9th Irena Sendler Award Presentation at POLIN Museum

Mateusz Szczepaniak, 16 November 2016
The Irena Sendler "Repairing the World" Award presentation ceremony took place today at POLIN Museum. It is presented by the "Children of the Holocaust" Association in Poland and the Civic Education Centre Foundation. The Award is aimed at elementary  and secondary school teachers who play an active role, within their school and local community, teaching and educating in a spirit of tolerance and respect for others.

The Award is also aimed at preserving the memory of Irena Sendler - community worker and Righteous Among the Nations who, during World War II, rescued over 2,000 Jewish children. The Award was established to support teachers who, during the course of their work and as a member of their local community, work according to the principles close to Irena Sendler - tolerance, respect for differences, and courage.

The Award was established in 2006, the winners of which were Robert Szuchta and Norman Conard of the USA, both personally selected by Irena Sendler herself.

The winner of this year's Award is Jakub Niewiński, a teacher of Polish language, ethics and family life at the Hipolita Cegielski Junior High School in Murowana Goślina, where he conducts original "Hipolit" interdisciplinary classes.

"It's my responsibility to try to repair a world wounded by hatred towards others. I do this every day as a teacher and as a human being. Being nominated for the Irena Sendler Award is not just something that will appear in my CV, but it calls me even louder, by name, to effectively works towards the principles of an open society and to combat all traces of racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and homophobia", said Jakub Niewiński.

The finalists, as decided by the Award Committee, for the 9th Irena Sendler Award were:

  • Urszula Antosz-Rekucka - a Catechism teacher at Mszana Dolna Comprehensive Senior High School
  • Bogusława Groblewska-Durajska -- a history and social studeies teacher at the Adam Mickiewicz Junion High School in Piątkowisk
  • Olga Gronowska-Pszczoła - a Polish and Slavic languages teacher
  • Paweł Tomasz Janicki - a religious studeis teacher at the H. Sienkiewicz School Complex in Dobra k. Turka,
  • Magdalena Lewkowicz - a history and social studies teacher at the W. Jagiełło Junior High in Mrągowa
  • Adam Musiał - an English and cultural studies teacher at the STO Comprehensive School in Kraków
  • Monika Niedźwiecka - a Polish language andcultural studies teahcer at the Economics/Commerce School in Płock
  • Jolanta Piekarska - a Polish language teacher at the School Complex in Jeżew,
  • Katarzyna Zabłocka - a graphics arts teacher in Supraśl, who utilises new  media in creating visual arts.

The 9th Irena Sendler "Repairing the World" Award was presented under the patronage of the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Those present during the ceremony at POLIN Museum included the Minister of National Education Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska and representatives of the Polish Association of the Righteous Among the Nation.