| This is a full text of my speech, of which only a shorter version had been delivered last Tuesday in the Consulate on the occassion of receiving the Golden Cross of Merit.
Thank you Consul General. Yes! It is a great honour to be awarded by Poland the Golden Cross of Merit. I believe it is for my involvement in the Strzelecki-Kosciuszko project - which by effort and financial support over the last five years of many individuals and organizations - was made a success. In particular I have been almost daily supported by Urszula Lang, the Artistic Director of the Lajkonik Folklore Ensemble, (currently on a trip in Europe) with whom I was so lucky to work in a powerful team, a duumvirate (as I call it), beginning from the very first, now a historical event, Kosciuszko Music on Mt Kosciuszko, in 2007.
Hence I do not feel comfortable not having a chance to share today this prestigious award with her. I feel that half of the Cross belongs to Urszula. Without Urszula, placing Mt Kosciuszko on the National Heritage List would not have happened. That was important because Australia deserves to have the highest mountain of the continent named after this intercontinental Hero and Champion of Democracy.
Australians also deserve to know more about Kosciuszko. As A. Storozynski puts it: "He was a towering figure who stood up for all races and religions, for equal rights for African slaves, European serfs, for the Jews, for women, for the indigenous Americans". I wonder: had he lived not in Poland and America but in Australia - what his impact would have been on the birth of Democracy here ... but no matter which century we live in, General Kosciuszko and his universal values are relevant here in Australia, and anywhere on this planet.
I also need to mention many others who have been supporting me right from the beginning: Lukasz Swiatek, Felix Molski, our American friends from the Kosciuszko Foundation, Ela Cesarska, Marysia Rosiak with her team. Also special thanks to Chris Kozek who'd created Puls Polonii, the powerful internet medium (the best in the Polonia World in 2009) serving so effectively over years in promoting Kosciuszko & Strzelecki in Australia.
I also need to mention the poets, singers, dancers, musicians, writers, film-makers, sportsmen and Aboriginal friends who made our yearly Festivals at the foots of Mt Kosciuszko a success. Without them nothing would be possible.
Our Kosciuszko Festivals also would not be possible without help & support of the Polish Corpus Diplomaticus: the former Ambassador of Poland Jerzy Wieclaw, Charge d’Affair Witold Krzesinski, and the current Ambassador Andrzej Jaroszynski, as well as the previous Consul General Ryszard Sarkowicz, and the current one Daniel Gromann.
Last but not least, our Kosciuszko Festivals would never took place without the guidance and support of the Kosciuszko National Park, and in particular the Park Directors and Managers Dave Darlington and Steven Redden.
This Golden Cross of Merit from Poland awards our joint effort; it belongs to all of those taking part and helping with the Festivals. Thank you.
Uroczystość w Konsulacie
Marysiu, dziękujemy!
Wonderful musicians
Wonderful team
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