Latest news with #Polish-speaking
Scottish Sun
07-07-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
‘Outdated' British village is completely demolished after 75 years to make way for £35million revamp
War survivors in their 90s say they're being forced out all over again STUCK IN THE MUD 'Outdated' British village is completely demolished after 75 years to make way for £35million revamp A HISTORIC Welsh village for war refugees has been flattened after 75 years — sparking fury from elderly residents who fear being forced out. Founded in 1949 for Polish WWII veterans, Penrhos Village became a tight-knit, Polish-speaking community of 100 on a former RAF base, with its own church shop, hall, and care home. 4 The site, located on the scenic Llyn Peninsula in Gwynedd, North Wales Credit: ITV 4 Work is set to start on new homes in a redevelopment of an entire Welsh village Credit: ClwydAlyn 4 It housed exiled Polish airmen and soldiers who remained in the UK following World War Two Credit: ClwydAlyn The site, located on the scenic Llyn Peninsula in Gwynedd, North Wales, has now been earmarked for a £35million redevelopment project led by Welsh social housing provider ClwydAlyn. The first phase will see 44 new energy-efficient homes built, with a total of 107 properties planned. The project is supported by the Welsh Government, in partnership with Cyngor Gwynedd and Williams Homes (Bala). Dylan Davies, of ClwydAlyn, said the scheme aims to tackle poverty by creating jobs and improving lives: 'Whether that is by creating opportunities for employment, tackling loneliness, supporting residents with fuel costs or improving access to nutritious foods, all these efforts can help our communities to thrive.' The new homes will be prioritised for current residents of Penrhos and local people with low to medium care needs. A separate proposal for a new nursing and residential home is also being developed by Cyngor Gwynedd and the local health board. But not everyone is on board. Campaigners and elderly residents have condemned the demolition, claiming it disregards the community's heritage and uproots those who came to Penrhos seeking peace in their final years. Barbara Owsianka, who spoke against the plans, said: 'We are very disappointed the vote went against us, but it was close. "I just hope ClwydAlyn takes that on board and will listen to the residents.' She added: 'In this application, there is nothing that describes the replacement of any of the communal services and facilities the elderly folks rely on, like the hairdresser's or the launderette. "A lot of people will be terribly worried.' Barbara's 90-year-old mother Maria, who escaped war-torn Warsaw as a child, said: 'We all came to Penrhos at the end of our lives in the expectation of a safe haven. "We did not expect to be forced out of our homes yet again.' Despite the backlash, planners at Gwynedd Council narrowly approved the proposal by seven votes to five. ClwydAlyn has stressed it will preserve key parts of the village's Polish and Welsh heritage, including the listed Freedom Cross, the church, and walled gardens. Councillor Paul Rowlinson said: 'Addressing the housing crisis remains a key priority for Cyngor Gwynedd—especially in areas like this, where a very large percentage of local people are priced out of the market.' Owain Williams of Williams Homes added: 'The development will create over 20 jobs for local people and contribute to the local economy during the construction period.'
North Wales Live
06-07-2025
- General
- North Wales Live
Redevelopment of an entire Welsh village with unique history is underway
Work is set to start on new homes in a redevelopment of an entire Welsh village. Penrhos Polish Village, just outside Pwllheli, was founded in 1949 by the Polish Housing Society Ltd. It housed exiled Polish airmen and soldiers who remained in the UK following World War Two. There were around 100 exiled airmen, soldiers and sailors living there. They established a Polish-speaking community on the former RAF Penrhos base. It had its own church, library, a large communal dining hall, shop and allotments as well as a care home for veterans. But the condition of the 107 homes have deteriorated over the years and in 2022 plans were submitted to build more than 100 news homes - with the old properties demolished. The first phase of redevelopment at Penrhos Polish Village will see the construction of 44 new homes. This scheme was made possible thanks to investment of a Welsh Government grant, following discussions between ClwydAlyn, Cyngor Gwynedd and Welsh Government. Welsh social homes provider ClwydAlyn has confirmed that contracts have been signed with Williams Homes, Bala who will build 107-energy efficient homes. Once complete, these new properties will be prioritised to current residents who already live at Penrhos Polish Village and people with low to medium care and support needs from the local community. With scheduled pre-commencement works now complete, emphasis at the site is on the first phase of construction. This development is separate, but closely connected, to plans by Cyngor Gwynedd and the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to develop a new nursing and residential home at Penrhos. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox ClwydAlyn said it has emphasised that preservation of the Polish and Welsh heritage at the site is of upmost importance. CADW has carried out an assessment of the site; making the decision that the Freedom Cross will be listed as a structure of historical and cultural interest, so that it can be protected for future generations. The church and walled gardens will also be safeguarded and ClwydAlyn will work alongside residents and the local community to preserve and protect the Welsh and Polish history at Penrhos. Councillor Paul Rowlinson, Gwynedd Cabinet Member for Housing and Property, said: "I'm pleased to welcome the significant progress being made as this Pen Llŷn housing development enters its next phase. Addressing the housing crisis remains a key priority for Cyngor Gwynedd—especially in areas like this, where a very large percentage of local people are priced out of the market. "Through strong partnerships with housing associations such as ClwydAlyn, we are working together to deliver more high-quality, affordable homes for communities across the county." Dylan Davies, Senior Development Project Manager at ClwydAlyn, said: 'As part of our commitment to delivering high-quality homes, we believe it's essential that all our partners play an active role in supporting our communities. "This shared responsibility can take many forms and is guided by our ambition to end poverty in Wales. Whether that is by creating opportunities for employment, tackling loneliness, supporting residents with fuel costs or improving access to nutritious foods; all these efforts can help our communities to thrive.' Owain Williams, Joint Managing Director, Williams Homes (Bala) said: 'Williams Homes is pleased to be working with ClwydAlyn and Welsh Government to deliver this exciting project. Developing new energy efficient homes to replace the existing outdated housing stock whilst being sensitive to the history of the former Polish "Village and the current residents. The development will create over 20 jobs for local people and contribute to the local economy for the duration of the construction period.'
New York Times
27-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
The Dinner That Helped Save Europe
In 1979, during John Paul II's first visit to the United States as pope, he met with President Jimmy Carter at the White House. Shortly after that, he invited Zbigniew Brzezinski, Carter's national security adviser, to dinner at the Vatican Embassy in Washington. Along with world affairs, Carter wanted to discuss declining morals with the recently elected pope, but Brzezinski had more practical subjects in mind. For the pontiff and the adviser, their mutual obsession was the Soviet Union. Over a simple meal at the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See, they explored how they could together weaken Moscow's grip over its captive nations. Brzezinski was stunned by the pope's geopolitical knowledge. He joked that Carter was more like a religious leader while the pope seemed more like a world statesman. The vicar of Christ affirmed the quip with a belly laugh, Brzezinski noted in his personal diary, to which I acquired exclusive access. From that dinner onward, the two Polish-born figures — one the first non-Italian pope in 455 years, the other America's first (and to date, probably the only) Polish-speaking grand strategist — became intimate allies. Their serendipitous relationship proved critical in late 1980 in dissuading the Soviets from invading Poland, where the Solidarity movement had just emerged as a serious challenge to the Communist government. It was a partnership sustained by a running dialogue conducted during Brzezinski's visits to the Vatican, in long handwritten correspondence and over the phone. His White House speed dial had P for 'pope.' John Paul's relationship with Brzezinski is a vivid example of how diplomacy works when there is mutual trust. Good chemistry is rare but extremely productive. Sustained dialogue with both friends and adversaries in today's volatile world is, if anything, even more critical. The ability at a tense moment to pick up the phone and know that you can trust the person on the other end is the fruit of constant gardening. Yet it is increasingly hard to find the time. Technology means that presidential envoys are always within White House reach to respond to the cascade of competing demands. The world is also a more complex place than it was 40 years ago, and U.S. diplomats have rarely been held in lower regard at home. Twenty-four-hour media scrutiny also makes secrecy far harder. Henry Kissinger's covert visit to Beijing in 1971 to pave the way for U.S. rapprochement with Mao Zedong's China is hard to imagine today. Kissinger also built strong relationships with his Soviet counterparts. (Brzezinski was reviled in Moscow, and Carter kept him away from talking to the Soviets.) Even as President Richard Nixon was luring China away from the U.S.S.R.'s Cold War bloc, Kissinger was buttering up the stony Soviet foreign minister, Andrei Gromyko, and having frequent dinners with Anatoly Dobrynin, the Soviet Union's longstanding ambassador to Washington. That the United States was able to further pry China apart from the U.S.S.R. while cementing détente with Moscow was a feat of diplomacy. It was also a product of time invested in relationships. One of the few recent examples of a sustained conversation between rivals was that between Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden's national security adviser, and Wang Yi, China's top diplomat. In the second half of the Biden administration, the two met in Vienna, Malta, Bangkok, Beijing and Washington for talks that added up to more than 50 hours of conversation, according to Mr. Sullivan. His quest for a stabilization of U.S.-China relations was cut short by Donald Trump's victory last November. China's request for Mr. Trump to appoint his own envoy has so far gone unanswered. Without the trust that comes from a solid relationship between officials, the risk of military accident arising from miscommunication or ignorance is far greater. Above all, there should be no surprises. Talking at length clarifies the other side's intentions and reduces the chances of potentially lethal miscalculation. Even without Mr. Trump's unpredictable and shifting priorities, any U.S. president would find today's world harder to navigate than the relatively manageable bipolar divide during the Cold War. American politics has never stopped at the water's edge. But foreign policy was not politicized during the 1970s and '80s to anything like the degree it is today. The point of maximum danger to Poland in 1980 took place after Carter lost the election to Ronald Reagan. On Dec. 6, Stansfield Turner, the C.I.A. director, warned the president that a Soviet invasion was likely to happen within the next 48 hours. The Soviets had amassed 15 divisions on Poland's border. Brzezinski and John Paul had for weeks been working the phones in tandem to warn Solidarity and its charismatic leader, Lech Walesa, to tamp down their anti-Soviet rhetoric. The Soviets should be given no pretexts to cross the border, they told him. At the same time, Washington, leaders of allied nations and the Vatican made clear to the Soviets that Poland would be indigestible. Unlike with the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968, the Red Army would meet heavy resistance from workers belonging to Mr. Walesa's mass trade union, from the Catholic Church and even from elements of the Polish military. All the while, Brzezinski was keeping the transition team of the incoming president informed. The incoming national security adviser, Richard Allen, agreed to reinforce Carter's warnings to Moscow. Brzezinski's rapport with John Paul II had the benefit of not just their shared Polish roots but also timing: Karol Wojtyla was elected to the papacy in 1978. When the Vatican announced the outcome, Yuri Andropov, the head of the K.G.B., ordered a report on the election, which laid out a far-fetched plot by Brzezinski to rig the conclave. There was no basis to that claim. But the pope and Brzezinski more than redeemed Moscow's paranoia. Their coordinated tactics, based on trust and friendship, helped to prevent an invasion that could have changed history.
Telegraph
15-03-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Dear Richard Madeley: ‘I'm scared my bilingual son will lose the ability to speak English'
Dear Richard My Polish wife and I have a four-year-old son who we've brought up to be bilingual. This seemed like a good idea – well, it obviously is a good idea. I've picked up a few words of Polish in the seven years we've been together, but I hit a wall early on – I just can't get the vowel sounds right. So mostly he has spoken English to me and Polish to his mum. We are preparing to go and live in Poland for a few years and while it's a great move in terms of work and family support with childcare, realistically I'm going to be the only person speaking English to my son for much of the time. I will talk to him as much as I can, and read to him in English, but he's going to a Polish-speaking school in a not wildly cosmopolitan city – and I don't want his English to wither. I suppose I don't want to lose the bond of speaking to him in 'my' language, either – also with the best will in the world I don't see my Polish getting much better than it is now. Short of watching lots of videos, what's the best way to support his bilingualism? Just to add, my wife's English is good but she's not comfortable in it, so we speak a strange mangled mixture of languages when we're alone. It's not going to help anyone develop their language skills, though it works for us. – Rob, via email Dear Rob I'm no expert in this field but from the little that I do know, and from the observed experience I have, I think you may be overthinking things a bit. Children – particularly those as young as your little boy – are incredibly adaptable with languages, so much so that there's long been a debate about starting them with lessons in, say, French, while they're still at nursery. Their brains are like sponges at that age and are programmed to absorb and retain new words and phrases. If your son is already bilingual, you're already more than halfway there. Obviously, he'll get all the stimulation he needs in developing his grasp of Polish once you're living there. As far as his English goes, then yes, make sure you speak it to him as much as possible and, yes, download plenty of English-language films and TV programmes to expand his vocabulary and keep it up to date. You should also encourage him to make regular Zoom calls to family and friends in England. Even if he has dropped a little behind in his English as and when you eventually move back here, he'll quickly get up to speed again. Being truly bilingual, his language 'muscle' will be unusually well-developed. In short: ' Nie martw się.' Which is (as I'm sure you know) Polish for, 'Don't worry'. You can find more of Richard Madeley's advice here
Euronews
13-03-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Euronews launches Polish language news service
Euronews has celebrated the launch of its Polish language service, the newest addition to Europe's leading multilingual news platform. With a commitment to delivering trusted and impartial news, Euronews Poland said on Thursday it has started providing Polish-speaking audiences with essential coverage of global events and key stories shaping the world. A formal ceremony was held in the capital Warsaw on Thursday an event that Euronews said coincided with Poland's presidency of the European Union. The company said it offered a unique moment to reflect on Warsaw's role in shaping Europe's future and its contributions to a united, forward-thinking continent. With its presidency, Poland is tasked with guiding the EU Council's work and representing all member states in negotiations with other EU institutions. The presidency rotates among the EU's 27 member states every six months, with Hungary wrapping up its tenure in December. Last month, Euronews chairman Pedro Vargas David stated that Euronews is now, "the biggest established newsroom covering European affairs." Vargas David announced the channel's continued growth with the inauguration of the new Polish service on Warsaw-based television and digital platforms. Around four Euronews franchise channels are expected to be launched this year, with the first two billed for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Armenian and Azerbaijani officials announced on Thursday that they had finalised the text of a peace agreement that aims to end the almost four-decade-long conflict between the South Caucasus nations. This is a major and surprising breakthrough in a peace process that has been stuck many times and proved difficult for a long time. The two post-Soviet states have been embroiled in hostilities since the late 1980s. Back then, Nagorno-Karabakh was a region of Azerbaijan with a predominantly ethnic-Armenian population which seceded from Azerbaijan. The dispute over this region led to multiple wars over the years, but the agreed-upon text now raises hopes for a lasting resolution to the longstanding conflict. The landlocked mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh was internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but it had an ethnic Armenian majority who were backed by Armenia. This situation created tension between the two neighbours. Until recently, much of Nagorno-Karabakh was governed by the unrecognised "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic", also known as the "Republic of Artsakh". While Armenia never officially recognised the region's independence, it became its main financial and military backer, and the territory functioned as a de facto part of Armenia. After many years of pauses in fighting with occasional bursts of violence, Azerbaijani troops quickly took control of the area in September 2023 with the help of Turkish drones, defeating Armenian forces in a short battle. The majority of ethnic Armenians fled, and on January 1, 2024, "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" was formally dissolved.
