The event, known as Polish Day, combined regional cuisine, cultural performances and expressions of national pride from senior government officials.
The picnic was held in Brussels' Cinquantenaire Park, where tents representing Polish regions offered culinary treats and tourist showcases.
Visitors sampled pierogi and traditional specialities—such as proziaki, baking soda flatbreads from the southeastern Podkarpackie region—and could try a virtual cycling tour through the south-central Świętokrzyskie region.
The eastern town of Siemiatycze, which maintains regular coach links with Brussels and has close ties to the Belgian capital, also took part, offering treats including sękacz, mrowisko, and rosehip liqueur.
The cultural programme featured performances by the folk song and dance ensemble Mazowsze, and a concert by the popular folk-rock band Golec uOrkiestra.
Speaking to reporters, government spokesman Adam Szłapka said the country had good reason to feel proud of its presidency.
“If you ask even a specialist about the priorities of previous presidencies, they often struggle to recall them," he told reporters. "But our focus on European security is now etched in stone in every capital and in front of every EU institution, which today speaks with the voice we wanted—one could say, in the Polish language,"
Szłapka previously served as Poland's minister for EU affairs until being appointed government spokesman last week.
“This is a very big success and something to be proud of,” he said.
Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, a deputy minister for EU affairs, also spoke to underline that Poland’s influence in Europe will not end with the presidency.
“Let no one think that with the end of our presidency Poland’s position will change. Our voice will remain just as strong,” she said.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP