Urszula Lang and Prof. Andrzej Kozek, two members of Kosciuszko Heritage, gave a presentation at the Australian National University in Canberra on July 28.
The presentation “The Significance of Mt Kosciuszko as a Special Place to the Polish Community in Australia” addressed the theme of this year’s ACT and Region Annual Australian Heritage Partnership Symposium: “Valuing Heritage: Advocating for Community Attachment in Planning.”
Here is a summary of the presentation, which they delivered during session one, entitled “Social attachment to places: community values and memories”:
In multicultural Australia, caring about the cultural heritage of all Australians is particularly interesting and colourful because of our diversity. The Polish community feels that it bears responsibility not only to document its contribution to the Australian culture and our joint welfare, but also to maintain the historical heritage of early Polish explorers of Australia. Particular care is needed to document correctly and appreciate the heritage of Sir Paul Edmund de Strzelecki, who first identified and named the highest peak of Australia, Mt Kosciuszko, after an international hero, fighter for democracy, equal rights and freedom: General Tadeusz Kosciuszko.
Australia deserves to know more about both these men and about their stand for the ideas of which modern Australia is so proud. Our talk will explain why. With this heritage in mind, the Polish community is proud to build friendly cultural relations with Ngarigo People, the traditional owners of the Monaro country, where Mt Kosciuszko is located.
To find out more about the event, visit the Australian National University’s website.
See the presentation in a PDF file https://www.kosciuszkoheritage.com/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ICOMOS-Canberra-2012-07-28_slides_01.pdf