On 13th July 2016, during the Gala Concert of the 2nd International Music Festival for Children, Youths and Adults with Hearing Disorders ‘Beats of Cochlea’, Minister Marek Michalak had decorated Prof. Henryk Skarżyński with an Honorary Medal ‘For Merit to Children’s Rights Protection’.
Laudation for Professor Skarżyński reads: ‘Childhood is an exceptional time of learning the world, experiencing it with all senses. Not all children, however, have this privilege from the start. Thanks to Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, who treats sensory disorders, children can hear how the world wakes up in the morning, can fall in love with sounds, listen to the music and develop their talents. Professor Skarżyński makes it possible for them to break down their barriers and fully appreciate the world surrounding them. He – like a true bandmaster – changes the silence into the rhythm, in this case into the joyful rhythm of children’s laugh. We can with full conviction name Professor Skarżyński an eminent ambassador of children’s rights. With his help, not only medical which is world known, but also human, friendly, children can play, study, participate in culture, sports and exercise their principal rights. Prof. Henryk Skarżyński aims not only to treat, but to give his patients a chance to fulfill their childhood dreams.
Honorary Medal ‘For Merit to Children’s Rights Protection’ is a Polish departmental decoration established by the President of Poland. It is an honourable distinction for particular achievements in the field of protection of children’s rights.
It is worth mentioning that it is already a second such honor that Prof. Henryk Skarżyński received from the hands of Minister Marek Michalak. In 2013, Prof. Skarżyński received an exceptional medal, bestowed only by children, the Order of the Smile. It was presented by Marek Michalak, the Chancellor of the International Chapter of the Order of the Smile and the Children’s Ombudsman.