Na zaproszenie Rotary Club Warszawa Goethe, który został utworzony w roku 2012 i jest pierwszym niemieckojęzycznym klubem w Polsce, prof. nadzw. dr Marek Żukowski, Wiceprezes oraz mgr Janusz Gast, Sekretarz Generalny Zarządu Głównego TPA, wzięli udział jako special guest w spotkaniu członków klubu.  Na wstępie prof.  Marek Żukowski podziękował za zaproszenie i po krótkim wprowadzeniu poprosił mgr Janusza Gasta o zabranie głosu. Sekretarz Generalny TPA w swoim wystąpieniu zapoznał uczestników spotkania z działalnością Towarzystwa Polsko-Austriackiego od ostatniego Walnego Zjazdu Delegatów, który się odbył 18 kwietnia 2015 roku w Warszawie. Następnie obaj przedstawiciele Zarządu Głównego TPA odpowiadali na pytania, jakie zadawali członkowie Clubu Rotary.
Poniżej zamieszczamy treść wystąpienia mgra Janusza Gasta:

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Sirs,
My name is Janusz Gast, I am the General Secretary of the Board of the Polish – Austrian Association in Warsaw.
At the beginning of my speech, I would like to thank Past President Rotarian Krzysztof Szadurski, Chairman of the Board at “Syrena Hotels” and Incoming President Rotarian Joanna Zmuda for the invitation to today’s meeting of the Rotary Club and allow me the presentation of our society.
We are a social association created by the initiative of prof. Stanislaw Turski, the Rector of the University of Warsaw.
On 18 April 2015, the General Assembly of Delegates of the Polish-Austrian Association was held, where a new government was choosen, the Programme Resolution got adopted and changes were made to the Consitition of the Association.
Currently, the Society has approxi medli 900 members in 14 branch offices. These are mainly the intelligentsia, including academic and high school teachers, diplomats, creators of culture, publicists, journalists, lawyers, businessmen, managers and others with interests in Austria. We act socially, we do not run a business, we do not employ staff.
The Society members are individuals, however the Statute provides for the possibility of membership also for legal persons – institutions interested in cooperation with Austria. From the current year, after the change of the Cnstitution of the Association id est the Abolition of age, the Society started the organization of youth special interests groups at schools. Until now there are already two youth special interests groups in Wroclaw and Lowicz. This year three new agencies of the Polish – Austrian Society in Jelenia Gora, Legnica and Zamosc are on the way.
Since the beginning and the start of the activities our Association maintains close contacts with the Embassy of the Republic of Austria, the Office of the Commercial Counsellor, Austrian Cultural Forum and other Austrian representatives in Poland.
We also cooperate with our fellow Austrian – Polish Society and Polish community in Vienna. In June 2016 a group of 40 activists and supporters of our Society stayed in Vienna and was received by prof. Dr. Theodor Kanitzer, President of the Austrian – Polish Society and met with representatives of the local Polish community.
Recently we have got in contact with the Polish Association of Teachers of German Language and the European Centre for Diplomacy and Peace.
Our target is:
– First, activities to deepen the friendly Polish-Austrian relations  in all fields of social, cultural, educational, economic and tourist aspects of life
– Secondly, the dissemination among Polish society of knowledge about Austria, its history, rich and versatile centuries achievements in science, culture and education, socio-economic development, the role played within the international arena as well as the contribution of Austria in the development of world civilization.
In pursue of these objectives we use a variety of methods and forms of work. These are, among others:
• readings, lectures and thematic meetings with competent people who have knowledge about Austria, its past and present (historians, economists, lawyers, authors, writers, journalists, education and culture, and others)
• cognitive trips and tourism for particularly interesting cities and regions of Austria (monuments, museums, folklore, Polonica, participation in concerts, meetings with the Polish community, etc.).
• economic forum dedicated to issues of Polish – Austrian cooperation with the participation of Austrian and Polish-Austrian companies and interested Polish companies and institutions,
• sessions and conferences of popular science and science held together with scientific institutions (Polish Academy of Sciences, Jagiellonian University, University of Maria Sklodowska-Curie, Mazovian College of Humanities and Education) aimed  at improving knowledge about Austria throughout history, historical connections, political and cultural Polish and Austrian and Polish-Austrian cooperation in various areas of social and economic life.
• publishing,
• popularization within business environments, especially among Austrian and Polish-Austrian institutions and companies of the program activity of the association and obtaining the Honorary new Supporting Members for the concept of the Polish – Austrian cooperation.
An important place in our program are the complex Educational project called “Days of Austria”, organized by the Society branches in different regions of Poland (music concerts, exhibitions, lectures, symposiums, competitions and other under the patronage of the Ambassador of Austria and representatives of state and local authorities.
In October there will be the celebration of 40 anniversary of the Branch of our Association in Lublin, which was preceded by a scientific conference on “. The historical and political relationships Polish and Austria” with the participation of academics at the University of Maria Sklodowska – Curie and the members and supporters of the Polish Austrian Association. The aftermath of this conference is released publication of the same title, which to you now, I present.
Starting from 2016., after the adoption by selected Austrian and Polish-Austrian institutions and companies proposed dignity of Honorary Supporting Member, the association will popularise – in various forms – the achievements and opportunities for networking and collaboration. For this purpose, we want to establish the Council of Social and Programme issues at the Polish – Austrian Association, whose primary task will be providing the Society the meritoric support and financial assistance in carrying out its statutory tasks, aimed at disseminating – in various forms – in Polish society reliable knowledge about Austria, its centuries-old history , comprehensive achievements in the field of socio-economic, scientific, educational and cultural contribution of Austria in the development of world civilization and to contribute to deepening friendly cooperation Polish-Austrian in the social sphere.
Mr. President Krzysztof Szadurski participated in two meetings with Ms. Minister Stella Avallone, during which we have discussed the idea of establishing the Council, which will be built under the auspices of the Ambassador. The Council will consists of the Honorary Supporting Members. We hope that Mr. President Szadurski as the first one, thus giving an example to others, will accept the dignity of the Honorary Supporting Member.
In conclusion, I would like to invite you to visit our web page www.polska-austria.org.pl where, especially in the tabs: NEWS and EVENTS, you can find lots of information about the current activities of our Society.

Thank you for your attention.