Kosciuszko Heritage Inc., the organizer of the competition is proud to announce the contents of the Verdict. Members of the jury, having evaluated 182 submissions sent from 9 countries, decided to award 50 prizes in total, including 33 awards in the Adult Category and 17 in the Youth Category (12 18). Amongst the Adults, 20 prizes were awarded for songs pointing out to the popularity of this form of creativity.

Amongst the Youth Fine Arts Category proved most popular 11 entries awarded. The geograp hic diversification was most visible in the Fin Arts category the entries came from Russia, Uzbekistan, Lithuania and USA. Surprisingly, Strzelecki’s sweetheart Ayna Turno proved very popular, being present in 10 songs, 7 paintings and her spirit presen t in almost every poem.

In total, $25,900.00 was spent on the awards.

Soon after the Competition Gala we embark on producing an E-BOOK with a selection of songs, poems and images. It will be distributed wordwide via internet.

May we offer our heartful thanks to all those who participated in the competition by building a unique “monument” to P.E. Strzelecki, an explorer, discoverer, scientist, humanitarian and a friend of Aborigines.

Dr Ernestyna Skurjat-Kozek
President of Kosciuszko Heritage Inc.

Competition Verdict

A jury composed of 14 experts listed in the Rules of the International Competition In the Spirit of Strzelecki chaired by Dr Marek Leszek Krzesniak, the President of the P olish Kosciuszko Foundation (PFK) in Warsaw decided to award the following prizes:

In the Adult Category – songs:

• The First Prize of 5 thousand Australian dollars is given to LECH MAKOWIECKI from Gdynia/Polska for his song Bądźmy wszyscy jak Strzelecki (Lets all be like Strzelecki);
• The Second Prize of 3 thousand dollars goes to Dr LACHLAN BARNES of Sydney for his song Ode to Strzelecki;
• The Third Prize of 1 thousand dollars goes to two artists of Poland, ALINA MAŁACHOWSKA (music, vocal) and BARBARA POSTAWA (lyrics) for their song Oj, Adyno, Oj Adyno.

• A Special PULS POLONII Prize of $500.00 goes to artists from Poland: JULIAN GILEWSKI (music), PIOTR BUJNOWSKI (vocal) and KASIA DOMINIK (lyrics) for their song Hymn dla Strzeleckiego (A Hymn for Strzelecki);
• Another special PULS POLONII Prize of $400.00 goes to SŁAWEK KAZAN of Gold Coast Australia for his song Ballada o Strzeleckim (A Ballad of Strzelecki).

Because of very high artistic level, the Jury decided to award High Distinction Diplomas along with book gifts to the following 7 entrants:

• MICHAŁ OBRĘBSKI (music) & GOSIA WITKOWSKA (vocal, lyrics) both of Poznan, for their song Who is the Man (A kto to jest?);
• Another couple from Poland: ZBIGNIEW PAPROCKI ( music & vocal ) and REGINA SOBIK (lyrics) for their song Tęsknota Strzeleckiego (The Yearning of Strzelecki);
• A singer from Australia: MELANIE HORSNELL of Condelo, NSW, for her song How does the heart of the explorer grow (Jak dojrzewa serce podróżnika);
• IWONNA BUCZKOWSKA of Warsaw for her song Jak Strzelecki (Just like Strzelecki);
• WOJCIECH POPKIEWICZ of Wrocław, Poland (music & vocal) and MAGDALENA ŻUK o f Paris (vocal) for their song Letters to Adyna (Listy do Adyny);
• Two entrants: ZOFIA KASZUBSKA of Melbourne (mus ic & vocal) and PATRYCJUSZ PILAWSKI (lyrics)) of Wodzis ł aw, Poland for their song Limeryki i clerihew (Limericks & clerihew);
• Another couple: JERZY SCISŁOWSKI ( music, vocal) and MARYSIA THIELE ( lyrics), both from Australia for their song Legenda o Pawle Strzeleckim (A Legend of Strzelecki).

A VERY SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO MAŁGORZATA SAWICKA of Polish Radio, Lublin) for her entry Suita australijska Głos Ziemi (The Australian Suite The Voice of Earth) w hich was not classified as a song it got the highest score, but no prize.

In the Adult Category in POETRY the jury awarded the following entrants:

• The First Prize of $2,000 goes to MARIOLA KRUSZEWSKA of Minsk Mazowiecki for her poem Krok za krokiem jedwabna
parasolka (Step by step);
• The Second Prize with $1500 goes to MONIKA ATHANASIOU of Melbourne for her poem Terra Nullius (Ziemia Niczyja);
• The Third Prize with $500 goes to Poland to KATARZYNA WIKTORIA POLAK of Kraków, Poland for her poem Góra Kościuszki (Mt Kosciuszko);

Because of very high artistic level, the Jury decided to award High Distinction Diplomas along with book gifts to the following 5 entrants:
• REGINA SOBIK of Rybnik, Poland for her poem Anioł Nadziei (An Angel of Hope);
• MAREK BATEROWICZ of Sydney for his poem Medytacja na szczycie (Meditation on the summit);
• KRZYSZTOF KOKOT of Nowy Targ, Poland, for a series of his miniatures: Five O’Clock & Na szczęście & Adyna (Five O’Clock & Luckily & Adyna);
• ANNA PILISZEWSKA of Wie liczka, Poland, for her poem Góra Adyny w mgieł woalu (Mt Adina in the Veil of Fog);
• LECH MAKOWIECKI of Gdynia for his Odes: Do Filantropa, Podróżnika i Polaka (To a Philanthrope, Traveller and a Pole).

In the Fine Arts Adult Category the following entries were awarded:

• The First Prize of $3,000 goes to ALEKSANDRA DUKAT of Melbourne for her painting Strzelecki on the Dreaming Tracks Led by Aboriginal Guides;
• The Second Prize of $2,000 goes to Poland, to PIOTR SŁOWIANSKI of Kobyłka, for his photo panorama Explorer, Scientist, Philantropist; (Odkrywca, Naukowiec, Filantrop);
• And the Third Prize of $1,000 goes to Poland, to MARTA FRUZINSKA of Łódź for her image Strzelecki w objęciach Nieznanego (In the Embrace of the Uknown).

High Distinction Diplomas go to seven artists:
• ANNA OLSZEWSKA of Lipno, Poland for the portrait Strzelecki Tak go widzę (This is the Way, I see him);
• DARIA LIUI of Saratov in Russia, for her performance Pavel Edmund Strzelecki travels along middle Volga (Strzelecki w podróży nad rzeką Wołgą);
• DAWID CELEK of Wrocław, Poland for his image Ciekawość (Curiosity);
• ELENA ŁABETSKAJA of Taszkient/Uzbekistan for her painting Strzelecki in NSW, featuring Strzelecki in th Blue Mountains;
• ROBERT KOWALCZYK of Sydney for his image The Discovery;
• HAKOB MIKAYELYAN an Armenian artist of Warsaw for his painting Strzelecki na tle Gór Śnieżnych (Strzelecki with the Snowies in the backdrop);
• RIHO OKAGAMI SIEDLECKA, a Japanese artist of Sydney for her futuristic cartoon If Strzelecki was born in the future (Gdyby Strzelecki urodził się w przyszłości).

In the Youth Song Category (12 18) (only) two awards have been awarded:

• The First Prize with $1,000 goes to a duo from John Paul the II School in Albion/ Melbourne, for their song Rapowa Ballada Strzeleckiego (Strzelecki Rap) ADAM WERNER AND OLIWIER JAŚKOWSKI;
• The Second Prize with $500 goes to KINGA KOZEK of the Polish School in Chatswood, Sydney, for her performance of the song Strzelecki podróżnik, przewodnik znakomity (Strzelecki a great explorer) written and composed by Marzena Mazurek.

In the Youth Poetry Category, the following prizes were awarded:

The First Prize with $500 goes to JACEK STACHE of the Strzelecki School in Głuszyna, Poland, for his List do Pawła Edmunda Strzeleckiego (A Letter to Strzelecki);
The Second Prize with $300 goes to LENA PANEK of the Mickiewicz High School in Góra, Poland, for her poem Etiuda do człowieka współczesnego (Etiude for the Contemporary Man);
The Third Prize with $200 goes to MIKOŁAJ GĘSIECKI of the Mickiewicz High Schoo l in Góra, Poland, for his work bearing an English title: The World through your eyes, my friend (Świat twymi oczami, przyjacielu).

A High Distinction Diploma and a book gift were awarded to ALEXIEY RIDDLE of Mt Waverley Secondary School, Melbourne, for his poem in English entitled Reaching the Heights (Zdobywając szczyty).

In the Youth Art Category, the following prizes were awarded:

The First Prize of $500 goes to MARCEL JASKOWSKI of the John Paul II School in Albion, Melbourne for his cartoon The Adventure of Edmund Strzelecki (Komiks Przygody Strzeleckiego);
The Second Prize of $300 goes to Poland to HANNA WIELEBSKA of Kosciuszko High School in Konin, Poland, for her painting Strzelecki in Australia (Strzelecki w Australii);
The Third Prize of $200 goes again to Poland, to ALEKSANDRA PŁATEK of Brwinów, for her cartoon Strzelecki: Maniacy złota (Gold Maniacs).

There are 8 High Distinction Diplomas with book gifts:
• RAFAŁ GRUDZIŃSKI, of St Faustine School in Rzesza, LITHUANIA, for his fine art entry Strzelecki przed Górą Kościuszki (Strzelecki facing Mt Kosciuszko);
• MARIANNA GAŁCZYŃSKA from The Sobieski High School, Kraków, for Portret Strzeleckiego na Zielono (Strzelecki’s Portrait in Green);
• ALEXANDRA WOŹNIAK from Argo Community School, Illinois, USA for her painting Steppe by Steppe (Krok po
• RAFAŁ MICKIEWICZ from St Faustine School in Rzesza, LITHUANIA, for his fine art Kolaż (Coolage);
• MICHALINA MIKULSKA of The Heroes of Westerplatte School in Garwolin, Poland, for her poster Śladami Strzeleckiego (In the footsteps of Strzelecki);
• JOANNA PA TEREK of the Mickiewicz High School in Góra, Poland, for her painting Strzelecki oczami świata (Strzelecki the eyes of the world).

Head od the Jury Panel
Dr Leszek Marek Krześniak

Competition Organizer
Dr Ernestyna Skurjat-Kozek

Sydney, 6th October 2023