MEDALS, HONOURS, CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION, FESTIVE CHRISTMAS CONCERT… THIS IS HOW WE CLOSE 2025

The Christmas and New Year’s concert combined with the ceremony of awarding medals, distinctions, and certificates of recognition took place today (12 December 2025) in the Aula Magna of Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa (13/15 AK). At the opening, the Acting Rector, prof. Bogusław Przywora, addressed the University staff gathered in the hall:

"It is my honour and pleasure to welcome you to the Christmas and New Year’s ceremony of Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa.

Today’s celebration is a special moment for our academic community. We meet to honour those whose achievements, results, dedication and commitment have contributed to the development of our University, our region, and Polish science.

This is an opportunity to thank you for your effort, engagement, and all activities undertaken for the development of our University.

Every distinction is a symbol of recognition - but also of gratitude for the passion and responsibility with which you fulfil your duties. Thanks to you, our University cannot only continue its mission, but also grow, inspire and set new directions for development.

Each of you is an example of how much can be achieved by believing in the value of your work and skillfully turning it into real good. Your achievements make us proud and become a source of motivation and a role model for younger generations. On behalf of the entire academic community, I extend to you my warmest congratulations and wish that this moment may serve not only as an official summary, but also as a peaceful, festive gathering among colleagues.

Thank you for being here. Enjoy the next part of the ceremony."

Speeches were also delivered by the First Deputy Voivode of Silesia, Adam Zaczkowski, and the Deputy Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship, Grzegorz Boski. Both distinguished guests congratulated the University on this remarkable celebration and addressed the JDU community with words full of praise and admiration. They particularly emphasised the dynamic development of the University, describing it as a proverbial “civilisational leap”.

Next, the formal decoration of individuals distinguished with state awards took place. These honours were conferred by the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda and the President of the Republic of Poland Karol Nawrocki. This was followed by the awarding of departmental medals.

Bronze Crosses of Merit were awarded to:
- mgr Joanna Będuch
- dr Marek Makowski
- dr hab. Lesław Podolski, prof. UJD

Gold Medals for Long Service were awarded to:
- dr hab. Urszula Cierniak, prof. UJD
- mgr Dorota Rak
- dr hab. Przemysław Jeziorowski, prof. UJD
- dr hab. Włodzimierz Karankiewicz, prof. UJD
- dr hab. Marek Mielczarek, prof. UJD
- dr hab. Elżbieta Napora, prof. UJD
- mgr Beata Operacz
- dr hab. Lesław Podolski, prof. UJD
- mgr Beata Stachurska
- prof. dr hab. Janusz Zuziak

Silver Medals for Long Service were awarded to:
- dr Monika Bartnik, prof. UJD
- Elżbieta Matysiak
- mgr Justyna Skrońska
- mgr Aleksandra Kozak
- mgr Małgorzata Marczak
- dr Tomasz Prauzner
- dr Patrycja Sołtysiak
- dr hab. Joanna Warońska-Gęsiarz, prof. UJD
- dr Ewelina Żelasko-Makowska, prof. UJD 

Bronze Medals for Long Service were awarded to:
- mgr Agnieszka Godela
- dr Mariusz Paradowski
- dr Izabela Wrona-Meryk

Medals of the Commission of National Education were awarded to:
- dr hab. inż. Marcin Sosnowski, prof. UJD    
- prof. dr hab. Robert Biczak
- prof. Jarosław Kweclich
- dr hab. Bartosz Frączek, prof. UJD
- dr Wioleta Duda, prof. UJD
- dr Andrzej Margasiński
- dr Sylwia Stachurska-Ćwiek
- dr hab. Włodzimierz Karankiewicz, prof. UJD

Among the distinguished awardees were also prof. dr hab. Jerzy Swoboda and dr hab. Bartosz Frączek, prof. UJD who were decorated with the “Meritorious for Polish Culture Gloria Artis” medals. These prestigious distinctions were granted by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage for outstanding contributions to the development of Polish culture.

The next item on the programme was the presentation of certificates of recognition to University employees. Prof. Bogusław Przywora emphasised that this was an expression of gratitude for their dedicated and effective work for the benefit of the University community and its socio-economic environment in 2024.

After the decorations, the audience was immersed in a wonderful festive atmosphere in anticipation of Christmas. This mood was enhanced by a concert performed by members of the JDU Academic Choir, who presented: “God is Born”, “Shchedryk”, “It Was Already Midnight”. The performance was followed by the Vocal-Instrumental Ensemble of the Department of Music, presenting: “When Christ Is Born”, “Stay”, “Hey, Carol”, “He Lies in the Manger”, “An Angel Told the Shepherds”, “From the Lord’s Birth”, “The Best Today”. A pleasant highlight of the event was the communal singing of carols by the Academic Choir, the ensemble, and the audience. Together with the audience, they performed the carol “At Midnight”.

To conclude the event, Acting Rector Prof. Bogusław Przywora offered Christmas wishes to the entire community connected with Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa.

We should add that the opening of the ceremony featured a performance of Fryderyk Chopin’s Polonaise in A Major, Op. 40, played by Mikołaj Ferenc. Those responsible for preparing the concert were:
Vocal-Instrumental Ensemble: dr Joanna Świniarska-Szebeszczyk, mgr Wojciech Królikowski, mgr Sebastian Ruciński, JDU Academic Choir - dr Marek Kudra

Special thanks for preparing the event go to:
Script and coordination – mgr Magdalena Okwiet
Hosting of the ceremony – mgr Karolina Gębka
Ceremony of awarding state decorations and medals – mgr Joanna Bińczyk
Ceremony and presentation of the Rector’s certificates of recognition –  mgr Magdalena Gawrońska, mgr Magdalena Skowronek, mgr Ewa Szczepanek
Screen/presentation – mgr Klaudia Żurawska
Film/photography – mgr K. Balas / lic. J. Blukacz
Technical support of the hall (screen, lighting) – mgr Michał Wojciechowski