Lech Wałęsa

"Silence, too, can speak out."

— Lech Wałęsa, 1983

Before becoming the first Polish president ever elected by popular vote, Lech Wałęsa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 for his tireless efforts fighting nonviolently for human rights and trade unions in his country. This line from his acceptance speech shows that silence can carry a gravity of its own. You don’t need to shout or even speak to make your point; sometimes a well-placed silence makes it for you.