Polish Association of Christchurch
Media Release
11 July 2010

Polish Ambassador to New Zealand to meet Christchurch business leaders

The Ambassador of Poland, Mrs Beata Stoczynska (Be-aata Sto-ching-ska) will meet local business leaders during a visit to Christchurch on Friday, 16 July.
Poland and New Zealand have a long history. Not only were two Poles travelling with Captain James Cook on the Resolution in 1772, but groups of settlers arrived in 1872 and helped clear the swamps around Christchurch. The most well known group of Poles to settle in the city however, were 20 WWII Polish orphans from the Pahiatua camp who went on to make their lives here.

Now, Poland’s famous shipyards in Gdansk are laying the keel for the Rainbow Warrior Three, 25 years after the iconic Greenpeace flagship was sunk in Auckland Harbour.

Mrs Stoczynska will be meeting Dr Rod Carr, Vice Chancellor of the University of Canterbury, Mayor Bob Parker, Mr Peter Townsend CEO Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce and Ms Jenny Harper, Director Christchurch Art Gallery before attending the Frederic Chopin Bicentennial Concert at the Arts Centre.
The talks will centre on strengthening ties between Poland and Christchurch.

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