Mikhail Khodorkovsky at EAD Inauguration

Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky was a special guest of the ceremony of Graduation of the 12th edition and Inauguration of the 13th edition of the Academy of Young Diplomats held on 3 December. Mr. Khodorkovsky presented the best graduates with cum laude diplomas. The scholars of the 13th edition received scholarships from Member of the Board of PZU Foundation and President of the Casimir Pulaski Foundation.

During the ceremony, Mr. Khodorkovsky, Russian dissident, former co-owner of Yukos and founder of Open Russia Foundation was awarded the “Knight of Freedom” award, given by the Casimir Pulaski Foundation for his uncompromising efforts in building rule of law, civil society and promoting European values in the Russian society.

The Casimir Pulaski Foundation gives the Knight of Freedom Award to outstanding persons who promote the values represented by General Casimir Pulaski: freedom, justice, and democracy. Prizewinners include: Professor Władysław Bartoszewski, Professor Norman Davies, Alaksandar Milinkiewicz, President Lech Wałęsa, President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, President Valdas Adamkus, Bernard Kouchner, and Richard Lugar, President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, President Mikheil Saakashvili, Radek Sikorski i Carl Bildt and President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.

The Casimir Pulaski Foundation is an independent, non-partisan think-tank specializing in foreign policy and international security. The Pulaski Foundation provides analyses that describe and explain international developments, identify trends in international environment, and contain possible recommendations and solutions for government decision makers and private sector managers to implement.