During the ceremony that took place at the Presidential Palace on the occasion of the ‘Freedom Day’, celebrated on the anniversary of June 4, 1989, parliamentary elections, President of the Republic of Poland Bronisław Komorowski presented women who rendered great services for democratic transformation and building civil society in Poland with state decorations. Among forty awarded women were also those involved in the “PAFF Leaders” Program.
Katarzyna Czayka-Chełmińska, Vice-president of the School for Leaders Association was awarded with the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. The School for Leaders Association is the “PAFF Leaders” Program manager. Katarzyna Czayka-Chełmińska co-created and developed the Program’s methodology, especially the tutorial system. She is also the founder and president of the Family Mediators Association.
The Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta was also awarded also to Zofia Zaorska, PhD, the “PAFF Leaders” Program tutor and the founder of the ‘Super Granny and Super Granddad School’ in Lublin. The school teaches grandparents how to spend time with their grandchildren in a creative way. For three years, the School’s activities were supported under the ‘Seniors in Action’ Grant Competition, a PAFF initiative implemented by the Association of the Creative Initiatives “ę”.
Among those awarded by President Bronisław Komorowski were also two alumni of the second edition of the ‘PAFF Leaders’ Program. Wiesława Kowalska, 2009 Civic Leader of the Year, President of the Echo Pyzdr Cultural Society involved in supporting education of young people, was awarded with the Gold Cross of Merit. Marta Makuch, President of the Center for Civic Initiatives supporting civic education and development of NGOs, received the Silver Cross of Merit.
The highest decoration – Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta was presented to Danuta Wałęsa, wife of the former President of the Republic of Poland.
