On November 11 Polish President Lech Kaczyński took part in ceremonies in Warsaw’s Piłsudskiego Square marking Independence Day. Accompanied by new Prime Minister-designate Donald Tusk, the President attended the ceremonial changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He also received a military parade, which featured soldiers in historic uniforms representing crucial moments of Pole’s independence struggle. President of neighbouring Lithuania Valdas Adamkus was present at the event. President Kaczyński spoke about the nation’s struggle for freedom, which culminated on November 11 1918 when Poland regained independence after 123 years of foreign rule. He described the nation-building process, which had been interrupted by World War II and followed by the period of communist rule. “For 18 years now we have lived in a free Poland. In the summer and autumn of 1989 another free Polish state, the Third Republic, was formed,” Lech Ka-czyński said. “Poland is now in NATO. It is a European Union member state. Just a few days ago an agreement was signed making it part of the Schengen group. For Polish people, just like for the majority of other European citizens, the area stretching from Finland to Portugal has become an area where we can move freely, just like within our own country.