Consultative Council for the Polish Community Abroad Announced: Belarusian Political Prisoner Andrzej Poczobut Named as Member
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On September 25, 2024, the Polish Senate hosted a formal ceremony to inaugurate the Consultative Council for the Polish Community Abroad at the Speaker of the Senate. The newly formed Council will advise on key legislative projects impacting Poles living abroad and their communities. Among its notable members is Andrzej Poczobut, a prominent Polish journalist and activist currently imprisoned in Belarus for his pro-democracy effort.
Photo: Mirek Krajewski, Family News Service
At the ceremony, Senate Speaker Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska formally appointed 16 representatives to the Council, who who will serve as key voices for Poles living abroad and their communities.
According to the official statement, the Council members include: Małgorzata Bonikowska from Canada, Andżelika Borys from Belarus, Lourival de Araujo Filho from Brazil, Maciej Dokurno from Scotland, Alicja Donimirska from the United Kingdom, Małgorzata Hallewell from the United Kingdom, Lesia Jermak from Ukraine, Alina Ewelina Kieżun from Lithuania, Małgorzata Kwiatkowska from Australia, Helena Legowicz from the Czech Republic, Wiesław Lewicki from Germany, Gerwazy Longher from Romania, Tadeusz Pilat from Sweden, Frank Spula from the United States, and Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus (with Marek Zaniewski from Belarus accepting the appointment on his behalf).
Photo: senat.gov.pl
“There is a need for care and wise partnership with the Polish community abroad,” said Speaker Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska during the ceremony, as she handed out the appointments to the members of the Consultative Council for the Polish Community Abroad.
“History has proven the remarkable strength of Poles living abroad, who have consistently supported us at crucial moments. Our acting together was instrumental in key milestones like the formation of ‘Solidarity’ and our successful bids to join NATO and the European Union,” she said, emphasizing that these achievements would not have been possible without the global Polish community, who acted as unofficial ambassadors for the country.
Referring to Andrzej Poczobut’s appointment, the Speaker expressed her hope that it will be possible to meet with him at future Council sessions. “We want the whole world to know that Andrzej Poczobut is important to us, that we advocate for him, and that we want him to be released from prison as soon as possible,” she said.
According to the Senate’s statement, the Consultative Council for the Polish Community Abroad is an advisory body to the Speaker of the Senate. Its role includes providing opinions on draft laws and resolutions related to the Polish communities abroad. Members of the Council are appointed and dismissed by the Speaker of the Senate.
Family News Service