Lech Walesa, former president of Poland, took questions from an audience of 50 Elon students during a session Oct. 3. Details...
Walesa focused on the globalization of the world and told students he believes their generation will be asked to answer a myriad of questions about globalization. He said it is up to them to think globally.
“I think that today’s politicians do not focus very much on globalization,” Walesa said, speaking through a translator. “Communications, ecology and economics have all been globalized,” Walesa said, noting that borders between countries are, in many cases, artificial and costly to protect.
“It is more costly to guard and protect the U.S.-Mexican border than it would be to create jobs for those wanting to come here,” Walesa said. “Borders are the relics from the old era.” Now more than ever, Walesa said he believes the world must join together to find rational, intellectual and non-violent solutions to the problems it faces. Walesa said the recent terrorist attacks and the consideration of an appropriate response to them provide an opportunity to do just that.
“If we decide to hit them with military force, innocent people will be hurt and we will see new hatred,” Walesa said. “But we need to demonstrate our military potential and determination. My senses tell me that more than 99 percent of people around the globe will stand up on the side of right, and the remainder, the terrorists, will be betrayed by their own people.”
Walesa was asked about the Solidarity movement and his role in bringing democracy to Poland. “By nature, I am a man who is very free and hates restrictions. Communism was imposed on Poland after World War II, and it was a system that told us who we should love and who we should hate. It restricted all types of freedom.”
Rather than finding its success in a battle waged with weapons, Walesa said Solidarity won the hearts and minds of the Polish people with common sense. “Military force was doomed to fail,” against the Communists, “so I saw a need for a sophisticated, refined struggle based on intellect. That’s what Solidarity was,” Walesa said.
Chosen as Poland’s first democratically elected president in 1990, Walesa was asked if there was anything he would change about his tenure if given the opportunity. “Perhaps there are some minor things I would have done differently. But from the point of view of my human potential, I couldn’t have done it any better,” Walesa said.
Walesa’s question-and-answer session was the final stop during his visit to Elon. He hosted a news conference, delivered the address at Fall Convocation and attended a reception in his honor Tuesday evening.