The Nobel Peace Prize winner and former president of Poland Lech Walesa draws crowds at the UT Austin AT&T Hotel and Conference Center during his speech on the war in Ukraine.
AUSTIN, Texas, May 21, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --The Nobel Peace Prize winner and former president of Poland Lech Walesa draws crowds at the UT Austin AT&T Hotel and Conference Center during his speech on the war in Ukraine.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate, former leader of Poland's 1980s Solidarity Movement and first democratically elected president in the post-Soviet era, Lech Walesa stopped in Austin, Texas as a part of his limited tour of the United States. Over 400 guests attended a fast-paced discussion with President Walesa about the war in Ukraine, as well as affairs in Russia, Poland and the general state of Europe at the AT&T Conference Center at the University of Texas Austin. Walesa filled the main auditorium and an adjacent auditorium to standing room only capacity. The anti-communist icon, did not disappoint and delivered a powerful message about the tenuousness of current situation in Ukraine and the vital leadership role the United States must continue to assume in a world that is becoming increasingly more globalized and complicated. He offered harsh criticism of the diminishing role of the United States on the world stage. But he also offered an optimistic prediction that the war in Ukraine will be solved as soon as the United States reassumes its proper role on the world stage and provides the international community with its new and best ideas. "We were almost overwhelmed by the crowds," said Nathan Silverstein, the founder and president of the Polish Club at the University of Texas, "but the Clements Center for National Security's staff quickly stepped in and with their help we delivered a safe and well-organized event that accommodated almost all who wanted to attend." The University of Texas' Clements Center was a co-sponsor of the event along with the university's influential Polish Club, among others.
President Walesa also visited with Texas Governor Greg Abbott during his stay in Austin. Meeting at the Governor's Mansion with the Governor and his staff, Walesa was accompanied by local leaders of the Polish American community, including Pawel Hardej, a local businessman, Polish American activist, and community organizer. "Texas, as one of the world's largest economies, is playing a larger and larger role on the international stage. The European energy crisis is dire and is not going away any time soon," said Hardej, who also translated for the two leaders. "Texas could and should play an important role in providing a real solution. Especially now, given the geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe, Texas can provide the badly needed oil and LNG gas to this region as well as new technologies that are created, tested, and developed here in Texas. As Polish Americans living and doing business in Texas, we see massive potential in Texas expanding economically into Central and Eastern Europe and providing much needed energy security to the region," said Hardej. "What struck me at the meeting with Governor Abbott was how well informed he was about the issues currently affecting Europe," said Adam Dominski, President Walesa's Chief of Staff and President of the Board at the Lech Walesa Institute. "We will be coming back to Texas as we see an incredible potential for cooperation, plus we enjoyed the warm climate and Austin's southern hospitality. We hope that Governor Abbott will visit Poland soon." Walesa also advised the Governor that he was so impressed with Texas and Austin in particular, that he may well consider placing the United States headquarters of his new Lech Walesa Foundation in Austin.
President Walesa's event at the AT&T Conference Center was spearheaded by the Polish Club at UT and co-sponsored by the Clements Center for National Security, Liberal Arts Honors (LAH), Texas Global, The Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (CREEES), The Center for European Studies (CES), the Department of Government, and the McCombs Department of Business, Government, and Society and by individual donors.
Photos and a recording of the Walesa event will be available on the Polish Club's website: http://www.texaspolishclub.com
or see a video at Youtube:
Press Contact:
Pawel Hardej
Austin, TX
[email protected]
(773)682-4343
Contact: Pawel Hardej
Phone: 773-682-4343
Email: [email protected]
Media Contact
Pawel Hardej, Pawel Hardej, 1 7736824343, [email protected]
SOURCE Pawel Hardej
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