Pawel Adamowicz

Content created by Virtual Intern  Hannah Kang

Paweł Adamowicz was one of the organizers of Poland's 1988 workers' strikes and later became head of the strike committee while at the University of Gdańsk. He was elected Mayor of Gdańsk in 1998, a position he held for two decades, once garnering 72% of the vote. During his career, he was known as a progressive figure who supported immigration and the rights of minorities, including the LGBTQ community.

Adamowicz received significant awards, including the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Golden Cross by Pope John Paul II that recognizes distinguished service to the Catholic Church, and Poland's Cross of Merit that recognizes service to the state. In 2014, he received the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity for his contributions to Polish democracy. In 2018, he was an honorary patron of the Gdańsk Gay Pride Parade in which he also participated.

In 2003, Adamowicz visited the United States to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) exchange "Economic Development and Provision of Services at the Local Level" that focused on ways local governments can cooperate with the private sector to address environmental concerns.

In January 2019, Pawel Adamowicz was stabbed during a popular, national, live charity event and died the following day. During one of his last speeches – as he had throughout his career – Adamowicz called for inclusion and sustaining democratic values in his homeland, a legacy that lives on in Polish society’s ongoing efforts to promote greater tolerance and respect of the rights of minorities.

Edited by Virtual Interns Regina Navarro-Gomez and Kristin Mitra