The year 2024 began with the presentation of the Foundation’s first project, which was the production of the documentary film “Emissaries of Polishness in Japan”. The film tells the stories of Poles who have permanently connected their lives with Japan.
It presents the activities of Polish missionaries in Japan, the researcher of Japanese Ainu culture Bronisław Piłsudski, the fate of Polish Siberian orphan children rescued by the Japanese, Polish prisoners of war from the Russo-Japanese War interned in Japan, Polish-Japanese cooperation in the field of cryptography initiated by Captain Jan Kowalewski, the behind-the-scenes story of Pope John Paul II’s visit to Japan, and more. It presents important historical episodes significant for bilateral relations, along with photographs and documents. Interviews with individuals connected to the events and their researchers constitute valuable testimony to the history of Polish-Japanese contacts.
The documentary aims to introduce Polish, Japanese, and international audiences to lesser-known facts and stories involving Poles connected with Japan, as well as to promote Polish-Japanese relations.