UEFA President visits Solidarność birthplace

UEFA President Michel Platini took a guided tour of the Gdansk shipyards, birthplace of the Solidarność trade union, ahead of the UEFA EURO 2012 quarter-final between Germany and Greece on Friday.

The chief of the trade union, Piotr Duda, guided Mr Platini around the shipyard and an exhibition on the union's work in Poland, entitled Roads To Freedom. An official photograph was then taken in front of the city's Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers.

"I'm happy that Mr Platini found time to meet people from Solidarność," said Mr Duda. The UEFA President promised to visit Solidarność when he met Mr Duda at the House of European Football in Nyon a year ago.

Mr Platini was also invited to attend a ceremony at the city's Władysławowo sports centre, where a star on the pavement was laid in his honour, as part of a walk of fame in Gdansk.