Ambassador Brzezinski visited the International Cooperation Centre, where he met not only with the university authorities, but above all with IFE students, for whom he delivered an inspiring lecture ending with a Q&A session. Despite the tight schedule, the Ambassador managed to raise many important topics, focusing primarily on the conflict in Ukraine and the help that Poles provided to refugees, but also on the unique social mobilization of the young generation.
Close to two years I have been all around Poland and what I have seen is a mobilization, especially of the young Poles, who are introducing themselves to the world by doing things larger than themselves. The World, America, see something special happening and it’s thanks to you. Helping Ukrainian refugees is the best of humanity displayed here – he said at the beginning of his lecture. His Excellency also mentioned the recent parliamentary elections. – The second civic mobilisation is what the world saw on october 15th around here. I do not make any political statement when I say that. The record number, amazing number of young people, who got out to vote, stood the line, is an inspiration for the world. It is my honor to stand in front of you today – he stated.
During the half-hour lecture, His Excellency also referred to priority issues for the US Embassy, such as supporting mental health, gender equality and energy security. He also talked about the military partnership between Poland and the United States and our country's potential in the context of innovation.
There are future liders of innovation in this room. Poland’s innovative capacity is just being discovered. Now its undepriced. I’m certain that your innovation and creativity will drive positive change. People like you will create an environment. I am profoundly optimistic about Poland’s economic future.
The best confirmation of the Ambassador's words was a meeting with representatives of scientific clubs of Lodz University of Technology. Students from Lodz Solar Team, Gust Project, TUL Raptors and Iron Warriors had a unique opportunity to present their inventions and have a short conversation with the Ambassador, who at the end of the visit, took a short ride in the Eagle Two racing car.
Mark Brzezinski was sworn in as the Ambassador of the United States to Poland on December 22, 2021. Ambassador Brzezinski previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Sweden from 2011 to 2015, spearheading innovative new approaches to advance U.S.-European trade and landing key Swedish investments. In 2015, he was asked by the White House to lead a strategic effort on the Arctic as the first Executive Director of the White House’s Arctic Executive Steering Committee.
Ambassador Brzezinski is a founder and principal of Brzezinski Strategies LLC. He was a Managing Director at Makena Capital Management, where he led the firm’s sustainable and ESG investing efforts. For a decade, he was a partner at the law firm McGuireWoods LLP. From 1999 to 2001, he served on President Clinton’s National Security Council staff, first as a Director for Russia and Eurasia, and then as a Director for the Balkans.
Ambassador Brzezinski is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Trilateral Commission. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Poland in 1991-93, during which he researched and wrote a book entitled “The Struggle for Constitutionalism in Poland.” In 2010, he was named to the State Department’s Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. He received a BA from Dartmouth College, a JD from the University of Virginia, and a PhD in Political Science from Oxford University.