WROCLAW, POLAND – Between May 31 and June 2, Wrocław, the capital city of Lower Silesia, will be host to, among others, three incumbent presidents, four prime ministers, an EU commissioner and ministers responsible for shaping foreign policy. Among the many renowned leaders who have confirmed their attendance, Wrocław will be visited by Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, Ellen Tauscher from the US State Department, Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fϋle, and Lech Walesa.

This year the following leaders will take part in the panels during the Wrocław Global Forum: Former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski; Former German President Horst Köhler; First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Valery Choroszkowski; famous Ukrainian boxer Vitaly Klychko; and former prime ministers of Poland Jerzy Buzek and Jan Krzysztof Bielecki.

As in the previous years, the Freedom Awards will be presented at the conference to individuals who have contributed to extending freedom and civil liberties around the world. The Freedom Awards dinner is co-hosted by the Atlantic Council with support from US Ambassador Poland Lee A. Feinstein and the Polish Ambassador to the United States Robert Kupiecki. This year’s laureates are:

  • Wladyslaw Bartoszewski – a prisoner of Auschwitz, a soldier of the Home Army, former minister
  • of foreign affairs, currently the chairman of the Council for the Protection of Memory of Struggle and Martyrdom.
  • National Endowment for Democracy – an organization supporting democratic initiatives around the world. President Carl Gershman will accept the award on behalf of the organization.
  • Emma Bonino – a member of Italian parliament, former EU commissioner for health and consumer protection, a board member of the Arab Democracy Foundation who has devoted decades to freedom promotion.
  • Moncef Marzouki – the president of Tunisia will be honored, along with the people of Tunisia, for defense of democracy and human rights during the Arab awakening in 2011.

“The Freedom Awards, to be awarded in Wroclaw for the third time this year, are an expression of our appreciation for the people and institutions making a significant contribution to the development of democracy, civil liberties, and human rights around the world,” said Frederick Kempe, President and CEO of the Atlantic Council. “This year we are proud to honor activist Władysław Bartoszewski, a witness to Polish modern history and a tireless advocate of freedom and democracy, and Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki, a true inspiration for democratic movements in the Arab world. We also want to highlight the role of NGOs by recognizing the National Endowment for Democracy, and political activist Emma Bonino.”

The Wrocław Global Forum will be held in the state-of-the-art Wroclaw Congress Center. The event is organized by the City of Wroclaw, the Atlantic Council, and the Wroclaw Global Forum Secretariat. The full conference program and further information can be found at the Wroclaw Global Forum 2012 site: www.wgf2012.eu.