The Lech Walesa Award will be presented for the 7th time. During the ceremony to be held in Gdansk on 29 September, the Winner will receive a diploma, a statuette, and a financial recognitions of 100, 000 USD.

The Winner is chosen by the Award Chapter chaired by President Lech Walesa and including: Stanislav Shushkevich, former Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Belarus; Jan Krzysztof Bielecki, Poland’s former Prime Minister; Bernard Kouchner, France’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Władysław Bartoszewski, Poland’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Emil Constantinescu, Romania’s former President; Rita Suessmuth, former President of the Bundestag; and Zbigniew Jagiełło, President of PKO Bank Polski.

Up to-date the Lech Walesa Award has been presented six times, subsequently to the following:

• King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, awarded for the promotion of inter-faith dialogue and efforts to bring peace to the Middle East;
• Shadi Sadr, the Ladan sisters, and Roya Boroumand, Iranian female activists for human rights and the rights of women;
• Polska Akcja Humanitarna (Polish Humanitarian Action) and its founder Janina Ochojska for supporting the ideal of humanitarian solidarity through charity;
• Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brasilia’s former President, for his contribution towards peaceful understanding and solidarity in cooperation among nations, particularly for consolidating the position of the developing countries on the international arena and his efforts to level social inequality;
• Alexander Balatsky, Belarussian dissident, honoured for his endeavours to democratize Belarus, active promotion of human rights, and assistance provided to the individuals persecuted by the current Belarusian authorities;
• Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russian businessman, for the courage in promoting civil society values; for determination to establish foundations of economic freedom; and for the unwavering struggle for justice and human dignity.

More at award web site