19th Economic Forum
KRYNICA-ZDROJ, POLAND
9 - 12 September 2009
The Forum's General Presentation in pdf
Presentation of ECONOMY FORUM in pdf
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President of the European Commission
Jose Manuel Barroso
Message to the Forum participants
Zygmunt Berdychowski
Chairman of the Forum Programme Council
This year's 19th Economic Forum, its momentum,
diversity and, first of all, a record breaking number of
guests confirm clearly that our formula of the meeting
has been very successful. Talks about relations between
old and new Europe still attract increasing numbers of
participants and listeners. More and more persons want
to discuss, how to be faster and more effective in
building free market economy, how to overcome economic difficulties and avoid mistakes at building a modern state of law. I think that also this year we succeeded in providing in Krynica the presence of the representatives of many circles: business people, politicians, people of culture and science, all those, who influence opinions in Europe.
The scope of the Forum on the one hand results from our plans and well thought-out decisions and, on the other hand, it is to some extent forced by a continuously growing interest. As every year, we are approached by more and more companies and institutions, who want to be present during the Forum, for whom Krynica's audience is the best place to present one's offer, establish necessary contacts, discuss and take care of matters, which sometimes wait for months in offices. Therefore the Forum, which ended a few weeks ago, abounded with many very important and interesting talks, because talks constitute the main content of the meeting in Krynica. Hence, we recorded the unprecedented number of more than 2 thousand guests and nearly 150 discussion panels, plenary sessions and special events. Adding a very rich programme of cultural events on the top of that, we can understand why Krynica was teeming with life until the last moments of the Forum.
Equally well we can assess the events taking place in parallel with the Economic Forum, it is: the Investment Forum in Tarnow, the Forum of Regions in Muszyna and the Economic Forum of Young Leaders in Nowy Sacz. All these conferences recorded a growth in the number of participants and broadened the discussed topics. It is also worth mentioning that this year, for the first time, the awards for the investment and the investor of the year were handed out in Tarnow. So they have already become independent events, which are expected to confirm their potential and aspirations even more firmly next year.
The scope of the XIX Economic Forum was also a great challenge for the organizers and I think that we succeeded in this task. However, it does not mean that there are no points that need improvement. Yet, this is a feature of all such big conferences. Looking at Krynica in the time of recent years, one has to notice the progress achieved by this town in improving conditions for Forum guests. It is certainly one of the best spas in Poland as compared to others. Obviously it takes some time to arrive there, but in my opinion the atmosphere of the discussion and the rank of invited guests compensate sufficiently for these difficulties.
XIX Economic Forum in Krynica
9 – 12 September 2009
Between 9th and 12th September XIX Economic Forum took place in Krynica. It was the biggest Forum in its 17-year history. According to the organizers, the idea of the meeting, which turned out to be enormously successful, proves that multilateral discussions among the representatives of the world of politics, economy, culture and science are an indispensable element in social development. Opinions are created and the most crucial decisions taken under the influence of not only politicians, ministers or owners of companies, but also intellectuals, artists, scientists, journalists, etc. The continuing development of the Forum, the increasing numbers of guests and events held during the Forum provide the best answers to the question about measurable effects of the meetings organized so far.
The following opinion about the Forum was expressed in an interview of Onet.pl with Zygmunt Berdychowski, the Chairman of the Programme Council of the Economic Forum:
„… these days abounded certainly with many important and interesting talks, since talks are in the first place the main content of the meetings in Krynica… Obviously the most important guest was the Head of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek. An equally important person was surely the Prime Minister of Spain Jose Maria Aznar. Other, very interesting, important and outstanding persons are today’s guests in the Economic Forum Edmund Phelps and Günter Verheugen. To put it in a nutshell, we had many guests, whom we regard as interesting, important … Today Krynica is the best example that the changes, experienced by us in recent years, have been almost revolutionary. Many new hotels were opened, a large number of new infrastructural investments appeared. It has become simply a different world. This world would not have been present, if we had not triggered off transformations jointly after 89 …”
XIX Economic Forum in numbers
- approximately 2000 participants, including more than 1100 foreign guests
- 5 plenary sessions
- more than 140 discussion panels and special events
- more than 900 panellists
- nearly 400 journalists from more than 150 media titles
- a comprehensive programme of cultural events – more than 30 concerts, meetings with authors, exhibitions, film presentations
Guests about the XIX Economic Forum
Jerzy Buzek, the Chairman of the European Parliament.
This forum has always been important, and now it has become even more significant, because we want to overcome the crisis as soon as possible. And here entrepreneurs, local self-government activists, politicians discuss specifically, how to lead the economy out of the crisis. A few years ago we discussed, how to achieve the economic growth at the level of 5-6 percent and we were successful. That is why I am convinced that thanks to this forum economic recovery will be possible even faster.
Source: Rzeczpospolita
A short account of 3-day Economic Forum in Krynica was given by Leopold Unger, a publicist of 'Le Soir' and 'Gazeta Wyborcza’ in an interview with Konrad Niklewicz, a journalist of 'Gazeta Wyborcza' and service wyborcza.biz:
„The Friday morning debate between very high ranking economists proved that Krynica is an excellent place for forming very fundamental questions. They were addressed mainly by American economists taking the floor, plus two very pragmatic European voices, which corrected substantially the theoretical, American economic principles and inspired a major question, which came to me: ...Is economics a science at all? ... completely nothing was consistent comparing Phelps with another known American economist. Two divergent points of view, as regards such fundamental issues as: the role of the United States, possibility to overcome the crisis, the US dollar’s role... etc. Regardless conclusions, since everyone can draw them individually, depending on the point of view, the quality of discussion was undoubtedly very high.“
Source: www.wyborcza.biz
Organizers:
• Foundation Institute for Eastern Studies
• Economic Forum Programme Council
• Partners of the Economic Forum
Awards of the Economic Forum will be distributed in the following categories:
• Man of the Year 2008 of Central and Eastern Europe
• Company of the Year 2008 of Central and Eastern Europe
• New Culture of New Europe 2008
Guests of the Forum:
• 1500 invitees from Europe, Asia, USA and Middle East countries
Special LOT Polish Airlines offer for the participants
of the XIX Economic Forum
Technical support of the Economic Forum:
In order to meet the needs of the Economic Forum guests, the computer system will be improved. It will allow access to information on the programme and guests of the Economic Forum before the beginning of the Conference. During the Economic Forum, the system will enable guest to establish contacts and will inform on the latest activities.