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And the Honorary Polonus of the Year award goes to…Limburg!!!

Yesterday the 5th edition of the Polish person of the Year awards took place in Aalsmeer. The winner of the special category: Honorary Polonus: a person or organisation that contributes significantly to the integration of Polish people in the Netherlands or contributes significantly to promoting the knowledge about Poland is the project: Het belang van arbeidsmigranten (the importance of migrant workers) and municipalities of Horst aan de Maas, Venray, Peel en Maas, Venlo, Leudal with the mayor Mr Kees van Roij as the president of this project.

North Limburg municipalities Horst aan de Maas, Venray, Peel en Maas, Venlo and Leudal decided to break the negative image of migrant workers and as the first municipalities in the Netherlands  decided to ensure that Poles were perceived as neighbours, fellow citizens of the region and not just the ‘immigrants”.

The  project “The importance of migrant workers” is an example of successful cooperation of national government authorities, regional authorities and migrant workers, whose aim is to welcome new neighbors and involve them in the region. This regional project has become an example for regions throughout the Netherlands and beyond. It showed the true face of Poles, as  hard-working new neighbours, who together with the Dutch want to start their new  life in the Netherlands.

The group of 30 representatives of the nominated municipalities together with the mayor of Horst aan de Maas Mr Kees van Rooij, with the local television and the Polish Public television came  to the ceremony in a bus from Horst aan de Maas to celebrate their nomination. Mr van Rooij told us that for him the biggest award is already being nominated by the Polish people and being recognized by them for the work the municipalities are doing.

The minister of the Limburg region Mr Daan Prevoo and Ms Judy Straten, a famous art curator and international artist attended the gala, too.

The  project “The importance of migrant workers” and the north Limburg municipalities won and Mr van Roij received the prize from H.E. Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in the Netherlands Mr. Jan Borkowski, Phd, who expressed his appreciation for their hard work and determination.

To finish the day, the delegation ended up in the Polish disco in Horst aan de Maas where they were enthusistically welcomed by the Dutch and the Polish.

This is called a successful project!

 

Text: Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska

Photos: Communications-Unlimited.nl

 

Policemen from Horst/Peel en Maas: Ger Cox i Tiny Verhaegh were also nominated for Polonus 2016 award for their great work for the Polish community

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Delegation from Horst aand de Maas with H.E. Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Jan Borkowski, Phd

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From the right, H.E. Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Jan Borkowski, Phd, Aloys Bruggeman, Mr. Daan Prevoo, Ms Judy Straten, Ms Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska.

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Limburg and Polish Person of the Year Awards