Polish Diplomat and Politician Piotr Nowina-Konopka Dies at 76

The news in Polish

1. polityka  (f.)
   Działania związane z rządzeniem i organizacją państwa. ↩︎
2. choroba  (f.)
   Stan organizmu, w którym występują zaburzenia zdrowia. ↩︎
3. zaangażować
   Brać czynny udział w czymś, uczestniczyć. ↩︎
4. opozycja  (f.)
   Grupa ludzi sprzeciwiająca się rządowi lub dominującym poglądom. ↩︎
5. stolica  (f.)
   Główne miasto państwa, w którym znajdują się najważniejsze urzędy. ↩︎
6. zasługa  (f.)
   Działanie, które przyczynia się do czegoś pozytywnego. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What was Piotr Nowina-Konopka involved in during his political career?

Question 2: What position did Piotr Nowina-Konopka hold related to the Vatican?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
polityka  (f.)	politics
choroba  (f.)	disease
zaangażować	engaged
opozycja  (f.)	opposition
stolica  (f.)	capital
zasługa  (f.)	merit

Read the full story

Piotr Nowina-Konopka, a notable figure in Polish diplomacy and politics, passed away at the age of 76 following a brief but serious illness. News of his death was shared by Father Tomasz Dostatni, a Dominican priest and intellectual pastor, who highlighted the loss of “a beautiful character from another political era.” Nowina-Konopka’s death marks the end of an illustrious career that spanned several decades and played a significant role in shaping modern Poland.

Born on 27 May 1949, in Chorzów, Piotr Nowina-Konopka’s career was marked by his early involvement in the democratic opposition during the 1980s, a period of considerable political upheaval in Poland. He was deeply involved with the “Solidarity” movement, acting as an economic expert and later as a spokesperson for its leader, Lech Wałęsa. Following the pivotal Round Table Talks, which were instrumental in Poland’s shift from communism to democracy, he served in the Office of President Wojciech Jaruzelski, focusing on local government reform and aiding political communication.

In the 1990s, Nowina-Konopka transitioned into a parliamentary role, representing the Union of Freedom and overseeing committees related to European integration, which aligned with Poland’s aspirations to join the European Union. His commitment to European integration was further evidenced by his work with the Polish Schuman Foundation and his participation in the Euro-Atlantic Association.

Notably, Nowina-Konopka became the first Pole to hold a directorial position in the European Parliament, where he managed relations with national parliaments. He subsequently moved to Washington, where he established and led the European Parliament Liaison Office with the US Congress from 2009 to 2012, cementing his role as a key figure in EU-US relations.

In 2013, his diplomatic trajectory peaked with his appointment as Poland’s ambassador to the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a position he held until 2016. This role reflected both his dedication to fostering international ties and his standing in Polish diplomatic circles.

Throughout his life, Piotr Nowina-Konopka was recognised with numerous awards, including the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, the French Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, the Commander’s Cross of Leopold II, and the German Verdienstkreuz I Klasse. His contributions to Poland’s political landscape and European integration left a lasting legacy that continues to influence contemporary political and diplomatic efforts.

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