They come from different parts of the world. Some travelled thousands of miles to reach Krakow. What made them come here? Where do they come from? What's their occupation, and what do they do for leisure? Read Stories |50-20 and see Krakow through the eyes of foreign visitors.

Ten films presenting expats living in Kraków are a way to show Kraków from a different perspective and find out what made them choose Kraków as a place to live. They are from all over the world: they have come to Krakow from distant countries like India, Venezuela, Canada or Australia. Some - from Ukraine, France or even Turkey - were much closer to Krakow.

Stories |50-20 film series shows that the capital of the Małopolska Region is not only a popular tourist destination but also an attractive business or professional destination. Each character in the Stories |50-20 series was captivated by Krakow, and each appreciates a different aspect of the city's charm. The films also show how diverse Krakow's expat community is - not only in terms of nationality but o in terms of professional qualifications, interests, or perception of the city itself.

- We want to emphasize that Krakow is an excellent business place. It is a city of startups, generating hundreds of new ideas. And at the same time, a home town to many large corporates, i.e. their potential investors. That's why we give this direct message: look, here's where you can experience growth, and it is worth staying for longer - says Izabela Błaszczyk, the President of Kraków5020.

Krakow is the second most popular city in Poland among foreigners. Some came here recently, but some have lived in Krakow for at least a dozen years. They study here, they work here, often run their businesses, and they also create culture. Expats undoubtedly enrich the landscape of the capital of the Małopolska Region not only in terms of language but above all in terms of culture and business. For example, one can see that at the meetings of OMGKRK - an NGO connecting Kraków's startup community for many years. This local environment of startups, entrepreneurs and the IT industry, as well as many others, is a strong magnet able to attract high-class professionals from abroad and make them settle down at the foot of the Wawel Castle.

According to the Expats in Krakow report prepared by the Multiculturalism and Migration Observatory, the rapid economic development which comes with the progressive globalization of the Polish economy creates attractive work conditions for a qualified workforce from all over the world. The deficit of employees in many industries, especially those related to new technologies, including IT, is also aggravated by the processes of a mass migration of Polish specialists, which intensified after Poland acceded to the European Union. In recent years, Kraków has been marking its presence on the global map of attractive places to work and live for highly qualified professionals. While it is not as popular as global metropolises such as London, Paris or New York, the last few years have seen an increased influx of expats to some Polish cities, particularly those where transnational corporations and institutions have their headquarters.

* Krakow5020 is a municipal institution operating in the Destination Management Organisation model, building the city's image in cooperation with many entities from the meetings and events industry. The company's name refers to the city's location, which is situated at the intersection of the 50ºN parallel with the 20ºE meridian. We believe that these coordinates are the best address for business development.

The first movies are now available on the YouTube platform.

Source and photos: Kraków5020 sp. z o.o.