The solemnity in Zułow. ‘Take care of Poles remaining Poles’

The celebration of 25th birthday of APL (Association of Poles in Lithuania) started with the joint singing of Rota. The enterprise took place in Zułów. Two oaks were consecrated on The Avenue of National Memory. One of them commemorates the soldiers of HA (Home Army), who participated in Operation ‘Ostra Brama’, and the second symbolizes the anniversary of the biggest Association of Poles in Lithuania.

The beggining of May creates an opportunity to celebratethe Day of Polish Constitution. In the first half of May people also solemnize the anniversaries of marshal Piłsudski death and the end of World War II. ‘Present May for Poles is special, because it is 25 years since Association of Poles in Lithuania formed’,said Edward Trusewicz, vice-minister of culture and secretary of APL.

Chairman of APL Mykhajlo Mackiewicz underlined, that in such a day and such a case it was impossible to avoid visiting place, where Józef Piłsudski was born. ‘Celebrating this anniversary today, we are really glad that life changes. The world improves, becomes better. History is forming in a positive direction. We have our own historical memory. We are perfectly organized. We know our problems our rights. We will take care of Poles remaining Poles always and everywhere’, claimed M. Mackiewicz.

In Zułów you could meet the representatives of different Polish organizations and establishments in Lithuania. The most important guests were the deputy of Seym Jarosław Narkiewicz, cosignatory Czesław Okińczyc, ambassador Józef Kwiatkowski, consul of The polish State in Lithuania Stanislav Cygnarowski.

‘We are in a place, which is dear and precios for each Pole.Today we will consecrate the oak founded by Polish organization ‘Macierz Szkolna’. Before a year of ruling of this orgnisation, was made a decision that Avenue of National Memory would be a place for those, who sowed the first grains of knowledge on Wileńszczyźna’, declared J. Kwiatkowski.

The solemnity on 25th anniversary of APL is going to begin tomorrow from putting wreaths on grave ‘Matki i Serca Syna’ (‘A mother and the heart of her son’) on occasion of celebration the Constitution of May 3 Day. The saint mass expressing the gratitude starts at 1 p.m. in ‘Ostra Brama’. A solemn academy and concert in Lithuanian National Theatre begins at 3 p.m.

Source: http://zw.lt/wilno-wilenszczyzna/uroczystosci-w-zulowie-zadbamy-o-aby-polak-pozostawal-polakiem/

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