- January 15, 2014
- 361
Maria Rekść – Polish Man of The Year in 2013
The results of traditional 16th plebiscite of the readers of „Kurier Wileński” – “Polish Man of The Year in 2013” has been summed up. Maria Rekść, the mayor of Vilnius region, gained the greatest number of readers’ votes (13 439). She received the honorary title „Polish Man of The Year in 2013”.
Well-known politicians, community activists, workers of culture and education et al. took part in this year’s plebiscite „Polish Man of The Year in 2013”. Generally, on November, the Chapter, consisting of the winners of the honorary title, chose ten candidates, which were earlier proposed by the readers.
Then, the readers were sending coupons (votes) for a few months. The winner, Maria Rekść, the mayor of Vilnius region, was appointed, on the basis of those votes.
The winner of the title, who was informed by “Kurier” about her winner, was moved and surprised.
– Jan Mincewicz, the vice mayor, called me a few minutes ago. He won the first edition of the plebiscite, and consequently he participated the summing-up event and it was him who, as the first one, informed me about my winner. In the beginning, I didn’t realize that Jan called to inform about the results of the plebiscite – Maria Rekść, said.
Then, after a while she added “We constantly have cases in the court, when we fight for justified matters of the Poles. I understood that we won another case. However, when Jan called me with the title, which is very important and honorary for every Polish person, I was surprised obviously. I perfectly know that each of the ten candidates deserves the title” – said our interlocutor.
When we asked how she feels about being awarded, she added: “I think it is a success of the whole council, who I manage. But for the help of people with whom I constantly work, I would not cope. That’s why I dismiss it as a collective honourable mention, as an assessment of the work done by people from the whole Vilnius region.
– I would be dishonest if I said that I’m not glad of the fact the readers of “Kurier” voted on me so willingly. I thank for every vote, which I consider to be an assessment of my everyday work. The work which I do with all my heart and soul. I’m honoured that people appreciated it. But as I said earlier, I think it is a collective honourable mention.
When, a year ago, we wrote that we received a great number of coupons – 10 008- we thought it was an upper limit. Yet, our readers proved that each year they are more active, where the action of proposing candidates is concerned and when they send coupons.
The representatives of the Chapter, who count the coupons every year, had to work a lot yesterday in order to count all 28 218 coupons.
Yesterday, Anna Adamowicz, Antoni Jankowski, Barbara Kosinskienė, Zofia Matarewicz, Jan Mincewicz, Zdzisław Palewicz, Edward Trusewicz, ks. Wacław Wołodkowicz counted the votes.
Editorial Staff by presented by Robert Mickiewicz, an editor, and Andrzej Podworski, a director for commercialism.
As usual, firstly they open the envelopes. Then they arranged the coupons according to surnames and next they counted votes. After 3-hours work, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
The Chapter of the plebiscite “The Honourable Polish Person of 2013” chose ten readers, who will be awarded for their participation in the action of choosing the winner. They are as follows: : Leokadia Masiulaniec (Vilnius), Edward Józef Jankowski (Šalčininkai region), Marta Kunicka (Zujuny region), Pelagia Jaśkiewicz (Magūnai), Waleria Kozłowska (Vilnius), Jowita Trybocka (Šalčininkai region), Czesława Błażewicz (Szumsk), A. Szełkowska (Vilnius), Jelena Maksimowicz (Vilnius), Wiesława Treszczyńska (Vilnius region).
The event during which the most popular and honour Polish People of 2013 will be awarded, takes place on 25th January at The House of Polish Culture in Vilnius at 5 p.m.
The ten prizewinners of the plebiscite of „The Worth Polish Person of 2013”
1. Maria Rekść, the mayor of Vilnius region……………13 439 votes
2. Ks. Józef Aszkiełowicz, the parish priest in Maisiagalos …..10 686 votes
3. Edita Tamošiūnaitė, the under-secretary of education ………992 votes
4. Edyta Maksymowicz, the journalist of „Wilnoteka”……..932 votes
5. Kazimierz Karpicz, the headmaster of High School in Jašiūnai…..736 votes
6. Renata Brasel, the artistic manager of Polski Zespół Artystyczny Pieśni i Tańca (Polsih Artistic Group of Song and Dance) „Wilia”……..420 votes
7. Zbigniew Lewicki, the violinist of Państwowa Orkiestra Symfoniczna (National Symphonic Orchestra) under G. Rinkevičiusa’s guidence………276 votes
8. Artur Ludkowski, the direktor of The House of Polish Culture in Vilnius ………..270 votes
9. Jarosław Niewierowicz, the minister of Lithuania……267 votes
10. Ryszard Jankowski, the chairman of ZPL in Vandžiogala (Kowieńska region)….200 votes
Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2014/01/15/polakiem-roku-2013-mer-maria-reksc/
Tłumaczenie by Anna Kwiatkowska w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Anna Kwiatkowska within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.
