The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, has granted diplomas for outstanding services for the promotion of Poland in the world. The prize-giving ceremony took place on 15 October 2008 in the New Parliamentary Chamber in the Royal Castle in Warsaw. On behalf of Minister Sikorski, Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Bogdan Zdrojewski handed diplomas to the prize-winners.

        The prize-winners are: Dr. Mecislav Borak, Father Prof. Michał Heller, Janusz Kamiński, Prof. Dimitrije Mladenović, Lady Camilla Panufnik, Lu Pin, Sir Simon Rattle, Society for Arts, Prof. Eusebio Leal Spengler, Historical and Literary Society/Polish Library in Paris, Mariusz Treliński and Prof. Andrzej Udalski.

        The diplomas are an award granted since 1970. The first of them were awarded to Poles and members of the Polish community abroad for services to Polish culture in the world. Since 1999, thanks to a new broadened scope for the awards, anyone, irrespective of nationality and country of birth, who has contributed to the promotion of Poland in the world in area such as: culture, politics, science and economics can become a recipient. Institutions and social organisations can also be honoured in this way. This format of the diploma allows everyone to be reached and thanked who has contributed to building a distinctive and objective image of Poland on our continent and further afield.