By Selena Stevens

Lech Walesa, leader of Poland's 10 million-member Solidarity movement, Poland's first democratically elected president and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, will speak on Oct. 23 at the Singletary Center for the Arts.

Oct. 3, 2001 (Lexington, Ky.) -- Poland's first democratically elected president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Walesa will speak at the Singletary Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Tudesay, Oct. 23.

In 1980, Walesa led a 10 million-member Solidarity Labor movement meant to end communist leadership throughout Eastern Europe.

Despite repeated imprisonment, Walesa successfully aided in ending communist rule in Eastern Europe. For this work, Walesa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983. He also was named man of the year by Time magazine, The Financial Times, The London Observer, Die Welt, Die Zeit, L' Express and Le Soir.

Seven years later, Walesa was elected president of Poland and set the country on the path to becoming a free-market democracy.

Soon after, he became the head of the Lech Walesa Institute, which seeks to reform democracy and free markets in Eastern Europe and throughout the developing world. Walesa's visit to UK is sponsored by the UK Student Activities Board.

Tickets are free, and students will have priority for seating. Tickets are available at the UK Student Center Ticket office and by calling (859) 257-8427.