The University of Ottawa was one of the first universities in Canada to offer programs in Polish language and culture.
The University's Polish programs and links to other institutions in Canada and Poland were celebrated on April 19, 2004, when the Polish Ambassador, Dr. Pawel Dobrowolski, delivered a lecture entitled “The World We Lost: Do We Fear the Twenty-First Century”.
During the evening, the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit was awarded to University of Ottawa professor Richard Sokoloski. The Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit is one of the highest honours bestowed on non-Polish citizens by the Republic of Poland.
