Krzysztof Śliwiński

Krzysztof Edmund Śliwiński Polish Catholic activist, participant in the democratic opposition during the PRL period, diplomat.

Son of Edmund and Jadwiga. He graduated from biological studies at the University of Warsaw . In 1969 he defended his doctoral thesis there. He also graduated in theology at the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw . He worked as an assistant professor at the Institute of Zoology of the University of Warsaw from 1961. In the years 1974–1979 he was a lecturer at the University of Kisangani in Zaire. He resigned from scientific work in 1980.

From the 1960s, he was an active member of the Catholic Intelligentsia Club in Warsaw, e.g. chaired the Youth Section, participated in the work of the Culture Section, was a member of the club's board (in terms of office 1966/1967, 1969/1970, 1973/1974, 1974/1975, 1980/1981, 1981/1984, 1984/1985, 1987/1988, 1988 /1989 and 1989/1990). At the turn of the 1960s and 1970s, he was one of the initiators of KIK's contacts with the so-called commandos . In 1973, as part of the Culture Section, he started the annual action of tidying up the historic part of the Jewish cemetery in Warsaw. In 2011 he became an honorary member of the Kik in Warsaw.

During the August events in 1980 , he joined the appeal of 64 scientists, writers and journalists addressed to the communist authorities to start a dialogue with striking workers. From September 9, 1980, together with Katarzyna Cywińska, he ran a consultation point at the seat of the KIK, helping newly established trade unions. Then he became involved in the work of the board of the Mazowsze Region of NSZZ "Solidarność" , e.g. he was the first manager of the board office, after which he headed the foreign department. In November 1980 he became a member of the Society of Scientific Courses . After the introduction of martial law , he was interned on December 13, 1981, he stayed in the internment center in Jaworze; he was dismissed in December 1982. In the 1980s he was a member of the editorial staff of the monthly "Znak", he prepared reviews of the domestic and foreign press for the magazine. His name, however, was not disclosed in the imprint. In 1988 he became a member of the Citizens' Committee under the chairman of NSZZ "Solidarity" Lech Wałęsa . He was also a member of the PEN Club.

From 1989 to 1990 he was deputy editor-in-chief of "Gazeta Wyborcza". In 1990 he became the Polish ambassador to Morocco . After the end of this mission, he headed the Information Department, at the same time being the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1994-1995), he was the government plenipotentiary for contacts with the Jewish diaspora (1995-1999), adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on conflicts in Africa (1999-2000) and the Polish ambassador to South Africa (2000–2004). In 1998 he received the title of ambassador ad personam. He was a member of the Support Committee of the Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw.

He died on January 7, 2021 and buried in the forest cemetery in Laski.