Born September, 29 1943 in Popowo, Poland.

Electrician in Lenin Shipyard, Gdansk, 1966 - 1976, 1980 - 1981 and from 1983; member of the strike committee December 1970; dismissed from work, June 1976; active in founding committee of Independent Trade Union, from May 1978; chairman of strike committee in Gdansk, August 1980; chairman of National Co-ordinating Committee of Independent Trade Union "Solidarnosc", September 1980; chairman of National Executive Committee NSZZ "Solidarnosc", 1981 - 1990; held in detention, December, 13 1981- November 1982; chairman of strike committee in Gdansk Shipyard, 1988; cofounder and chairman of Citizens Committee, December 1988; chairman of the opposition delegation in the "Round Table" talks with communist government, February - April 1989; President of Republic of Poland, 1990 - 1995.

Author of "A Way of Hope", 1987 and "The Struggle and the Triumph", 1991, "Everything I do I do for my country" 1995. Columnist in "Wprost" weekly 1996 - 2000.

Currently Lech Walesa is heading Lech Walesa Institute Foundation, established in December 1995, which in today's Poland, occupies a special and exceptional place.

All the Lech Walesa and his Institute's activities aim at consolidating democracy and the free market economy in Poland, as well as at permanently integrating Poland into European structures. The Institute particularly cherishes the respect for freedom and rights of a citizen and for proper functioning of the state of law.

Outstanding experts in various disciplines, such as politics, economy, science, culture, law, and administration, cooperate with Lech Walesa and his Institute's in different aspects and fields of interest.

Lech Walesa is active in socio-political life in Poland and abroad. Thanks to his visits abroad (approximately 15 per year) he is in contact with world leaders and wide representation of various societies.

To promote his ideas in Polish political life creator and president of the political party - Christian Democracy of III Polish Republic, 1997 - 2001.

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