Irena Santor
On April 26, 2023, Irena Santor (née Wiśniewska), the First Lady of Polish song, was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship. She was born on December 9, 1934, in Papowo Biskupie (Chełmno County) and spent her childhood in Solec Kujawski. From 1951 to 1959, she performed with the “Mazowsze” Song and Dance Ensemble, after which she embarked on a solo career that officially ended in 2021. During her more than 60-year solo career, she performed in some of the world’s largest concert halls, recorded 40 albums, and created hundreds of hits. She received numerous awards at music festivals in Opole and Sopot. For her lifetime achievements, she was honored with the Golden Fryderyk Award and the Polish Radio’s Diamond Microphone. She is the first stage artist in Poland to be awarded an honorary doctorate, granted to her in 2017 by the Academy of Music in Łódź. For her contributions to Polish music, she was also decorated with the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, the Gold Cross of Merit, and the Gold Medal for Merit to Culture “Gloria Artis.”
“Irena Santor is a distinguished cultural ambassador of Kujawy i Pomorze, promoting our region both domestically and abroad. In recognition of her tremendous contributions to the promotion of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship, its cultural values, and her artistic achievements, the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship Assembly confers upon Irena Santor the title of Honorary Citizen of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship,” reads the resolution.
