On 17 September 2026, the Polish Congress Ambassadors Gala 2026 was held at Lubelskie Centrum Konferencyjne (Lublin Conference Centre). This year’s event was particularly significant: for the first time, the Gala took place in Lublin, hosted by Lubelskie Centrum Konferencyjne, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. The highlight of the evening was the recognition of 23 new Polish Congress Ambassadors – representatives of academia, business and professional organisations whose work and international engagement help attract congresses, conferences and other major events to Poland.
The Gala brought together representatives of academia, the meetings industry, local and regional authorities, and institutions involved in developing Poland’s congress sector. In addition to the presentation of awards, the event provided an opportunity to meet, exchange ideas and highlight the importance of cooperation between academics, business leaders and meetings industry professionals.
The Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme, jointly run since 1998 by the Polish Conference and Congress Association and Poland Convention Bureau of the Polish Tourism Organisation, has for many years brought these communities together around a shared objective: successfully attracting and delivering international events in Poland.
The importance of the Programme was strongly emphasised during the official speeches.
Magdalena Krucz, President of the Polish Tourism Organisation, highlighted the particular value of face-to-face meetings in a world increasingly shaped by technology: “In a world of rapid technological change, the development of artificial intelligence and digital communication, one thing remains unchanged. Meetings between people continue to have the greatest value.”
As she noted, congresses and conferences are where new ideas, partnerships, scientific discoveries and solutions to contemporary challenges emerge. Behind the success of these events are individuals who use their knowledge, experience, authority and international networks to bring them to Poland.
It is this dimension of the Programme that makes the Gala more than an awards ceremony. It is a form of recognition for people whose involvement in international organisations and associations contributes to the development of Polish science, the economy and the meetings industry, while strengthening Poland’s position as a destination for important debate, knowledge exchange and international cooperation.
During the evening, representatives of the organisers and hosts addressed the guests: Agnieszka Szymerowska, President of the Polish Conference and Congress Association, and Aleksander Batorski, Director of Lubelskie Centrum Konferencyjne. Participants also heard from Prof. Marek Pawełczyk, Chair of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme Chapter, in a pre-recorded message.
Aleksander Batorski, Director of Lubelskie Centrum Konferencyjne, emphasised that this year’s Gala combined two important milestones for the region – the first edition of the event to be held in the Lublin region and the 10th anniversary of LCK: “This year’s Polish Congress Ambassadors Gala was held in the Lublin region for the first time, and for Lubelskie Centrum Konferencyjne it was also a particularly special occasion as we celebrate our 10th anniversary. We are delighted to have hosted this exceptional gathering, especially as the development of the meetings industry in our region is reflected in the record number of Polish Congress Ambassadors. This is a tremendous source of pride for us and the best proof that the potential of our region is created above all by active and committed people.”
This year’s Gala also marked an important moment for the further development of the Programme in the region. Before the ceremony began, representatives of the Lubelska Regionalna Organizacja Turystyczna, the Polish Conference and Congress Association and the Polish Tourism Organisation signed an agreement establishing the Lublin Polish Congress Ambassadors Club.
23 new Polish Congress Ambassadors
In this year’s edition, the Programme Chapter selected 23 award recipients from 40 submitted nominations. The following professionals joined the group of Polish Congress Ambassadors:
- Dr Łukasz Dembiński – Medical University of Warsaw
- Dr Jakub Gałęziowski – Polish Oral History Association, University of Warsaw
- Prof. Wojciech Golusiński – Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Greater Poland Cancer Centre
- Bartosz Hojka – Association of Digital Publishers’ Employers, World Association of News Publishers
- Prof. Agnieszka Jędrzejewska – Silesian University of Technology
- Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski – The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin
- Marcin Krzemiński – East European Billiard Council
- Dr Adam Kubas – Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences
- Jakub Nagórski – Silesian Startup Foundation
- Dr Lidia Popek – Mazowieckie Centrum Neuropsychiatrii / Polish Association for Infant Mental Health
- Prof. Beata Piskorska – The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin
- Prof. Robert Rejdak – University Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Lublin
- Prof. Krystian Roleder – University of Silesia in Katowice
- Prof. Lidia Rudnicka – Medical University of Warsaw
- Prof. Krystyna Skalicka-Woźniak – Medical University of Lublin
- Dr Hanna Schreiber – University of Warsaw
- Prof. Iwona Sylwia Stachlewska – University of Warsaw
- Prof. Piotr Jerzy Samczyński – Warsaw University of Technology
- Prof. Izabella Uchmanowicz – Wroclaw Medical University
- Prof. Rafał Walczak – Wrocław University of Science and Technology
- Dr Julia Włodarczyk – University of Economics in Katowice
- Prof. Dagmara Woźniakowska – University of Warsaw
- Prof. Joanna Wyleżałek – Warsaw University of Life Sciences
The official programme also included the presentation of the pilot initiative “Young Polish Congress Ambassador”, designed to identify and prepare the next generation of professionals who may in future play an active role in attracting international events to Poland.
The artistic programme was built around the theme “With the Passage of Time”, referring to the 10th anniversary of Lubelskie Centrum Konferencyjne. The coherent programme combined music, multimedia and storytelling centred on the passage of time, providing a light and elegant setting for the evening. Performers from Lublin included Urszula Kasprzak-Wąsowska, Justyna Kazek-Góra, Martyna Sabak-Gładys, Paweł Błędowski and Łukasz Jemioła. The dance performance was provided by Anna Palenga. The Gala was directed by Marcin Wąsowski and hosted by Marcin Sanakiewicz.
The atmosphere of the Gala encouraged conversation and networking among a community whose members, often working across different areas of science, business and public life, contribute to a shared goal. Alongside infrastructure and professional organisational expertise, it is people – their relationships, competencies and willingness to act – who strengthen Poland’s position as an attractive, professional and credible destination for international congresses and conferences, and who help bring international academic and professional communities to meet in Poland.
