On the same day, President of the Republic of Poland Karol Nawrocki and First Lady Marta Nawrocka met with the American Polish community at Christ the King High School in Middle Village, Queens. The event was attended by representatives of Polish organizations, clergy, schools, businesses, scouting, and the local community. Attendees also included former State Senator Serphin R. Maltese and City Councilman Phil Wong, among others.
Karol Nawrocki thanked Poles living in the United States for preserving their language, culture, and national traditions. He recalled the figures of Tadeusz Kościuszko, Kazimierz Pułaski, and Merian Caldwell Cooper, speaking of the long history of Polish-American friendship. He also emphasized that through their daily work and successes, the Polish diaspora remains an important ambassador of Poland in the USA.
The most important part of the meeting was the presentation of state decorations to individuals distinguished for their service to Poland and the Polish community. The Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit was awarded to Michał Jan Czyżewski, Dr. Bogdan Horbal, Rev. Grzegorz Markulak, Rev. Wiesław Strządała, and Wojciech Ziębowicz. The Gold Cross of Merit was bestowed upon Małgorzata Starzec, Anna Tracz, Ewa Załusińska, James Ławicki, Brian Rusk, and Zbigniew “Ziggy” Rozalski.
The photos capture the most important moments of the ceremony: the President’s speech, the decoration ceremony, youth performances, and meetings between Karol and Marta Nawrocki and representatives of successive generations of the New York Polish community.
