LAST Saturday was Polish Heritage Day and I was so pleased to join members of the Polish Community in Worcestershire to celebrate the occasion. We were honoured to have the Consul General, Mateusz St siek, join us for the day for the raising of the Polish flag in Cathedral Square and the laying of flowers at the War Memorial. We were all presented with a gift of bread and salt, which is a traditional greeting in Poland. Later the Consul General and other members of the Worcestershire Polish Association joined me in the Guildhall forecourt for the unveiling of the bust of Polish pilot Franciszek Surma, about whom I have written before in this diary.
HERITAGE: Tomasz Wisniewski, of the Worcestershire Polish Association, greeted Consul General of the Polish Embassy Mateusz St?siek (third in from right on the bottom right photo).
As well as Mr St?siek, Dr Mark A. Stella-Sawicki, Mr Wisniewski, and WPA COMMUNITY members celebrated the fifth nationwide edition of Polish Heritage Day in Worcester on Saturday with a historic visit. It was the first time that a delegation from the Polish Embassy in London has visited the city. The head of the Consular section, Consul General of the embassy Mateusz Stąsiek, visited Worcester with his family. Polish Heritage Day commemorates the sacrifices made by Polish people during the Second World War but also celebrated their ongoing contribution to Worcester and to Britain, as well as promoting and celebrating Polish culture, heritage of past generations, and Polish contribution to the cultural, economic, and social life of the United Kingdom.