The award was presented during a Polish-Lithuanian business forum in Vilnius.
The bronze statuette depicts two trees growing from one trunk to symbolise the “strategic partnership” between the two neighbouring nations.
Lech Kaczyński, who died in an air crash in western Russia in 2010, was posthumously named "Man of Dialogue of the Century" during the conference in the Lithuanian capital.
The award is in recognition of his work for good Polish-Lithuanian relations and for the unification of Europe.
It was picked up by the head of the Polish Prime Minister’s Office, Michał Dworczyk, who attended the Vilnius conference.
When collecting the award, Dworczyk read a letter from Lech Kaczyński’s twin brother, Jarosław Kaczyński, who heads Poland’s ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party.
Jarosław Kaczyński wrote in the letter that his brother “considered himself a true friend of Lithuania,” a country he visited 16 times.
Jarosław Kaczyński also said that "relations with Lithuania and cooperation among states in this part of Europe -- or more broadly speaking, countries in the Intermarium region -- were a central premise of [Lech Kaczyński’s] international policy."
Intermarium is a concept calling for the creation of a federation of countries in Central and Eastern Europe to oppose Russian imperialism.
Jarosław Kaczyński said that his brother was a keen political analyst who was “deeply aware of the long-term community of interests between Poland and Lithuania and of the opportunities this created for everyone."
Jarosław Kaczyński referred to a statement that he said his brother made when visiting Vilnius in 2007. At the time, Lech Kaczyński said he deeply believed in Polish-Lithuanian friendship, according to Jarosław Kaczyński, and that the two friendly countries, both members of the European Union and NATO and sharing many historical ties, could accomplish much together on the international arena.
In another tribute to Lech Kaczyński, an exhibition dedicated to his friendship with the Lithuanian president at the time, Valdas Adamkus, opened as part of the Polish-Lithuanian Economic Forum at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.
The exhibition consists of more than 20 boards presenting photographs of President Kaczyński during his meetings with Adamkus. It aims to reflect the friendly ties between both heads of state and their contribution to the development of Polish-Lithuanian relations and the shaping of regional policy.
Adamkus was among 300 or so guests expected to attend the First Polish-Lithuanian Economic Forum, a two-day event in the Lithuanian capital that started on Wednesday and which was to see debate on topics such as energy, transport and cyber security.
(gs/pk)
Source: niezalezna.pl