Presentation of the Irena Sendler Prize
The Irena Sendler Prize was established by the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Culture in 2008, as a way of paying tribute to Irena Sendler after her death. Sendler was a Righteous Among the Nations who, during WWII, saved hundreds of Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto. The prize is awarded annually to Poles who have contributed to the efforts of protecting Jewish heritage and helped revive Jewish culture in Poland. This year's winners were presented with the Irena Sendler Prize for heading a unique private-public partnership which resulted in the creation of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews.
We believe that the Museum of the History of Polish Jews is a bridge connecting the past, the present and the future of the common Polish-Jewish tradition and culture – said Tad Taube, the president of the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Culture, during the ceremony. The foundation decided to award two politicians whose leadership helped bring the Museum to life.
Bogdan Zdrojewski, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, underlined: “We realised that it was the last chance to refresh the memories of both nations, fueled not only by “centuries of tragic tales”, but also by our common joy, tradition, language and identity. I am proud that my mandate as a minister coincides with the time when this unique act of creation, a Museum of Memory, has come to life in the form of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews.” According to the Minister, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews is an example of a well-functioning private-public partnership. The need for such a museum has been expressed for a long time, and the process of its creation has been very fast, partially thanks to the fact that private investor, founders and donors cooperated with the national Treasury and with local authorities to reach the common goal of bringing to life one of the most historically important museums in Poland.
“This place itself is a symbol and it was obvious to me that Warsaw needs to take part in creating such a museum in Muranów. I am happy that we managed to create a space that attracts people and draws them together at such an early stage of its existence,” said Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, the President of Warsaw, when receiving the prize.
Among previous winners of the Irena sendler Prize are: Janusz Makuch, the director of the Jewish Culture Festival in Karków; Dr Jan Jagielski, the director of the Section of Documentation of Historic Sites in the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute; Aleksander Kwaśniewski, former President of the Republic of Poland; Prof. Dr Maria Janion, a member of the Literature Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences; Dr Jolanta Ambrosewicz-Jacobs from the Jagiellonian University, and Magdalena Grodzka-Gużkowska, a Righteus Among the Nations and an underground activist.
