Poland in the UK

The call for applications for the fifth edition of Polish Heritage Days (PHD) is now open! The theme of this year’s PHD is the celebration of reinforced community values and social solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thirty years ago, on 15 February 1991, the presidents of Poland and the Czech Republic, and the prime minister of Hungary signed the Declaration on Cooperation between the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Hungary in Striving for European Integration in the castle of Visegrad, Hungary.

The night of 15-16 February 2021 marks the 80th anniversary of the first parachute drop by Polish Home Army parachutists Cichociemni, the “Silent Unseen”, into occupied Poland.

Belarusian oppositionists Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Vladzimir Astapenka discussed the future of democracy in Belarus with Poland’s, Lithuania’s and Britain’s ministers during a virtual panel discussion held in London ahead of a six-month anniversary of the rigged presidential elections in Belarus.

The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London kindly informs that during the Christmas season, the Embassy and the Consulate General in Manchester and Belfast will be closed for visitors on December 24-28, 2020 and January 1 and 6, 2021. The Consulate General in Edinburgh will be closed for visitors on December 24-28, 2020 and January 1, 4 and 6, 2021.

„Here in exile, it (11/11/1918) became a memory which is cherished, a memory which was passed on to the next generation, and one can see down the years how that new generation began to take over the organisation of the ceremonies of the 11th of November.” - Dr A. Suchcitz. This year, the National Independence Day was celebrated on a smaller scale, with the participation of scouts who, in accordance with the social distancing rules due to Covid-19, organised gatherings of their units mainly outside, in cities where they normally have their activities.

On 11 November 1918, 102 years ago, Poland regained its independence. On this day, after his release from the Magdeburg Fortress, Józef Piłsudski took over military command from the Regency Council and, three days later, assumed supreme authority over civilian matters, to finally “as Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army [...] notify belligerent and neutral governments and nations” of the reappearance of “the reborn and independent Republic of Poland” on the map. After 123 years of captivity, Poland became a sovereign and internationally recognised state.

Polish candidate for the post of Secretary-General of the OECD will present his ideas for the Organization during the online debate at PISM on 12th of November.

The MFA organised a series of expert panels and an information and promotional campaign under the slogan “UN Week” to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Organisation.

UK Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas Wendy Morton and Polish Ambassador Arkady Rzegocki inaugurated the London celebrations of Poland’s presidency of the Visegrád Group (V4) at a meeting of the ambassadors of countries belonging to the Central European cultural and political alliance.