Former Poland president Lech Walesa to address IGCF forum in Sharjah

 

Former president of Poland Lech Walesa will be the guest of honour at the 7th edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF).

The event will be held from March 28-29 at Expo Centre, Sharjah. Walesa will speak on the second day of the event, addressing his experience as president and the successful use of government communication to reach out to members of the public as well as state entities.

Director of Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) Tariq Saeed Allay said, “Lech Walesa has remarkable experience as a leader and communicator, both leading up to and during his presidency. Hosting him at the IGCF is a great honour and will enable the participants to gain extraordinary insights into the best government communication practices and overcome seemingly impossible challenges and hurdles in the UAE.”


Profile

Born in September 1943, Lech Walesa was the first democratically elected President of Poland from 1990 to 1995. He is one of the most recognised politicians in eastern Europe, having played an instrumental role in leading Poland from a communist state to an independent democracy. He further enhanced cooperation with many countries worldwide, and contributed to Poland's entry into Nato and the European Union.

Walesa worked as an electrician and headed the banned trade-union movement ‘Solidarity’. He launched and participated in an array of social initiatives that aimed to reinforce Solidarity’s leading position among the Polish people, while supporting basic human rights. In 1995, he founded the ‘Lech Walesa Institute’ and participated in the ‘European Think Tank’ that was established to overcome the challenges that faced eastern European communities.