Amelia Piwowarczyk, a young community activist from New Jersey, has been named the winner of the “Young Leader of World Polonia 2026” title. She is the first person to receive the distinction in the history of the “Personality of the Year of World Polonia” competition. (Polonia is the term for the Polish diaspora.)
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“I never thought about my work in terms of awards or distinctions. What has always mattered most to me is that I can do something good for the Polish community, even if only on a small scale,” Amelia Piwowarczyk says. That is why the moment she heard her name called at the gala was something extraordinary for her. “When I submitted my application, I didn’t even assume I could win this award. I was enormously surprised, but above all moved and grateful that someone noticed what I’ve been doing, which over the years has simply become part of my life,” the young Polonia leader explains. “I am enormously grateful to the organizers, the selection committee and everyone who has supported me along the way, and especially to Ms. Bożena Krasoń for her trust and this wonderful distinction,” she adds. She also says the gala, where the competition was decided and the winners were honored, will remain a very important memory for her. “It was elegant, intimate and full of remarkable people. I’m glad I got to meet both young representatives of Polonia and people who have devoted their time for many years to building Polish communities outside Poland. I believe the great strength lies precisely in the meeting of these two generations. As young people, we still have a lot to learn from those who came before us, but the time will also come when we will have to take over these initiatives and carry them on,” says Amelia Piwowarczyk, who does not intend to rest on her laurels. On the contrary, the honor she received motivates her to be even more active. “During this very event, the first conversations about further joint initiatives began. I hope this will be the start of many more. Because even though I was born in America, Poland has always been part of my home, my history and who I am. And that is probably why it matters so much to me that other young Poles living abroad can feel this bond and keep it for the rest of their lives,” the Young Leader of World Polonia stresses. She also believes that living and working far from Poland makes one appreciate even more the language, traditions, history and people thanks to whom that bond can be felt.
The gala at which Amelia Piwowarczyk received the title took place on Oct. 3 in Vilnius, Lithuania. The competition and related events were held under the honorary patronage of the European Parliament, which further underscored the international character of the undertaking. Her distinction carries special significance for the Polish-American community, because Amelia was the only person representing the United States among this year’s winners and event participants. As a result, her presence and work represented the young generation of Polish Americans on the international stage. The title she received is, for her, both a very important individual honor and a recognition of the commitment and work of the young generation of Polish Americans, who are actively building their presence and helping shape relations between Polonia and Poland internationally.
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Amelia Piwowarczyk is currently studying at Drew University in New Jersey. Her major is international relations, and she also specializes in public health. She was born in New Jersey, but Poland has always been very close to her. She grew up in a Polish family and has been connected since early childhood with the St. Stanislaus Kostka Polish School in Wallington, where her involvement in Polonia activities began. “Celebrations, competitions, trips and meetings with other young Poles showed me that you can grow up across the ocean and still feel a strong bond with Poland. Over time, that attachment turned into a need to act,” Amelia Piwowarczyk explains. She currently also serves as public relations manager and spokesperson for the Polish Youth Association (Polskie Stowarzyszenie Młodzieży), where she works with Polish and Polonia media and promotes initiatives of young Polonia. She also works with the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York and the Kościuszko Foundation on events organized by those institutions.
Meetings with young Polonia from around the world are also an important part of her work. She has completed the Academy of Young Polonia Leaders and Ambassadors in Warsaw and took part in the international gathering Młoda Polonia 2.0 (Young Polonia 2.0). As she says, one of the projects closest to her heart is “Małe litery, wielkie dzieci” (“Small Letters, Big Kids”), which she created together with young Polish women from the United States, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom. “We wanted to combine learning Polish with culture and give children a space to act together. We ran workshops in Polish schools, and during last year’s edition we jointly created an international audiobook based on ‘The Legend of the Wrocław Dwarfs.’ What made me happiest was that children from different countries could meet and do something together in Polish,” the Young Leader of World Polonia stresses. She has also long been involved in cultural and patriotic activities. She sings in the Polonia choir Vox Cordis and takes part in Polonia events, and the memory of the Warsaw Uprising insurgents holds a special place in her heart. “I write letters to them, I visit the Warsaw Insurgents’ House and I take part in anniversary ceremonies. In 2025 and 2026, Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski invited me to take part in the commemorations of the Warsaw Uprising,” the Polonia activist says. In the summer of 2026, she also visited the Presidential Palace, where she had the chance to meet First Lady Marta Nawrocka and Polish President Karol Nawrocki. “In my conversation with Mrs. Marta Nawrocka, we discussed the role of the young generation of Polish women growing up outside the country and the importance of building their bond with Poland. Debates and initiatives that involve young people are also close to me. In 2024, I took part with my team in the Polonia Debate in New York, and in 2025 I served as its secretary. Beyond that, I simply try to be wherever I can help. Volunteering at a Polish school, Polonia events, youth meetings and joint initiatives have become a natural part of my life,” Amelia Piwowarczyk says.
Author: Wojtek Maślanka
Source: Nowy Dziennik
