The show in the French capital's Polish Library has been organised by Poland’s foreign ministry, together with the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Rapperswil Society, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
It comes as Poland celebrates National Anthem Week.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Wybicki's death as well as 275 years since his birth and 225 years since he wrote his "Dąbrowski’s Mazurka," which is also known as "Poland Is Not Yet Lost" and was originally entitled "The Song of the Polish Legions in Italy."
The lower house of Poland’s parliament in October passed a resolution to designate 2022 as the Year of Józef Wybicki.
'It’s about emphasising identity and links to Poland'
Entitled The History of the Polish National Anthem, the showcase consists of more than a dozen panels that outline how Dąbrowski’s Mazurka was created, officials said.
Poland’s Consul General in Paris, Andrzej Szydło, told Polish Radio: “Such exhibitions make us aware of the role Paris has played in Polish history. France admitted Polish people after each of our national defeats. Poles could live a peaceful life there and cultivate thinking about liberty.”
The Polish Library’s Deputy Director Ewa Rutkowska said the show would help "sustain the memory of Poland’s Great Emigration of the 18th and 19th centuries, which is the library’s mission."
She added: “The message is still the same: cultivating culture, free thought. It’s about emphasising identity and links to Poland.”
The display also features recorded interviews with members of the Polish community in France. Representing all ages, they speak of their feelings about Dąbrowski’s Mazurka.
“Every statement is unique - one person even had tears in their eyes,” said the man in charge of the project, Rafał Krawczyk, from the Polish Consulate in Paris.
The exhibition runs until July 22.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, ifrancja.fr