Facing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic Polish Congress Ambassadors jury members this year took part in postal voting. Ballots were submitted to the Programme’s Secretariat (PCB POT) and then collectively validated during an online meeting staged on 2 June. In consequence, 21 new Polish Congress Ambassadors and 4 Polish Congress Patrons joined the list of laureates.

The Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme is run together by Polish Tourism Organisation and the nongovernmental Polish Conference and Congress Association. Concurrently, Local Congress Ambassador Clubs operate to support the scientific community and industry organisations striving to bring international congresses and events to involved cities and regions.

The Polish Congress Ambassador title is awarded to professionals using their activity in international associations to diligently promote Poland as a host destination of meetings and conferences.

In order to receive the honorary title of a Congress Ambassador, you need to secure at least one international event for Poland over the last three years and convince jury members about your dedication to the promotion of Poland. However, candidates’ efforts aimed at staging events in Poland should not be a direct consequence of their professional responsibilities.

On the other hand, the title of a Polish Congress Patron is a way of honouring and appreciating the role of a sponsor supporting a staged meeting or event.

In accordance to Programme Regulations, the right to appoint candidates lies with Polish Congress Ambassadors jury members, organisational units of the Polish Academy of Sciences, institutions of higher learning, cultural institutions, economic and self-government organisations, Polish Tourism Organisation, Polish Conference and Congress Association, regional convention bureaux, as well as people earlier honoured with the title of a Polish Congress Ambassador.

Postal voting involved 17 members of the Polish Congress Ambassadors jury:

1. Katarzyna Cioch, President, MAM Medical Association Management
2. Gheorghe Marian Cristescu, CEO, Polish Hotel Holding
3. Mateusz Czerwiński, Vice President of the Board, Warsaw Convention Bureau
4. Paula Fanderowska, President, Polish Conference and Congress Association/Director for ICE Kraków Congress Centre, Kraków Festival Office
5. Michał Fijoł, Chief Commercial Officer, PLL LOT
6. Dr hab. Anna Kalinowska-Żeleźnik, Deputy Dean for Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk
7. Aneta Książek, Head of the Poland Convention Bureau section of POT/Secretary of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme Jury
8. Prof. dr hab. Krzysztof A. Makowski, Faculty of Historical Studies, Adam Mickiewicz University
9. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Bohdan Maruszewski, Head of the Cardiac Surgery Clinic, Children’s Memorial Health Institute
10. Prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Mikulski, Institute of History and Archival Sciences, Faculty of History, Nicolaus Copernicus University
11. Prof. dr hab. inż. Józef Modelski, Institute of Radioelectronics and Multimedia Technology, Warsaw University of Technology
12. Alicja Omięcka, President of the Board, Energa Centrum Usług Wspólnych Sp z o. o.
13. Prof. dr hab. inż. Marek Pawełczyk, Vice Rector for Science and Development, Silesian University of Technology/Chairman of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme Jury
14. Agnieszka Szymerowska, President, Convention Bureau Wrocław
15. Ireneusz Węgłowski, President, Chamber of Commerce of the Polish Hotel Industry
16. Tomasz Zjawiony, President, Regional Chamber of Commerce in Katowice
17. Sabrina Żymierska, Member of the Board, Polish Conference and Congress Association/Director of Group of Congress and Event Facilities, Grupa MTP

The online meeting on 2 June involved Prof. dr hab. inż. Marek Pawełczyk, Chairman of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme Jury (Gliwice) and representatives of Programme’s organisers:

• Paula Fanderowska, President, Polish Conference and Congress Association/Director for ICE Kraków Congress Centre, Kraków Festival Office (Kraków)
• Aneta Książek, Head of the Poland Convention Bureau section of POT/Secretary of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme Jury (Warsaw)
• Sabrina Żymierska, Member of the Board, Polish Conference and Congress Association/Director of Group of Congress and Event Facilities, Grupa MTP (Poznań)

The Programme Jury had a very difficult task to perform, both as regards the technical logistics of the voting (with no live meeting included) and contestants boasting similarly extensive experience. The latter fact resulted in some candidates eventually being ranked ex aequo and the final list of laureates being expanded. A similar situation had already taken place back in 2013.

Participants of the online meeting unanimously emphasized the exceptional character of this year’s edition, which featured 31 submitted candidates.

Jury members eventually distinguished:

• 4 Patrons, accentuating that nowadays, when events tend to receive more moderate financial support, the role of a sponsor is absolutely crucial and thus deserves to receive special recognition on the part of the Programme Jury.
• 21 new Polish Congress Ambassadors, who not only successfully brought at least one international event to Poland over the last three years, but also secured events for the upcoming years and continue to be dedicated to the promotion of Poland.

The list of new Polish Congress Patrons includes:

1. FX Ekspert Marcin Wenus (Comparic.pl Portal Inwestycyjny) - Poland’s largest online financial and economic portal, Comparic.pl supports events by reaching potential participants and sponsors.
2. Novartis Poland Sp. z o. o. - long-term partner of events in the field of dermatology, as well as allergology and haematology.
3. Olimp Laboratories Sp. z o.o. - for years now the company has remained involved in multi-faceted cooperation with science and research units, sports teams and athletes. The projects they produce together make it possible to overcome barriers, create new connections with the research and development community and boost the number of implemented innovative solutions.
4. PKN Orlen SA - the most recognizable brand among all of Poland’s companies involved in sports sponsorship.

In addition, the Programme jury decided to award Polish Congress Ambassadors titles. Below you will find the full list of new laureates:

1. Dr n. med. Szymon Bakalczuk, Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Lublin
2. Prof. dr hab. Natalia Bloch, Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
3. Dr Krzysztof Celuch, Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń/Vistula School of Hospitality
4. Prof. dr hab. Artur Jarmołowski, Adam Mickiewicz University
5. Mgr inż. Jan Kawaler, Polish Breeding Society of Racing Pigeons
6. Prof. dr hab. Tomasz Tadeusz Koncewicz, Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Gdańsk
7. Prof. dr hab. inż. Zbigniew Kowalewski, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences
8. Prof. dr hab. inż. Mieczysław Kuczma, Poznań University of Technology
9. Prof. dr hab. n. farm. Michał Markuszewski, Medical University of Gdańsk
10. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Maria Mazurkiewicz-Bełdzińska, Department of Developmental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Gdańsk
11. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Marta Misiuk – Hojło, Department and Clinic of Ophthalmology, Wrocław Medical University
12. Mgr inż. Sławomir Olejnik, Poland Innovative Foundation
13. Prof. dr hab. inż. Józef Pacyna, AGH University of Science and Technology
14. Mgr Paweł Panczyj, Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL)
15. Pof. dr hab. Jan Pomorski, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin
16. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Piotr Richter, 1st Chair of General Surgery, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum
17. Mgr Dariusz Starowicz, StarComp Dariusz Starowicz/Invest Cuffs Foundation
18. Dr hab. Piotr Sula, University of Wrocław
19. Prof. dr hab. n. med. Tomasz Urbanek, Department and Clinic of General Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Angiology and Phlebology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice
20. Prof. dr hab. inż. Adam Weintrit, Gdynia Maritime University
21. Prof. dr hab. inż. Włodzimierz Zieniutycz, Gdańsk University of Technology

Winners of the Polish Congress Ambassadors Programme are eligible to apply for the National Support Programme for the Meetings Industry, a joint initiative of Polish Tourism Organisation and Polish Airlines LOT that is aimed at the most active Congress Ambassadors along with representatives of cities and regions. The airline tickets it offers are intended to make it possible to reach decision makers, owners of international events with the congress-related offer of Poland.

An official meeting with the laureates and a ceremony of awarding the Polish Congress Ambassador and Patron titles will take place during a lavish Polish Congress Ambassadors Gala to be held in the Danuta Baduszkowa Music Theatre in Gdynia on 7 October.