The inauguration of the 4th edition of the „Presidential Internship” program, aimed at American students with Polish roots, took place on May 26 at the headquarters of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw. This is also the first edition of the project joined by the Polish National Foundation.

We are pleased that the Polish National Foundation, within the framework of the Presidential Internship, can promote Poland as a modern, open and developing country, building its place among the international community based on its history, culture and national heritage. Such meetings contribute to building a positive image of Poland and Poles among American citizens, and after all, the promotion of our country on the international arena is the core mission and the main goal of the activity of the Polish National Foundation

— Michal Góras, vice president of the Polish National Foundation, said about the involvement in the „Presidential Internship” project.

Within the framework of the program, the interns participated in meetings with representatives of the highest state authorities, took part in lectures and panel discussions at universities. The second, no less important aspect of the implemented project was to educate its participants about Poland - which is a state open to tourists - its economy, history and culture, and thus promote a positive image of our country among US residents. With this aim in mind, the young people visited selected sites, learning first-hand about Polish history and customs, while discovering the dynamically developing character of our homeland.

In addition to visiting Warsaw during their stay in Poland, the American students had the opportunity to explore Lublin, Rzeszow, Chełm and Warka, where they attended meetings with local government officials, visited universities and scientific centres, and got acquainted with history through museum lessons. One of the highlights of the program was also a meeting with U.S. soldiers stationed in Rzeszow-Jasionka as part of the allied forces. This is an essential aspect of the program, emphasizing the important role of the US in maintaining the security of Poland and other countries on NATO’s eastern flank.

This year’s edition of the presidential program was accompanied by a ceremonial inauguration at the Presidential Palace with the participation of Polish President Andrzej Duda and invited guests, among whom there was Cezary Andrzej Jurkiewicz, vice-president representing the Polish National Foundation, who said during the inauguration of the program:

„The participation of the Polish National Foundation in the Presidential Internship project is a reason for joy and pride. Thank you for the opportunity to support this valuable initiative, which is perfectly consistent with our statutory goals.

The six years of PFN’s activity have included dozens of projects, proving our commitment and love for the Blessed Republic. I am grateful to be able to speak about all of them and bring everyone closer to our activities in Poland and abroad”.

The first edition of the „Presidential Internship” project took place in 2017. From the very beginning, the Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union in New York and General Electric Company were involved in its implementation. This year, the Polish National Foundation and the local governments of the Lubelskie and Podkarpackie provinces have also joined the project’s partners. So far, in the three editions of the program, a total of 60 interns have taken part, representing, to a large extent, universities with economic and technical education profiles.

Tłum. K.J.