Free Word Association (SWS) brings together participants of the anti-communist opposition, “Solidarity” underground, and independent culture movements in the years 1976-1989.
The Association was founded in 2003 and now it counts over a thousand members.
Our members have acted in the clandestine publishing movement. They were printers, editors, journalists, publishers and distributors of uncensored independent press.
They eventually won the battle against monopoly on information kept by totalitarian state.
The major concern of the Association are historical researches, collection of testimonies and promulgation among next generations the knowledge about and the ideals of the anticommunist opposition in People's Republic of Poland in the years 1976-1989. The aim of ongoing activities of SWS is integration of the former activists of different groups and circles that composed anti communist opposition, and to support those of our members who are badly off.
In the past we, the Poles, had received substantial moral and political support in our struggle for freedom and human rights from the en- tire democratic world. Now it is our turn to help other people to fight for liberty and against authoritarianism. This is why the members of SWS actively supported Ukrainian “Orange Revolution” and “Euromaidan” in Kiev, and assisted the opposition in Belarus, Vietnam and in other countries with dictatorial regimes.
SWS cooperates with human rights defenders in Russia, Chechnya, China, Tibet, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Burma and Cuba.
We take it as our duty and honor to help freedom movements. It is repayment of debt. We would have never won with communists if it hadn’t been for help from the democratic world.