This year, a nine-person panel appointed by the City Council (comprising: former Metropolitan Archbishop of Gdańsk Tadeusz Gocłowski, historian Andrzej Januszajtis, Professor of the University of Gdańsk Edmund Kotarski, former President of Gdańsk Jerzy Młynarczyk, Chairman of the Gdańsk City Council Bogdan Oleszek, writer Jerzy Samp, former head of Stocznia Remontowa Piotr Soyka, journalist Barbara Szczepuła-Ponikowska, and theatre actress Halina Winiarska-Kiszkis) has awarded six Saint Adalbert medals and eight Prince Mestwin II medals. These silver medals have been awarded since 1997. They are presented to individuals, institutions, and organisations from Poland and abroad for outstanding services to the city. To date, 61 Saint Adalbert medals and 109 Mestwin II medals have been awarded.
Besides Mariusz Drapikowski, recipients of the St Mściwoj II Medal included writer Stefan Chwin, recognised for the high qualities of his literary works, which are deeply rooted in the atmosphere of Gdańsk. This year's recipients of the St Wojciech Medal included Mayor Paweł Adamowicz (for particular contributions to the strengthening and development of the idea of local government), Olympic rower Adam Korol (for outstanding sporting successes that bring fame to Gdańsk around the world), Dominican friar Father Jacek Krzysztofowicz (for establishing an outstanding centre of spiritual culture in Gdańsk), and the Baltic Centre of Culture (for many years of activity and a variety of valuable initiatives in the field of culture).
Mariusz Drapikowski: He graduated with honours from the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. He runs the Drapikowski Studio art workshop – this year marks the 25th anniversary of his creative and artistic activity. During this time, his workshop has produced many amber sacred works, including monstrances, reliquaries and crosiers, as well as secular ones such as sculptures, unique jewellery and still-life compositions made of amber and silver. Among his more significant achievements of recent years are the reconstruction of the figures and the silver tabernacle dome of the Jasna Góra Altar of the Fatherland, as well as the monumental Jerusalem Triptych, which was placed in 2008 in the Adoration Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament at the Fourth Station of the Way of the Cross in Jerusalem. Together with Professor Stanisław Radwański, he is the co-designer of the Amber Altar in St. Bridget's Church in Gdańsk. As a Gdańsk-based artist in love with amber, he currently serves as the President of the International Amber Association. All works created in his workshop are signed with their place of origin: the World Amber Capital – Gdańsk.