The white and red colors of the Polish flag have been with us for generations. They accompanied Greater Poland insurgents, soldiers fighting for the borders of independent Poland, and were present during state events. The Polish flag has been with us in moments of both joy and sadness. Polish flags were torn down by our occupiers, hung in Warsaw during the Uprising and painted on planes fighting in the Battle of Britain. They proudly waved over Monte Cassino, were blood-soaked during the strikes in December 1970 and welcomed the Polish Pope, to go on to be present at ‘Solidarity’ demonstrations.
The National Day of the Flag of Poland is celebrated on 2 May on the basis of the amended Act on the National Emblem, Colors, and Anthem of the Republic of Poland, enacted by the Sejm on 20 February 2004. The white and red colors of the Polish flag have been with us for generations. They accompanied Greater Poland insurgents, soldiers fighting for the borders of independent Poland, and were present during state events. The Polish flag has been with us in moments of both joy and sadness. Polish flags were torn down by our occupiers, hung in Warsaw during the Uprising and painted on planes fighting in the Battle of Britain. They proudly waved over Monte Cassino, were blood-soaked during the strikes in December 1970 and welcomed the Polish Pope, to go on to be present at ‘Solidarity’ demonstrations.
On 2 May, we are also celebrating the Day of Polish Communities and Poles Living Abroad. The Institute of National Remembrance acting under Article 53 point 4 of the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance “promotes in the country and abroad the results of its work and research of other institutions, organisations and people concerning the issues being the subject of its activity.
It is estimated that there are about 21 million people living outside our country who consider themselves Poles or have Polish roots. The largest concentrations of the Polish diaspora include: United States (about 10.6 million people), Germany (about 2.1 million), Brazil (about 1.9 million), France and Canada (about 1 million).
There are also many Poles living in Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan or Siberia. Our compatriots in the East did not become citizens of the above-mentioned countries of their own free will. Poles living in the Borderlands of the Second Republic did not change their place of residence. They found themselves outside the borders of the Fatherland due to international agreements of the Alies of World War II. For decades, Poles were forcibly displaced by the Soviet authorities to the East. Many of them were sent to gulags deployed in remote parts of the USSR.
Learn more about IPN's activities focused on Polish diaspora:
Day of Polish Communities and Poles Living Abroad - 2 May.
International IPN's flagship project: "Trails of Hope. The Odyssey of Freedom"