On 11 October 2023, Professor Richard BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI, the Chairholder of the European Civilization Chair, has been awarded the London Literary Awards in the category of popularising Polish culture. The award is presented by the Association of Polish Writers Abroad.
"His intensive study of the Polish language, his studies and research in European archives and libraries made him an outstanding expert on the history of Poland in the Enlightenment period," the jury's release noted.
The jury's statement lauded his outstanding expertise in the history of Poland during the Enlightenment period, highlighting his intensive study of the Polish language and extensive research in European archives and libraries. They also commended his engaging and illuminating dissertation, which focuses on eighteenth-century Poland, specifically the states of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The jury emphasized that his work exemplifies the finest traditions of European history writing, to the times when historical writers skilfully blended knowledge with research intuition and artistry, when science was close to literature.
Professor BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI is a well-respected historian of the Enlightenment period. In September, he resumed his responsibilities as Chairholder of the European Civilization Chair at the College of Europe in Natolin. He returned to his role, as he held the Chair between 2014 and 2020. He also teaches a core course in History of Central and Eastern Europe in the 19th and 20th Centuries.
The 72nd award ceremony is scheduled for February 2024 in London. The award was initially established in 1951 by a group of Polish writers living in exile.