The Medal of the Courier from Warsaw was awarded on Sunday for the first time in history. The first ever recipient of this accolade, a former U.S. ambassador to Poland, Daniel Fried, called it his "lifetime honour". A former Poland's ambassador to the U.S., Jerzy Koźmiński, said Fried played an exceptional role in Polish-American relations. The award was established to pay homage to Jan Nowak-Jeziorański, the famous Courier from Warsaw, and the values he had believed in.
TVN24 provided live coverage of the award gala held on Sunday (Jan.22) in the Warsaw Rising Museum. The event was hosted by TVN24's Konrad Piasecki, host of "Rozmowa Piaseckiego" and "Kawa na ławę".
The award went to Daniel Fried, U.S. ambassador to Poland in 1997-2000.
"A true intellectual feast"
Speaking about the laureate, the current Poland's ambassador to the U.S., Marek Magierowski, said that "a conversation with him is a true intellectual feast".
Former Poland's prime minister, Jerzy Buzek, shared his memories of working with Fried. "I welcomed him as a fresh ambassador ... ambassador Fried offered us his friendship, but also a huge work. Someone said friendship is a great gift, but a huge work too. In that regard, ambassador Daniel Fried has passed the test for our country with 100%" - he said.
"A special figure in Polish-American relations"
In the laudatory speech, former Poland's ambassador to the USA, Jerzy Koźmiński called Fried "a special figure in Polish-American relations".
The current U.S. ambassador to Poland, Mark Brzezinski, said that Fried embodied all the values the Medal represented, and that he could not think of a better recipient than him.
After accepting the award, Daniel Fried said the following words in a tweet: "Today in Warsaw, I was honored to receive the Medal of the Courier from Warsaw, Jan Nowak-Jezioranski, WWII Polish resistance soldier; fighter for a free, democratic, and secure Poland; advisor to US administrations; and my friend".
"Jan Nowak believed that Poland could be free at a time when few believed it possible. But he was right. I learned much from his combination of principle and practicality," Fried added.
Having served as US ambassador to Poland from 1997 to 2000, Daniel Fried was one of the architects of Poland’s entry to NATO in 1999.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, TVN24
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: TVN24