Your Excellency, Mr. Ambassador,
The representatives of the Fukudenkai Social Welfare Corporation,
Dear family members of the Siberian Children,
All Dear Guests,
On behalf of myself, my Jankowski family, and all the descendants of the Siberian Children, I would like to thank you, Excellency Ambassador, for your invitation and for organizing this meeting.
I am glad that, despite the time flow, the memory of Japan’s generosity in helping Polish children is still strong and inspires new generations.
Just as Former Ambassador Hyodo Nagao did in 1997, just as Former Ambassador Ueda Hideaki did in 2001, we are meeting today to cultivate this beautiful tradition and help to fulfill the dream of Ambassador Hyodo, who expressed the wish [the beautiful story of the “Siberian children” could be more widely popularized in the present days].
It is extremely important for me and for my generation, which is only now starting to rediscover its roots.
During my stay in Japan in 2008, I found out about the fate of my great-grandfather, who was rescued with the help of the Japanese government,
I would never have known about it if it were not for the work of hundreds of people and the Japanese Embassy in Poland to preserve the memory of the events of 1920-22.
Your Excellency, thank you.
Dear members of the Fukudenkai,
I am extremely happy that you accepted the invitation of the President of Poland in July 2021 when he visited Tokyo and invited you to Poland.
Fukudenkai is a living example of how the story of Siberian children is always relevant and timeless.
Just as the Centre selflessly and good-heartedly helped Polish children a hundred years ago, today Fukudenkai shows its good heart by helping the victims of the war in Ukraine.
I am delighted that we can host you in Poland.
For us, as descendants of rescued orphans, the memories of the Siberian Children are not only an exploration of our families’ past but also shape our future.
They teach us about self-sacrifice, and selfless help and give us faith that mercy is priceless and never remains fruitless.
Thank you, your Excellency, for your work in popularizing this history.
I hope and wish for everyone that today’s meeting will be as meaningful as possible in learning about the history of our families and our homelands, and will reignite in us the desire to help and the faith in goodness, so much needed in these times.
Thank you.