Polish excellence in Hilversum
On the 15th of November the winners of the Polish person of the year contest in the Netherlands were officially announced during the Gala in the Studio 21 in Hilversum.
The winners of this prestigious contest are:
Category: Science and technology-Prof. Mirosław Lech Kamiński
Category : Business-Kris Florek
Category: Culture-Małgorzata Smółka
Category: The Young Successful Pole-Sylwia Kuć
Category: Honorary Polonus-Eric van Tilbeurgh
Category: Public award, candidate chosen by the internet users- Kris Florek
Prof. Mirosław Lech Kamiński is a renowned expert in the fields of Mechanical, Maritime, Materials Engineering and Marine and Transport Technology.
Kris Florek is an entrepreneur and owner of two companies : Florek Vastgoedonderhoud (property maintenance company), and Flow Roll Europa. Flow Roll is a supplier and distributor of American painter articles for professional painters.
Małgorzata Smółka is an organizer of Wierszowisko, a contest of poems for Polish children. Wierszowisko is the oldest contest of this sort in Central Europe. Smółka promotes Polish jazz in the Netherlands and Dutch in Poland and she is an owner of MMusic – Polish-Dutch concert agency and impresario.
Sylwia Kuć, a medical doctor and researcher with a Phd title. The subject of her Phd thesis was: “First trimester screening for maternal and fetal disease – a search for novel biomarkers”. Her model in detecting pregnancy toxaemia is just being tested in the Utrecht region.
Eric van Tilbeurgh is a founder of Wojtek stichting – Polish liberators on all the fronts. He is the owner of the second the biggest Polish Armed Forces collection in the world. Thanks to his determination and passion the good name of General Sosabowski’s and his Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade who fought for the Dutch independence in the 2nd world war was reestablished and they were granted the highest royal medals.
The 3rd edition of the Polish person of the year contest was attended by around 800 guests including His Excellency, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, Jan Borkowski, Phd, and Ms Barbara Borys-Damięcka, Senator of the Republic of Poland who was the president of the jury which consists each time of the representatives of Polish organizations in the Netherlands.
During the Gala the audience could admire the dinner show and many artists both from the Netherlands and Poland, including Natalia Schroeder, Mr Polska, Dewi Pechler, violinist Piotr Jasiurkowski and the pianist/music director Gabrielka Clout.
The Polish person of the year contest is organized by the Polonus foundation whose president is Ms Hanna Hummel.
Text: Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska
Photos: Gosia Lubbers
