On November 16, 1918, Polish military leader Józef Piłsudski notified the world about the re-emergence of an independent Poland.
Piotr Rychlik, the head of Poland's Foreign Service, said on Thursday that the country today has some 4,500 diplomats, 2,800 of whom are posted abroad. He added that Poland has 96 embassies across the globe.
"Foreign Service Day provides an opportunity to tell the public about their work," Rychlik said in an interview with public broadcaster Polish Radio's IAR news agency.
Speaking about recent challenges, Rychlik told the IAR news agency that Poland's Foreign Service was making every effort to secure the evacuation of Poles from the Gaza Strip amid the Israel-Hamas war.
On Monday, two military planes brought 18 Polish citizens back from Gaza to Warsaw, according to officials.
Rychlik also said that Polish diplomats were working in war-torn Ukraine and providing support to the Polish community in Belarus.
He added that, in Belarus, Polish officials were seeking to secure access to the imprisoned journalist and human-rights activist Andrzej Poczobut, and "demanding that Belarus release all political prisoners."
On Foreign Service Day, President Andrzej Duda was expected to host foreign ministry officials at the presidential palace.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Polish foreign ministry building in Warsaw's will open its doors to the public, the PAP news agency reported.
Visitors will have a chance to meet Polish diplomats serving around the world, learn about the diplomatic protocol, and see the office of Poland's foreign minister, according to Rychlik.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, gov.pl
