Lech Wałęsa Institute
{{Short description|Private non-profit organization}}
{{Infobox NGO|name=Lech Wałęsa Institute|native_name=Instytut Lecha Wałęsy|native_name_lang=pl|named_after=Lech Wałęsa|formation=1995|founder=Lech Wałęsa|founding_location=Gdańsk, Poland|type=Private foundation|status=Nonprofit organization|leader_name=|leader_title=|website=www.ilw.org.pl/en/}}
Lech Wałęsa Institute (Polish: Instytut Lecha Wałęsy{{Cite web|url=https://www.ilw.org.pl/en/about-foundation|title=About foundation • Fundacja Instytut Lecha Wałęsy|website=www.ilw.org.pl|language=en|access-date=2019-10-27}}) is a non-governmental, non profit organization established in 1995 by Lech Wałęsa, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and a first democratically elected President of the Republic of Poland.
Founding
File:Lech Walesa - 2009.jpg – founder of the institute and the first democratically elected President of Poland. 2009]]
The Institute was formed and open on 22 December 1995, the last day of Lech Wałęsa's Presidency. Wałęsa established the institute to follow the example of western politicians. His desire was to model the Institute after Carter Center open by Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States, who spent his post-presidency “finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights, and promoting economic and social development”, for which Carter, like Wałęsa before him, was awarded Nobel Peace Prize.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2002/press-release/|title=The Nobel Peace Prize 2002|website=NobelPrize.org|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-27}}
= 1990's =
In 1996 the organisation was a part of Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność which allowed Lech Wałęsa to participate in 1997 Polish parliamentary election.{{Cite web|url=https://radom.wyborcza.pl/radom/56,48201,12435534,lech-walesa,,8.html|title=Lech Wałęsa|website=radom.wyborcza.pl|language=pl|access-date=2019-10-27}}{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/500087341|title=Wybory 1997 : partie i ich programy|date=2004|publisher=Instytut Studiów Politycznych Polskiej Akademii Nauk|others=Słodkowska, Inka., Dołbakowska, Magdalena., Instytut Studiów Politycznych (Polska Akademia Nauk)|isbn=8388490613|location=Warszawa|oclc=500087341}} Later it was used as a backbone to form Lech Wałęsa's own political party named Chrześcijańska Demokracja III Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. Wałęsa stood as the party's candidate in the 2000 presidential election but received only 1% of the vote.{{Cite news|title=Secret police files to decide Walesa's fate|last=Boyes|first=Roger|date=2000-08-08|work=The Times. p. 13.}} The ChDRP never gained substantial support.
= Since 2000 =
Since 2000 the role of institute changed to more educational approach. It mostly focuses on preserving the role of Solidarity movement and Polish political transition,{{Cite web|url=https://ecs.gda.pl/title,Solidarity_here_and_now,pid,1620.html|title=Europejskie Centrum Solidarności|website=ecs.gda.pl|language=pl|access-date=2019-10-27}} as well as promoting knowledge about Poland's path to freedom on both the national and international levels.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ilw.org.pl/pl/o-instytucie|title=O Instytucie • Fundacja Instytut Lecha Wałęsy|website=www.ilw.org.pl|language=pl|access-date=2019-10-27}}
File:European Solidarity Centre 2015 003.jpg – current headquarters of the Institute and the location of Wałęsa's office.{{Cite web|url=https://www.trojmiasto.pl/Biuro-Lecha-Walesy-o16097.html|title=Biuro Prezydenta Lecha Wałęsy|website=trojmiasto.pl|language=pl|access-date=2019-10-28}}]]
The institute also manages the Lech Wałęsa Library in the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk, which is located in Gdańsk Shipyard, in which Wałęsa was a worker when he led the Gdańsk shipyard strike in 1980.{{Cite web|url=https://ecs.gda.pl/title,Biblioteka_ECS,pid,142.html|title=Europejskie Centrum Solidarności|website=ecs.gda.pl|access-date=2019-10-27}} The European Solidarity Centre currently hosts the Institute's Headquarters.
Chairman
- Piotr Gulczyński – since 2000 to 2014{{cite web|title=Piotr Gulczyński prezesem Fundacji na rzecz Zdrowego Starzenia Się|url=http://www.rynekseniora.pl/polityka_senioralna/104/piotr_gulczynski_prezesem_fundacji_na_rzecz_zdrowego_starzenia_sie,1793.html|agency=rynekseniora.pl|date=2015-11-11|access-date=2015-11-11}}
- Mieczysław Wachowski – since 29 September 2014 to 21 September 2016
- Jerzy Stępień – since 21 September 2016 to 29 October 2017 (Stępień resigned after media published Institute's financial audit)[https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/powazne-klopoty-instytutu-lecha-walesy-dlugi-fala-zwolnien-i-rezygnacja-jerzego-stepnia-6180945351435905a Poważne kłopoty Instytutu Lecha Wałęsy. Długi, fala zwolnień i rezygnacja Jerzego Stępnia – wiadomosci.wp.pl]
- Adam Domiński – since 29 October 2017{{Cite web|url=https://www.ilw.org.pl/en/about-foundation/board-of-directors|title=Board of Directors • Fundacja Instytut Lecha Wałęsy|website=www.ilw.org.pl|language=en|access-date=2019-10-27}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1995 establishments in Poland