Attention Polish Congress Ambassadors – individuals dedicated to bringing international events to Poland! You can once again submit nominations for Polish Congress Patrons – companies and institutions that support organised events. The application deadline is 15 September 2023.
The Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme (AKP) aims to support and promote the strategic acquisition of international meetings and events in Poland, with a special focus on congresses and conferences. The initiative is led by the Polish Tourism Organisation (PTO) in collaboration with the Poland Convention Bureau and the Polish Conferences and Congresses Association (SKKP). Its success is made possible thanks to the partnership with municipal and regional convention bureaus across Poland, particularly through local Ambassadors’ Clubs, as well as the involvement of invited individuals, institutions, and organisations.
Applications for the title of Polish Congress Ambassador or Polish Congress Patron are open until 15 September 2023. Nominations can be submitted online via the form available at https://akp2022.syskonf.pl
The Congress Ambassadors Programme operates successfully all over the world, for example, in Japan, Slovenia, or the USA. Although under different names, the goal is the same: to select outstanding personalities from the worlds of science and business, as well as all those who acquire congresses and conferences for a given country. In 2023, the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme celebrates its 25th anniversary. Therefore, we encourage you to submit applications for the titles of Ambassador and Patron of Congresses for the years 2022 and 2023, said Agnieszka Szymerowska, Director of the SKKP Office.
Any questions can be submitted to the Secretary of the Chapter Ambassadors Programme, Agnieszka Szymerowska at agnieszka.szymerowska@skkp.org.pl.
Selection of the 2022–2023 Polish Congress Ambassadors and Patrons
In line with the programme’s regulations, the Chapter of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme will select new honorary Ambassadors and Patrons for the years 2022 and 2023. The jury, composed of prominent representatives from the fields of science and industry, is appointed by the programme’s organisers.
This year’s jury includes, among others:
- Rafał Szmytke, President of the Polish Tourism Organisation
- Paula Fanderowska, President of the Polish Conferences and Congresses Association (SKKP)
- Prof. Marek Pawełczyk, Chairman of the Chapter
- Prof. Anna Kalinowska-Żeleźnik
- Michał Fijoł, President of the Board, LOT Polish Airlines
- Gheorghe Marian Cristescu, President of PHH
- Alicja Omięcka, Lublin Airport
- Prof. Bohdan Maruszewski
The selected individuals and institutions will be honoured for their exceptional contributions to promoting Poland as a host country for international congresses and events.
Changes to the programme
This year, the Regulations of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme have been updated to better respond to the reality of the world as it is today. The last update was made in 2018 when the category of Congress Patron was introduced. The current changes have to do with the ability to include hybrid and online events in the achievements of candidates. Just as importantly, in the evaluation of the candidates, the importance of legacy and sustainable organisation of events was stressed.
The above modifications are in line with trends in the organisation of international congresses and conferences. The ICCA Association, which published the results of the Association Meeting Needs study in 2023, notes that organisers are more attentive to issues of sustainability and DEI (more on that in the article ICCA Study Finds Promising Trends).
The Ambassadors Programme celebrates its 25th anniversary this year
This year, the prestigious programme celebrates its 25th anniversary. Over the course of a quarter of a century, 300 ambassadors have been named so far. Every year, the members of the Chapter of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme select the winners from among the nominees for the award, awarding them the honorary title of Ambassador of Polish Congresses and Patron of Polish Congresses. A meeting with the winners and the ceremonial presentation of diplomas take place during the Polish Congress Ambassadors Gala. So far, the gala has been held in Warsaw (until 2009), Kraków (2010), Toruń (2011), Poznań (2012), Wrocław (2013), Kielce (2014), Katowice (2015), Łódź (2016), Kraków (2017), Poznań (2018), Katowice (2019) and in Gdynia for the years 2020 and 2021 (2022). You can read about the last gala in Gdynia here.
Among the Visegrád Group countries, the largest number of people on the boards of international associations are Polish (280 leaders). 106 large congresses organised in our country and presented in the GainingEdge survey translated into the harnessing ratio of 37.9%, which is a result comparable to France and Germany. In terms of our intellectual, scientific, and technological potential, as well as the congress facilities of our cities, we are doing great, but one has to admit that in the GainingEdge survey our numbers are pretty average, which means that despite the unfavourable circumstances, we should activate and inspire our Congress Ambassadors even more. Local Congress Ambassador Clubs operating in Warsaw, Kraków, Poznań and Wrocław (and soon in other cities) bring together scientists and professionals from various industries. Regardless of their function in organisations or associations, Ambassadors are our natural partners in the process geared towards obtaining events. At the same time, it should be emphasised that obtaining events, especially international congresses, is a complicated and long-lasting process. More often than not, you do not win right away, so it is all the more worthwhile to act as a team and support each other; that is what the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme is for,” said Aneta Książek, head of the PTO Poland Convention Bureau.
Additional information about the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme can be found on the dedicated website ambasadorkongresow.pl
Photo credits: Photos from Gdynia in 2023 – Filip Frydrykiewicz
Call for nominations: Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme – submissions open until 30 October 2025
