Political prisoner Ales Bialiatski won Lech Walesa. "Polish Nobel" was awarded for his contribution to the protection of human rights. Award from the hands of its founder was in Gdansk wife Bialiatski Natalia Pinchuk.
At the ceremony the Lech Walesa spoke Ales Bialiatski as a man who "infected" his countrymen dream of freedom:
"Actions have to call recognition and admiration, not always appreciated. For courage can be convicted, for taking care of others - with time to pay a high price. For sacrifice, which gives hope and faith in a better tomorrow, you can be persecuted.
However, there are many people who in spite of all further believe that it is possible to live in a free and democratic society, even where there is no real democracy. This position deserves respect. It's hard not to talk about someone who has the strength and determination to act to free speech was the highest value. So this year I founded the jury in 2008 awarded its prize to our friend from Belarus, who "infected" his countrymen dream of freedom ... Who but he deserves the prize? "
"A person who, on the one hand, is a symbol of unwavering, consistent and courageous commitment to the freedom and respect for human rights, on the other hand - a symbolic representative of all those who believe in the universal values of the democratic world. I have the honor to award the prize to anyone who at the time when courage and honor are exposed to the test, can not only fight for the ideals held responsible, and in spite of this, in spite of the prison bars, continue to act, "- said Walesa.
It's hard not to talk about someone who has the strength and determination to act to free speech was the highest value ...
"Only thanks to all those people who dream of democracy can head high and loudly express their opinions. I am convinced that the work of the current laureate Lech Walesa will provide inspiration for others to follow others who, as he dreams of living in a free, just and democratic society, which in the first place are the right person and concern for their preservation ...
Saying it, we also want to at least symbolically apologize for injuries caused. Wanting to maintain the fiction that Belarus today - democracy, we are on different levels cooperate with her and exchange information. However, the recent parliamentary elections clearly showed that democracy, the rules of which are written in Minsk - it is not something that recognizes the free world.
Today, we must do better, so that she was named fiction real name and to strengthen the Belarusian civil society, which wants to oppose the regime. We will never afford to let the bureaucracy or the state prosecutor's office free thoughtlessly passed information in Belarus. Today, it is clearly evident - our neighbor does not belong to the group of states which we may call the legal and democratic "- quoted speech Walesa Radio Liberty .
Previous laureate Lech Walesa was the former President of Brazil Lula da Silva. The award was established in 2008 by the former president of Poland and leader of the trade union "Solidarity" Lech Walesa in gratitude for the support that has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.
In the photo - time award: gdansk.naszemiasto.pl
