POLISH DIPLOMAT DEEPENS INDO-POLISH CULTURAL TIES THROUGH ARTISTIC EXCHANGES

Polish Institute New Delhi director champions cinema, music, literature, and heritage collaborations.

- MURTAZA ALI KHAN

Małgorzata Wejsis-Gołębiak, Director, Polish Institute New Delhi

Małgorzata Wejsis-Gołębiak, a seasoned Polish diplomat, musician, and academic, has devoted her career to building cultural and intellectual bridges across continents.

With nearly two decades of diplomatic service abroad—including long stints in India, Korea, Japan, the Persian Gulf, and Europe—she brings to her work a rare combination of cultural sensitivity, artistic passion, and professional experience.

Now serving as Director of the Polish Institute New Delhi, she is shaping a dynamic cultural agenda that highlights Poland's cinema, music, literature, and visual arts for Indian audiences.

In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Guardian, she reflects on her enduring connection with India, the significance of cultural diplomacy, and the evolving nature of Indo-Polish relations.

Excerpts

Q. This is your third posting to India as a Polish diplomat. How do you look back at your long association with India?

A. India has been very close to my heart throughout my diplomatic career, and I feel privileged to return here for a third time. My earlier postings were marked by projects that brought Poland's cultural presence to India in a meaningful way—for instance, commissioning the documentary Chitraanjali: Stefan Norblin in India, which celebrated the remarkable work of the Polish artist in this country, and supporting the conservation of his exquisite murals at Umaid Bhavan in Jodhpur. Each of these initiatives revealed the deep resonance that Polish creativity can have in India.

Now, as Director of the Polish Institute, my aim is to build on this legacy and present the best of Poland—our cinema, literature, arts, and music—at leading festivals and venues across India. India's audiences are open, curious, and discerning, and I see enormous scope to expand cultural dialogue between our two nations.