An outstanding theoretician and philosopher of law, member of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, creator of the Gdańsk school of philosophy of law, author of numerous scientific publications and journalistic texts, populariser of legal knowledge, respected educator and defender of civil rights - prof. Jerzy Zajadło celebrated his 70th birthday. The celebration took place at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk.

‘Professor Zajadło is one of the most eminent and famous scholars of our University, with an incomparable record of both scientific and popularisation achievements,’ said the UG Rector prof. dr hab. Piotr Stepnowski. ‘He is extremely involved in current affairs, including matters of state importance: activity in the name of the common good, defence of constitutionalism, and building a democratic state of law. He presents the attitude of a thoroughly courageous scholar, often speaking out on important matters for a democratic state, for which I would like to thank him wholeheartedly on behalf of the entire academic community.’

The Rector, prof. Piotr Stepnowski expressed his gratitude for the fact that, in spite of receiving a ‘ZUS grant’ (i.e. retiring) prof . Jerzy Zajadło had agreed to remain at UG for two more years and - as the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration UG, dr hab. Wojciech Zalewski, prof. UG emphasised - direct the Doctoral School, which is returning to the Faculty in the current academic year. In recognition of his many years of scientific and didactic work, his exceptional commitment to the development of the University of Gdańsk, his courageous presentation of the attitude of a scholar and building a positive image of our Alma Mater, the Rector of the University of Gdańsk awarded prof. Jerzy Zajadło the gold medal of the University of Gdańsk Doctrinae Sapientiae Honestati.

Professor Jerzy Zajadło's contribution to the curriculum of the Faculty of Law and Administration was emphasised by Dean prof. Wojciech Zalewski: ‘Aeschylus said that truth requires to be expressed simply. Professor Zajadło has the ability to speak about difficult and complicated matters in simple and understandable language. His contribution to shaping legal minds, but also the public awareness of what the law is and the importance of the independence of the judiciary, cannot be overestimated.’

An occasional letter for the jubilarian was handed over by, among others, the Minister of Justice, prof. Adam Bodnar. Congratulations, words of appreciation and best wishes were also addressed to the professor by the Mayor of Gdańsk Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, the Mayor of Gdynia Aleksandra Kosiorek and the Mayor of Sopot Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim. Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, recalling prof. Jerzy Zajadło's numerous contributions to Gdańsk, including his involvement in the establishment of the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre, awarded him the Mayor's Medal of the City of Gdańsk.

During the ceremony, decorations were also presented to the jubilarian by representatives of the bar. The Supreme Bar Council honoured Professor Zajadło with an ‘Advocacy for Merit’ medal for his outstanding scientific and journalistic achievements in the field of shaping and applying the law and his public activity in the area of civil rights and freedoms, realising the goals of the Bar Association as set out in its motto ‘Faithfulness to Poland, protection of civil rights and freedoms, assistance to those in need’. On behalf of the President of the Polish Bar Association, advocate Przemysław Rosati, the distinction was presented by advocate Andrzej Zwara (former President of the Polish Bar Association), advocate Jerzy Glanc and the Dean of the Pomeranian Bar Association, advocate Bartosz Golejewski. Attorney Andrzej Zwara, President of the Library of the Bar Association, drew attention to the merits of Prof. Jerzy Zajadło in the education of attorneys and emphasised his contribution to the development of the Horyzonty Filozofii Prawa publishing series. In turn, the Dean of the Gdańsk Bar Association of Attorneys-at-Law, Ms Magdalena Witkowska, presented the golden badge of ‘Merit to the Self-Government of Legal Advisers’.

Prof. Jerzy Zajadło's scientific portrait was presented by dr hab. Sebastian Sykuna, prof. UG. The culminating moment of the ceremony was the presentation of a jubilee book to the professor, which in this case took the form of two books. The first of these, Ad quem. Jubilee book on the occasion of Professor Jerzy Zajadło's 70th birthday (eds. Kamil Zeidler, Sebastian Sykuna, Joanna Kamień, University of Gdańsk Publishing House - Wolters Kluwer, Gdańsk - Warsaw 2024, pp. 948), contains texts by 97 authors offered to thejubilarian, the second one, entitled A quo. Pisma wybrane Profesora Jerzego Zajadło (edited by Sebastian Sykuna, Kamil Zeidler, Joanna Kamień, University of Gdańsk Publishing House - Wolters Kluwer, Gdańsk - Warszawa 2024, pp. 512), is a selection of Professor Zajadło's works from the period of his entire scientific activity, which consists of 35 texts representative of the topics undertaken by the jubilarian. The books were presented to Prof. Jerzy Zajadło by the Editorial Committee composed of: dr Magdalena Glanc-Żabiełowicz, dr Karol Gregorczuk, dr Joanna Kamień, dr Jarosław Niesiołowski, mgr Wojciech Jankowski, mgr Przemysław Rybiński, dr hab. Paweł Sut, dr hab. Sebastian Sykuna, prof. UG, dr hab. Tomasz Widłak, prof. UG, dr hab. Maciej Wojciechowski, prof. UG, prof. dr hab. Kamil Zeidler. Prof. dr hab. Kamil Zeidler, Head of the Chair of the Theory and Philosophy of State and Law at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk, which was the main organiser of the jubilee, talked about the idea of publishing two books. Professor Zeidler thanked the patrons who had supported the publication of the book and the organisation of the ceremony. The floor was then given to one of the reviewers of the jubilee book, prof. dr hab. Stanisław Waltosi.

In the second part of the ceremony, a short scientific seminar was held, chaired by dr hab. Bartosz Wojciechowski, prof. of the University of Łódź, and papers were delivered by: prof. dr hab. Władysław Czapliński, prof. dr hab. Tomasz Gizbert-Studnicki and prof. dr hab. Marek Zirk-Sadowski. The jubilee was accompanied by an exhibition of books and other works by Professor Jerzy Zajadło, organised in the Library of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Gdańsk.