Poland has awarded Gloria Artis Medals of Cultural Merit to the Piłsudski Institute in New York, the Polish Museum in America and the conductor Janusz Sporek.

At a ceremony at the Polish consulate in New York, Deputy Prime Minister Piotr Gliński, who is also Minister of Culture and National Heritage, thanked Polish institutions and individuals for their contribution to the Polish community in the United States and to creating a better image of their home country.

The Piłsudski Institute was founded in 1943 as a research and educational centre.

Its collection includes about one million documents, 20,000 books and 250 works of art and historical memorabilia. It has published numerous documents relating to modern Polish history, including "Poland in the British Parliament, 1939-1945."

The Polish Museum in America, founded in 1935, has a rich collection of Polish art and a library containing over 100,000 books, as well as old prints and periodicals.

Janusz Sporek has conducted several Polish choirs in the United States and organised numerous Polish musical events in venues such as the Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Centre and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. (mk/rg)