CHICAGO, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas will attend the raising of the Polish Flag over Daley Plaza on Friday, May 1 at noon. Afterwards, along with Alliance of Polish Clubs USA President Lucja Mirowska-Kopec, she will host a ceremony honoring local leaders ahead of Polish Constitution Day.
The Flag Raising in Daley Plaza will take place at 12 p.m. on Friday in the heart of downtown Chicago. Attendees, including Consul General Regina Jurkowska, are then invited to a reception at the Treasurer’s Office, at 118 N. Clark Street, Room 112, where more than a dozen Polish business, civic, political and religious leaders from across Chicagoland will receive Certificates of Excellence.
“The more than half a million Polish Americans in Cook County have helped make Chicago and the surrounding area one of the largest Polish population centers in the world,” Pappas said. “With their soaring cathedrals, crowded parishes and schools and thriving business corridors, Chicago’s Polish population has left an indelible mark with us. I’m honored to recognize that proud tradition and some of the people who continue to help shape it across Cook County and beyond.”
The celebration of Chicago Polonia highlights the enduring cultural, economic and civic contributions of Polish Americans in the region and serves as a lead-up to Polish Constitution Day, observed annually on May 3.
Honorees include: Gabriela Ner, Heritage Leaders; Alexandra Rumiński, Heritage Leaders; Ewa Rumiński, Parade Committee Treasurer; Iwona Wolska, Parade Committee Secretary; Jan Kopec, Parade Committee Coordinator; Krzysztof Matyszczyk, Grand Marshal Guests for Poland; Wladyslaw Ortyl, Marshal of Podkarpacie, Parade Honorary Marshal; Grzegorz Makul, “Solidarność” Wrocław, Poland; Piotr Majchrzak, “Solidarność” Wrocław, Poland; Boguslaw Molowidełko, “Solidarność” Zielona Góra, Poland; Krystyna Stachowska, Vice-President of Rzeszów, Poland; Barbara Zięba-Godula, Wieliczka, Poland; Anna Wesolowska-Kulbinska,Sokół, Dance Group, Canada; Jacek Boniecki, Mazowsze Ensemble, Poland
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