The 2nd European Games 2019 was held in Minsk on 21-30 June. 150 Polish athletes participated in 14 out of 23 disciplines. Polish Olympic Committee set up the Olympic Centre of Poland’s Promotion in the House of the Wańkowicz Family Museum in the capital of Belarus. For the duration of the week-long Games, it acted as the focal point of all activities aimed at promoting Poland’s sport, tourism and culture.

Held under the honorary patronage of Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland, the main event of the Olympic Centre of Poland’s Promotion involved a concert of Stanisław Moniuszko and Fryderyk Chopin given in the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society and conducted by Rotislav Krimer and Polish pianist Łukasz Krupiński. The list of guests included Andrzej Kraśnicki, President of Polish Olympic Committee, competing Polish athletes and team personnel, foreign diplomats and representatives of Belarusian authorities.

The highly comprehensive offer of the Centre earned enthusiastic approval among visitors and guaranteed impressive attendance figures of several thousand guests, who sightsaw vernissages and exhibitions, including “Poland. You are always welcome here!” staged by Polish Tourism Organisation (Polska Organizacja Turystyczna – POT). Among additional highlights mention is due to performances of folklore ensembles, the 4Dreamers pop band and a concert of songs of Anna German. Minsk residents visiting the Olympic Centre of Poland’s Promotion were greeted with traditional Polish cuisine served by cooks from Hotel Zamek Pułtusk.

Daily meetings and thematic lectures drew a great deal of interest and key speakers included Adam Kwiatkowski, Minister of the Chancellery of the President of Republic of Poland, Ambassador Jerzy Drożdż, representative of the National Chamber of Commerce, who discussed the state and growth of Polish economy, Dorota Mamaj, President of the Polish Institute in Minsk, who discussed the culture and art of Poland, and Artur Murawski, Deputy Director of Polish Tourism Organisation International Office in Moscow (“Poland is waiting for you. Visit your neighbor”).

Finally, visitors to the centre had a chance to meet and talk with Polish contestants, Olympic medalists and heads of the Polish Olympic team.

Kraków and Małopolska will host the European Games in 2023.