The Outstanding Pole, Jan Karski Honoured by the US Senate

“The Senate decision recognises the legacy of the Polish hero, whose 100th birth anniversary is being celebrated in Poland in the form of the “Year of Jan Karski”, which has been passed by the Polish Sejm, but also in the United States and worldwide,” Ryszard Schnepf , Polish Ambassador in the United States, commented on the resolution. “Representing Poland in the US capital, where Jan Karski as a Georgetown University professor for over 50 years advocated peace, justice and human solidarity, we feel particularly responsible for commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth,” emphasised the ambassador. He also mentioned events planned by the Polish Embassy in Washington devoted to the figure of Jan Karski: concerts, lectures and exhibitions.

The idea of honouring Jan Karski by the US Senate was promoted by the Jan Karski Educational Foundation in New York and the Polish History Museum, with support from the Polish Embassy in Washington. Among the campaign initiators was also Senator Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz. Owing to those actions, on March 5th a draft resolution was submitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee by its chairman, Senator Robert Menendez, jointly with Illinois Senators, Mark Kirk and Richard Durbin. 

MFA,
Press Office