Reflecting on the activities and achievements of the Australian Institute of Polish Affairs (AIPA) from July 2024 to November 2025, we witness a period of active engagement with Polish and Australian communities, both online and in person. These initiatives underscore our commitment to fostering understanding between Australia and Poland, while promoting awareness of Polish culture, history, and contemporary political and social issues.
Over the past year, AIPA has strengthened its profile within both academic and diplomatic circles. A number of AIPA members, in their professional capacities as university scholars and researchers, delivered lectures, seminars, and public presentations at leading institutions in Australia, Poland, and beyond. Their academic expertise has contributed to broadening awareness of Poland’s place in global historical and political contexts, while also enhancing the visibility of AIPA’s intellectual community.
In August 2024, our Treasurer, Associate Professor Gosia Klatt, from the University of Melbourne, discussed Australia’s surprising diplomatic role representing Poland in Moscow during World War II in a podcast hosted by the Robert Menzies Institute, drawing on her book The Poles and Australia. The following month, AIPA Board member Dr Kasia Williams, of the ANU Centre for European Studies, delivered a thought-provoking lecture at the University of Melbourne on the “Soviet Story” in the Australian Imaginary—an event attended by several AIPA members. These scholarly contributions highlight how our members’ professional research continues to enrich public dialogue on Polish and Australian history.
Our diplomatic engagement also flourished this year. AIPA members had the pleasure of meeting the new Consul General of the Republic of Poland, Mr Piotr Rakowski, during gatherings in Melbourne and Sydney. These occasions provided valuable opportunities to discuss Polish–Australian relations and to strengthen our collaboration with the Polish Embassy and Consulate. I warmly thank AIPA members in Sydney, Malgorzata and Ernest Fajwul for their hospitality and generous support in hosting AIPA events.
The Institute’s academic presence was enhanced through international initiatives led by our members in their university roles. In 2025, Associate Professor Klatt conducted workshops at the University of Warsaw and the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, participated in the Erasmus+ Staff Week at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, and presented a paper at the European Studies Asia Pacific Conference in Macau. These activities demonstrate the global reach of our members’ expertise and their contribution to strengthening academic links between Poland and Australia.
In June 2025, our Vice President Professor Jan Pakulski and member Professor Wojciech Sadurski took part in a major panel discussion at the Concilium Civitas Conference in Warsaw, contributing their academic expertise to international debates on democracy, media, and populism. 2
Locally, I represented AIPA at a number of key Melbourne events, including the Polish Investment and Trade reception at the Australian Club, the inauguration of the Polish Australian Chamber of Commerce (PACC) Victoria Chapter, and a number of academic and public seminars, such as Do We Have a Putin or a Russia Problem? hosted by the University of Melbourne. AIPA members also participated in the Polish Constitution Day Gala Dinner at the Arts Centre, reflecting our collaboration with the wider Polish community.
Beyond formal academic and diplomatic initiatives, I have also sought to strengthen the sense of community among AIPA members through informal gatherings. From the New Year dinner at Rydges Hotel to smaller meetings at members’ homes, these occasions have fostered friendship and collaboration among members.
Below is a detailed chronological list of key events and activities that have either been initiated by AIPA or with which the Institute’s members have been involved in other ways. The list contains both online and live events.
Melbourne: 15.08.2024
Australia’s surprising role in representing Poland during WW2. Podcast. AIPA Treasurer, Assoc. Prof. Gosia Klatt spoke with Georgina Downer from the Robert Menzies Institute about the remarkable tale of how Australia came to diplomatically represent Poland in Moscow in the early 1940s. This podcast conversation was drawn from research published in Gosia’s book The Poles and Australia.
Melbourne: 20.09.24 Siberia and the “Soviet Story” in the Australian Imaginary. Several AIPA members attended a lecture by AIPA Board member Dr. Kasia Williams (from the ANU Centre for European Studies), at the University of Melbourne Faculty of Arts Research Initiative on Post-Soviet Space (RIPSS). Dr Williams spoke on how the stories of refugees evacuated from the USSR, from gulags in Siberia, Kazakhstan and Turkestan, were represented in the Australian Imaginary. She concluded that the “Soviet story” is largely missing from public narratives and understanding of World War II and its aftermath in Australia.
Melbourne: 12.11.2024 AIPA President Dr Alexandra Dunwill and members Walter and Wanda Kozlowski attended a meeting with the new Consul General, Piotr Rakowski and 6 professors from Lublin Catholic University (KUL).
Melbourne: 04.01.2025 Members of AIPA in Melbourne gathered together for a New Year’s dinner at the Rydges Hotel in Melbourne. The event was sponsored by Mr and Mrs Fajwul. I want to sincerely thank Malgorzata and Ernest for their support of our Institute.
Melbourne: 02.04.2025 Dr Alexandra Dunwill attended a reception at the Australian Club in Melbourne. The event was jointly organised by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Canberra, and the Polish Australian Chamber of Commerce.
Canterbury, United Kingdom: 15.03.2025 Assoc. Prof. Gosia Klatt delivered a seminar presentation “Teaching, assessing and evaluating experiential learning subjects on the example of a study tour” at the University of Canterbury
Melbourne: 16.04.2025 Dr Alexandra Dunwill delivered a webinar to English-speaking students at the University of Warsaw, Faculty of Artes Liberales (ElityLab).
Warsaw: 29.04.2025 Assoc. Prof. Gosia Klatt presented a workshop for academic staff and PhD students on writing and publishing in good quality journals at the University of Warsaw Doctoral School.
Melbourne: 01.05.2025 AIPA members in Melbourne met with the Consul General of the Republic of Poland, Mr Piotr Rakowski, who spoke on the topic: Poland at the Helm: Priorities and Challenges of the 2025 EU Council Presidency. The event took place at the private residence of our member, Eva Collins, and was by invitation only. I thank Eva Collins for her hospitality and our Melbourne members for their support in organising and attending the event.
Melbourne: 03.05.2025 Several AIPA members attended the 3rd of May 1791 Polish Constitution Day Gala Dinner at The Pavilion, Arts Centre Melbourne. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with AIPA members from other states as well as with the members of the Polish Australian Chamber of Commerce (PACC).
Poznań 07.05. 2025 Assoc. Prof. Gosia Klatt delivered a workshop for academic staff and PhD students on writing and publishing in good quality journals at the Faculty of Education at the University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznan.
Kraków: 05.2025 Assoc. Prof. Gosia Klatt participated in the Erasmus + Staff Week at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków where she met 24 academics and professional staff members from other universities worldwide.
Melbourne: 05.06.2025 Dr Alexandra Dunwill attended a presentation by the Chair of the PACC Victoria Chapter, Michal Golas, (also an AIPA member), at the event organised by The Association of Polish Professionals in Australia.
Macau: 09.06. 2025 Assoc. Prof. Gosia Klatt presented a paper at the European Studies Asia Pacific conference in Macau on the topic “Normative Influence of the European Union – Reflections of Australian Students,” which will be published in the conference proceedings.
Warsaw: 12.06.2025 AIPA Vice President, Professor Jan Pakulski was a member of a discussion panel, Media i demokracja at the Concilium Civitas Conference in Warsaw.
Warsaw: 12.06.2025 AIPA member, Professor Wojciech Sadurski took part in a discussion panel Czy populizm jest nie do zdarcia, at the Concilium Civitas Conference in Warsaw.
Sydney: 29.06. 2025 Dr Alexandra Dunwill organised a meeting with the Consul General of the Republic of Poland, Mr Piotr Rakowski, in Sydney. The meeting was hosted at the private residence of Mr. and Mrs. Fajwul, and was by invitation only. A big thankyou to Malgorzata and Ernest for their hospitality and their ongoing support.
Melbourne: 06.07.2025 Dr Alexandra Dunwill, on behalf of the Board, published a statement of support for the Jewish community after the arson attack on the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and the violent, targeted protest outside an Israeli restaurant in the CBD on Friday, 4th July, 2025.
Melbourne: 7.08.2025 Dr Alexandra Dunwill attended a seminar Do We Have a Putin or a Russia Problem? organised by Associate Professor Julie Fedor from the Research Initiative on Post-Soviet Space (RIPSS) at the University of Melbourne Faculty of Arts. The seminar featured Visiting Fellows at the ANU Centre for European Studies, Dr Matthew Sussex and Peter Tesch.
Melbourne: 14.08.2025 Dr Alexandra Dunwill attended the Inauguration of the Polish Australian Chamber of Commerce in Victoria at the Investment Centre Victoria. The event featured:
Melbourne 01.11.2025 Ms Irena Zdanowicz OAM, was on the organising committee of the Symposium at the University of Melbourne: A Curator’s Legacy: a symposium in honour of Terence Lane. She also chaired one of the sessions. https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/e/symposium-a-curators-legacy-terence-lane
These activities reflect our commitment to advancing knowledge about Poland in Australia, strengthening academic ties, and enhancing the Polish-Australian relationship. We look forward to continued growth and collaboration in the coming year.
Thank you to our members for making these accomplishments possible.
With warm wishes to all AIPA members,
Dr Alexandra Margaret Dunwill, AIPA President
