Fulbright Association Annual Meeting: 60th Anniversary of Polish - US Fulbright Program

While in DC for the Fulbright Association Annual Meeting, it was a pleasure to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Polish-US Fulbright Program at the Polish Ambassador's Residence in Washington, DC.

Speakers at the event included the Director of the Fulbright Poland, the Vice Chair of the Fulbright Scholarship Board (Anita McBride), the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Lussenhop, His Excellency the Polish Ambassador Piotr Wilczek, and the Chair of the Board of Fulbright Association Mary Ellen Schmider.
    

With His Excellency Piotr Wilczek, the Polish Ambassador- and the Director of Fulbright Poland

with my colleagues from USF Tampa and USF Sarasota

Tried this cherry brandy

Pierogis at the Polish Ambassador’s Residence

With the Directors of Fulbright Poland and Fulbright Mexico

  I was particularly touched by Mary Ellen's reference to the WH Auden poem written as the Germans had invaded Poland at the start of WWII -- including relevant stanza:

W.H. Auden's September 1, 1939 poem

Defenceless under the night
Our world in stupor lies;
Yet, dotted everywhere,
Ironic points of light
Flash out wherever the Just
Exchange their messages:
May I , composed like them
Of Eros and of dust
Beleaguered by the same
Negation and despair
Show an affirming flame


(My blog post from my visit to the post office in Gdansk where the first shots of WWII were fired 
https://jainmoldova.blogspot.com/2016/07/gdansk-post-office-first-shots-fired