On November 22, 2025, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews hosted the 19th Irena Sendler Award “For Repairing the World” gala, an award honoring teachers who are guided by courage, empathy, sensitivity, and willingness to act on behalf of young people in their daily work.
The award was presented to Adam Ejnik, a teacher at Primary School No. 1 in Żuromin, for his courage, empathy, and consistent efforts to “repair the world.” He was honored for his courageous opposition to the rapid increase in drug addiction in his local community, raising awareness of the problem, and at the same time creating a space for young people to develop their passions and build mental resilience, especially through working in nature.
The jury also awarded a Special Prize to Edyta Mak, prinicpal of Navigo Poznań – Autorska Szkoła Podstawowa (Navigo Poznań – Elementary School following its own teaching method), whose activities on behalf of children and young people, especially those with refugee experience from Ukraine, have become an inspiration for the entire school community.
Ten teachers were also honored for their efforts to promote education based on openness, respect, and agency, reminding young people of the importance of decency and responsibility, raising awareness of the mechanisms of discrimination, presenting history as a space for discovering values, building intergenerational cooperation, and promoting volunteerism.
The awards and distinctions were presented by members of the Chapter: Elżbieta Ficowska, Krzysztof Czyżewski, Alicja Pacewicz, Paula Sawicka, and Włodzimierz Grudziński, with the participation of Paulina Piechna-Więckiewicz, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of National Education.
The ceremony was attended by Elżbieta Ficowska, the initiator of the Award and the youngest child saved from the ghetto thanks to Irena Sendler, who recalled the first edition eighteen years ago, when Sendler herself presented the award.
“It is extremely important to awaken sensitivity and empathy in our students, as well as a desire for social action, which is why every year we reward educational work in the spirit of openness, respect for others, and the agency of young people,” says Marianna Hajdukiewicz, Program Director of Polish-American Freedom Foundation.
The Irena Sendler Award “For Making the World a Better Place” is organized by the Center for Citizenship Education Foundation, and one of its partners is Polish-American Freedom Foundation under the “Learning Schools” program.
Patronage:
- Minister of National Education
- Ombudsman
- Children’s Rights Ombudsman, Monika Horna-Cieślak
