Ms. Urbanska, Krysztof Zakrzewski, an attorney from Warsaw, the Consul General, and Michał Mrożek
The Polish Consulate in New York hosted the first annual Jan Karski Day at its exquisite de LaMar Mansion on 37th and Madison on April 24 with an exclusive and moving event, the highlight of which was the showing of President Obama's April 23 announcement that he would award Jan Karski with a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom later in the year.
Wanda Urbanska, Jan Karski US Centennial Campaign director, told the overflow crowd how she had personally thanked the president on behalf of all the many campaign stakeholders and supporters, and that President Obama looked her in the eye and said, "We got it done." "What remarkable timing -- a great example of Karski karma at work," she said, "that the president's announcement came just one day before our celebration event of the 98th anniversary of Karski's birth!”
Polish Consul General Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka was awarded the first "Spirit of Jan Karski Award" by the Karski Campaign Steering Committee for her outstanding contributions in improving relations between the Polish Catholic and Jewish communities worldwide and for her instrumental support of the Karski Campaign. American Jewish Committee executive director David Harris presented this award in an eloquent and heartfelt fashion, saying that he was honored to have been asked to present the award. "Ewa represents all good things in a human being and on behalf of her beloved Poland," he said. "Head, heart, soul and spine. Over the course of the many years we've worked together, she has always demonstrated the best in a human being, with high integrity and great leadership."
Consul General Junczyk-Ziomecka was overwhelmed by the honor and stated that it was remarkable that the kickoff dinner for the Campaign was held in this same spot only eleven months earlier. "We have come so far in such a short period of time. I want to thank all of you for this amazing achievement -- but especially our remarkable Campaign director Wanda Urbanska."
Georgetown University Steering Committee Member Bob Billingsley discussed the GU Campaign and its goal of establishing a Karski Fund at Georgetown that would include a Karski Chair and a Karski Scholars Fund. "Jan Karski was a modest man, a man who changed my life and the lives of all those Hoyas who had the privilege of studying with him. Still, he was a man who enjoyed a good time and would, like clockwork, call for a Manhattan at 5 p.m."
A highlight of the evening a dramatic staged reading of excerpts from Karski’s book, Story of a Secret State, performed by actor Marcin Lipinski, with Ms. Urbanska narrating.
Mr. Billingsley raised a toast to Steering Committee member Leo J. O'Donovan whose birthday is also April 24. Ms. Urbanska took time to recognize the many partners of the Campaign's effort individually while noting that all of the partners -- in the spirit of Jan Karski -- cared only for the achievement rather than seeking to take personal or organizational credit for the remarkable team effort that was achieved.
Although the many organizational partners and Steering Committee members who worked diligently to achieve this award were acknowledged, Ewa Wierzynska has been the mastermind of the Campaign from her position at the Polish History Museum in Warsaw, where she directs the Jan Karski International Legacy Program.
Photos below (left to right, all courtesy of Przemyslaw Balcerzyk): top row: Consul General Junczyk-Ziomecka with David Harris; the Consul General accepting the award; Bob Billingsley addresses the audience; David Harris with Story of a Secret State; Bob Billingsley; second row: Actor Marcin Lipinski reenacts Karski's story, with Ms. Urbanska; Allen and Betsy Paul talk with an audience member; Chet Szarejko, vice president of the Downstate NY Division of the Polish American Congress, congratulates the Consul General, with Ms. Urbanska and Frank Milewski, its president; Posing at the Jan Karski statue outside the Consulate are Ms. Urbanska, Krysztof Zakrzewski, an attorney from Warsaw, the Consul General, and Jan Karski US Campaign Steering Committee Member Michał Mrożek
