Krystyna Adamowicz was honored as the winner of the “Pole of the Year 2022” plebiscite.

On Sunday, February 5th, the plebiscite gala of the “Vilnius Courier” was held at the community center  in Vilnius. The 25th edition of the competition was special and symbolic, and in the anniversary year for the “Vilnius Courier”, the honorable title of “Pole of the Year” was awarded to Krystyna Adamowicz, a long-time journalist of the newspaper.

Krystyna Adamowicz received the award and accepted wishes from organizers, guests, nominees, and family. “The title “Pole of the Year” is such a privilege to me. Polishness is fundamental to me. I sincerely thank the “Vilnius Courier” and the readers. I also thank my friends from the fifth school and from Wilia, with whom I share this title. In previous years, we remained loyal to Polish culture, even when we couldn’t. Each and every one of the finalists deserves the title; everyone has done so much for Polishness. The pillars of Polishness have always been Polish school, Polish church, Polish culture, and Polish newspaper. These are the foundations of our culture,” said Krystyna Adamowicz to the public.

Robert Mickiewicz, the executive editor of the “Vilnius Courier”, stated that every edition is important, but it turned out that this one is special.

“For the first time in the plebiscite, the award stays in the family, in an editorial office. We have one rule that current editorial employees or members of their families cannot be eligible to take part in the competition. It is symbolic that in the year of our big jubilee 70th anniversary, the title was given to our ex-multi-year friend from the editorial office, Ms. Krystyna Adamowicz. I met Ms. Krystyna in the first year of my work in the editorial office in 1993. There were many things to learn from her, but presumably the most important lesson was not to be indifferent. Ms. Krystyna is someone who is not indifferent, and she taught everyone who was around her this important lesson.” Therefore, it is difficult to find someone in the editorial office more worthy of this title. Ms. Krystyna, on behalf of the editorial office, a big thank you for what you have done and are still doing. A big thanks also to our other friend from the editorial office, Mr. Henryk Mażula, who happened to be among the ten nominees for the title “Pole of the Year”. “It is our old clique, who was working near Mostowa Street, later at the Press House. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank you for being here with us today; it is also a symbolic thank you for those who can no longer be with us today. A couple of hundred people have passed through the editorial staff who have created the newspaper over these 70 years,” said Robert Mickiewicz.

“Zygmunt Klonowski, the chairman and publisher of ‘The Vilnius Courier,’ stated that Ms. Krystyna is a symbolic figure for the newspaper. She worked for 50 years in one newspaper. ‘Most of the top ten nominees are connected to The Vilnius Courier. This year, we will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the newspaper. Looking back, the contribution is really great, such as the fact that the Union of Poles was created in an editorial office. Of the ten founders, eight were employees of the editorial office, back then yet ‘The Red Banner.’ The Vilnius Courier, which has already become the only Polish newspaper outside of Poland, is still prevalent thanks to such journalists as Ms. Krystyna Adamowicz. She contributed a lot to the work on the newspaper, always caring and encouraging others to work. I would like to thank Ms. Krystyna Adamowicz for what she did. It’s not a surprise that she was appreciated by our readers and by the Poles of Vilnius,” said Zygmunt Klonowski.

Dorota Mamaj, the 1st Counsellor of the Polish Embassy and head of the Polish Institute in Vilnius, also gave a speech at the gala. She noted that all of the finalists in the plebiscite are winners in their own way. “On behalf of Ambassador Urszula Doroszewska and myself, I would like to sincerely congratulate all of the nominees. For us, you are all winners. Of course, we bow our heads the most and tip our hats to Ms. Krystyna. We hope that she will never stop carrying Poland in her heart, but we don’t think that’s possible. You are the best ambassador our wonderful country could ever dream of,” said Dorota Mamaj.

The gala was led by Anna Adamowicz and included performances by Ewelina Gancewska and Zbigniew Lewicki, who were also finalists in the plebiscite, as well as a young singer from the Vilnius region, Gabriela Ždanavičiūtė.

The trophy, which is traditionally presented to the winner of the plebiscite at the gala ceremony, was not delivered to Vilnius on time this year. It was made in the Netherlands, especially for Krystyna Adamowicz, by an artist and painter Władysław Mickiewicz, originally from Vilnius and currently living in The Hague. The award will be presented to Ms. Krystyna Adamowicz at the editorial office on July 1 of this year, which coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Vilnius Courier.

Ten finalists of the plebiscite “Pole of the year 2022”

Krystyna Adamowicz, the winner of the title “Pole of the Year 2022”– Vilnius- based  journalist former long-time deputy editor-in-chief of the “Vilnius Courier”, a social worker and president of the Alumni Society “Always faithful to the Five”

Adam Błaszkiewicz– the principal of St. John Paul II Middle School in Vilnius

Ewelina Gancewska- a singer and Lithuanian Academy for Singing and Theatre student who participated in this year’s edition of the TV show “The Voice of Poland

Rafał Jackiewicz– a saxophonist, music producer, and composer

Renata Krasowska– the principal of the Longin Komolowski Middle School in Polukun

Zbigniew Lewicki– a violinist, concertmaster of the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, and member of the ensemble “Kapela Vileńska” (Vilnius Band)

Henryk Mażul– a poet and journalist of Polish media in Lithuania

Jarosław Narkiewicz– the President of the Council of World Polonia, vice-president of AWPL-ZChR and ZP, and president of the Troki Branch of the ZPL

Kpt. Stanisław Poźniak– the president of the Home Army Veterans Club in the Vilnius region

Ks Szymon Wikło– the parish priest of the parish of the Holy Spirit in Lithuania