The Cross of Merit for the eminent personages of the Vilnius Region

Yesterday, in the Palace of Pac family Janusz Skolimowski, the Polish ambassador to Vilnius, awarded the Gold and Silver Crosses of Merit to the members of local authorities, the teachers of Polish-language schools, the members of the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences and the Faculty of the University of Bialystok.

22 people were awarded on 26 July 2012 by Bronisław Komorowski, the President of the Republic of Poland. “Congratulations. I am grateful for your great effort put into education of young people.”

“Despite hard working conditions, you do a great job. The President of the Republic of Poland gives you congratulations as well. I wish you a great success in your careers as well as in private lives.” said Janusz Skolimowski, the Polish ambassador.

The awarded were extremely surprised and genuinely moved to tears. “It is a beautiful ceremony, everybody are deeply moved. Thanks to such people, the Polish school in Lithuania is at very high level. Their hard work has been appreciated, they are very respectable people. We can be proud of them.” said Waldemar Tomaszewski, a Member of the European Parliament.

“It is a great honour, I didn’t expect that my work would be so appreciated. Not only is it my award but the whole school has deserved it as well. I am extremely surprised, I don’t know what to say. As I was going there, it didn’t cross my mind that I might be presented with the Gold Cross of Merit!” said Janina Kuckienė, a teacher of the W. Syrokomla Secondary School. 

Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2012/09/04/zasluzonym-wilenszczyzny-krzyze-zaslugi-polski/ 

Tłumaczenie Karolina Rolka w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Karolina Rolka within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.