Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski visits California

During a meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski held a speech on President Ronald Reagan's engagement in Poles' struggle for sovereignty and his stance on the Soviet Union. He recalled a speech in which President Reagan described the Soviet Union as the "evil empire."

The 'evil empire' speech mattered because it reintroduced morality into foreign policy. Reagan reminded the world that there is a difference between good and evil, freedom and tyranny, truth and lies. He believed that the United States should be-and could be-a force for good.

- said Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski and added that President Reagan understood that a free nation must be strong, but also that great power without higher purpose was pointless and ineffective.

Poland's top diplomat gave two presents to the Presidential Library-a copy of the Resolution of the Polish parliament adopted on 29 May 2026 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the USA, and a photograph of the strike at the Gdańsk Shipyard.

The success of the strike led to the formation of the Solidarity movement and was one of the bricks taken out of the wall of communism. I think it is relevant. It is a place Ronald Reagan visited after he became president.

- explained Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski.

While at the Presidential Library, he also took part in a debate on the transatlantic partnership of Warsaw and Washington.

Economic cooperation

Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski also met with Governor of California Gavin Newsom. Their conversation, which lasted over an hour, focused on transatlantic relations, a review of the NATO summit in Ankara, and the strengthening of Polish-American relations. Poland and California have been strengthening their cooperation, including in the field of cybersecurity.

The head of Polish diplomacy pointed out that if California were a country, it would be the world's fourth-largest economy. It is also a global hub for innovation, accounting for around 18 per cent of global expenditure on research and development. It also remains a hub for investment in innovative companies attracting the majority of venture capital funding in the US and a market in which Polish entrepreneurs are actively involved by helping to shape global technology and business. In Silicon Valley, Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski met with representatives of a company that supports Polish start-ups. The discussion covered, among other issues, investor relations and the institutional support framework in the US market.

Presenting nominations to honorary consuls

During his stay on the West Coast, Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski nominated three new honorary consuls. In California, Dianne Panos Taube will serve as Poland's honorary consul in Belmont and Gregory G. Flynn in Napa. Polish interest in Surprise, Arizona, will be represented by Tomasz Niemyjski. All of them are actively involved in supporting the Polish community.

Honorary consuls are helpful to the foreign service and make it more efficient. They work to promote a positive image of Poland, facilitate establishing contacts between entrepreneurs in Poland and in the host country, and also support the activities of the Polish community. Honorary consuls serve on the pro bono basis.

The Polish diaspora in California

California is home to the largest number of people of Polish descent on US West Coast. According to the latest census (the 2024 American Community Survey), around 400,000 residents of California identify as being of Polish descent. Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski met with representatives of the Polish community in Los Angeles. He thanked them for building the positive image of Poland in the US and fostering the Polish language, culture, history, and national traditions.

The Polish official reiterated that Poland supports those planning to return to the country, including through facilitating the transfer of tax residence and support for professional and academic development.

The Polish culture in California

California is one of the most important places for the promotion of the Polish culture in the US. In Los Angeles, Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski met with representatives of the filmmaking industry. He talked with producer Sylwia Wilkos and operator Janusz Kamiński on the promotion of Poland by means of the cinema and met with director Joseph Kosinski.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth and the 10th anniversary of the death of the film director Andrzej Wajda. To celebrate them, Poland's Consulate General in Los Angeles has launched the project "The Year of Andrzej Wajda" in collaboration with the Wajda Film Centre and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Andrzej Wajda's films will be screened from 31 July to 2 August at the Ted Mann Theater.

Polish contemporary art and music are also highly regarded in California. Photographs by Ada Zielińska were on display at an international exhibition at the Los Angeles Centre of Photography. The Consulate in Los Angeles collaborates with the USC Polish Music Center, the leading centre for the documentation of Polish music in the US, and with the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles.