Prestigious prize for Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska

Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska has been awarded a prestigious, internationally recognized prize “For Merits for Poland and Poles in the World” by the Polish Public TV, TVP Polonia. The Gala took place on April 26 2017 at the Royal Castle in Warsaw and will be broadcast internationally by TVP Polonia.

The prize was also awarded to Irena Santor, a famous Polish singer, Anna Bielak, a teacher of Polish in Nowa Borowa in Ukraine, Halina Laszlo, a spokesperson for the Polish community at a Hungarian parliament, Julian Kulski, architect, youngest fighter in Warsaw Uprisal in World War II, expert of the World Bank and activist for Polish community in America, movie director Lech Majewski and national ski jumping team: Maciej Kot, Kamil Stoch, Piotr Żyła, Dawid Kubacki.

Mr Adam Kwiatkowski, Secretary of State, Chief of the Cabinet of the President of Poland, in addition holding in the Chancellery of the President the responsibility for maintaining contacts with Poles abroad who was attending the official gala said:

”Today, among those who won the statuettes are those who have lived for many years outside Poland and are proud of being Poles, remember that they are Poles and they are promoting Poland where they live and work.”

In her speech Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska said that she had been raised dually in a communist Poland where she got propaganda lessons at school and the real teaching was at home by her parents who taught her how the real world is really like and that she should be proud of being Polish and of Poland. This is what she never forgot and is an essential part of her life: to promote Poland internationally and let others see what Poland has to offer.

In a short introductory film she presented her Dutch hometown where she is now living: Heerlen. Heerlen and the Parkstad region has deep historic relations with Poland. Nowadays around 2000 first generation Polish citizens live in this region. The Mayor of Heerlen Ralf Krewinkel in an interview for the Polish Public TV talked about their cooperation and praised her work. He called her a true Ambassador of Poland and the Netherlands, Heerlen.

The award is given to exceptional individuals from the world of science, culture, politics and sport who, through their achievements, promote a positive image of Poland and Poles in the world. So far, among its laureates, are among others, Krzysztof Penderecki, Wanda Wiłkomirska, Igor Mitoraj, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, prof. Andrzej Stelmachowski, Krzysztof Kieślowski, Roman Polanski, Basia Trzetrzelewska, Robert Lewandowski, Marcin Gortat, Robert Kubica, Association “Polska Polska”, National Institute of Fryderyk Chopin.

“For Merits for Poland and Poles in the World” award has been granted by the Polish Public TV TVP Polonia since 1995 and the winners receive Fryderyk Chopin’s statue designed by Ms Dorota Banasik.

Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska has been cooperating with Polish media since 1998. She is a founder and director of the only in the Netherlands Central and Eastern Europe Center: www.communications-unlimited.nl. She is an international CEE professional, media commentator, author of seven books, hundreds of publications about Central and Eastern Europe, interviews with politicians, diplomats, artists. She is a publisher, journalist cooperating with national and international media, governmental organizations and universities. Last but not least she is an academic lecturer in Central and Eastern Europe studies, cultural awareness, a PR professional with an international dimension and a sworn translator ( from/to English, Dutch and Polish). She has extensive intercultural management and leadership skills experience.

Communications-Unlimited is supported by an advisory board which consists of respected and well-known international representatives of the political, business and culture world.

Public functions occupied by Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska:

Advisor to the Remembrance Foundation of the Deported Jews with Mr. Ralf Krewinkel, mayor of Heerlen, as president.
Management Board of Maastricht Institute for Central and Eastern Europe with Mr. Jan Mans as president. https://www.communications-unlimited.nl/jan-mans/
The Committee of Recommendation for the Friendship Year The Netherlands-Russia with Prof. Joop van der Berg, leader of PvdA in the Dutch Parliament, as president.
Member of the jury panel of the Polish Person of the Year in the Netherlands with Ms. Barbara Borys-Damiecka: Polish Senator.
Jury president of Miss Poland Benelux since 2011

Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska was born in Warsaw, Poland and has also Armenian blood and roots in Lviv, which is now part of Ukraine.
Due to her deep interest in people and communication between people especially beyond the borders she followed English and American Studies at Warsaw University. She studied among others culture, literature, history, mass culture, ethnicity issues, political issues, gender studies, philosophy and psychology. Her major was American culture, and she specialised additionally in methodology and translations. After receiving her master title she also completed post-master studies in Journalism organised by L’Ecole Superiere de Journalisme de Lille and Warsaw University with the cooperation of the College of Europe. She received ‘Diplôme en Journalisme Européen’.

The official Gala will be broadcast by TVP Polonia on

-May 2 at 6.05 pm and 5.35 am

-May 3 at 2.25 pm

and a reportage by TVP