Brother Stefan Franczak awarded the Order

vines in garden > articles about vines (including Clematis) > Brother Stefan Franczak awarded the OrderBrother Stefan Franczak awarded the Order
Szczepan Marczyński

ph franczak order 08
Brother Stefan Franczak
ph. Sz. Marczyński
On 4 March 2009 the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta to Brother Stefan Franczak in recognition of his "outstanding achievements in the field of breeding of ornamental plants and of his contribution to international horticultural advancement". The motion had been put forward by the Polish Nurserymen Association at the beginning of 2008 and had been seconded by many national and international celebrities and organisations, among others, by the International Clematis Society.

The Order was presented to Brother Stefan by the city Gdynia mayor Wojciech Szczurek, PhD on 22 March 2009 at the Jesuit College in Gdynia. Brother Stefan felt quite well and we could see that he was touched and pleased. Apart from the fellow friars, the modest ceremony was attended by his two nieces (the woman in white shirt in the group photo is Ewa Franczak), the Jesuit provincial superior for central and north Poland, PhD Dariusz Kowalczyk, as well as local press and television reporters.

ph. Sz. Marczyński