funded by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria. The event was open for the public.
As part of the celebration of the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland also presented the occasional exhibition “Nicholas Copernicus. Life and Creativity” prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Polish Academy of Sciences. The exhibition will be on display at Pretoria Boys High until the end of the month.
Photos: Grażyna Koornhof/Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria
