MAY 2, 2025 — Poland commemorated National Flag Day and the Polish Diaspora Day today with a series of official ceremonies in Warsaw, Polskie Radio SA reports.
President Andrzej Duda presided over the celebrations at Warsaw’s Belvedere Palace, accompanied by First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda.
“It is the white and red that became the colours of the Solidarity flag,” the President said during his speech, referring to Poland’s historical labor movement. “It is under these colors that we sing our national anthem, it is the white and red flag that is hoisted when our athletes win on the world stage.”
Earlier in the day, the President also took part in a ceremonial flag-raising at Warsaw’s Royal Castle.
National Flag Day encourages citizens to display Poland’s red-and-white banner outside their homes, a gesture meant to reinforce national pride and solidarity. Duda emphasized that even while traveling, he is often moved by the sight of Polish flags abroad.
“These are homes of people who feel a lasting bond with Poland and with their Polish identity,” he said.
Although May 2 is not a statutory public holiday, it falls between International Workers’ Day on May 1 and Constitution Day on May 3, prompting many businesses to close and residents to take extended leave.
May 2 also serves as a moment of recognition for the Polish diaspora, estimated at around 20 million people.
