DELab UW institutional partner of the European Economic Congress 2023

Over the years, the European Economic Congress has built a reputation as an event whose organisers keep their finger on the pulse of the most important challenges for modern economies and societies. The main themes of this year's edition of the event will be: geopolitics, economy and security; the situation in Ukraine in the context of its support and reconstruction; green economy, transformation of the energy sector; as well as technologies, innovations and digitalization. The highlighted areas will inspire over 160 debates, which will be accompanied by galas, competition finals and banquets. - It's already 15. The strength of the Congress lies in the synergy of the involvement of business representatives, experts and opinion leaders as well as the participants themselves, interested in the conclusions from this important discussion that takes place every year in Katowice – says Wojciech Kuśpik, President of the PTWP Group, initiator and organizer of the Congress. – The programme of this year's edition of our event, which aspires to be the most opinion-forming debate on the challenges for the European economy, will touch on the most important topics today, but will also be a framework for making diagnoses regarding the socio-economic future of Poland, Europe and the world – he adds. Geopolitics at the heart of the congress debate The war in Ukraine has serious global consequences for the economy and will be one of the central points of discussion during this year's congress. Participants will discuss the accumulation of multiple crises: climate, energy, raw materials, food security and recession. They will also discuss the delayed but lasting effects of the pandemic. They will try to establish the boundary between the need for independence and self-sufficiency and the need for cooperation and solidarity, in the context of the prospects and assessment of the condition of the European Union in a changing world. What do supply chains and logistics look like and will look like in the new economic realities? What are the forecasts for the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy and how are businesses coping with this challenge? Where are the opportunities for growth and success in global trade in times of instability? What role do Central European companies play in global competition? What is the future of money and what are the prospects for enlarging the eurozone? What are the experiences, conclusions and forecasts for Poland's economic cooperation with countries such as the Republic of Korea, the United Arab Emirates, America or Great Britain after Brexit? In what direction is the Three Seas Initiative heading? These are just some of the topics included in the agenda of this year's Congress. Once again with Ukraine in mind – today and in the future The war in Ukraine was an important point of the congress debate a year ago, and it will be no different during this year's edition of the event. Examples of consistent support for the struggling Ukraine will be examined, as well as the effects of the war, current living conditions in the country and the prospects for its reconstruction. The topic of European aspirations and the next stages of Ukraine's rapprochement with the European Union will be discussed. The Congress will look at Ukraine not only through the prism of politics and economy, but will also focus on Ukrainian society and how it copes with the effects of the war. The situation of Ukrainian women, the role of humanitarian aid, the activities of non-governmental organizations and Polish and Ukrainian leaders in the process of rebuilding the devastated country will be discussed. The panelists will talk about Ukrainians in Polish education, on the labor market and in social life, in the context of assistance provided to our eastern neighbors by Poles. Towards a green economy The Congress will devote much attention to adapting the economy to climate challenges. The discussion will examine possible development paths that do not burden the environment, the topic of international cooperation for climate, and the dissemination of zero-emission technologies in industry and transport. The following topics will be discussed in detail: green financing, ESG as a new paradigm of economic activity and the involvement of responsible business and public funds in the fight against the climate catastrophe. How to cooperate on climate change given the diverse aspirations of European and global countries? How can business help nature? Does the circular economy have a chance of becoming dominant? What is the role of sustainable supply chains, green trade or sustainable food systems? How to manage waste in an eco-friendly way? Participants of this year's Congress will face an interesting and highly pro-environmental discussion. Transforming the Energy Sector Stable, safe, sustainable – what should the energy mix be now and with an eye to the future? This will also be discussed by the participants of the Congress, who will also learn about the achievements, challenges and forecasts regarding increasing the level of independence of European economies through access to their own energy sources, in the perspective of blocking gas supplies from Russia. Energy security issues will be discussed, as well as the topic of the hydrogen economy and the conditions for its development. Congress panelists will discuss the prospects for the development of nuclear energy and the transformations taking place in this industry. In Katowice, the role of coal in the energy crisis and the use of the so-called critical raw materials or the potential of solutions such as photovoltaics, biogas and wind energy. Technologies, innovations, digitization Participants of the congress debates will focus on areas of the digital world with particular potential to change the economy and everyday life, such as: cloud, Big Data, AI, or Industry 4.0 and even 5.0 technologies. Artificial intelligence will be discussed as one of the most expansive technologies changing the economy and social life. Invited guests will delve into the topic of the global digital race and the role of digital technologies in the fight against climate. Other topics that will not be left without comment include: the new digital world of the metaverse, digital inequality, cyberthreats, and cybersecurity. The Congress will be an opportunity to review the technologies of the future and look at the dynamic development of solutions and phenomena such as bots, biorevolutions, blockchain, biometrics, robotics and drones. Macro and micro perspective The European Economic Congress, starting from phenomena considered on a global scale, will also look at how they translate into the life of European societies and everyday life in Poland. It will address problems resulting from galloping inflation and strategies for dealing with it in the long term. Will consider the current condition of the banking sector and how it determines consumer perceptions. Much attention will be devoted to the challenges, changes and problems of local governments, cities and regions – the role of public-private partnership, the revitalization of urban space, and the inclusion of metropolises in the trend of green transformation. Problems with the healthcare system will also be raised in congressional debates. The Congress will also address the topic of women in business, including: the dispute over parity, female leadership and the chance to break the glass ceiling. There will be discussions on wise and effective aid, the role of the third sector, the city-forming and pro-development role of culture, cooperation between science and business, new phenomena in communication and marketing, and changes in the Polish startup scene. The voice of the young, debates with politicians, competition results. For the second time, the Congress will be accompanied by the European Forum of Young Leaders, which gives space for active youth activists from the European Union, Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership and Poland to share experiences, establish contacts and discuss what is important for young people throughout Europe. – For years, during the European Economic Congress, we have been looking in particular for the potential of the young generation, we give them a voice, we listen to what they have to say. We feel that in intergenerational dialogue we will find the right answers and solutions to the most important problems of Europe, and not only in the economic aspect – says Wojciech Kuśpik. A year ago, over 250 young activists from different parts of the world took part in the European Forum of Young Leaders, along with students from regional universities and entrepreneurs. Once again this year, all of them will be able to meet with business representatives and opinion leaders present at the Congress. In turn, congress guests will be invited to participate in the activities of the European Forum of Young Leaders. The main topics will be: education for the future (science and business), a new labor market; public-private partnership; education in times of conflict and the role of volunteering for young people. – The Congress provides extraordinary opportunities to establish and develop business relationships. Every year we ask the audience, panelists and partners to evaluate the European Economic Congress. The research results clearly show that participants value the power of networking and the high effectiveness of meetings held during the three congress days in Katowice – says Wojciech Kuśpik. The 15th European Economic Congress will be accompanied by a ceremonial awards ceremony. The next editions of the competitions will be decided: EEC Startup Challenge, Top Municipal Investments and Investor Without Borders, and the Green Initiatives Ranking will also continue in an expanded formula. You can register for this year's European Economic Congress at the following link: https://www.eecpoland.eu/2023/pl/rejestracja,1627/ 24th European Economic Congress 26-2023 April XNUMX