22 new Honorary Ambassadors of Polish Congresses were named by the Chapter of the Programme in October.

2023 marks the 25^th anniversary of the Programme, which is run jointly by the Polish Conference & Congress Association (SKKP) and the Polish Tourism Organisation together with the Poland Convention Bureau. The purpose of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme is to acquire congresses to Poland and to provide effective assistance in attracting such events to our country by Poles who are active in the structures of international organisations, e.g. scientists and professionals representing various industries.

“We are very happy that the statuettes of the Honorary Congress Ambassador will be presented to 22 personalities of the world of science from many Polish cities. This is tangible proof that the cities hosting congress and conference events effectively use the intellectual potential of their academic and scientific centres and build lasting relations with the local academic community, treating the Congress Ambassadors Programme not only as an effective tool for acquiring congresses and congresses, but also an instrument for place marketing. The group of Polish ambassadors, whose list now exceeds three hundred people, places us high among other countries”, said Paula Fanderowska, President of SKKP.

Applications from different backgrounds

Applications for this edition of the programme could be submitted via an online platform, starting in mid-July this year.

“The number of applications was high, which was a clear sign for us, the organisers, that the Programme is still visible and necessary”, said Agnieszka Szymerowska, Secretary of the AKP Chapter. “Local candidates were submitted by municipal and regional convention bureaus, PCO, academics or already appointed Ambassadors.” The jury worked dynamically, with plenty to discuss while considering particular candidates.

List of winners of the title of Polish Congress Ambassadors for the years 2022 – 2023

1. Łukasz Wilczyński, European Space Foundation
2. Janusz Walo, PhD Eng., Associate Prof. at the Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography
3. Andrzej Mariusz Fal, M. D., National Medical Institute of the Ministry of Interior and Administration/Polish Society of Public Health
4. Anna Jupowicz-Ginalska, Faculty of Journalism, Information, and Book Studies, University of Warsaw
5. Justyna Kowalska, Medical University of Warsaw
6. Barbara Smorczewska, Polish Association of Organisational Psychology and the University of Silesia in Katowice
7. Barbara Kożusznik, University of Silesia
8. Jacek Mazek, M. D., A. Gruca Independent Public Clinical Hospital in Otwock
9. Małgorzata Barańska, Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków
10. Magdalena Frąc, Institute of Agrophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences
11. Agnieszka Pleti, Poland Business Run Foundation
12. Małgorzata Grobelna, JiM Foundation
13. Piotr Węgrzyn, Candela Foundation
14. Aleksander Bursche, Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw
15. Mirosław Jarosiński, Associate Prof. at the Warsaw School of Economics
16. Marek Gzik, PhD, Eng. Silesian University of Technology
17. Magdalena Rudzińska, Head of the Institute of Food Technology of Plant Origin, Poznań University of Life Sciences
18. Marek Szostak, PhD, Eng., Associate Prof. at the Poznań University of Technology/Rotopol Association
19. Zbigniew Zagórski, M. D., Founder of the OCHO Medical Group
20. Prof. Agnieszka Kryszczyńska, Director of the Astronomical Observatory Institute, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
21. Katarzyna Dziubalska-Kołaczyk, Vice-Rector for Research, School of Languages and Literatures, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
22. Paweł Gajdzis, University Clinical Hospital/Medical University of Wrocław

“It is thanks to your involvement in the past term that we were able to select 70 Polish Congress Ambassadors. Additionally, due to changes introduced in the Programme’s regulations in 2018, acknowledging the role of sponsors supporting meetings and events, we were also able to select seven Patrons of Polish Congresses”, said Aneta Książek, Head of PCB POT and long-term Secretary of the Chapter. She summed up the meeting by saying, “The recent years have been full of challenges. We hoped that the official meeting with the winners and the presentation of the titles of the Ambassador of Polish Congresses (2020 and 2021 editions) and the Patron of Polish Congresses 2020 would take place during the Gala of Polish Congress Ambassadors, which was planned in Gdynia. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, the Gala was postponed twice before it finally took place in May 2023.”

The 2022-2023 Polish Congress Ambassadors Gala will be held in the spring of 2024 in Silesia.

Chapter of the Programme in 2020-2023

Chaired by Prof. Marek Pawełczyk, this session of the Chapter was the last one to be held with the following participants:

1. Gheorghe Marian Cristescu, Chairman of the Board, Polish Hotel Holding
2. Mateusz Czerwiński, Vice President of the Warsaw Convention Bureau
3. Paula Fanderowska, President of SKKP, Vice President of Krakow5020 Sp. z o.o.
4. Michał Fijoł, President of the Board of LOT Polish Airlines
5. Paweł Jaskanis, Director of the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów
6. Anna Kalinowska-Żeleźnik, Associate Prof. at the WSB Merito University in Gdańsk, Dean of the Faculty of Business
7. Aneta Książek, Head of Poland Convention Bureau POT
8. Krzysztof A. Makowski, Faculty of History, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
9. Bohdan Maruszewski, M. D., Head of the Cardiac Surgery Clinic at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute
10. Krzysztof Mikulski, Institute of History and Archival Sciences, Faculty of Historical Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University
11. Józef Modelski, PhD Eng., Institute of Radioelectronics and Multimedia Technologies, Warsaw University of Technology
12. Alicja Omięcka, Member of the Supervisory Board of Lublin Airport
13. Marek Pawełczyk, Vice-Rector for Science and Development, Silesian University of Technology, Chairman of the Chapter
14. Rafał Szmytke, President of the Polish Tourism Organisation
15. Agnieszka Szymerowska, Office Director and Member of the Board at SKKP, Secretary of the Chapter
16. Ireneusz Węgłowski, President of the Polish Hotel Industry Chamber
17. Tomasz Zjawiony, President of the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Katowice
18. Sabrina Żymierska, Member of the Board at SKKP, Director of the Congress and Event Facilities Group, MTP Group

For more information visit ambasadorkongresow.pl