WOŚP honoured with the "PRO BONO HUMANUM" Award!

On 19th November, during the Polish edition of the prestigious PRIX GALIEN awards ceremony, Lidia Niedźwiedzka-Owsiak and Jurek Owsiak, the founders of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP), were presented with the "PRO BONO HUMANUM" award. This accolade celebrates outstanding humanitarian achievements in improving health and quality of life.

A Prestigious Tradition
With a 50-year international legacy, the PRIX GALIEN is regarded as the second most significant honour in medicine and pharmacy, after the Nobel Prize. The awards recognise excellence in categories such as innovative pharmaceutical products, groundbreaking medical technologies, and exceptional health promotion campaigns.

The "PRO BONO HUMANUM" award, introduced in Poland for the first time this year, highlights extraordinary contributions to humanitarian efforts. Previous global recipients include notable figures such as Bill and Melinda Gates, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton.

Recognition for WOŚP’s Impact
This award celebrates WOŚP’s remarkable work in supporting patients, providing essential medical equipment, and creating a powerful societal movement of hope and solidarity.

This honour reflects the unparalleled success of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, which has supported Polish healthcare for years, saving countless lives. The diagnostic and therapeutic equipment purchased by WOŚP helps treat critically ill children, seniors, and others in need. It supports the tireless efforts of doctors, nurses, paramedics, and everyone fighting for health and life. The Orchestra, created by Lidia and Jurek Owsiak, is a massive social movement that unites people across generations, professions, and social statuses, playing the music of unity, hope, and kindness - said Tomasz Hildt, General Director of Prix Galien Poland.

A Shared Achievement
While accepting the award, Lidia and Jurek Owsiak emphasised that this recognition belongs not only to them but also to the entire WOŚP team, its Collection Centres, 120,000 volunteers, and the countless donors who make the Orchestra’s mission possible each year.

The gala was also attended by Prof. Bohdan Maruszewski, Vice President of the WOŚP Foundation, and Prof. Piotr Burczyński, a member of the foundation’s board.

Polish Edition
The Polish edition of the PRIX GALIEN event was held under the honorary patronage of:

• Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, Marshal of the Senate,
• Prof. Marek Konarzewski, President of the Polish Academy of Sciences,
• Dariusz Wieczorek, Minister of Science,
• Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw.

This recognition further solidifies WOŚP’s role as a cornerstone of charitable efforts in Poland and a beacon of hope worldwide.