In an article published on 30 August, the Telegraph’s journalist Steve Edginton expresses his admiration for the country’s pride in its heritage, which can be observed virtually everywhere. 

“One cannot wander a street in Warsaw without seeing a statue, plaque, or monument to an event or individual from the country’s annals” – he explains. 

The Tories must stop funding their ideological enemies.

Look to Poland, where the conservative government funds statues, monuments and exhibitions that take pride in their nation and culture. Then compare to our British Council which calls the UK racist.https://t.co/u2x3kWxWWZ

— Steven Edginton (@StevenEdginton) August 30, 2022

“Rather than funding their ideological enemies, the Tories should be building new monuments to British statesmen and icons, or even new museums explaining our exceptional national story”, – he continues. 

The author expresses bitterness about the fact that shame has replaced pride among Brits when it comes to the UK and its heritage. 

“Walking the streets of a nation’s capital can tell you a lot about a country’s spirit. The statues displayed, the cleanliness of the roads, how safe you feel at night, the monuments, and the art, all give you a sense of where things are heading […] Compare London with Warsaw […] unlike their British counterparts, [Polish conservatives] seem to understand the power of culture on national wellbeing” – he adds.

The Telegraph’s article emphasises that Poland’s National Foundation (PNF) funds events and exhibitions to promote Poland abroad. 

“It’s time the Conservatives took away the vast swathes of taxpayer money from artists and campaigners who despise Britain, and redirected it toward a new plethora of patriotic monuments and projects proud of our history” – he explains. 

It is not the first time that the Telegraph has written about Poland eloquently. Earlier this year, the newspaper already referred to it as  “the true leader of free Europe” for its stance regarding the Ukrainian crisis. 

Official data reveal that nearly 6 million Ukrainians have entered the country since the 24th of February. Most of them were welcomed into Polish homes by local families. 

Image: 123RF

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen