17th January 2011

Wisława Szymborska, poet and Nobel Prize Laureate, will be awarded the Order of the White Eagle by President Bronisław Komorowski at a ceremony at the Wawel Castle.

The Order of the White Eagle is the highest decoration of the Republic of Poland. It was established in 1705, reactivated in 1921 and reintroduced in 1992. The distinction is awarded in recognition of significant civil and military achievements, both in times of peace and war, to the most outstanding Poles and the highest ranking representatives of foreign countries.

To date, 146 Orders of the White Eagle have been awarded. The Committee of the Order of the White Eagle guards the honour of the decoration. The President of the Republic of Poland nominates its members from among persons who have previously been awarded the Order and appoints them for a five-year term. ...more.

Source: culture.pl