ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Solidarity (Polish trade union)

Okay, so let's imagine we are playing in the playground and there are many kids there. Now, sometimes some kids might not get treated fairly. They might not get to play the games they want to play or get enough food at snack time. This is not very nice, is it?

Now, imagine if all of the other kids decided to come together and support the kid who was not being treated fairly. They might say, "Hey, that's not fair! Let's all stand together and make sure everyone is treated equally." This is called solidarity.

This is what the Polish trade union, Solidarity, was all about. A long time ago, in Poland, a group of people were not being treated fairly by the government. They were not being paid enough money to live and work in safe conditions. That's when a man named Lech Walesa decided to start a movement called Solidarity.

Thousands of people joined this movement to show their support for each other and fight for fair treatment. They stood together and showed the government that they would not accept being treated unfairly anymore. And with their strong unity, they were able to achieve their goals and improve their working conditions.

So, solidarity is about standing together with others to support them and fight for fair treatment. It's about being kind and standing up for what is right, even if it's hard. And that's why Solidarity is an important part of Polish history.