A Conversation with Lech Wałęsa

On February 9th, dissident, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and former President of the Republic of Poland Lech Wałęsa joined The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in partnership with The Fund for American Studies for the inaugural episode of VOC’s Profiles in Freedom Witness Project series.

After losing his job at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk for standing up to the communist regime, Wałęsa led the Solidarity Free Trade Union from a local movement advocating for workers’ rights to a revolution that united Poland against their totalitarian rulers—and toppled a brutal regime. Wałęsa would go on to become Poland’s first president elected by the people and remains a guiding light in the fight against communism to this day.

Invited guests and members of the press learned more about Poland’s victory against communism and explored Lech Wałęsa’s heroic story of dissent, faith, and the pursuit of liberty.

The conversation was moderated by VOC’s Chairman Dr. Elizabeth Spalding, and streamed live in partnership with C-SPAN.