Washington, DC – The Embassy Series and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, DC are co-organizing a landmark concert on Oct. 14 at the Polish Ambassador's residence. The concert will benefit Ukrainian children who fled the Russian aggression against their homeland and now live in Poland.

Support to Ukraine and to the Ukrainian refugees – our guests – in Poland is our priority. Helpingchildren in need, especially in the need of education and emotional support, is a cause we stand for, in the spirit of solidarity and devotion to freedom. When Ukraine wins the war, these children will rebuild the country and we wish them to have the best possible skills to do that. "said H.E. Marek Magierowski, Poland's Ambassador to the United States.The proceeds from the concert will be provided to SOK Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Warsaw, which gives specialized training to Polish educators. The latter ones help Ukrainian children transition to their new Polish schools (and a new life and language) and cope with the emotional and psychological upheaval they have experienced.

"There are more than 200,000 Ukrainian children now in Polish schools, and SOK is providingneeded training to more than 20,000 of them. We do this by training over 600 teachers who then train the Ukrainian children in two critical areas: stress reduction techniques through 'trauma informed workshops' and teaching the children Polish as a foreign language because of the need to help them feel more secure as they are coming to Poland with trauma and in distress from being in a war zone, helping them to better adapt to Polish society," said Katia Roman-Trzaska, Co-founder of the SOK (Foundation/Fundacjia SOK).

The concert will feature the award-winning performer, Alexandra Nowakowski, a Polish American-born Soprano, who has performed for the Washington National Opera, and has sung locally at the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, and the Phillips Collection, before joining the Metropolitan Opera. Alexandra Nowakowski is the recipient of the Beebe Fund fellowship which aided her to record her debut album of Polish music, KRAINA. At the concert, Alexandra Nowakowski will perform Stanislaw Moniuszko's music on the occasion of the year commemorating the great Polish composer.

"The Embassy Series is grateful to the SOK Foundation in Poland for providing trauma-informed programs, care, psychosocial well-being and support for many of the 20,000 Ukrainian children traumatized by loss of family, war and famine and their way of life," said Jerome Barry, Found of The Embassy Series. "The directors of SOK are fulfilling a moral obligation that typifies the compassionate way Polish citizens have responded to the vital needs of Ukrainians."

(Eds note: Tickets to the concert are $250, which is a minimum tax-exempt donation to benefit Ukrainian orphans and school children in Poland. To make a Donation, we ask those who want to buy Tickets to do so at www.embassyseries.org or mail a check with your contribution, made out to "Embassy Series." No part of the admission fee is related in any way with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, DC or with the Embassy staff.

SOK website https://samodzielnoscodkuchni.pl/en/strona-glowna-english/

Media Contact:

Jerome Barry- 202-625-2361;  jbarry@embassyseries.org