Honorable award: Dr. Wojciechowski receives the Leopold Medal!

Honorable award: Dr. Wojciechowski receives the Leopold Medal!

On April 28, 2025, the Leopold Medal was awarded by the Rotary Club of Frankfurt (Oder) to Dr. Krzysztof Wojciechowski awarded. This award recognizes his outstanding contribution to cross-border cooperation and his voluntary work in the region. Dr. Wojciechowski, the founder and chairman of the association “My Life – told contemporary history,” emphasized in his acceptance speech the urgency of creating a sustainable society without stereotypes.

The medal was presented by Matthias Berlik, President of the Rotary Club. The festive event welcomed around 100 guests from the fields of science, culture, local government and civil society organizations. In appreciative laudations, Heidemarie Langisch and Prof. Dr. Dagmara Jajeśniak-Quast especially the role of Dr. Wojciechowski in building connections between cities and his commitment to dialogue and understanding.

International exchange and cooperation

The Leopold Medal, awarded to Dr. Wojciechowski is a symbol of special contributions to civil society and cross-border activities. He has been active in the German-Polish border area since 1991 and has initiated and supported important projects, including “Słubfurt” and the Collegium Polonicum Foundation. Coming from Warsaw, he was administrative director of the Collegium Polonicum in Słubice until November 2022. Dr. Wojciechowski is also the author of numerous publications on cross-border cooperation and German-Polish relations.

The prize is awarded in a year in which the 9th Rotary German-Polish country meeting took place in Berlin. Under the motto “Germany and Poland united in the EU,” around 80 Rotarians and guests came together to honor successful German-Polish club partnerships and develop new projects. Special greetings were delivered by Krystyna Baj-Pawluk (District 2231) and Hans-Robert Metelmann (District 1940), while Prof. Gesine Schwan was present as a guest of honor.

The role of Rotary in the German-Polish context

Poland is one of Germany's most important economic partners and takes fourth place behind the USA, France and the Netherlands. The exchange between the two nations is promoted by the active work of the German-Polish State Committee under the leadership of Monika Kobylińska and Michael Kunat. Together, German and Polish Rotary Clubs support numerous projects that strengthen social exchange and cultural understanding, such as supporting children and young people in nursing homes in Goleniów.

The country meeting also included the awarding of the Richard Pyritz Prize, which is worth 3,000 euros and honors the cooperation between German and Polish clubs. The first award winners, the Rotary Clubs of Szczecin and Ueckermünde-Pasewalk-Stettiner Haff, were recognized for their valuable initiatives. The event not only offered opportunities for exchange, but also cultural and culinary highlights such as a concert in the Berlin Philharmonic.

In view of the close social and economic relationships, the work of the country committee is continuously viewed as essential. Through joint projects and the exchange of information, stereotypes are broken down and new friendships are created. The founding of a new club in Oswiecim/Auschwitz in 2005 demonstrates the commitment to further developing neighborly relations between Germany and Poland.

So the award from Dr. Wojciechowski marked a significant milestone in the effort to further deepen bilateral relations and promote mutual understanding. The path he has paved will be secured through ongoing collaboration and promotion of the above-mentioned projects in the region.

For more information about Rotary Club activities, please visit the website Rotary Germany and Rotary Poland.