On February 19, Poles once again celebrated the most important holiday of science and higher education – Polish Science Day. On this occasion, a gala was held with the participation of Minister Przemysław Czarnek and winners of the Awards of the Minister of Education and Science (MEiN) and the Awards of the Prime Minister.
On the eve of the event, Minister Czarnek wrote a letter addressed to representatives of the scientific and academic community emphasizing that the Polish Science Day is a unique holiday established by the Polish Parliament, which is an expression of the highest recognition for the achievements of scientists in the over 1000-year history of Poland.
In his letter, the head of MEiN referred to Ignacy Łukasiewicz, who is one of the patrons of 2022. He noted that the Polish Science Day is an opportunity both to remind scientists such as Łukasiewicz and to appreciate the efforts of contemporary researchers.
“The role of science in creating the foundations of Polish development potential cannot be overestimated, and scientific activity is an extremely valuable contribution to the knowledge of all mankind. I express my deepest respect and appreciation to the people who conduct research activities. You carry out extremely responsible and important tasks. I would also like to thank your relatives for understanding because conducting scientific activity requires a lot of sacrifices”, said the head of the Ministry of Education and Science, opening this year’s online gala.
While thanking the representatives of scientific and academic society, the minister also pointed out that cooperation between scientific and research centers, state institutions and enterprises remains one of the most important challenges for the state’s science policy.
The Polish Science Day is a national holiday introduced by the Act of January 9, 2020. It is dedicated to commemorating the achievements of Polish scientists and their aspirations to learn the truth, and it is also intended to inspire young people to follow the great researchers. As a date of the Polish Science Day, it was chosen February 19, the birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to astronomy.
Adrian Andrzejewski