Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland
11/16/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/16/2023 13:37
Foreign Service Day celebrations
Foreign Service Day celebrations
16.11.2023
On 16 November 1918, Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces Józef Piłsudski sent a telegram to world leaders to notify them about the rebirth of an independent Polish State after 123 years under foreign rule. Today, Poland celebrates 16 November as Foreign Service Day to mark an anniversary of that memorable occasion.
The date is a symbolic reminder of the emergence of Poland's modern diplomacy.
The highlight of this year's Foreign Service Day celebrations was a meeting of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda. Addressing Polish diplomats, the president shared his position on the present and future challenges facing Poland's foreign service.
President Duda thanked for the current commitment and contribution of the Polish foreign service to building Poland's strong international standing and enhancing the country's positive reception abroad.
The president observed that Polish diplomacy must make it its priority for 2024 to maintain Poland's firm position in international fora in terms of both bilateral relations with our partners and multilaterally, on a regional basis. In his address, President Duda also pointed out the significance of Poland's upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, hoping for it to help forge closer ties between the EU and the US as well as to add momentum to the EU enlargement process and energy policy reforms.
As he thanked the president for receiving representatives of the ministry, including diplomatic and consular trainees, Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau emphasised that the credit for Poland's successful foreign policy largely goes to effective cooperation between the president and the Council of Ministers in pursuing that policy, and to close day-to-day cooperation between the Presidential Chancellery and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Later that day, acting on behalf of President Andrzej Duda, Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau awarded state decorations and distinctions to individuals distinguished for their special contribution to fulfilling the tasks of the foreign service and consolidating Poland's international standing.
The following honourees were decorated:
with the Bronze Cross of Merit:
Gabriel Piętka
with the Gold Medal for Long-Time Service:
Marek Orliński
Beata Słoma
with the Bronze Medal for Long-Time Service:
Maryla Otachel
with the Medal of the Centenary of Regained Independence:
Irena Lichnerowicz-Augustyn
Also, Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau presented Ambassador Krzysztof Szczerski, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations in New York, with the Honourable Distinction "Bene Merito" awarded by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.