Freedom of the City of Toruń | www.torun.pl

The title of the Freeman of the City of Toruń is an honourable token of appreciation for persons of recognized moral authority, of particularly durable and unique contribution to history, development, importance and fame of the city or to preservation, development and modernization of humanistic contents and ideas contained in the centuries-old achievements of the city.

The award is granted by the City Council at the request of the Chapter of Honourable Mentions of Toruń. The City Council of Senior Members constitutes the Chapter.

Applications for awarding honourable mentions of Toruń, including applications for awarding freedom of the city, may be submitted to the Chapter by clubs of councillors, mayor of Toruń or organizations and institutions in accordance with the appropriate range of their activities.

Awarding the title of the Freeman of the City of Toruń is confirmed by:

• medal, with the Coat of Arms of Toruń on the obverse, drawing of salamander (in flames), motto "Durabo" (i.e. "I will endure"), inscription "Freeman of the City of Toruń" on the rim and the image of the awarded person, name and surname, date and number of the medal on the reverse;
• diploma with a detailed list of contributions;
• numbered badge;
• hanging the portrait of the honoured person in the Gallery of Freemen of the City of Toruń in the seat of the Council;
• entry in the Book of Honourable Mentions of Toruń.

Medal and badge are made of silver.

Freeman of the City of Toruń acquires the right to participate in the sessions of the City Council in an advisory capacity. He or she is also entitled to free admission to occasional, cultural and the like events organized by authorities and units of the municipality and city institutions. Additionally, he or she is attended without waiting in all units subordinate to the City Hall.

Awarding the Freedom of the City, in principle, takes place on a special sitting of the City Council in the presence of the honoured person or his/her representative. Request for honouring is presented and awarded by the Chairperson, or in his/her absence, by Vice-Person of the City Council or the eldest councillor. Those honoured with the title of the Freeman of the City of Toruń have the right to attend meetings of the Chapter of Honourable Mentions of Toruń.

Duplicate Medals of Freemen of the City of Toruń, copies of the acts of awarding honourable mentions and models of mentions are stored in the premises of the City Council or in the form of a deposit in the museum which is an organizational unit of Toruń Municipality.

The City Council may decide to withdraw an honorary award at the request of the Chapter in the event when it was given by misrepresentation or the person awarded has committed an act as a result of which he/she became unworthy of it.

>>> Go to the list of Freemen of the City of Toruń