Polish National Day

On 3 May 2011, at the prestigious Wellington Club, a reception celebrating the National Day of Poland was held. The ceremony attracted about 200 people. Present were: members of the NZ Government (Hon Christopher Finlayson, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, unsecured loans Hon Judith Collins, Minister of Police, Corresctions and Veterans' Affairs, Hon Wayne Mapp, Minister of Defence, Hon Hekia Parata, Minister for Ethnic and Women's Affairs), Members of Parliament ( approximately 10 members, including the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee and the President of the Poland-New Zealand Parliamentary Group), J. Dew, Archbishop of Wellington, representatives of MFAT (including the Deputy Secretary Chris Seed) and other Ministries, academic institutions, research and culture , Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic-consular corps (including our new Honorary Consul in Christchurch Winsome Dormer), representatives of the Polish Community of Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch.

Customarily, two speeches were delivered: one of the Ambassador Beata Stoczyńska and, on behalf of the New Zealand Government, of Minister Chris Finlayson. In her speech, Ambassador referred to the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, relations between Poland and New Zealand and JPII's Beatification. Minister Finlayson thanked the Polish government for the condolences recieved after the earthquake in Christchurch, referred to the long tradition of political, cultural, economic relations, also in a historical context.

In connection with the funeral of Mr. Czeslaw Tomaszyk (a soldier of the Polish Underground, arrested and imprisoned in three Nazi camps, who after arriving in New Zealand was a successful businessman), that took place earlier on the same day, Minister introduced this late soldier as an example of a person who has achieved a success and had a great carrer in New Zealand, while neved strayed from his traditional Polish roots. Both speeches were very well received. bad credit loans

Olga Gryniewicz, a soprano singer, sang national anthems of Poland and New Zealand. Promotional video „Poland - Move Your Imagination" was also presented.