13.09.2015 Poland at Expo 2015

Over 816 000 visitors to the Polish Pavilion, 100 million viewers of the internet campaign, 16 regional and thematic weeks, economic conferences, cooking shows or Chopin concerts - Polish participation in the Milan Fair  has been a comprehensive and colourful promotion of Polish economy, culture, tourism, as well as creativity  and hospitality. The outcome of the four months of the Fair has surpassed the intimal assumptions and expectations of the organisers and the Polish Day, falling on 13 September shall be a perfect opportunity
to present this success.

Events in the Polish Pavilion

The Polish Pavilion is the fourth largest among all countries participating in EXPO 2015. From the very first days of the Fair the Pavilion delights visitors with its unique façade, inspired by wooden apple boxes typical to Polish landscape. Immediately after entering the Pavilion visitors proceed to an apple orchard surrounded by mirrors and located on the upper level. Nearly 1400 square metres of exhibition space also house a restaurant serving Polish cuisine, a shop with Polish products, a cinema, a multimedia installation presenting Polish agri-food industry, a space for interactive entertainment and temporary exhibitions prepared in cooperation with regions and partners involved in Polish presence at EXPO 2015.

Each week additional attractions presenting the assets of Polish culture, economy or tourism await visitors to the Polish Pavilion. So far the following events have been held: Eastern Poland Week, Polish Tourism Week, Pomorskie Voivodeship Week, Łódzkie Voivodeship Week, Space Week, Voivodeship, Kujawsko-Pomorskie Week, Dolnośląskie Week, as well as presentations of Polish regions organised by the Polish Tourist Organisation.

Eastern Poland Week

The Eastern Poland Week on 17-17 May inaugurated thematic weeks in the Polish Pavilion. Through a series of artistic, business and promotion events the potentials of the following voivodeships have been presented: Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Świętokrzyskie and Lubelskie. The week culminated in the Eastern Poland Conference with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development and voivodeships of Eastern Poland, who discussed competitiveness of leading sectors in the region. The performance of Alicja Węgorzewska, Polish mezzo-soprano, Rafał Olbiński’s exhibition and Karol Okrasa’s cooking show added splendour to the celebrations.

Polish Tourism Week

Polish Tourism Week, held in Milan on 18-24 May had been organised by the Polish Tourism Organisation. The potential of Polish tourism has been presented through a mobile tourism information point, multimedia benches, 5D cycling simulator, amber creations, laser shows and artistic performances. All activities, held both in the Polish Pavilion and in the urban spaces of Milan, have been accompanied by the slogan: ‘Poland. Come and find all colours of life’. Partners of the Polish Tourism Organisation included Polish regions and cities, for which the participation in EXPO 2015 has been an opportunity to present their tourism offer to foreign clients: The Capital City of Warsaw, Wrocław and Lower Silesia, Cracow and Lesser Poland, Lublin and Lubelskie Voivodeship, Podlaskie Voivodeship and the Association of Polish Marine Cities and Municipalities.

Pomorskie Voivodeship Week

Between 1 and 7 June Pomorskie Voivodeship was the host of the Polish Pavilion. Numerous attractions presented by the region included: real sand from  Sopot beach, specialities of Pomorskie cuisine, amber exhibition, ‘The Taste of the Object” presentation emphasising the links between the art of cooking and design and club music from the Tricity. Pomorskie has also presented a rich tourism and economy agenda - thematic seminars and Pomorskie Business Gala have attracted hundreds of entrepreneurs, providing them with an opportunity to enter into direct business relations. The participation of Pomorskie Voivodeship in the World's Fair  EXPO 2015 has been financed under the Regional Operational Programme for Pomorskie Voivodeship 2007-2007 led by the Marshall Office of Pomorskie Voivodeship.

Łódzkie Voivodeship Week

Łódzkie Voivodeship presented its assets at the World’s Fair on 8-15 June. In line with the theme of this year’s EXPO 2015World’s Fair,  Łódzkie Voivodeship has presented the region as the land of healthy food and excellent cuisine.  Visitors to the Polish Pavilion had an opportunity to taste ‘Buczkowska’ strawberries, Dobroń cider, juices from Kałęczew, traditional preserves or molecular cuisine dishes at the ‘Technology of Taste’ show. ‘Fashion Eaters’ zone was arranged in the Polish Pavilion during Łódzkie Voivodeship Week, as well as a show room, where visitors admired clothing of leading Łódź designers: Patrycja Plesiak and BezAle by Bjorn. Being a region with rich tradition in textile industry and design, Łódzkie Voivodeship has also presented achievements of local companies, including Tudor, Sesto Senso, Konrad or Jubistyl.

Space Technologies Week

The Space Technologies Week has seen a number of business and promotional events related to the Polish space sector, including the seminar Earth observation with the participation of European Space Agency experts, as well as Polish- Italian conference on cooperation in the space sector, with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Economy, representatives of the Parliamentary Grouping for Space, representatives of the Italian Space Agency and entrepreneurs from Poland and Italy. The exhibits presented in the Polish Pavilion were related to the Fair’s leading theme ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’. Partners to the exhibition presented in the Polish Pavilion included the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Industrial Research Institute for Automation and Measurements, as well as Polish companies from the space sector.

Kujawsko- Pomorskie Voivodeship Week

22-28 June was the time for Kujawsko- Pomorskie Voivodeship to present itself to the audiences from all over the world. A 5 metre high portrait of Nicolaus Copernicus with the heliocentric system made of Toruń gingerbread has appeared in front of the Polish Pavilion.  Attention of visitors has also been drawn by the 6 metre large model of a graduation tower with original brine, operating in exactly same way as original facilities in Ciechocinek and Inowrocław. The inside of the pavilion hosted an exhibition of Marek Czarnecki’s images ‘Kujawsko-Pomorskie Spaces in 3D’ created in a unique technology of stereoscopic panoramas, as well as film shows promoting the International Camerimage Festival prepared by Tumult Foundation.

Dolnośląskie Voivodeship Week

Lower Silesia presented its assets at the World’s Fair EXPO 2015 on 29 June0 6 July. The region had chosen the artistic format of 4 elements for the presentation of the most important resources of the region. The flagship regional products included the most beautiful sets of pottery from Bolesławiec, hand made jewellery from Lower Silesia agate and products from crystal glass manufactured by a traditional method since over 140 years in Julia Glassworks, which are unique at the European scale.  In 2 July, on the Economy Day, Lower Silesia presented its investment opportunities.

The modular promotion of the Polish Tourist Organisation

The Polish Tourism Organisation, together with Małopolskie, Świętokrzyskie, Podlaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Dolnośląskim, Lubelskie region, coastal municipalities and Warsaw, has prepared presentations, which familiarised visitors of the World’s Fair EXPO 2015 with the unique specificities of Polish regions. For two holiday months the promotional activities have been carried out in the Polish Pavilion and outside of the building. The agenda of events contained components related directly to the design of the Polish Pavilion, i.e. to the orchard and apples, and visitors were invited to the Wonderland of Apple with abundance of colours and shapes, attraction, diversity, positive energy and the delicious Polish apple  in the limelight. Nine weeks of activities and promotion of Poland in the area outside of the Polish Pavilion and in the hall of regions were connected by a consistent, simple story about and apple, which grows and ripens in the company of visitors to the Polish Pavilion.

Chopin concerts

From the beginning of July to the end of September, visitors to the Polish Pavilion at EXPO 2015 may take part in Chopin Concerts. For 13 weeks, 3 times a day, recitals of young Polish pianists take place, which announce the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition Which will take place in Warsaw in October. The list of artists performing in the Polish Pavilion: Łukasz Byrdy, Zuzanna Pietrzak, Łukasz Krupiński, Tomasz Pawłowski, Piotr Nowak, Adam Goździewski, Marek Bracha, Paweł Motyczyński, Karolina Nadolska, Szymon Nehring, Joanna Różewska, Paweł Sommer.

The economic programme

The foundation for the design for the strategy of Polish participation in the World’s fair EXPO 2015
in relation to the economic promotion has been laid down by the list of Polish food products with the highest export potentials, prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture. Therefore the programme implemented by the Polish Agency for Enterprise development envisages the development of international trade of food, agricultural and processing sectors. Representatives of Polish companies participate both in events taking place in the Polish Pavilion and in fairs, seminars or economic missions across Italy. In May Polish entrepreneurs participated in one the most important European economic events targeting professionals, Tutto Food fair, and in the cooperation exchange for the food security sector - Mission for Growth.

Tutto Food Fair

On 3-6 May Milan hosted the Milano World Food Exhibition Tutto Food. This is one of the most important European economic events targeting professionals, including trade agents, importers, distributors and catering managers. The exhibition with the area of more than 120 000 square has been visited by 50 000 visitors.

Within the programme for activation of Polish entrepreneurs Polish Agency for Enterprise Development has organised the national stand, presenting Polish products, including fruit, juices, dairy, sweets, meat, cold cuts and herbal products. An information and promotion seminar devoted to food sector has been organised during the fair, as well as meetings with international business.

The cooperation exchange for the food security sector - Mission for Growth

On 6-7 May the centre of Milan hosted a cooperation exchange with participation of companies representing the food security sector. In a serious of bilateral, 30 minutes meetings, participants had an opportunity to familiarise themselves with profiles of foreign companies and start business cooperation. More than 300 companies from all over the world participated in the exchange, of which 10 per cent were Polish.

Culinary shows in Italy

The first round of culinary shows organised by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development in Italy under the economic programme accompanying Polish participation in the World's Fair EXPO 2015 took place in June. The objective of meetings held in Milan, Rome and Naples was to promote Polish culinary traditions and Polish food producers among Italian consumers. The organisers of these culinary shows emphasise large similarity of Polish and Italian customs, tradition of cooking and celebrating meals together. The objective was to present possibilities to use Polish ingredients in Italian cuisine, thus promoting Polish brands and food products, which could help to support the growing tendencies in exports of Polish products to Italy. The meetings have been frequented by food importers, journalists, culinary bloggers, representatives of sectoral associations and chambers, restaurant owners and representatives of culinary schools.

In the following months Polish entrepreneurs will participate in a series of sectoral trade fairs in Italy (International Fair of Natural Produce SANA,  12-15 September 2015, Bologna, International Vegetable and Fruit Fair MACFRUT, 23-25 September 2015, Rimini, International Exhibition of Machinery, Plant and Technologies for Agricultural Production AGRILEVANTE, 15-18 October 2015, Bari). Polish Agency for Enterprise Development also organising a buying mission of Italian entrepreneur to Poland, scientific seminars and networking meetings on joint Polish-Italian research and development projects co-financed  the European Union funds. Recruitment to events under the economic programme is effected through the website at www.expo.gov.pl: http://expo.gov.pl/promocja-gospodarcza/zglos-swoj-udzial/.

Economic conferences are important components of the economic promotion programme. After the holiday break following events shall take place in the Pavilion and in Milan: conference ‘Meeting with Polish Design - the tradition and the present, Polish-Italian Economic Forum, Science Day, a conference on Polish ICT sector or the conference on ‘The Polish Contribution to Global Food Security’.

Polish entrepreneurs shall also have the opportunity to use business partners matching facility under the b2b platform - Expo Business Matching. Another component supporting the image of Polish food producers is the cookbook ‘The Appetite for Life’, presenting the modern face of Polish cuisine. 

Communication

Polish Agency for Enterprise Development implements the programme of communication activities supporting Polish participation in the World’s fair EXPO 2015. The activities are carried out primarily in Italy and in Poland with the objective to build the image of Poland as the country which is an economically attractive location to find valuable trade contacts and to locate investment.

The primary communication channel is the website www.expo.gov.pl, which is available in 3 language versions: Polish, Italian and English, and channels in the social media: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube. Directly before the start of the Fair an internet promotion campaign had been launched, it has reach nearly 100 million users by today. The users spent more than 45 000 hours browsing the site, i.e. more than 5 years. The results of the Facebook profile, which has gathered more than 50 000 fans already, are equally spectacular, as it puts it in the second place in terms of reach among the profiles of all pavilions at EXPO 2015 and makes it a clear leader among the profiles of European pavilions. The users of our information channels are primarily Italian (on Facebook they are almost 90 per cent of ‘likers’) and Polish (45 per cent of visitors to expo.gov.pl). The most popular post on Facebook, with information on Zbigniew Boniek’s participation in Polish advertising campaign at EXPO, reached more than 140 thousand users!

The traditional campaign implemented in parallel to Internet activities  is equally as important. This is a joint undertaking of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development and the Polish Tourist Agency, which guarantees a consistent presence of information on Poland in Italian TV stations and urban spaces of Milan from May to September 2015. The campaign is to reach  1,5 million persons.

 Active participation of Polish entrepreneurs in the World’s Fair EXPO 2015 in Milan provides and opportunity to presents the assets of Polish food and create an image of a Polish entrepreneur as an attractive business partner in the eyes of the public from all over the world, thus strengthening the export potential of Polish food products. Poland’s participation in the World’s Fair EXPO 2015 had been included in the project ‘Promotion of Polish Economy in International Markets’ under the ‘Innovative Economy’ Operational Programme. Its primary premise to build authentic and viable trust in Polska and Polish Economy brands through presentation of Poland as an attractive partner in the international market.

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