President Andrzej Duda thanked ACN for its “unwavering dedication” to serving those most in need.
The Polish national office of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) was singled out for a special distinction by the country’s President, during a ceremony that was held in Warsaw on 21 May, as part of the commemoration of Humanitarian Aid Day in Poland.
President Andrzej Duda hosted a number of organisations at the Presidential Palace, distributing state decorations and national emblems and flags to many of those who dedicate themselves to helping people in need.
During the ceremony, Marta Ogonowska-Polkowska, head of the charity’s Warsaw office, received the national flag of Poland from President Duda. Sister Agnieszka Duda, a Discalced Carmelite whose community receives support from the charity, and Michał Banach, staff member of ACN Poland, were also present at the ceremony.
President Duda thanked ACN Poland for its “unwavering dedication” to humanitarian aid, which he described as “an extremely difficult service”.
Marta Ogonowska-Polkowska expressed the thanks of ACN for the President’s gesture. “We are very grateful to the President of the Republic of Poland for appreciating our activities and distinguishing the Polish Section of Aid to the Church in Need. He encourages us to work even harder for persecuted Christians in the most remote regions of the world.”
The representative of ACN Poland made a point of recognising the importance of benefactors for the work carried out by the organisation: “Every day we receive alarming news about persecution, conflicts, extreme poverty and hunger, we try to reach them everywhere with help. This distinction is also for our donors – thanks to their support we can implement about 5,000 projects per year.”
ACN has been supporting Christians around the world for years, in a variety of regions, from the Middle East to Latin America, Africa to Asia, and also in Eastern Europe. Projects range from subsistence aid in emergency situations, construction of churches and homes for persecuted Christians, with a substantial dedication to spiritual formation.
