In Vilnius, Polish young people, teachers and Polish scientists active in Lithuania took part in a panel organised by the Ministry of Education and Science. A short and moving lecture was also given by Professor Krzysztof Górski – Secretary General of the Copernicus Academy.

Rzymkowski: historic event

– There has never been such a full presentation of all the possibilities for Poland to support Polish education abroad. That is why this is a historic event,” Tomasz Rzymkowski emphasised twice during the meeting at the Polish Cultural Centre.

-There has never been such a full presentation of all the possibilities for Poland to support Polish education abroad. That is why this is a historic event,” Tomasz Rzymkowski emphasised twice during the meeting at the Polish Cultural Centre.

The meetings were an opportunity to present information on scientific cooperation between Poland and Lithuania to Polish young people, families, teachers, as well as scientists working in Lithuania. Including open programmes and funding opportunities for research projects and student exchange programmes. They also proved to be a space to exchange experiences and make new contacts and answer questions from participants.

The delegation from the country at the Polish Cultural Centre in Vilnius also met with the “Polish Educational Society”, learning about the problems concerning the education of the Polish minority in a country belonging to the European Union.

Prof. Gorski: Copernicus achieved immortality

During a short speech, Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Górski gave a presentation on ‘Copernicus and our times’ and introduced the guests to what the Copernican Academy has to offer.

Referring to the figure of our great astronomer, he noted that to this day he is a very enigmatic person. – We know very little about the details of his life. He wasn’t effusive enough to write about himself in the way that is popular today on Facebook or Twitter, to show off the fact that he was alive, and for everyone to know what he did for every five minutes of his life. So basically, we don’t know in detail what he did. What we do know is that he achieved immortality. He achieved a success that few people are given,” noted Professor Krzysztof Górski.

The Secretary General of the Copernican Academy admitted that reading publications on Nicolaus Copernicus and studying his own notes and works, he saw in him not only a great astronomer, but above all a person guided in his life by a set of moral principles considered most important in the world of Western civilisation.

– Interpreting this, I understand this man as an illustration of the four cardinal virtues that have been defined in the Christian tradition – and previously drawn from antiquity: wisdom, justice, modesty and fortitude. And I think it is easy to defend each of these four categorisations. I suggest pondering this very deeply, I recommend it to everyone – including myself and everyone in the Copernican Academy – because I think the advice to focus on just this approach to life is profound, and the example of Copernicus shows that it is worth it,” – he said. And he added: – ‘It won’t work for everyone, but it’s worth trying.

After the lecture, several young people questioned Prof. Gorski about the meaning of an academic career.