16 November marks Foreign Service Day. So important to Polish diplomats and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the holiday falls on the anniversary of the telegram sent on 16 November 1918 by Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces Józef Piłsudski. In it, he notified the international community of the rebirth of an independent Polish state after 123 years of foreign rule.

On 16 November 2022, Piotr Potocki handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a set of 1930s silverware that belonged to the legacy of the Second Polish Republic in Madrid. The ceremony was part of this year’s celebrations marking Foreign Service Day.

On 16 November 2022, Undersecretary of State Paweł Jabłoński hosted another round of consultations with the Palestinian side, headed by Secretary of State Amal Jadou of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

“We want Polish public diplomacy to use new tools and opportunities to show what is best in Poland and Polish people. Bicycle diplomacy is an element of such measures,” said Head of the Foreign Service Arkady Rzegocki as he presented awards to diplomats who were most actively engaged in World Bicycle Day, an annual event initiated by a Pole.

On 15 November 2022, Deputy Foreign Minister Paweł Jabłoński headed the Polish delegation to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN Human Rights Council. The 41st session of the UPR reviewed Poland’s human rights record.

“No-one has learnt that war brings misery on common people, especially on children. As innocent people die, those responsible for their death usually walk away unpunished. This is another terrifying thing about the 21st century”—these words by one of the artists of the featured drawings were quoted by Minister Arkady Rzegocki, Head of the Foreign Service, when he opened the exhibition Mom, I don’t want war!

The meeting of EU foreign ministers focused on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the developments in the Great African Lakes region, and the situation in the Western Balkan states. On the margins of the Council, the officials also met with the leader of Belarusian opposition Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

On 14 November 2022, the chief of Polish diplomacy will travel to Brussels to attend the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) session.

On 9-10 November, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau travelled to Paris.