The award was announced during the "Poland, the Great Project Congress" event in Warsaw on Sunday, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
In a laudatory speech, former Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said that Rifkind “has been working persistently to bring Poland and Britain closer together as co-chair of the Polish-British Belvedere Forum.”
Czaputowicz also said that Rifkind actively supported Poland’s anti-communist Solidarity movement in the 1980s, in his role as a minister of state at the UK’s Foreign Office, in the Margaret Thatcher government.
In 1984, Rifkin was in Poland on the day of the funeral of Jerzy Popiełuszko, a Roman Catholic priest who was killed by communist secret police, the audience were told.
Despite protests from Poland’s then-communist government, the British politician visited Fr. Popiełuszko’s grave and laid flowers in tribute before meeting with the leaders of Polish anti-communist opposition, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
After Rifkind’s gesture, until the collapse of communism, “every Western leader and foreign minister visiting Poland would lay flowers at Fr. Popiełuszko’s grave,” Czaputowicz said.
Poland, Britain should work closely together: Rifkind
The British politician could not be in Warsaw to collect the 2023 Courage and Identity Medal in person, and will receive the accolade in the autumn, the organisers said.
Rifkin issued a video message to conference participants, thanking the organisers for the award.
He said that it was “all the more vitally important” for Poland and Britain to work closely together amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Born into a Jewish family of Lithuanian descent, Rifkind also has ties to Poland through his wife, whose parents are Polish, the PAP news agency reported.
It said Rifkind was one of the most influential politicians in Britain’s Conservative Party in the 1980s and 1990s.
He served as minister for transport (1990-1992), defence minister (1992-1995) and foreign minister (1995-1997), among other government positions, as well as being a member of the House of Commons for 33 years, according to officials.
Rifkind retired from active politics in 2015, the PAP news agency reported.
Courage and Identity Medal
The Courage and Identity Medal is an award granted to those who contribute to enhancing Poland's image abroad, officials said.
The annual "Poland, the Great Project Congress" event brings together conservative politicians, thinkers and civil society leaders from Poland and other Central and Eastern European countries, according to the organisers.
The event aims to promote "patriotism, traditional European values, and the historical and cultural legacy of Poland and Central and Eastern Europe," officials said.
It is also designed to highlight the "economic, technological and cultural achievements" of the region.
This year’s "Poland, the Great Project Congress" was held from Friday to Sunday on the grounds of Warsaw’s Royal Castle, the PAP news agency reported.
Polish Radio was a media partner of the event.
Monday is day 467 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: IAR, PAP, polskawielkiprojekt.pl