Danby Welcomed In Warsaw

Danby welcomed in Warsaw

Thursday, 12 April 2012 01:41

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Michael Danby
Federal Member for Melbourne Ports

Last week Michael Danby MP, Federal Member for Melbourne Ports, was a guest of the Polish Foreign Ministry in his capacity as Chairman of the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.

Mr Danby met members of the Polish Parliament and heard the Polish Foreign Minister, Radek Sikorski deliver the annual speech on the state of Polish Foreign Affairs which dealt with the fact that Poland like Israel, Australia and South Korea were the only countries to grow during the Global Financial Crisis.

Later, Mr Danby delivered the keynote speech to the Polish Institute of International Affairs in front of an audience of ambassadors, diplomats, and dignitaries.

Mr Danby spoke of his deep connection with Poland, “Like many second and third generation Australian Jews, part of my heritage lies within the shifting boundaries of this country” Mr Danby said. He continued, paying tribute to Jan Karski, a Polish man who gathered the first incontrovertible proof of the Nazi genocide, “Jan Karski, a righteous man who in 1940 in Warsaw joined an embryonic resistance movement.”

Mr Danby also spoke of the Solidarity and its influence on his own political career and thinking, “the men and women of the Solidarity movement, whose peaceful struggle for the rights and freedoms of their fellow citizens has made Poland the free, democratic and prosperous nation it is today.   In 1980 two young activists from Solidarnosc, Adam and Margorot Warzel came to Australia. I have been interested and involved with Poland and firm friends with the Warzel’s ever since.”  

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