Young people heading to World Youth Day in Krakow later this year have been given a taste of Poland in the heart of Canberra.
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The Polish Embassy hosted the students from St John Paul II College at a function on Friday night promoting World Youth Day and celebrating the life of the school's namesake.
The Canberrans, along with Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn, Christopher Prowse, will leave for the pilgrimage in Europe on July 17 and return on August 6, travelling to Krakow for the World Youth Day celebrations while also taking in sights across Poland and Austria.
As the home of St John Paul II, the founder of World Youth Day and to date the only Polish pope, Krakow holds special significance for pilgrims.
Friday night's function also served as a celebration of the life of the former pope and included both an exhibition on his life and the biographical film Karol: A Man Who Became Pope.
Polish Ambassador Pawel Milewski discussed the role Saint John Paul II had played in helping the Polish people overthrow the communist regime in a "peaceful revolution", as well as providing spiritual guidance.
According to a 2011 survey, about 87.5 per cent of Poland's population identifies as Catholic.
Mr Milewski said the pilgrims visiting Krakow for World Youth Day had much to look forward to, both from the event and his country.
"I hope those of you who visit my country have the chance to learn about the history, the culture and also to make some new friends along the way," he said.
Archbishop Prowse told the function he had met many Polish members of the clergy in Australia, as well as migrants during his early days in Victoria.
World Youth Day will mark his first trip to Poland, which he said would give him the opportunity to see how the first post-communist generation was adjusting to society and their relationship with the church.
As well as promoting World Youth Day, Friday night also marked the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Good Neighbourship and Friendly Co-operation between Germany and Poland.
German ambassador Dr Christoph Müller was invited to mark the milestone of the 1991 treaty, in which both sides agreed to respect the rights of national minorities on either side of the shared border, as well as promoting cultural contact.
