Embassy and Karta Foundation Promote U.S.-Polish People-to-People Relations During Visit with Polish Legislators

Cultural Affairs Officer Dan Hastings with Members of Poland’s Parliamentary Group for Polish-US Relations

On June 5th Cultural Affairs Officer Dan Hastings visited Poland’s parliament (Sejm) where he gave a presentation on the U.S. diplomatic mission’s ongoing “100 Years Together” initiative across Poland.  He was cordially hosted by Małgorzata Wypych, the head of Polish Sejm’s Parliamentary Group for Polish-US Relations, and six other Members of Parliament who belong to the group.  Hastings additionally spoke about the U.S. Embassy’s support for a new project launched by the Karta Foundation in Poland that celebrates the shared history and people-to-people ties between Poles and Americans.  Karta’s online, interactive “Peers of Independence” project encourages youth across Poland to rediscover the lives and fates of the 5.5 million Poles who signed the Polish Declarations of Admiration and Friendship for the United States in 1926 and which was presented to U.S. President Calvin Coolidge on America’s 150th birthday as gratitude for the humanitarian support that America provided Poland after regaining its independence in 1918.  Alicja Wancerz-Gluza of the Karta Foundation gave a presentation on “Peers of Independence” to the Sejm deputies and encouraged them to support the project that helps to illustrate the people-to-people ties between Poland and the United States over the last century.  Ambassador Jones helped Karta launch the project in late April and his video message can be found at http://nieskonczenieniepodlegla-ludzie.pl/blog/37

For more information about the “Peers of Independence” project as well as the 1926 Polish Declarations of Admiration and Friendship for the United States please visit the site http://nieskonczenieniepodlegla-ludzie.pl/