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NEWSLETTER No 18 EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND IN NEW ZEALAND December 2016 WELCOME In this issue: Following the 14 November Kaikoura earthquake, the City Chambers building has become MFA C ONSULTATIONS IN NZ 2 temporarily inaccessible. POLAND ’S CAMPAIGN TO UN SC 2 POLISH DESIGN DAYS 2016 The Polish Embassy has moved into a new interim office at LEVEL 4, SOLNET HOUSE, 70 3 THE TERRACE, Wellington 6011 BILATERAL TRADE 3 SOUTH ISLAND TOUR 4 TE PAPA MEETING 4 NEW GOVERNOR -GENERAL 4 WPFF 2016 5 WARMEST THOUGHTS AND BEST WISHES FOR A WONDERFUL EFA AWARDS 2016 5 PAHIATUA DOCUMENTARY 5 CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY , P EACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS MAREK PASIECZNY IN NZ 6 RAFAEL IN NZ 6 NEW YEAR INTERVIEW WITH POLISH ARTIST 7 FROM THE POLISH EMBASSY TEAM WOMAD 2016 8 XMAS EVE TRADITIONS 8 NEWSLETTER No 18 POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND Director of the Asia and Pacific Depart- which was held at the residence of the ment at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Ambassador of the Republic of Poland. Affairs Michał Kołodziejski, together with the Director of the Department of Also in November consultations were Cooperation with the Polonia and Poles held between the Director of the United Abroad, Mateusz St ąsiek paid a work- Nations and Human Rights at Poland’s ing visit to Wellington in November. Foreign Ministry, Zbigniew Czech and The program included meetings with the representatives of the United Na- the European Division at the Ministry tions, Human Rights and Commowealth of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Division at NZ MFAT. The consulta- Zealand (MFAT), including Deputy tions mainly related to the New Zealand Secretary Jeff Langley. The subject of experience from the campaign to beco- political consultations was bilateral me a non-permanent member of the cooperation between Poland and New United Nation Security Council as well Zealand, as well as security situation in as the membership period in this body Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. 2015-2016. Mr Czech also met with the An important component of the visit High Commissioners for Samoa and was a meeting with representatives of Tuvalu accredited to New Zealand. the Polish Community in New Zealand, CAMPAIGN FOR POLISH MEMBERSHIP OF UN SECURITY COUNCIL IN 2018-19 A campaign to promote Poland’s our region and our sensitivity to inter- membership of the UN Security national issues at the centre of global Council has been inaugurated at the politics.” official event in September. One of the chief bodies of the United As President Andrzej Duda said at the Nations, the Security Council is re- opening, Poland’s candidacy is an sponsible for maintaining internation- expression of the ambition to return al peace and security. It comprises to an active role in shaping the inter- five permanent members (United national order. “The campaign’s mot- Kingdom, France, China, Russia, to is Solidarity-Responsibility- United States of America), and ten Commitment, values we want to pro- non-permanent members, chosen for mote and bring into the work of the a two-year term. UN Security Council, while empha- Poland has been a Security Council sizing that international politics member six times so far, most recent- should be based on the force of law, ly in 1996-97. The election of non- rather than the law of force”. Accord- permanent Security Council members as the Special Envoy of the Minister ing to the Foreign Minister Witold for 2018-19 will take place in June of Foreign Affairs for the Campaign Waszczykowski, a non-permanent 2017. To secure a mandate, a candi- of Poland to the UN Security Council seat on the UN Security Council is date country must win the support of 2018-2019 has been actively involved not only a matter of prestige, but pri- two-thirds of the UN General Assem- in promotion of Poland’s candidacy marily “an opportunity to promote bly members. also amongst the Pacific island coun- Polish Ambassador to New Zealand tries such as Samoa, Tuvalu, Kiribati Zbigniew Gniatkowski in his capacity and Tonga. 2 NEWSLETTER No 18 POLISH DESIGN DAYS 2016 Workshops on industrial design, Programme included presentations presentations on Polish economy as by the Polish Ambassador, who well as products and materials cur- spoke about Polish economy and rently available in New Zealand, design as well as Poland - New Zea- grand opening of the first showroom land cooperation. Polish-born Alicja in Christchurch with interior and Podemska, lecturer at the Ara Insti- exterior solutions from Poland and tute of Canterbury (ARA) gave a networking opportunities were creat- talk about Polish Industrial Design. ed during the inaugural Polish De- Interior designers, ARA and D&A sign Days on 4-5 October. students participated in a workshop Two days of exclusive events were about ceramic tiles and 3D tiles organised by Live House Design made from architectural concrete. Studio and partnering institutions There were presentations and Q&A under the Honorary Patronage of the held with the National Kitchen & Ambassador of the Republic of Po- Bathroom Association members. land Zbigniew Gniatkowski. Photos: courtesy of Live House Limited BILATERAL TRADE PERFORMANCE Mutual trade between Poland and New Zealand has been growing strongly in the first 10 months of POLAND - NEW ZEALAND TRADE 2016. Polish export to NZ increased by 196% com- (mln USD) pared to the same period in 2015. Imports from NZ increased by 218% and the overall trade was higher by 205%. Jan-Oct 16 Jan-Oct 15 Polish companies send ships, engines parts, machin- ery, medicines and chemicals. When it comes to 204,8 exports value, the top of the list in the first few months of this year, after boats and floating struc- 118,2 99,9 tures were machinery and mechanical appliances, 86,6 60,2 non-rail vehicles and their spare parts, electrical ma- 39,8 chinery and equipment as well as pharmaceutical products. Looking at the value of imports from NZ, among the top goods were ships and floating struc- EXPORT IMPORT TURNOVER tures, fish and seafood, protein substances and modi- fied starch, followed by natural honey and meat. 3 NEWSLETTER No 18 SOUTH ISLAND TOUR At the start of December, Polish Ambas- It was the Forster connection which sador Zbigniew Gniatkowski and Polish prompted the Polish Ambassador to visit Consul Agnieszka Kacperska visited Fiordland. In Manapouri he met with South Island, where they met with Southland District Mayor Gary Tong Polish communities in Christchurch and and other Southland District Council Dunedin to enable consular services. staff members to discuss a possibility of “The Embassy is trying to reach out to installing a plaque in Te Anau or Man- the members of the Polish community in apouri to commemorate the 245 th anni- New Zealand for whom it would be dif- versary of the Forsters’ arrival in Dusky ficult to travel all the way to Welling- Sound and to agree on an appropriate ton” Mr Gniatkowski said. site for it. The decision was made to While in Dunedin, they visited the Dun- place the plaque in Pearl Harbour, Man- edin City Library to see the 238-year-old apouri, by the Real Journeys wharf – a book, published in 1778 “Observations starting point of boat departures to Made During a Voyage Round the Doubtful and Dusky Sound. The plaque World” by Jan (Johann) R. Forster. The is a part of the Polish Embassy-run pro- author was born in Poland in 1729 and is ject called “Polish Trails in New Zea- best known as the naturalist on Captain land” in memory of great Poles. A dozen James Cook’s 2nd Pacific voyage on of plaques have already been unveiled Resolution, accompanied by his son around the country. George Forster. MEETING WITH TE PAPA MANAGEMENT Ambassador of Poland Zbigniew Gniatkowski met with the Chief Executive Officer of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Mr Rick Ellis, in December. The main purpose was to discuss Poland - New Zealand historic links and possible future coop- eration and joint projects. Te Papa is the national museum and art gallery of New Zealand. “Te Papa Tongarewa” is broadly trans- lated as “the place of treasured of this land”. photo: tepapa.govt.nz NEW NZ GOVERNOR-GENERAL Ambassador Zbigniew Gniat- Corps and other VIPs. kowski participated in the offi- Dame Patsy Reddy is New cial Swearing-In Ceremony for Zealand’s 21st Governor- the new Governor-General of General. She succeeded former New Zealand Her Excellency Chief of the Defence Force Sir Dame Patsy Reddy on Parlia- Jerry Mateparae. She is a law- ment’s forecourt on 28 Septem- yer who recently worked with ber. Sir Michael Cullen on a review This one of New Zealand’s of New Zealand’s intelligence most important constitutional and security agencies. Dame events took place in front of Patsy has been a chief Crown assembled Judiciary, Members negotiator for the Treaty of of Parliament, Defence repre- Waitangi and a chairwoman of sentatives, the Diplomatic the NZ Film Commission. 4 NEWSLETTER No 18 NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST POLISH FILM FESTIVAL The first-ever Wellington Polish Film Zealand as well as individual Polish Festival, held at the iconic Paramount and New Zealand film lovers. Cinema, presented a rich offer of Po- Festival's exciting programme show- land's contemporary screen scene cased cutting edge, contemporary, with a selection of the latest produc- award-winning and seldom-seen tions as well as classic artworks by works from renowned and up-and- well-known and respected Polish coming Polish directors. Especially directors. symbolic were screenings of films by The Festival was inaugurated with a Poland's great Krzysztof Kie ślowski, reception and a screening of "11 whose 20th death anniversary is re- Minutes" directed by highly awarded membered this year and therefore Jerzy Skolimowski.