In Sydney and Melbourne, AIPA has organized the events with both a social and a cultural focus. The guest of honour was a film producer, the author, and poet, Mr Zygmunt Sieradzki. He talked about his recently published poetry book, Accidental Kameleon (not a spelling mistake), and a documentary about his mother Wanda Sieradzka was screened. A Holocaust survivor, journalist, and poet, Sieradzka wrote the lyrics to many popular Polish songs, including the hit Nie płacz, kiedy odjadę (Don’t cry when I’m gone). The song resonated with generations of Poles and was one of the greatest hits of the ’60s.

A conversation with Zygmunt Sieradzki is also available on-line at the SBS radio link here.