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June 2016

1st Edition of the Award

In June 2016, the first Józef Oleksy Award ceremony took place in the Column Hall of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. Prof. Karol Modzelewski became the laureate of the first edition of the Józef Oleksy.

This year's award was presented by Maria Oleksy and President Aleksander Kwaśniewski. The ceremony took place on June 18, 2016 in the Sejm's column Hall, where over 400 people gathered.
The meeting was chaired by Jerzy Wenderlich, deputy chairman of SLD and former deputy speaker of the Sejm. He emphasized that it had "a common bond, which is friendship and a good memory of Jozef Oleksy".
Andrzej Kratiuk, a friend of Józef Oleksy and one of the originators of his commemoration, spoke about the need to preserve the memory and continue the achievements of the patron of the Award. He recalled how in January 2015, after the death of Józef Oleksy, people from his environment recognized that his achievements and the values which he was faithful cannot be forgotten. That is why the Award will be given to those who, in their activities and life, are faithful to the ideas that guided Józef Oleksy. The Honorary Committee and the Chapter recognized prof. Karol Modzelewski. As Maria Oleksy said during the ceremony, the Professor was an example and an authority for her husband. In his speech, the laureate recalled the difficult time, when at the turn of 1995 and 1996, after the false accusations against Jozef Oleksy, only a few did not believe in the slander and did not succumb to the atmosphere of the political campaign.
Karol Modzelewski was born on November 23, 1937, a historian; professor of humanities; member of the Polish United Workers 'Party in the years 1957 - 1964, expelled from the Polish United Workers' Party after writing his "Letter to the Party" with Jacek Kuroń, then an opposition activist, imprisoned and interned during martial law; in the Third Republic of Poland, a senator of the first term, a knight of the Order of the White Eagle.
The initiators of the award are the family and friends of Józef Oleksy from the time of his political activity and scientific work at the Warsaw School of Economics (former SGPiS). The Honorary Committee of the Award is composed of: Aleksander Kwaśniewski - chairman, Andrzej Kurz, Hieronim Kubiak, Jacek Majchrowski, Dariusz Rosati and Jerzy Wenderlich.

Links to other sources :
polsatnews.pl wnp.pl portaltrybuna.pl
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2nd Edition
March 2018

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