"Kochanowski’s profound verse, written in beautiful Polish, speaks of a bygone age, yet reflects the emotions of us, contemporary Poles,” Nawrocki said in a message inviting the public to take part.
The first lady read lines from one of Kochanowski’s poems:
Do not abandon hope,
Whatever may befall:
For the sun that sets is not the last,
And after a dark hour, a fair day comes.
The presidential couple will launch the celebration at noon in Warsaw’s Saski Park. Afterward, leading Polish actors will continue reading Kochanowski’s works.
Similar events are planned across Poland and abroad, including at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, where they will be part of the Polish Culture Week project.
Kochanowski (1530–1584) is regarded as the greatest Renaissance poet of Central and Eastern Europe. He mastered a wide range of literary forms, including hymns, lyrical songs, epigrams, satires, dramas and biblical translations.
His Laments, written after the death of his two-year-old daughter Urszula, remain his most famous work.
He also authored The Dismissal of the Greek Envoys, the first drama in Polish, which tells of the Greek plea for the return of Helen before the Trojan War.
National Reading Day was launched in 2012 to promote Poland’s literary heritage and encourage reading.
Last year’s event focused on Kordian, a drama by Romantic-era poet and playwright Juliusz Słowacki.
Previous editions have featured Adam Mickiewicz’s epic poem Master Thaddeus; The Trilogy and Quo Vadis by Nobel Prize winner Henryk Sienkiewicz; Bolesław Prus’ novel The Doll; and Stanisław Wyspiański’s play The Wedding.
(mk/gs)