The ceremonial opening of Janusz Jarosławski’s photo exhibition "Arms of the Heroes of Independence" on the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid in New York will conclude the fourth edition of The 4th International History Olympiad 2022. The exhibition will feature ten large-format photographs of sabers from the collection of the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw. The immortalized weapons belonged to prominent figures of the Second Polish Republic period, such as Jozef Pilsudski, Edward Rydz-Śmigły, Stanislaw Sosabowski, Mikołaj Boltuć, Wiktor Thommée, and Lucjan Żeligowski. The main purpose of the exhibition is to promote Polish culture around the world, building ties with the Polish Diaspora by popularizing knowledge of the Polish saber and the arms of the Polish Army and the values behind them, such as - soldierly honor, valor, courage, and love of the Fatherland.
The USS Intrepid is an American aircraft carrier from the Second World War. After entering service in 1943, the ship went to the Pacific, where it took an active part in the fighting against the Japanese. In January 1944, it supported the landing in the Marshall Islands. Its deck planes contributed to the sinking of the battleship "Musashi" and damage to the battleships "Yamato" and "Nagato", among others. After being withdrawn from service, she was converted in 1982 into a ship - a museum moored at a wharf in New York.
Janusz Jarosławski - publicist, writer, art&swords collector, and historical expert. The originator of important projects for the popularization of Polish cultural heritage: "The Arms of the Heroes of Independence" and "The Swords of Independence" - a series of exhibitions and contributions carried out as part of the celebrations of the centennial of regaining independence and rebuilding Polish statehood. Author of the International History Olympiad competition questions at Princeton University (USA) on the issues described in his authoritative trilogy "Arms of Independence." Winner of numerous literary awards, international honors, and state and departmental decorations, among others: Medal of the Centennial of Regained Independence, Medal of Merit to Culture Gloria Artis, and the title of Ambassador of Polish Culture.
The exhibition "The Arms of the Heroes of Independence" is being held as part of the celebrations of the centennial of the regaining of independence and the restoration of Polish statehood.