The 18th Gala of Polish Congress Ambassadors, co-organised by Polish Tourism Organisation, was held in Poznań on 27 September along with the Poznań Meetings Challenge conference under the honorary patronage of President of POT Robert Andrzejczyk.

The Polish Congress Ambassadors programme is aimed at promoting Poland as the seat of international congresses and conferences. It is jointly implemented by Polish Tourism Organisation (Polska Organizacja Turystyczna - POT) and the non-governmental Polish Conference and Congress Association (Stowarzyszenie Konferencje i Kongresy w Polsce), with the regional support of locally operating Ambassador Clubs.

This year’s gala presented 16 new Polish Congress Ambassadors. Polish Conference and Congress Association also received a special distinction on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.

“Polish Tourism Organisation is intensely supporting the meetings industry through the activities of Poland Convention Bureau and cooperation with industry organisations. The list of noteworthy initiatives includes the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme, which year after year keeps expanding to the benefit of the Polish tourism sector”, commented Vice President of POT Agnieszka Jędrzejczyk.

“Connecting the scientific and business communities, the Polish Congress Ambassadors Gala is unquestionably an important and necessary event. As in the case of all major organizations, the everyday undertakings of PGE Narodowy need to maintain a multitude of international relations exerting a highly positive impact on its operations and providing numerous new concepts. Thanks to Polish Congress Ambassadors we are able to effectively reach increasingly numerous groups of recipients”, added Alicja Omięcka, President of the Management Board of PGE Narodowy’s operator.

As a result of changes introduced this year, for the very first time the Gala also distinguished Polish Congress Patrons. The award is a way of honouring and appreciating the role of sponsors supporting a staged meeting or event.

Earlier that same day the Poznań Meetings Challenge conference was staged by the Polish Conference and Congress Association and dedicated to challenges facing the Polish and Poznań meetings market and the cooperation of meeting organisers with sponsors and partners. The latter item was inspired by introducing a brand-new category (Polish Congress Patrons) into the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme. The needs and expectations of meeting planners were presented to the industry, while organisers learnt about support programmes offered by the meetings sector to secure international events for Poland. Vice President of POT Agnieszka Jędrzejczyk welcomed participants. The agenda of Poznań Meetings Challenge also included the meetings industry’s future in Poznań. Panellists discussed the function played by a major trade fair-congress venue in the city’s promotion and debated if small and medium-sized entrepreneurs of the meetings sector match their marketing operations to Poznań International Fair or create their own sales policy. Finally, the list of topics encompassed ways of securing sponsors.

Complete list of new Honorary Polish Congress Ambassadors:

1. Izabela Albrycht, Kościuszko Institute - European Integration Institute
2. Prof. dr hab. Małgorzata Filip, Institute of Pharmacology - Polish Academy of Sciences
3. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Zbigniew Gąsior, Division and Clinic of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia; 2nd Department of Cardiology, Upper-Silesian Medical Centre in Katowice
4. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Alicja Hubalewska-Dydejczyk, Jagiellonian University Medical College
5. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Sergiusz Jóźwiak, Department of Child Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw
6. Dr hab. Michał Lenartowicz, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw
7. Prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Makowski, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Faculty of Historical Studies, Institute of History
8. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Dariusz Matosiuk, Rector for Scientific Affairs, Medical University of Lublin, Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Medicines
9. Dr hab. Jacek Misiurewicz, Warsaw University of Technology, Institute of Electronic Systems
10. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Konrad Rejdak, Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 4 in Lublin
11. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Monika Rudzińska, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice
12. Prof. dr hab. Kinga Suwińska, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw
13. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Piotr Szopiński, Department of Vascular Surgery, Institute of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine
14. Prof. dr hab. inż. Arkadiusz Wójs, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Institute of Physics,
15. Dr hab. inż. Robert Wrembel, Poznań University of Technology, Faculty of Computing, Institute of Computing
16. Tomasz Zjawiony, Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice

The 2018 Polish Congress Patron title was awarded to:

1. The ADAMED Group for supporting the congress of the Polish Society for Vascular Surgery and educational undertakings held in partnership with the Society,
2. Fortum Power and Heat Polska Sp. z o.o. for supporting the Open Eyes Economy Summit – an international congress of the economy of values.

The jury presented the special Patron of the 2017 Polish Congress Ambassadors Gala distinction to Concept Music Art Sp. z o.o in recognition of the technological and logistical support it provided for last year’s event and the comprehensive multimedia concept inspired by the oeuvre of Stanisław Wyspiański.

The next Gala of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme will be held on 21 October 2019 in the International Congress Centre in Katowice.

Photo: Piotr Pasieczny / FOTOBUENO