Minister Sikorski with JKEF president Wanda Urbanska and JKEF chairman Andrzej Rojek (photo by Grzegorz Tomczewski of the Polish History Museum)
A well-attended Oct. 10 celebration in Warsaw featured Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who talked about why Jan Karski is a significant figure in 20th century Polish history. Minister Sikorski pointed out that Karski was an employee of the Foreign Ministry, and later the Polish Government-in-Exile, where he served as a courier and warned the Western powers about the dangerous situations in Nazi-occupied wartime Poland. With next year being the centennial of the birth of Karski, there will be many opportunities for recognition of Karski’s achievements, and he has asked the Speaker of the Sejm (the Polish parliament) to establish 2014 as the Year of Jan Karski.
The event was organized by Fundacja Edukacyjna Jana Karskiego (FEJK) in partnership with the Jan Karski Educational Foundation (JKEF) and was hosted by Baker & McKenzie.
Minister Sikorski also said that he met earlier in the month with Philip Białowicz, who escaped from the Sobibor death camp, and he quoted Mr. Białowicz: "If more people were like Karski, the Holocaust would not have happened."
During the ceremony, Professor Adam Daniel Rotfeld - who accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Karski’s behalf from American President Obama last year - mentioned that Jan Karski was a multi-dimensional person - a scholar and professor.
During the event, guests learned about the plans of the Foundation for the promotion of the ideas of Jan Karski through education. Andrzej Rojek, Chairman of the Educational Foundation of Jan Karski pointed out that the institution is trying to build a model of education among such ideals as honesty and integrity. A video with Mr. Rojek is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA29Y2YMs9s, but it can only be viewed in Poland.
JKEF director Przemysław Krych also addressed the large group of Karski enthusiasts. The reception was held at law firm Baker and McKenzie's elegant Warsaw offices.
The Jan Karski Educational Foundation and the Polish History Museum will be working closely Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote Jan Karski’s values during the centennial year.
