On 9 February, the Diplomatic Opening of the Year 2023 took place at the Olympic Center in Warsaw – a ceremonial and traditional New Year’s meeting of representatives of embassies, government and local government institutions and entrepreneurs.
The Diplomatic Opening of the Year is a regular event of the Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG), which aims to present the Polish brand to ambassadors accredited in the Republic of Poland, while also presenting plans for international economic cooperation and the involvement of individual central and local administration units, including economic self-government. For representatives of the diplomatic corps, the world of politics and business – entrepreneurs and experts – participating in the event, it is a forum for exchanging views and experiences on forecasts and economic opportunities in the coming year. Through the presentation of the Polish economy, as well as the potential of Polish regions, foreign diplomats and guests of the event could see for themselves the possibilities of cooperation with Polish partners.
This year the event was held under the slogan: Towards a brighter future.
The official part of the DOY was opened by the president of the PCC, Andrzej Arendarski, and the president of the PCC, Marek Kołoczko, who said during his speech:
After two difficult years for the Polish economy, we want to reach out to business and diplomats with a positive message and focus not so much on responding to current problems, but on thinking about what kind of reality we want to create together. The Polish entrepreneur has repeatedly proved himself to be ahead of global trends and easily adapts to them. Our companies are not only at the forefront of development, but they deserve to have their voice heard on other continents, said Marek Kłoczko, President of the Polish Chamber of Commerce.
Letters to DOY participants from the President and Prime Minister were also read out. The letter from the Polish President was read out by Paweł Szrot, head of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Poland. It read as follows:
Dear Mr President, Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On the occasion of the Diplomatic Opening of the Year 2023 of the Polish Chamber of Commerce, I am sending you warm greetings, sincere thanks and best wishes. Congratulations on your successes in activities that are conducive to the development of Poland and its mutually beneficial economic cooperation with foreign partners. I am glad that we have achieved economic growth, increased exports and foreign direct investments for another year in a row. I hope that also thanks to you and our cooperation, this year we will maintain the growth and development of Poland’s international trade and investment cooperation.
I would like to express my appreciation for your commitment to it last year. I am aware that the challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine affected entrepreneurs around the world. All the more I appreciate your contribution to maintaining stability, economic development and employment in Poland. At the same time, I would like to thank you for your support for Ukraine and its refugees, so many of whom could find safe shelter here. I also see efforts to comply with sanctions and export controls, and to withdraw from operations in Russia. They are important to persuade it to withdraw from Ukraine. To stop Russia’s aggression and its aspirations to cause crises, including energy, food and economic, not only in Ukraine. But also – in the perspective of Ukraine’s reconstruction and its return to the path of development.
I assure you that I am also ready to support the development of Poland’s economic cooperation with its partners, including non-European ones, even more. This will be served by the economic components of my foreign visits, in which I cordially invite and encourage you to cooperate and participate. Implementation of infrastructural connections promoted by me as part of the Three Seas Initiative and among its partners – from transport, through energy to ICT. As well as incentives to work out international agreements that will foster the development of economic cooperation with Poland. I hope that this activity will allow us to fully use its potential and create new business opportunities. I hope that it will also help to stimulate the growth of innovation and competitiveness of the Polish economy and the well-being of Poles.
Please, once again, accept my appreciation for the actions that contribute to the development of Poland and its international economic cooperation. As well as my best wishes for prosperity, success and all the best in the New Year!
Sincerely,
Andrzej Duda
President of the Republic of Poland
The letter from the Prime Minister was read out by Jędrzej Kotarski, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.
The following guests spoke at the event:
Technology, emphasized the great role of investments and trade in the development of the Polish economy, which, despite the dynamically changing reality – first the pandemic, and now a war on our eastern border, as well as high inflation – is actively developing, using the latest technological ideas . He also spoke about support for the struggling Ukraine and cooperation with that country:
Despite the war that has been going on for almost a year now, Ukraine remains a very important economic partner for Poland. In the ministry, we have undertaken a number of support activities for Ukraine and its citizens, emphasized Minister Buda.
Wojciech Gerwel, Undersecretary of State for United Nations Economic Cooperation and Asian Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed the huge role of the PCC in maintaining the tradition of diplomatic meetings. He also pointed out the need to improve effective economic diplomacy, whose task is, among other things, meeting the needs of Polish entrepreneurs who are doing well on foreign markets, as evidenced by the good results of Polish exports in recent years. At the same time, he expressed his appreciation for the network of international contacts of the Polish Chamber of Commerce.
The official part of the event ended with presentations by DOY’s strategic partners, among whom representatives of the voivodship authorities presented their economic and tourist potential:
- Stanisław Kruczek – member of the Board of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship
- Anna Jedynak – Deputy Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship
- Marek Dąbrowski – U– Marshal’s Office of the Podlaskie Voivodeship
- Mariusz Rukant – representative of the Marshal of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship
Jerzy Kwieciński, Vice-President of the Management Board of Pekao SA, proudly and happily informed the gathered guests that on 31 January 2023, Bank Pekao SA signed an agreement with the Polish Chamber of Commerce, the purpose of which is to facilitate the entry of Polish entrepreneurs into foreign markets.
We want to support Polish business in entering foreign markets. Last year, we recorded an approx. 10% increase in Polish exports, and our companies are pushing their way to foreign markets, informed the Vice-President of the Management Board of Pekao SA.
A nice introduction to the unofficial part of the ceremony was a gift lottery. Vouchers funded by PLL LOT and the Polish Hotel Holding Group were raffled.
Afterwards, participants of the Diplomatic Opening of the Year 2023 were invited to a cocktail party. It was an excellent opportunity for individual meetings and talks as well as establishing new business contacts. Regions and other partners of the event also presented themselves at their stands.
The Polish Chamber of Commerce was the organiser of the Diplomatic Opening of the Year for the eighth time, during which guests had the opportunity to discuss economic prospects and opportunities for Poland, Europe and the world in the coming year and summarize what happened in 2022. The dynamically changing geopolitical situation, and the turbulence it caused in the global economy, the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine are becoming an increasing challenge for government and local government administration, and above all for companies and enterprises. Therefore, in these difficult times, activities promoting the Polish economy play a special role.
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