Ewa Wierzynska, Michal Mrozek and Wanda Urbanska
Jan Karski U.S. Centennial Campaign Director Wanda Urbanska recently returned from a week in New York City where she and her partners mapped out Campaign strategy for 2012. On Jan. 17, Ms. Urbanska met with Steering Committee member Bob Billingsley and Ewa Wierzynska of the Polish History Museum in Warsaw, to discuss the Georgetown University-Karski Centennial Campaign partnership. Polish Cultural Institute Director Jerzy Onuch, along with his wife Mirka Onuch, hosted a party at his home to celebrate "In Darkness," Agnieszka Holland's latest film, an Oscar contender, which had been screened at the Museum of the Moving Image the night before. Ms. Holland was widely celebrated, with many toasts offered in her honor.
New York's Polish Consul General Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka, together with Mrs. Wierzynska and Ms. Urbanska, met with Sol Adler, executive director of the 92nd St. Y, to discuss working with this legendary cultural institution to introduce a Karski program. Mrs. Wierzynska and Ms. Urbanska also met with Alex Storozynski, executive director of the Kosciuszko Foundation, along with Steering Committee members Alicia Belzberg and Andrzej Rojek, and Campaign supporter Michal Mrozek. The Consul General hosted a meeting at the Polish Consulate for the New York Director of Facing History, Peter Nelson, and Patrycja Slawuta, to plan a fall educators' workshop in New York focused on Karski and the Polish Underground. Ms. Urbanska also dined with Frank Milewski and Chet Szarejko of the Downstate Division of the Polish American Congress, who offered their endorsement of the Campaign.
As a finale to a busy and productive week in the city, Ms. Urbanska participated in the American Jewish Committee's Board of Governors' dinner meeting on Sunday, Jan. 22 at the Polish Consulate. This elegant event was hosted by the ever-gracious and articulate Consul General Junczyk-Ziomecka who spoke on Polish-Jewish relations. Ms. Urbanska briefed the governors about the progress about the Campaign and saluted AJC's leadership in advancing improved relations between the Polish and Jewish communities worldwide. After the dinner, AJC Executive Director David Harris put on his hat as a Karski Campaign Steering Committee member and was seen giving out trifold brochures to departing guests.
Photos below, first row, left to right: Ewa Wierzynska and Wanda Urbanska flank businessman Michal Mrozek; Director Agnieszka Holland, at center, is toasted for In Darkness at the home of Jerzy Onuch; Wanda Urbanska, at left, and Consul General Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka, at right, celebrate the Karski Campaign at the AJC board of Governors dinner in New York City, with Roger Bernstein and David Harris, AJC executive director, standing in the center; Consul General Junczyk-Ziomecka discusses an upcoming Karski educators' workshop with Facing History New York director Peter Nelson; second row: Consul General Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka, Sol Adler, executive director of the 92nd Street Y, Wanda Urbanska and Ewa Wierzynska of the Polish History Museum in Warsaw; Wanda Urbanska is flanked by two leaders of the Polish American Congress Downstate NY Division, on left, Chet Szarejko, and right, Frank Milewski.
