May 2 is the Flag Day of the Republic of Poland and the Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles abroad. On this occasion, a ceremony of raising the state flag on the clock tower of the Royal Castle took place in Warsaw. Many politicians published occasional posts on social media, including President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
May 2 is the Flag Day of the Republic of Poland and the Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles abroad. The day after that is Constitution Day, May 3.
In Warsaw, President Andrzej Duda and First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda took part in the ceremony of raising the national flag on the clock tower of the Royal Castle.
Ceremony of raising the national flag on the clock tower of the Royal Castle in WarsawPAP/Radek Pietruszka
Kosiniak-Kamysz: there are no more beautiful colors for Poles than white and red
Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Ministry of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz took part in the celebrations in Brzesko.
He emphasized that “the flag unites, shows where you come from, is a symbol of our identity.” – For us Poles, there are no more beautiful colors than white and red. There wasn't, there isn't and there won't be, he declared.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also thanked all soldiers of the Polish Army and officers of various uniformed services who serve in Poland and on NATO peacekeeping missions abroad. – Thank you all for your devotion to your homeland, for your sacrifice. You are our heroes, we are very proud of you. You wear the flag with pride and you give us reasons to be proud, said the head of the Ministry of National Defense.
Kosiniak-Kamysz: there are no more beautiful colors for us Poles than white and redtvn24
Kosiniak-Kamysz also said that to have true respect for the homeland, you must respect the views of others. – You can disagree with them, but you must not insult them. We need to see and understand every person's attitude and thoughts. That's why the flag unites us, he said.
He added that it is impossible to build a safe Poland if we are in conflict. – Reconciliation between Poles is our task and our duty. It is possible, therefore it is our duty. There will be no prosperity and happiness in our homeland if we argue about everything forever, said the head of the Ministry of National Defense. He emphasized that this does not mean, however, that we should “blindly agree with everything.” – But we have to have matters in which the reason of state, i.e. what is most important for the homeland, comes first – said the head of the Ministry of National Defense, pointing out that the current reason of state is security.
In this context, he pointed to Poland's presence in the North Atlantic Alliance and the EU and assessed that they were a guarantee of Poland's security and development. – The raison d'état of the Republic of Poland is to be in the EU and NATO. Anyone who opposes someone who is looking for a shortcut works to the detriment of the Republic of Poland. Anyone who strives to make our alliance function better works for the benefit of the Republic of Poland, said the head of the Ministry of National Defense.
He also assured that Poland is always ready to cooperate and help its allies. He added that “we expect compliance with all articles of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, especially Article 5.” – We declare that we will fulfill all our allied obligations towards our friends and allies at any time and at any time – said Kosiniak-Kamysz.
The head of the Ministry of National Defense added that the strength of the Alliance results from the strength of the Polish army. – Today, there is no NATO without Poland, there is no NATO strength without the strength of the Polish army – he said.
“It connects all generations”, “a symbol of a proud nation”, “may it always command respect in us”
Earlier, Prime Minister Donald Tusk published an entry on the occasion of the Polish Flag Day. “Whoever has a white and red heart will never raise a white flag,” he wrote, attaching a photo of himself against a white and red background.
“We are proud of our history, and what unites all generations of Poles are our national symbols,” emphasized President Andrzej Duda in an entry on Platform X. “In these May holiday days, let's all gather at the White and Red!” – he appealed.
The General Staff of the Polish Army emphasized that the Flag of the Republic of Poland is – next to the White Eagle and the Dąbrowski Mazurka – the most important symbol of our country. “Today we are happy to celebrate her holiday, testifying to our pride in our own country and attachment to its national symbols,” we read in the entry of the Polish Army SG on the X platform.
US Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski, expressing his best wishes on this occasion, wrote that the United States appreciates the many years of contribution of Poles abroad to cultivating Polish traditions and values. He added that for him – as an American with Polish roots – “learning about the father's homeland (…) and the strength of the unity of the Polish nation was particularly important while growing up.”
The Ministry of National Education pointed out that the white color on the Polish flag symbolizes purity, and red symbolizes courage and bravery. Referring to the Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad, the Ministry of National Education recalled that the Polish diaspora and Poles abroad “rank 6th in the world in terms of numbers in relation to the population of their home country.”
“May the red and white always make us respect history and tradition, and inspire us to act for the common good!” – appealed the Ministry of Justice, also on the X website. The Ministry emphasized that the national flag is a symbol of unity, pride and independence of our homeland.
The head of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, Marcin Kierwiński, emphasized that the Polish flag is “a symbol of a proud nation with a proud history and a proud future.” “When I look at the white and red flag, I have in mind: heroism, patriotism, history. But also: future, hope, development,” Kierwiński wrote on the X website.
“We are proud of Poland, and our flag is with us in all important moments!” – emphasized the head of the PiS club, Mariusz Błaszczak, on the X website.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, expressed his best wishes to the Polish diaspora and Poles abroad on the X platform. “During these days, I am thinking about my compatriots from whom Poland has left, as well as those scattered around the world. I was once one of you. Thank you for maintaining Polishness, for cultivating ties with Poland, for teaching children to speak Polish. The white and red unite us in a special way these days,” Sikorski noted.
Flag Day of the Republic of Poland and the celebration of the Polish diaspora and Poles abroad
The Polish Flag Day, celebrated on May 2, was established in 2004. This day is also a celebration of the Polish diaspora and Poles abroad. Historically, Polish national colors are derived from the colors of the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland and the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In the symbolism of the Polish flag, white comes from the white of the eagle, which is the emblem of Poland, and the white of Pogoń – a knight galloping on a horse – the emblem of Lithuania. Both emblems are located on red backgrounds of the coat of arms. On our flag, white is at the top because in Polish heraldry the color of the emblem is more important than the color of the background.
The Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad has been celebrated on May 2 since 2002. The public holiday was established by the Sejm of the Republic of Poland on the initiative of the Senate of the Republic of Poland. In this way, people living outside Poland who strived for Polish independence and expressed their attachment to the Republic of Poland were honored.
The Prime Minister's office emphasized on Thursday that this holiday is an expression of recognition for the centuries-old achievements and contribution of the Polish diaspora to regaining independence, loyalty and attachment to Polishness, and help in the most difficult moments.
Main photo source: TVN24