Pavilion Ambassadors

Krzysztof Ingarden – Renowned Architect, Knight of the Order of the Rising Sun

He is the author of many acclaimed architectural projects, including the award-winning Polish Pavilion at Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan. A professor of engineering and technical sciences, Promoter of Poland, and Honorary Consul of Japan in Kraków.

Krzysztof Ingarden began his professional career during his doctoral internship at the School of Art and Design at the University of Tsukuba. While working at the design office of visionary architect Arata Isozaki, he became acquainted with and creatively adapted Isozaki’s method of treating architecture as an art form rich in metaphor and a significant cultural statement. In his own architectural works, Ingarden has always pursued the idea of introducing modernity into the Polish reality and tradition on which he firmly stands.

Together with Arata Isozaki, he co-designed the present-day Museum of Japanese Art and Technology “Manggha” in Kraków (1994). He also created designs for the Japanese Garden, Tea Pavilion, Japanese Language School, and the Europa–Far East Gallery located there. His portfolio includes the Embassy of Japan in Warsaw, the Embassy of Poland in Tokyo, and several Japanese factories in Poland.

Professor Krzysztof Ingarden is a laureate of the Honorary Award of the Association of Polish Architects (SARP) and the Promoter of Poland 2023 award from the Małopolska region. Since 2017, he has served as Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Fine Arts at Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University. He is also a member of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences.

For 15 years, he held the position of Honorary Consul of Japan in Kraków, contributing significantly to mutual understanding between Poland and Japan. In recognition of his contribution to the development of Polish-Japanese relations in the fields of architecture and diplomacy, the Government of Japan awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun.

Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski – The First Pole on the International Space Station

Selected from among 22,000 candidates, he became the second Pole in history to travel to space. A distinguished scientist, operator of the Large Hadron Collider, and specialist in space technologies, he is affiliated with the European Space Agency (ESA).

In 2008, he graduated with distinction from the Lodz University of Technology while simultaneously earning a master’s degree from the Université de Nantes in France.

After completing his studies, he joined the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), where he specialized in designing reliable electronic systems and operating complex scientific instruments such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

In 2024, he was selected as an ESA project astronaut. He took part in the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The rocket carrying the four-member crew launched on June 25, 2025, at 8:31 a.m. On June 26, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski became the first Pole in history to arrive at the ISS. While in orbit, he conducted experiments proposed by the Polish space industry as part of the IGNIS mission — the first Polish technological and scientific mission on the ISS. After completing the mission, he successfully landed in the Pacific Ocean with the rest of the crew on July 15, 2025, and returned to Poland on July 24.

Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski is the author of a book on radiation effects in electronic systems and the co-author of more than 50 scientific publications. As an Ambassador of Poland at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, he promoted the achievements of Polish science and technology. His participation in Expo 2025 was part of a broader effort to showcase Poland’s economy, technological innovation, and investment potential. The Polish astronaut also took part in the Polish-Japanese Investment Forum held in Osaka on September 30, 2025.

Under the patronage of Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, Polish Space Day was celebrated on April 24, 2025, during the Polish Science and Education Days at the Polish Pavilion. The astronaut was also a special guest at the Poland National Day at Expo 2025 in Osaka on October 1, 2025.

Anita Włodarczyk – The Hammer Throw Legend and Three-Time Olympic Champion

The first woman in history to throw a hammer over 80 meters, Anita Włodarczyk is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, four-time world champion, and multiple world record holder — a true symbol of determination and athletic excellence.

Her sporting journey began in an unexpected way — with speedway cycling, a discipline similar to motorcycle speedway but raced on bicycles. In 1998, she became the European Junior Team Champion in this niche sport. However, athletics soon became her true calling. At the age of 16, she began training with the Kadet Rawicz club. Initially a discus thrower, she discovered her destiny in the hammer throw — a discipline in which she achieved results no one had before.

Her rise to the top was far from easy. At the Beijing Olympic Games (2008), she finished only sixth. But just a year later, at the World Championships in Berlin, she won gold and set a world record with a throw of 77.96 meters — a glimpse of the greatness yet to come.

The following years brought her most spectacular triumphs. In London (2012), Rio de Janeiro (2016), and Tokyo (2020), Anita Włodarczyk won three consecutive Olympic gold medals, becoming one of the most decorated Polish athletes in history. She is also a four-time World Champion (2009, 2013, 2015, 2017) and a four-time European Champion (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018). She holds the six longest throws in the history of the event — including the current world record of 82.98 meters, set in 2016 during the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Warsaw.

In addition to her remarkable athletic career, Anita Włodarczyk also pursued higher education. In 2011, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the University School of Physical Education in Poznań, and in 2016, she obtained a master’s degree in physical education from the Higher School of Sports Education in Warsaw. Her master’s thesis focused on the hammer throw — the discipline that became the passion and purpose of her life.

As an Ambassador of the Polish Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Anita Włodarczyk served as patron of the Polish Tourism and Sports Days (September 18–23). She also took part in a special meeting at the Women’s Pavilion, where she shared her personal story and inspired visitors from around the world. Her presence in Osaka was especially symbolic — it was in Japan, during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, that she won her third, historic Olympic gold medal.

Anita Włodarczyk is not only an extraordinary athlete but also a living symbol of perseverance, determination, and belief in one’s dreams. Her story proves that limits exist only to be surpassed.