On the occasion of marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of the “Solidarity” movement, Branko’s Bridge, the Bridge on Ada, the Fountain on Slavija and the Palace “Albania” were illuminated in the colours of the Polish flag.
31 August 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Solidarity movement, which, after a strike that moved from the Lenin shipyard in Gdansk to factories and companies across the country, became the first independent and free trade union in the Soviet bloc.
Since 2005, this day has been celebrated in Poland as a national holiday – Freedom and Solidarity Day, which serves as a reminder of Poland’s 1980 struggle for freedom and independence.
From the very beginning, the inhabitants of Serbia and Belgrade supported “Solidarity” and its spirit of freedom in the fight against communism, and the City of Belgrade confirms the strength of friendly ties between the two countries by supporting the action of illuminating the symbols of Belgrade in the colours of the Polish flag. For decades, the “Solidarity” movement has been a symbol of the beginning of the fall of communism in Europe and the struggle for human and political freedoms that were recognized in Serbia 40 years ago.
In this year of the coronavirus pandemic, during which Poland once again sent a message of solidarity to Serbia with donations to the Serbian health system, the memory of the “Solidarity” movement and its values seems more appropriate than ever.
In the nights 30-31 August and August 31-1 September 2020 in Belgrade, on the occasion of marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of the “Solidarity” movement, Branko’s Bridge, the Bridge on Ada, the Fountain on Slavija and the Palace “Albania” were illuminated in the colours of the Polish flag.