Ambassador Ashe Visits Podkarpackie

25 October 2007

(from left) Ambassador Victor Ashe, Mayor of Sanok Wojciech Blecharczyk, Consul General Anne Hall (Photo Gallery)

U.S. Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe met with the Mayor of Jaroslaw, Andrzej Wyczawski, on Monday, October 22 at the beginning of a three-day visit to the Podkarpackie region of Poland.  Ambassador Ashe continued on to Przemysl where he met with Mayor Robert Choma and participated in a radio interview at City Hall for Radio Rzeszow (the local station affiliated with Poland's national public radio).  Ambassador Ashe also visited Lipa, where he met with the school director and visited an historical church, both of which are supported by American company UPS.  He then went on to Sanok, where Krakow Consul General Anne Hall joined him.  They both met with Jerzy Ginalski, the Sanok Museum of Wooden Architecture Director and continued on to Ustrzyki Dolne to meet Mayor of Henryk Suluja.

The Ambassador and Consul General Hall continued their outreach visit in Podkarpackie with a Tuesday stop at Magurski National Park in Krempna, touring the park’s exhibition on local wildlife and meeting with Park Director Jan Szafranski.  After visiting the park, Ambassador Ashe said, "Director Szafranski is doing a fantastic job of maintaining this important protected area."  Ambassador Ashe and Consul General Hall stopped in Sekowa to meet Mayor Malgorzata Maluch at Sekowa's wooden church, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.  They then met with Mayor of Gorlice Kazimierz Sterkowicz before traveling on to Jaslo where Mayor Maria Kurowska greeted them.  Krosno was the last stop of the day, where Ambassador Ashe and Consul General Hall met with Mayor Piotr Przytocki.  Ambassador Ashe and Consul General Hall then joined Krosno city and regional leaders for dinner.
Ambassador Ashe and Consul General Hall completed their visit to Podkarpackie on Wednesday, October 24 with a morning visit to more UNESCO World Heritage wooden churches in Haczow and Blizne.  They then traveled on to Strzyzow and met with Mayor Marek Sliwinski. 
Speaking about the Podkarpackie region, the Ambassador said, "This is one of the most beautiful parts of Poland, blessed with very rich natural and cultural heritage.  I look forward to a return trip soon."