November 24, 2022

Panel discussion on the Polish Solidarity Movement to be held at Elms College

REGIONAL
Staff report

A man holds a flag of the Polish Solidarity movement while attending the funeral of Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 8, 2005. The pope’s countrymen thanked him for helping free Poland from communism. (CNS file photo from Reuters) 

CHICOPEE – The Polish Center of Discovery and Learning, the Kosciuszko Foundation (New England Chapter) and the Institute for Theology and Pastoral Studies at Elms College, has announced it will host a panel discussion on the decade of Polish Solidarity (1980- 89), its connection to the Catholic Church and Cardinal Wojtyla (the future Pope John Paul II), and its impact on contemporary issues facing democracy in Europe and in the U.S.

The discussion, which is free and open to the public, will be held Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. in the Alumnae Library at Our Lady of the Elms College, 291 Springfield St., Chicopee, MA 01013.

Poland’s Solidarity movement, Solidarność, founded in 1980, was a broad anti-authoritarian social movement to advance the causes of workers’ rights and social change. Government attempts to destroy the union through imposition of martial law and the use of political repression failed. Operating underground, with significant financial support from the Vatican and the United States, the union survived and by the later 1980s had entered negotiations with the government.

A panel comprised of Marek Lesniewski-Laas, former Honorary Consul General for the Republic of Poland, New England states; Elizabeth Wasiutynski, volunteer for the Underground Polish Solidarity Movement; and Andre Blaszczynski, former president of Solidarity International, will present their knowledge, experience, and association with the Solidarność movement.

This discussion follows Elms College’s First Year Seminar Catholic Social Teaching theme which connects to the common read, Crossing the Line, by Kareem Rosser. Students will have discussed solidarity and creatively explored contemporary movements related to this theme prior to the panel discussion.

“Poland has a long history of social unrest, with Solidarity being the most recent,” said Joanne Gruszkos, chair of the board at the Polish Center. “Understanding past events and how they impact the world today can bring about empathy and understanding for groups of people whose history may be different from the mainstream.”

“The common read, Crossing the Line, emphasizes seeking peace despite violence, hardships, and injustices,” said Jill Bigos, co-director of the First Year Seminar. “Hearing from those with personal experience gives our first-year students further examples of solidarity in action, as well as a global perspective,”

For questions or more information about the Nov. 30 panel discussion, call 413-537-1732 or 413-695-7274.