First Karski Freedom Award to Walesa

Polish solidarity leader receives prestigious US award - US ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe has awarded former President Lech Walesa the Karski Freedom Award.

The US embassy in Warsaw awarded former Polish President Lech Walesa the Karski Freedom Award, a distinction named after Jan Karski, an underground courier who gave eyewitness reports about the Holocaust to the Allies during the Second World War.

Lech Walesa is the first recipient of such an award. Edward Monster from the US embassy in Warsaw says that the award underscores the courage and perseverance in securing democratic freedoms for Poles. "We decided to name this award after Jan Karski because of his heroic acts and because of the commitment of his life to the promotion of democracy and human rights. Now we also see President Lech Walesa as having committing his life to the promotion of democracy and human rights. We see President Lech Walesa as the first recipient of the Karski Freedom Award a good fit for the Karski freedom Award."

Krzystof Michalek, professor of American History thinks that this award symbolizes just how dedicated Walesa is in the fight for democracy and human rights. "When we look back on his record of achievements he was a fighter in the late seventies, eighties and when he became a new President of Poland. He represents a personality, which is more oriented in the fight for freedom, to fight for a good cause and to fight to the end.

To be successful and victorious." The Karski Freedom award is one of three annual awards the US Embassy to Poland initiated this year. In the spring the embassy will announce a Polish winner of the Jan Nowak-Jezioranski award for Public Service.

Source: Polskie Radio, January 24, 2007