Ambassadors of “White Ribbon Distinction”

It is with great pleasure that we would like to inform you the title of Ambassador of White Ribbon Distinction was bestowed upon: Mr. President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Marek Balicki, Wojciech Gąssowski, Emilian Kamiński, Robert Korzeniowski, Zbigniew Niemczycki, Rev. Arkadiusz Nowak, Prof. Wiktor Osiatyński, Andrzej Pągowski, Grzegorz Turnau, „Diablo” Włodarczyk.

The Chapter of the White Ribbon Distinction is formed by: Jolanta Kwaśniewska, Urszula Nowakowska, Krystyna Kofta, Nina Kowalewska – Motlik, Elżbieta Pomaska, Irena Santor and Bożena Toeplitz.

“The „White Ribbon” contest is distinguished as one of the most important civic enterprises in Poland. Violence against women is one of the most common and – unfortunately – widely accepted form of violation of human dignity. More than too often a relationship of two loving people with time transforms into slavery and marriage in turn implies wife waiving in presence of her husband the same rights that protect her from violence or rape from a stranger. And even when the violence is not physical, its verbal, economical or psychological forms are just as humiliating. The victims of violence feel helpless mainly because it is a phenomenon widely tolerated. Thus a need exists for people who can say “Stop!”. Bearing in mind the character of these acts and stereotypes behind them, men should be among such people. It is important for them to be well-known and widely acknowledged. This gives the reason for existence of “White Ribbon Distinction”.

Wiktor Osiatyński

Warsaw, the 3rd of Dec. 2010

“Violence is a phenomenon which is not to be tolerated regardless of whom it afflicts. Violence against women is something that cannot be justified, is a proof of failure, weakness, primal instincts, lack of sensitivity and most basic feelings in an individual committing such a foul act.
Please remember, all you “macho-” and “strongmen” as well as any of you, that any form of violence against women physical or not is an ultimate proof of your weakness and restlessness.
Remember all those of you who make decisions in our political, economical or social lives that we often commit to violence against women by revoking them the equal right to work, be paid or take part in public life. Don’t you dare think such an act is something which hurts less!!!“

Aleksander Kwaśniewski