2014 “Henryk Sławik Award” Presentation
The Henryk Sławik Award is presented in honour of the spirit of the life and deeds of Henryk Sławik, (saving over thirty thousand lives in occupied Hungary, five thousand of those being Jews).
The ASPJ’s Board of Management of the ASPJ has decided to honour individuals who, or organisations which, have worked towards enhancing mutual respect and understanding between the Polish and Jewish communities.
The recipient of the 2014 Award is Pauline Rockman OAM, President of Melbourne’s Jewish Holocaust Centre.
Pauline was presented with the Award by actress Magda Szubanska, whose yearning to meet Polish Jewish descendants, and compare their stories with those of her own Polish grandparents, had led to long conversations with Pauline.
Having visited Poland the first time 11 years ago, Pauline realised that the country was not just a place of death and suffering, but also a place where Poles and Jews had lived together for centuries. This led to Pauline advocating for the betterment of Polish-Jewish relations and for mutual respect and understanding.
Guest speaker at the presentation event was writer Arnold Zable who spoke on the theme of “Towards a Better Society”.
The 2014 Award was presented in the presence of the Honorary Polish Consul-General in Melbourne, Dr.George Łuk-Kozika who, himself, was the recipient of the inaugural Award in 2011.
