The XXXII Economic Forum takes place on 5-7 September 2023 in Karpacz. The motto of this year’s edition is “New values ​​of the Old Continent – Europe on the Verge of Change”. This is the fourth edition held in Lower Silesia. Our province is the Main Partner of the event. The event moved from Krynica-Zdrój to Karpacz after almost three decades of existence.

The Economic Forum is the largest political and economic conference in Central and Eastern Europe, discussing security, economic development prospects and contemporary challenges. Due to its size and importance, the event is often called Poland’s Davos by journalists. For 30 years, this event has been attended by prime ministers and presidents of European countries, figures from the world of business, science and culture, international politicians and members of the European Commission. The Economic Forum was attended by guests not only from Poland and Europe, but also from America and Central Asia. The originator and organizer of this event since the beginning of its existence was the Institute of Eastern Studies foundation.

Half a thousand substantive events

During the three days of the Economic Forum, almost 550 important events took place, some of which this year occurred in the Lower Silesian Zone. Lower Silesia Provincial Council participated in the discussion. Marshal Cezary Przybylski took part in three debates. The first concerns “Polish-Czech cross-border cooperation to strengthen good neighborly relations”.

– On both sides of the border, we see the need to implement joint projects and initiatives in the fields of road, rail, river and energy infrastructure. Connecting Poland and the Czech Republic, especially now in the context of the current geopolitical situation, is extremely important, and joint projects will unite the population and increase our competitiveness on both sides of the border. – say Cezary Przybylski, Marshal of the Province of Lower Silesia.

The next panel is “New values ​​from the Old Continent – Europe on the verge of change”. The discussion participants touched on the impact of the war in Ukraine on our perception of the future, as well as the need for the government to redefine values ​​to ensure the safety of citizens. They also discussed inflation, which has a serious impact on further economic development on the continent, and the need to guarantee a green future and protect our planet.

Marshal Cezary Przybylski also took part in a panel entitled “Regional government cooperation with the central government.” They discuss how fiscal changes affect the finances of local government units, as well as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the related migration crisis in the context of public administration. Participants answered questions about how much self-government and civil society there is in Poland and whether local government is threatened by centralization.

Deputy Marshal Marcin Krzyżanowski took part in the panel “Cyber-secure local government – ​​strategies and practices in the field of cyber security”, the focus of which was to discuss the main strategies and practices related to cyber security in local government units. This topic is important and current because threats in cyberspace are increasing every year.

– In the face of increasing threats in cyberspace, local governments face the challenge of ensuring data and infrastructure protection. Institutions such as hospitals must face the risk of cyberattacks every day and minimize those risks. Cybersecurity today is very important, that is why for several years we have been implementing a project aimed at young people, which aims to encourage young people to expand their knowledge in the field of contemporary digital threats. The event “Cybertron” organized in collaboration with Wrocław University of Science and Technology will take place later this month – say Marcin Krzyżanowski, Deputy Marshal of Lower Silesia Province.

Deputy Marshal Grzegorz Macko participated in discussions addressing the country’s and regional energy security issues in the context of changes to Poland’s Energy Policy 2040 announced in April this year by the Ministry of Climate and Environment. They assumed 74 percent. share of nuclear and renewable energy in Poland’s energy mix.

– Energy security is one of the pillars of the functioning of our state and economy. During the Economic Forum, this aspect was discussed many times, which is especially important in the context of the war in Ukraine – say Grzegorz Macko, Deputy Marshal of Lower Silesia Province.

“Public transport development directions” was the topic of the panel presented by Tymoteusz Myrda, member of the provincial council. The importance of well-prepared and managed public transport for sustainable development in the region is discussed. It is discussed whether the establishment of areas with expensive parking spaces in the city center and the use of financial incentives in the form of cheap tickets and optimal planning of public transport routes will contribute to a constant increase in the use of public transport.

– The Economic Forum in Karpacz is an opportunity to exchange ideas, views and meet people from the world of business, sport, culture and media. During Friday. Directions for the Development of Public Transport I talked about how the Provincial Government of Lower Silesia is involved in the process of revitalizing the closed railway line. I also told you about the Rail Bus Transport project, which we recently launched to Syców and Góra. It was a very interesting discussion – say Tymoteusz Myrda, member of the Lower Silesian Provincial Council.

Krzysztof Maj, member of the provincial council, took part in three panels during the Economic Forum. He was the moderator of the discussion “Polish Health. Contemporary problems and proposals for modern solutions”, where panelists answered questions about the potential use of artificial intelligence in the public health system and the state of Polish healthcare as well as the participation of local governments in hospital financing. Krzysztof Maj also participated in the panel “Local government as a foundation of democracy”. During the event, speakers discussed issues regarding the limits of decentralization of public powers and the current system of division of powers of local government in Poland. A member of the provincial council was also a panelist in the meeting entitled “Multi-integration policy management level – refugees, migrants, ethnic and national minorities in Poland.” The panel guests discussed the challenges and potential solutions that can strengthen and enhance the creation of effective local integration policies in response to the needs of national minority groups, migrants and refugees.

– A fair migration policy should be built with the participation of local governments and non-governmental organizations, with an appropriate definition of tasks and competencies at the individual level. Lower Silesia is an open region. 25 percent of Wrocław today consists of new residents, but if we go back 70 years, it turns out that all the inhabitants of Lower Silesia were new residents. We have many different nationalities here. We are a region accustomed to integration – say Krzysztof Maj, member of the Lower Silesian Provincial Council.

Important events, decisions and awards

At the peak event of the second day of the Economic Forum, the Marshal of the Province of Lower Silesia award was presented. This award is given to the people of Lower Silesia who contributed to the development of regional identity and demonstrated local patriotism by carrying out their activities in the region, despite achieving global success. The awards in 2023 were received by Elżbieta Szumska, owner of the Gold Mine in Złoty Stok, and Michał Sadowski, owner of the globally renowned Internet monitoring company Brand24.

On the same day, Lower Silesia signed agreements with the Liberec Region, the towns of Harrachov and Szklarska Poręba, the Ski Jumping Center in Harrachov, the Lower Silesia Science and Innovation Park in Wrocław, and the Polish and Czech ski associations regarding the development of winter sports bases. Under it, the necessary modernization work will be carried out in winter sports centers on both sides of the border and they will be able to jointly apply for the holding of championship events.

The Convention of Provincial Marshals of the Republic of Poland was also held at the Economic Forum in Karpacz. The participants discussed important topics regarding improving the quality of health services, participation in EXPO2025 in Osaka and possible cooperation between the provincial government and the UNICEF foundation. An important topic of the meeting was also a discussion regarding the development of railways and the fight against transportation exclusion.