Leadership, Democracy and Freedom

Lech Walesa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and became Poland's first democratically elected President in 1990. He began his career as an electrician active in the underground labor movement in the Gdansk shipyard where he headed the striking, outlawed union "Solidarity." In addition to many other honors, he was named Man of the Year by Time magazine, The Financial Times, The London Observer, Die Welt, Die Zeit, L'Express, and Le Soir.