“For us Poles, this day, 11 November, is a day of joy, a day of pride and glory; it is a day on which we remember with emotion that after 123 years of non-existence, our state – Poland, was reborn”, said President Andrzej Duda during the celebration of the 105th anniversary of Poland’s regaining independence.
The President recalled the words of Marshal Józef Piłsudski that independence is not given once and for all. It had to be fought for, and it had to be remembered that one fights for it not only with a weapon in one’s hand, but also with the wise management of state affairs”, emphasised Andrzej Duda.
He added that this wisdom means not only wise plans, thoughts, and ideologies, but it also means wise action, execution and, above all, the ability to cooperate for the common great good that is the Republic of Poland.
“We can argue and discuss but let an independent and sovereign Poland always be the most important part of it all, and it is an independent and sovereign state when we decide about it and our most important matters”, said the President.
During the solemn guard briefing in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the national flag was raised on the mast, the national anthem was sung, and the Memorial Appeal was read out and the national salute was fired. Later, the President of Poland, accompanied by Marshal of the Sejm Elżbieta Witek, Marshal of the Senate Tomasz Grodzki and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, laid a wreath from the Nation on the plaque of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The President of the Republic also laid wreaths in front of the monuments to the Fathers of Independence: Wincenty Witos, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Ignacy Daszyński, Roman Dmowski, Wojciech Korfanty and Józef Piłsudski.
On the occasion of the National Independence Day at the Belvedere, President Andrzej Duda honoured Jerzy Kalina with the Order of the White Eagle ‘in recognition of his distinguished contribution to Polish culture, for consistently defending truth and creative freedom in the People’s Republic of Poland through outstanding and moving artistic achievements, for his work for the sovereign Republic of Poland’.
Adrian Andrzejewski