The year 2024 was peculiar for the Veteran Centre for Activities outside the State Borders and for many reasons. The 10th anniversary of its activities and its associated global conference, many projects organized by the Centre, including the Veteran Challenge, the Veterans Motorcycle Rally, the Warrior Project, as well as in cooperation with partners – Krypton:W24, Veterans Inspire, the strategical Games Convention, active preparations for the Invictus Games 2025 competitions – these are only the most crucial projects of the past year. As noted by the Colonel Dr. Katarzyna Rałędowska, manager of the Veteran Centre – Although there were many tasks and initiatives this year – they all have 1 goal – to support veterans and their families and to cultivate the memory of the dead and dead during missions outside the country.
2024 was exceptionally active in the past activity of the Veteran Centre and as in lens showed that the activity conducted by the Centre has been crucial and needed for a decade. Last year, the Centre continued to implement its projects and engaged in many additional initiatives and actions. But the goal was always 1 – aid and support for veterans and their families!
JUBILEUS 10th WETERAN CENTER
One of the most crucial events of the past year was the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Veteran Centre. It was a minute of reflection on the achievements and meaning of the Veteran Centre for the full veteran community and their loved ones. On 25-26 April an global conference “Veterans are among us – support systems in Poland” was organised.
and in the world”, and on 29 April there were ceremonies attended by the most crucial representatives of state authorities and commanders of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland. global guests participated in the events, including representatives of veteran organizations from the USA, large Britain, Canada and Sweden, who shared experiences and good practices. During the conference, among others, systems of intellectual and medical support, social and professional reintegration of veterans and modern technologies in rehabilitation were discussed. The exchange of cognition and experience was an highly crucial component of this event.
IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECTS AND COOPERATION
2024 are many projects involving the Veterans Centre. Among them were both initiatives organised by the Veteran Centre as well as cooperation with many partners.
Among the projects that organised the Centre last year, it is not possible to ignore the Veteran Challenge already implemented for the 3rd time, whose thought is to integrate the veteran-soldiers' environment and pay attention to their dedication to service and the challenges they face in everyday life. The challenge took place in Wieliczka and one more time enjoyed large interest among veterans. His V edition besides had a Veterans Motorcycle Rally, the final of which was organized in Łódź. More than 1550 people from all over Poland participated in the Rally - including soldiers, veterans and officers of various uniformed formations, as well as staff of the Ministry of National Defence. Thanks to the engagement of 140 military institutions, as well as the support of the Police, Border Guard, Prison Service and another services, the rally ran safely, efficiently and without disruption. Another editions of task Warrior were besides an crucial task implemented by the Centre. This year, the task took place 3 times – in April in the 1st Bomb Squad in Brzeg, in June in the War Port Command in Gdynia and in November in the 15th Mechanized Brigade in Giżyck. In September, representatives of the Centre participated in the 2nd edition of the Veterans Bike Rally – an initiative aimed at integrating the environment of veterans and families of fallen soldiers from Poland and allied countries, including the United States of America. The rally was organized, among others, by the Gold Star Mission Foundation in cooperation with the Consulate General of Poland in Chicago, DGRSZ and the Illinois National Guard. The 3rd edition is scheduled for 2025 and will take place in Poland.
The Centre has besides been active in a number of projects and initiatives co-organised by another actors over the past year. Among them was the task Veterans Inspire – created jointly with the Europa home Foundation, which produced recordings with stories of Polish veterans. The main nonsubjective of the task was to advance patriotic values and to educate society in this area. With the Europa home Foundation, at the turn of September and October, the Centre besides organized the task – Krypton:W24, thanks to which more than 130 participants took part in nearly 30 workshops organized in Krakow, Warsaw and Tychy, where classes in respiratory techniques, cryotherapy and yoga took place. The aim of the cooperation was to support veterans and members of their families. Another interesting task was co-organized with the Military Centre for Civic Education – the 2nd strategical Games Convention. It was an excellent chance to integrate the veterans' environment, as well as to learn about therapeutic aspects of war games. During meetings, participants had a chance to make strategical skills, as well as reflection on past events that form their regular experiences. Another crucial initiative was cooperation with the Grown-up Foundation with us, in which the Centre supported the Polish edition of the book “When a Soldier Deceases. 100 applicable advice for household and friends” by Bonnie Carroll and Alan Wolfelt, and participated in an expert debate on this topic.
In 2024 the Centre besides established many cooperation agreements with the Mazury Food Bank IC-Write Foundation, the Promotion and athletics improvement Foundation “BASTION”, the Defender Foundation, the Warsaw Uprising Museum, Boeing Poland, the GROM Foundation. Strength and Honor and the Knights Association of the Order of the Military Cross “I Fight For My Homeland”. So many cooperations have shown that both in the environment of NGOs, government and commercial companies – there is simply a will and willingness to support actions for Polish veterans and their closest ones.
ON THE WAY TO INVICTUS GAMES
An crucial area of activity of the Centre in 2024 was to conduct preparations for the Invictus Games, which will be held as early as February 2025 in Canada. Invictus Games is an initiative whose originator and patron is Prince Sussex – Harry. It is not only sporting competitions in which soldiers and veterans of the victims participate, but above all the global community, which supports each another in the process of wellness investigation, shares its experiences and strength. Last year, the Polish team, which will represent our country at the competition, held 5 groups. Players in February, March and December trained at the Military Convention and Recreation Centre in Zakopane, in June and October, training took place at the Military Convention and Recreation Centre in Mragowo. During the joint preparations, the players not only perfected their skills, but mostly played as a squad and fought against their weaknesses. Participation in the Invictus Games competition is possible thanks to the support of the Ministry of National Defence and the Polish Armed Forces Group, which helps to safe players and their families.
AID AND SUPPORT
One of the most crucial tasks of the Veteran Centre is to supply assistance and support to veterans and their closest. Current activities in this field are carried out by the Veterinary Centre throughout the year. In 2024, the Centre gave nearly 4000 consultations and advice to veterans, veterans, families of the deceased and social partners. Another crucial aspect of the Centre's activities is the provision of legal and intellectual assistance. Last year, nearly 480 legal advice and little than 440 intellectual consultations were given. Meetings with veterans - both organized at the Veteran Centre and distant - organized in military units were besides very important. Last year, representatives of the Centre met with veterans serving, among others, in the office of the Garrison Warsaw (in the DGW Club in Warsaw, the 15th Brigade of Command Support, the 10th Brigade of Communications, the 24th Polish-Technical Base of Communications Forces), the Inspectorate of Armed Forces Support (3th Regional Logistics Base in Krakow, the 10th Logistics Brigade in Opole, the 4th Regional Logistics Base in Wroclaw, the 1st Logistics Brigade in Bydgoszcz, the 1st Regional Logistics Base in Walcz and the 2nd Regional Logistics Base in Warsaw). specified meetings are an crucial and crucial part of the Centre's activities – as it allows us to learn about the current needs of the environment and gives us the chance to conduct dialog and exchange insights, experiences and needs.
EDUCATION AND BUILDING OF THE CERTIFICATE
The Centre's crucial field of action is the implementation of educational and promotional tasks. Through various forms of activity, the Centre wants to disseminate to the public the achievements and importance of the participation of soldiers of the Polish Army in military missions and operations outside the state.
In the past year, the Veteran Centre actively conducted educational activities. 86 meetings were held at the Centre's premises alone, involving more than 1,600 people, and 22 educational events with around 2,500 participants were held outside.
Representatives of the Veteran Centre could besides be met during many manufacture events and outdoor events. The most crucial of these included: the festival and picnic on the occasion of the Polish Army Day, the global Defence manufacture Exhibition and the yearly organisation in Łódź, by the Veteran Aid Foundation – a picnic for the Veteran.
REMEMBER OF THE POLICE!
W The Centre is always directed towards the dead and the dead in missions and operations outside the country and their loved ones. In order to celebrate their dedication to the Homeland, a Memorial Day was established, which is celebrated annually on 21 December. It is simply a unique event that enables the worship of those who have devoted their lives to defending their homeland while serving outside its borders, and besides allows them to be honored. This was besides the case in 2024 in which the families of the fallen were additionally invited to meet the Presidential Couple. During authoritative celebrations awarded to families, the Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz presented medals for Merit for the Defence of the Country, and the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of National Defence, Mr Stanisław Wzątek, together with the manager of the Centre, the colonel Dr. Katarzyna Radziwska presented peculiar statues to the awarded.
In 2024, the Veteran Center besides organized 3 ceremonial markings of graves fallen, insignia of the Order of the Military Cross – the highest discrimination a soldier can receive for outstanding combat deeds combined with exceptional sacrifice and courage during peace.
It should besides be stressed that at the Centre on the Memorial Square, commemorations of the deceased are held on the anniversary of the death of the deceased, to which families are invited, as well as representatives of the individuals from which the deceased soldiers came.
SUMMARY
As the Colonel Dr. Katarzyna Rałędowska manager of the Veteran Centre - Centrum graduated 2024 with a sense of fulfillment and pride in achievements. The 10th anniversary became an inspiration for further actions that would let for even more effective support for veterans, their families and the community in the coming years. The centre remains a symbol of respect for the past and hope for the future.
The Veteran Center summarizes 2024 as unique and full of initiatives supporting veterans and their families. many projects, events and collaborations have shown the Centre's commitment to integration, education and commemoration of the dedication of soldiers serving abroad. The facility remains a symbol of support, memory and gratitude and continues its mission to aid veterans.
The Veterans Centre for Activities outside the State Borders – serves as a centre where veterans of activities outside the state, as well as families of soldiers and military personnel who have died during these activities, receive assistance, advice and consult, in peculiar legal and psychological, on the possibilities of solving their problems. The Centre besides promotes the integration of veterans' environment around joint ventures and initiatives.
Text: Martyna Wojenko/ Veteran Centre
