Poland in the UK

The display, titled "100 years of Polish Embassy at 47 Portland Place", will present the history of the building, including its connections to the Polish diplomatic mission, Poland’s Government-in-Exile and the Polish community in the United Kingdom, also highlighting the role the place has played in strengthening Polish-British relations.

From beginnings of the Polish-British relations through the Embassy’s wartime history up to the present moment, the exhibition, which will feature archive photographs, will tell of the key moments in the history of 47 Portland Place.

The 20-panel exhibit, which will hang on the railings of 47 Portland Place until the end of 2021, is part of the #47PortlandPlace campaign marking the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the seat of the Polish Embassy in London.

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Polish Ambassador Arkady Rzegocki said: "I am honoured that HRH The Duke of Kent is set to launch Polish Embassy's exhibition marking the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the seat of our diplomatic post at 47 Portland Place. It is a fitting tribute to the history of our building, the Polish diplomatic mission and strong Polish-British relations. This exhibition demonstrates how the fates of Poland and the United Kingdom are intertwined and how important London was for the survival of the legitimate state representation of the Republic of Poland. I invite everyone who can to visit the display and learn about the fascinating history of this place."

The opening of the exhibition will also mark the launch of this year’s Polish Heritage Days, as part of which more than 50 organisations in the United Kingdom have pledged their initiatives celebrating all-things Polish. Similar to 2020, the 2021 edition will be hosted mostly online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s 5th edition of Polish Heritage Days will be all the more special as it will celebrate reinforced values of community purpose and social solidarity during the pandemic, highlighting the support provided by the Polish community to their neighbours throughout the UK. From PHD runs through competitions about Polish culture, language, history and heritage to various online concerts, dance showcases, film screenings as well as interactive cultural workshops for children and art workshops for adults, there is something for everyone!

Follow and use the #PLHeritageDays hashtag on social media during the Early May Bank Holiday weekend and let’s celebrate together the Polish heritage, history and culture, including the 100^th anniversary of the seat of the Polish Embassy!

You can watch the opening of the "100 years of Polish Embassy at 47 Portland Place" exhibition on 1 May at 11am on the Polish Embassy Facebook page.

Polish Embassy UK Press Office