Sir Elton John honoured for pro-Democracy support in Poland

Sir Elton John will be honoured in Poland this weekend (07-08Jul12) for his part in aiding the country's anti-Communist movement in the 1980s.

The Rocket Man risked arrest by publicly praising trade union leader Lech Walesa during a concert in the Eastern European country in 1984 when it was illegal to support pro-Democracy campaigners.

Walesa went on to become Poland's president in 1990 and helped transform the country from a Communist state - and now he will present the singer with the Medal of Gratitude when the Brit performs in Sopot on Sunday (08Jul12).

A spokesperson for Walesa's former political party Solidarity says, "We award this to foreigners who helped Poland during its long struggle for freedom.

"Elton John came here and gave us the support we needed when we were living in a police state where people were getting beaten up and killed like in George Orwell's (dystopian novel) 1984."