Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the „spirit of Ukraine” have been named „Time” magazine’s Person of the Year for 2022 in recognition of the country’s heroic response to the Russian invasion.
In his introduction, „Time” editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal described this year’s selection as „the most clear-cut in memory,” praising Zelensky for „galvaniz[ing] the world in a way we haven’t seen in decades.”
„For proving that courage can be as contagious as fear, for stirring people and nations to come together in defense of freedom, for reminding the world of the fragility of democracy—and of peace—Volodymyr Zelensky and the spirit of Ukraine are „Time’s” 2022 Person of the Year,” Felsenthal announced.
The „Time” article went on to highlight the importance of Zelensky’s refusal to evacuate Kyiv, his Instagram posts „showing that his Cabinet and civil society were intact and in place” in Ukraine, speeches delivered daily to the people of Ukraine, and frequent appearances at cultural and political gatherings, from houses of Parliament to the Grammy Awards. „Ukraine’s President was everywhere,” Felsenthal summarized.
On Monday, Zelensky was also named „person of the year” by the UK’s Financial Times newspaper. The 44-year-old former actor, comedian, and writer became president of Ukraine in 2019.
Source: PAP, Time.com, Radio Poland
Polish President Andrzej Duda is set to meet Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and other members of the Belarusian democratic opposition today at the Belvedere Palace in Warsaw.
Jakub Kumoch, a spokesperson for the Office of International Policy of the President of Poland, described the meeting as a demonstration of „Poland’s clear support for the rights of Belarusian women and men to live in an independent and democratic country.”
According to Kumoch, „Poland is concerned about the Russian military presence in Belarus” and the unprecedented repressions to which the Belarusian society is subjected. Poland itself, Kumoch noted, is home to thousands of Belarusians who have fled persecution, and we believe that „Russia’s defeat in Ukraine will pave the way for a fully independent and democratic Belarus.”
Similar to last year, Duda will meet with Tsikhanouskaya and the leaders of democratic Belarus, the Belarusian diaspora in Poland, and representatives of Polish Belarusian groups.
Source: PAP, Radio Poland
The Polish central bank’s rate-setting Monetary Policy Council left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, keeping the reference rate at 6.75 percent.
The panel earlier delivered a string of rate hikes in an effort to contain surging consumer prices. In September, the Monetary Policy Council raised key interest rates for the 11th consecutive time, from 6.50 percent to 6.75 percent.
Inflation in Poland hit 17.4 percent last month, according to a flash estimate by GUS, Poland’s national statistics office. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in October last year that he expected „an appropriate response” from the central bank to the fastest price growth in the country in 20 years.
Source: Radio Poland
The World for Ukraine Summit, an international event that brings together government and business leaders to discuss key needs and opportunities to help rebuild Ukraine, kicked off in Rzeszów yesterday.
The event offers mayors from 37 different Ukrainian cities the opportunity to meet and network with local government officials from Poland, Germany, and France, along with members of the international donor community. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, the director of the Global Empowerment Mission, Michael Capponi, and Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi are all expected to attend.
The World for Ukraine Summit 2022 will run until Thursday, December 9. More information and a link to the livestream of the main program is available >>>HERE.
Source: Radio Poland
Radio Gdańsk will be giving away gift baskets filled with tasty delicacies to celebrate the holiday season with our listeners. From December 7 to December 22, listeners will have two chances each day to win a giant basket full of Christmas products, including chocolates, candied plums, syrup for winter tea, jams, and marinated mushrooms.
To win a basket, listeners should tune in to Radio Gdańsk on the air or online after 7:00 a.m. and again after 3:00 p.m. for a chance to answer the presenter’s question via SMS. For more information on this or other holiday contests, visit >>>HERE.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be cloudy and cold with a good chance of snow showers throughout the day and winds coming in from the south and later west. Temperatures will be slightly colder than yesterday, with a high of 1°C, or 33°F, dropping to a low of -3°C or 26°F overnight. Slightly warmer weather and clearer skies are expected tomorrow, with a chance for snow returning over the weekend.
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