Emigration Affairs and Contacts with Poles Abroad Commiee

Committee Members

Commiee Commiee Chair Deputy Chair

Senat RP

Dorota Arciszewska- Ryszard Bender (PiS) Józef Bergier (PO) Andrzej Person (PO) Łukasz Abgarowicz (PO) -Mielewczyk (PiS)

Barbara Borys-Damięcka Władysław Dajczak (PiS) Stanisław Gogacz (PiS) Bronisław Korfanty (PiS) Roman Ludwiczuk (N) (PO) Commiee Commiee Deputy Chair Deputy Chair

The Committee’s principal role is to maintain ties with the Polish Diaspora (Polonia) and to monitor the legal situation Piotr Gruszczyński (PO) Marek Konopka (PO) Maria Pańczyk- -Pozdziej (PO) of Poles and people of Polish descent living abroad. It initiates and coordinates cooperation between Polish communities with Poles Abroad Commiee with Poles around the world, and protects Polish cultural and historical heritage worldwide. Emigration Aﬀairs and Contacts Emigration Aﬀairs

Like other Senate committees, the Emigration Affairs and Contacts with Poles Abroad Committee, within its remit, Sławomir Sadowski (PiS) Tadeusz Skorupa (PiS) Andrzej Szewiński (PO) examines the Budget Act and conveys its opinion to the Budget and Public Finance Committee.

The Emigration Affairs and Contacts with Poles Abroad Committee is one of 16 standing committees in the 7th Senate (2007-2011).

Piotr Zientarski (PO) (PO) Civic Platform (PiS) Law and Justice (N) unaffiliated Senat RP RP Senat Emigration Affairs and Contacts with Poles Abroad Commiee patronage over the Polish Diaspora. overthe Polishpatronage Diaspora. exercise Polish Office, Communities Abroad the Marshal thewith bythe of Senate, assisted together the behalf Senate, of the Committee On conditions. economic poor from suffer often Poland, of who border outsidethe eastern countries inneighbouring toPoles assistance living providing in active particularly was Committee The abroad. the of largest Polishrepresentatives communities onestablishing relations with focused Committee the early days, the Inits session Senate of in1989. established was at the first Committee The Polonia’s overseeing of affairs. Republic responsibility Poland of onthe took special thePoland Senate Third of the restored in1989, by independence of tothe recovery contribution tothe Polish émigré forits community gratitude Polish Republic (1922-1939), atoken and as also of the the Senate of Second of thecontinuing tradition and the considered oneof In largest inthe world. at nearly 20million estimated Polish Diaspora, the World of Warstwo inthe formation resulted and difficulties, economic national uprisings, Poland, of the Polishof the partitions history: eventsthatDramatic marked years 200 the last e Senate of theRepublic ofPoland 00-902 Warsaw, ul. Wiejska 6 (1989-2007) Senate Restored inthe Committee The at theMarshalof theSenate, was setup. Consultative Council,an advisoryandconsultative body In 2002,duetotheCommiee’s involvement, the Polonia its bondwithhomeland. restoration ofPoland’s independenceandasasymbol of in avariety offields, asatributetoitscontributionthe as arecognitionofthePolish communityachievements 2 May theDay ofPolish DiasporaandPoles Living Abroad, e Commieealsosubmied theBillonProclaiming Polish CitizenshipandthePolish Ethnicity Card. legislative proposals:theRepatriation Bill,theBillon cooperation withthePolish Diaspora,includingthree several legislative achievements inthedomainof performs legislative functions. However, itcanboastof and ContactswithPoles AbroadCommiee hardly ever Unlike otherSenatecommiees, theEmigration Affairs schools andcentres. projects, such asrenovation andconstructionofPolish mission ofPolonia organisations, aswell asinvestment is earmarked tosupport Polish educationabroadandthe to Poles intheEast”and“SemperPolonia” .eSenateaid of the1sttermSenate, aswell astheFoundations of“Aid upon theinitiative of AndrzejStelmachowski, theMarshal the “Polish Community”Association ,establishedin1990 organisations, amongwhich theleadingrolebelongs to funds arechannelledthroughPolish non-governmental assistance forPolonia andPolish communitiesabroad.e nearly halfoftheyearly budget toprojectsinthefieldof Since 2007, oftheSenatehasdevoted theChancellery list ofprioritygrants. areas foractionPolonia communitiesand specifiesthe the PresidiumofSenateResolution, which setsoutthe Polish Diaspora.eCommieeactsin accordancewith opinions onproposedprojects, aimedatsupporting the e mainthrustoftheCommiee’s activities istodeliver e.(4-2 9-26 fax (+48-22) 694-93-75 tel. (+48-22) 694-92-67 Non-legislative Activities Citizens totheEUMember States. the Advisory Groupon Economic Migrationof Polish at theMarshalof the Senate, aswell asinmeetings of meetings organisedby the Polonia Consultative Council In addition,the CommieeMembers take partin American Centre ofPolish Culture”. (1919-1939)”, and “eKosciuszko Foundation –the (1764-1919)”, University “e StefanBatory in Vilnius “e USAinPolish Historiography andJournalism exhibitions, such asthearchives oftheemigration, Other examples ofthecommiee’s activity arethe sport andtourismamongPolish communitiesabroad. Commiee, hasalsoofferedseminarsontheroleof e Commiee, inpartnershipwiththePolish Olympic “new emigration”. which focusedonthephenomenon oftheso-called held undertheauspicesofMarshal oftheSenate, other EUMember States–aChallenge for theState”, the conference“Economic Migrationfrom Poland to and exhibitions. Just oneexample oftheseevents was e commieeinitiatesnumerousdebates, conferences since 2006. minority inBelarushasbeenfunctioningtheSenate Commiee’s initiative, theworking grouponPolish Polish minoritiesinBelarusandLithuania. Uponthe in thesituationofPoles living inGermany, and e Commieehasexpressedaparticularinterest communities who aremostinneed. culture, andofferingfinancial assistancetothePolish aitudes, promotingPoland, thePolish language and protecting nationalheritage abroad,formingcivic and communities, fosteringeducation andculture, include: supporting Polish communityorganisations officials andNGOrepresentatives. etopicsexplored e Commiee’s meetings areaendedby Government celebrations bothathomeandabroad. in Polonia’s meetings, culturalevents andanniversary therefore theCommieememberso enparticipate contacts withrepresentatives ofthe Diaspora, e natureoftheCommiee’s work requiresdirect living abroad. of projectsdesignedtoprovide assistancetoPoles community aroundtheworld andundertakes avariety e CommieemonitorsthesituationofPolish e-mail: [email protected] www.senat.gov.pl