Ambassador Zbigniew Gniatkowski giving his speech at Te Papa museum.
May 3rd Constitution Day is a Polish national and public holiday. It celebrates the declaration of the Constitution of May 3rd, 1791. Festivities date back to the Duchy of Warsaw early in the 19th century, but it became an official holiday only in 1919 in the Second Polish Republic.
In Wellington the Polish Embassy celebrated big at the national museum Te Papa. 160 guests attended the function on 4 May 2016, including representatives of the New Zealand government, business, culture, academia, the diplomatic corps as well as members of Polish expat organisations (Polonia).
Ambassador Zbigniew Gniatkowski’s speech in English can be downloaded here.
The Embassy’s website features a photo gallery of the event.
Ewa Fenn and Eva Niedzielski of the Polish Community Trust attended the celebration and met, among others, with Dorota Szymanska from Christchurch, who is President of FPONZ (Federation of Polish Organisations in New Zealand), and Cecylia Klobukowska from Dunedin, Chairperson and founding member of the Polish Heritage of Otago and Southland Charitable Trust. Two years ago, Cecylia Klobukowska was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit by the President of Poland; Dorota Szymanska received the Gold Cross of Merit in 2015.
FPONZ is planning a national meeting in Tauranga in November 2016, most likely using the Tauranga Multicultural Centre as their convention venue. FPONZ was established in 2010, originally as Polish Federation Council in NZ. The organisation was formally registered as FPONZ Inc. on 11 November 2014. For more on FPONZ see their Facebook page.
In Wellington the Polish Embassy celebrated big at the national museum Te Papa. 160 guests attended the function on 4 May 2016, including representatives of the New Zealand government, business, culture, academia, the diplomatic corps as well as members of Polish expat organisations (Polonia).
Ambassador Zbigniew Gniatkowski’s speech in English can be downloaded here.
The Embassy’s website features a photo gallery of the event.
Ewa Fenn and Eva Niedzielski of the Polish Community Trust attended the celebration and met, among others, with Dorota Szymanska from Christchurch, who is President of FPONZ (Federation of Polish Organisations in New Zealand), and Cecylia Klobukowska from Dunedin, Chairperson and founding member of the Polish Heritage of Otago and Southland Charitable Trust. Two years ago, Cecylia Klobukowska was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit by the President of Poland; Dorota Szymanska received the Gold Cross of Merit in 2015.
FPONZ is planning a national meeting in Tauranga in November 2016, most likely using the Tauranga Multicultural Centre as their convention venue. FPONZ was established in 2010, originally as Polish Federation Council in NZ. The organisation was formally registered as FPONZ Inc. on 11 November 2014. For more on FPONZ see their Facebook page.
