Commendations from RP Presidents for Pukszto, Mickiewicz and others

By decision of 4 December 2018, the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda awarded high orders and decorations to people who have contributed to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cooperation in the areas of culture, science, media and for people involved in activities for the Polish community in Lithuania. The awards were granted to Robert Mickiewicz, editor-in-chief of “Kurier Wileński”, Jadwiga Pietkiewicz, guardian of the Bernardine Cemetery, political scientist Andrzej Pukszto, doctor Krystyna Rotkiewicz, editor-in-chief of Wilnoteka Jan Wierbiel and many others.

The ceremony will take place on 22 January 2019 in the Pac Palace in Vilnius, during the New Year’s meeting with representatives of the world of culture, organized by the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Lithuania Urszula Doroszewska and the Director of the Polish Institute in Vilnius Marcin Łapczyński. The ceremony will be attended by the Under-secretary of State in the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland Wojciech Kolarski, who will present the awards, and the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, Mindaugas Kvietkauskas.

With the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland there was awarded posthumously prof. Algis Kalėda (1952-2017) – outstanding Polish and Lithuanian scholar, expert in Polish literature, researcher of Polish-Lithuanian cultural associations, translator, literary critic and educator, co-founder of Vilnius Polish literature, for outstanding contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cultural cooperation, for popularization of Polish culture and academic, translation and didactic activities.

With the Commander’s Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland there was awarded Romualdas Budrys – director of the Lithuanian Art Museum for his outstanding contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cultural cooperation, for promoting Polish culture, including the organisation of several dozen exhibitions presenting Polish art, history and culture.

With the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland there were awarded:

Lolita Jablonskienė – director of the National Gallery of Art in Vilnius, for outstanding contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cultural cooperation, for popularising Polish culture, including the organisation of many exhibitions and projects presenting Polish artists.

Kęstutis Kuizinas – director of the Centre for Contemporary Art in Vilnius, for outstanding contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cultural cooperation, for popularising Polish culture, including organization of many exhibitions and projects promoting Polish contemporary art.

Mindaugas Kvietkauskas – long-term director of the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, since January 2019 Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, for outstanding contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cultural cooperation, for popularisation of Polish culture and literature, including the promotion of figures and works, among others Czesław Miłosz and Wisława Szymborska.

Robert Mickiewicz – editor-in-chief of “Kurier Wileński”, for his outstanding contribution to the Polish community in Lithuania and the development of Polish-speaking media.

Jadwiga Pietkiewicz – a long-term social activist and caregiver of the Bernardine Cemetery in Vilnius, for her outstanding contribution to the Polish community in Lithuania.

Kazys Uscila – translator of Polish literature, for outstanding contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cultural cooperation, for popularising Polish culture, in particular literature.

Markas Zingeris – director of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum, for his outstanding contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cultural cooperation, popularisation of Polish culture, conducting an intercultural dialogue and contribution to the development of Polish-Jewish-Lithuanian relations.

With the Gold Cross of Merit there were awarded:

Raminta Jurenaitė – lecturer at the The Vilnius Academy of Arts, for her contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cultural cooperation, for popularising Polish culture, in particular Polish contemporary art.

Vyturys Jarutis – translator of Polish literature, for his contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cultural cooperation, for popularising Polish culture, in particular Polish literature.

Andrzej Pukszto – political scientist, lecturer at the Magnus University in Kaunas, for his contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cooperation and for his activities for the Polish community in Lithuania.

Krystyna Rotkiewicz – doctor, member of the Polish Medical Association in Lithuania, for her contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cooperation, for her work for the Polish community in Lithuania and for popularization of knowledge about Professor Kazimierz Pelczar.

Jan Wierbel – journalist, editor of Wilnoteka, for his contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cooperation to the Polish community in Lithuania and to the development of Polish-speaking media.

Arvydas Žalpys – director of the Meno parkas gallery in Kaunas, for his contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian cultural cooperation, for promoting Polish culture, especially Polish contemporary art.

With the Silver Cross of Merit there was awarded:

Ieva Šadzevičienė – director of the Tolerance Center of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum in Vilnius and the Samuel Bak Museum, for her contribution to the commemoration of the Polish-Lithuanian cultural heritage, including an intercultural dialogue and contribution to the development of Polish-Jewish-Lithuanian relations.

With the Bronze Cross of Merit there was awarded:

Vytautas Toleikis – pedagogue and teacher, for his contribution to the commemoration of the Polish-Lithuanian cultural heritage.

In addition, with The Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis in the bronze class there was awarded Mindaugas Kavaliauskas – director of the photography festival Kaunas Photo, for the promotion of Polish photography in Lithuania.

During the ceremony a special thanks will also be given to Orlen Lietuva, AB Ventus Nafta and LOT Polish Airlines for their support of projects promoting Polish culture in Lithuania. Thanks to the support, a number of important projects were carried out, including the 18th Polish Film Festival in Lithuania, as well as the Lithuanian premiere of the play “Dziady” directed by the late Eimuntas Nekrošius during the “Sirenos” festival.