Jolanta Kwaśniewska (Polish: [jɔˈlanta kfaɕˈɲɛfska], née Konty, [ˈkɔntɨ]; born 3 June 1956)[1] is a Polish lawyer and charity activist who was First Lady of Poland between 1995 and 2005, as the wife of the then President Aleksander Kwaśniewski.

Jolanta Kwaśniewska
First Lady of Poland
In role
23 December 1995 – 23 December 2005
PresidentAleksander Kwaśniewski
Preceded byDanuta Wałęsa
Succeeded byMaria Kaczyńska
Personal details
Born
Jolanta Konty

(1956-06-03) 3 June 1956 (age 68)
Wrzawy, Poland
Spouse
(m. 1979)
ChildrenAleksandra Kwaśniewska
Alma materUniversity of Gdańsk
AwardsOrder of Leopold - Grand Cross Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana - First Class Order of Isabella the Catholic - Grand Cross Order of the Precious Crown - 1st Class National Order of Merit Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany - Grand Cross Order of Meit of Norway - Grand Cross Order of Merit of Portugal - Grand Cross Cross of the President of the Slovak Republic - 1st Class Medal of Dr. Henry Jordan Order of the Smile

Biography

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She was a graduate of the 9th High School in Gdańsk. In 1979, she graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Gdańsk, then tried to pass the judge's apprenticeship exam. During her studies, she was the head of the faculty council of the Socialist Union of Polish Students.

In November 1979, she married Aleksander Kwasniewski. On February 16, 1981, she gave birth to a daughter, Aleksandra. In 1984, she started her professional career in the Swedish-Polish Polish diaspora PAAT, producing, among others, imitation jewellery for the Soviet Union market. In this company, she was, among others Chief Commercial Officer. In 1991 she started her own business - a real estate agency called Royal Wilanów, which she founded with the wife of Ireneusz Nawrocki, later president of Powszechny Zakład Ubezpieczeń (PZU) Życie. She managed this agency until her husband took the office of President of Poland in 1995. During her husband's office, the company was handed over to trusteeship. After the end of the second presidential term of her husband in 2005, she returned to the management of this agency.

Personal life

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She met the future president while she was a law student at the University of Gdańsk, and they married in 1979. During her studies, she was the president of the executive committee of the Socialist Union of Polish Students, in which her husband was also active.[1]

She has been widely involved in charity work, and in 1997 founded the charity foundation Porozumienie bez barier ("Understanding Without Barriers"), whose aims include providing help and support to sick and disabled children.[2]

She is also the host of the television show Lekcja stylu ("Lessons in Style") on TVN Style.[1]

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Wprost magazine, Ludzie, "Jolanta Kwasniewska"
  2. ^ "Fundacja Jolanty Kwaśniewskiej "Porozumienie bez barier", foundation website". Archived from the original on 2010-02-13. Retrieved 2010-02-08.
  3. ^ Belgian royal official site, Gala dinner, Group photo of President, his wife and the Royal Family
  4. ^ "Vabariigi President". www.president.ee. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  5. ^ "Par Triju zvaigžņu ordeņa piešķiršanu - Latvijas Vēstnesis". www.vestnesis.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2019-12-01.
Honorary titles
Preceded by First Lady of Poland
1995–2005
Succeeded by