U.S. Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe proudly awarded the prestigious 2008 Karski Freedom Award to Tadeusz Mazowiecki for his work to promote democracy and human rights in Poland at a ceremony at the Ambassador's residence on December 3, 2007. To listen to Ambassador Ashe's remarks at the event, or Mr. Mazowiecki's acceptance speech, please click on the link at Polskie Radio here: http://www.polskieradio.pl/iar/wiadomosci/artykul26875.html.
The event was well-attended by a broad range of notable Polish government officials, including Culture Minister Bogdan Zdrojewski, Minister of Education Katarzyna Hall, Polish Ambassador to the United States Janusz Koźmiński, Polish Ambassador to Iraq Edward Pietrzyk, Undersecretary of State for Social and Jewish Affairs Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka, and Sejm Deputy Marek Borowski. Former President of Poland Aleksander Kwaśniewski also attended the event. A number of ambassadors to Poland attended, including Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Olexandr Motsyk, Israeli Ambassador to Poland David Peleg, British Ambassador to Poland Ric Todd, and Canadian Ambassador to Poland David Preston. Other notables included writer Janusz Głowacki, filmaker Andrzej Wajda, Editor-in-Chief of Gazeta Wyborcza Adam Michnik, Chairman of the Union of Jewish Congregations in Poland Piotr Kadlcik, President of the Polish-American Freedom Foundation Ambassador Jerzy Koźmiński, and Deputy Director of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews Ewa Wierzyńska.