Poland

Dear Visitors!

As the new GE Ambassador to Poland, I am planning to implement a new strategy, which assumes achieving greater recognition of Generation Europe Foundation in my country, by building an image of an innovative and trustworthy organisation. Positioning GE as a modern association setting store by invigorating and inspiring projects, valuable for students, is crucial for the constant growth of the GE community.

One of my major goals is to facilitate interactions between tomorrow’s and today’s decision-makers, i.e. between talented and ambitious young people and politicians, experts, proprietors. Organising, promoting or voicing panel discussions, conferences, debates and other events which involve both youth and noble authorities, should be considered as adequate means to attain this objective.

I encourage everyone in Poland to take advantage of the communication platforms provided by Generation Europe Foundation (GE Newsletter, Discussion forum) in order to run stirring, fruitful and maybe even controversial dialogue on various matters.

I am currently building a network of assistants, so if you are well-motivated and self-disciplined individual, ready to take the responsibility to run projects in your environment, I am waiting for your applications or enquiries. My e-mail address, under which you will receive more information about the vacancy is marcin@senderski.pl. For the purpose of greater convenience, you may also contact me via Skype: senderski.

Feel free to notify me whenever there is something interesting happening in your local environment. You are also welcome to share your ideas with me.

Marcin Senderski
GE Ambassador in Poland

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Previous & upcoming events:

• Debates organised by the GE Ambassador:
  1st debate “Youth, Internships & Employment” Read report.
  2nd debate ”World Financial Crisis” Read report.
• “Erasmus Students for Łódź”

This project is organised by the Office of Jan Kulakowski – Member of European Parliament concerns Polish city (Łódź) but the idea can be followed in any other location. The Generation Europe Ambassador will participate in the initiative.

The aim of the project is to create a strategy for Łódź, which will present new ideas, changes and improvements in different domains of life (e.g. transport, culture, education, environment). This strategy will be transfered to the Authorities of Łódź.

The document will include thoughts, propositions of changes and new ideas of Erasmus Students:
• Polish students, who have been on exchange
• Foreigners, who study in Łódź.

The project will include:

• a number of meetings and discussions for Polish and foreign students
• a survey among students participating in the project.

The strategy created from the surveys, opinions and discussions will be presented to the Authorities of Łódź.

Media and youth international organizations integrating students and the people from the entire world will participate in project “Erasmus Students for Łódź”.

Former Ambassador, Mateusz Pawlak

Debates organized by Mateusz Pawlak:

13.11.2008 : 1st debate “Youth, Internships & Employment”

20.12.2008 : 2nd debate “World Financial Crisis”

Interesting links selected by your GE National Ambassador:

NGOs

http://www.batory.org.pl – Stefan Batory Foundation

http://www.diplomacy.pl – The Polish Forum of Young Diplomats

http://www.eurodesk.pl – Eurodesk Poland

http://www.mlodziez.org.pl – Youth in Action Program

http://www.ngo.pl – Database of the NGO’s events, law, news etc.

http://www.nzs.org.pl – Independent Students Union

http://www.zagranica.org.pl – Association of the Polish NGO’s which work also abroad Media

http://www.dziennik.pl – Daily newspaper and Internet portal

http://www.eska.pl – Polish popular radio

http://www.gazeta.pl – Daily newspaper and Internet portal

http://www.polityka.pl – Newspaper about politics

http://www.polskieradio.pl/zagranica – Polish radio for foreigners

http://www.rmf.fm – Radio, music, facts

http://www.tvn24.pl – News channel and Internet portal

http://www.tvncnbc.pl – Internet business TV

http://www.warsawvoice.com.pl – The Warsaw Voice

Student televisions

http://www.kampustv.pl – Wrocław

http://www.ktvi.pl – Cracow

http://www.studencka.tv – Szczecin

http://www.tvpw.pl – Warsaw

Government

http://www.kprm.gov.pl – The Chancellery of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland

http://www.prezydent.pl – Website of the President of the Republic of Poland

Poland in Europe

http://www.brukselaeu.polemb.net – Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the EU

http://www.strasburgre.polemb.net – Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the Council of Europe

Poland for visitors from abroad

http://www.intercity.pl – Polish railways

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/poland – Poland in Lonely Planet

http://www.poland.gov.pl – Official promotional website of the Republic of Poland

http://www.poland.pl/ – The official website of Poland

http://www.poland.travel/en – Poland’s official travel website

http://www.poland4u.com – Book a hotel in Poland

http://www.polishforums.com – Polish forums – Polish news and more

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Poland – Poland Travel Guide

Poland in brief:

Area	312,685 sq km
Capital	Warsaw (1,709,000 inhabitants)
Language	Polish
Form of government	Parliamentary republic
Administrative division	16 provinces (voivodeships) 379 powiats (incl. 65 cities with powiat status) 2,478 gminas
Population	38,149,000 (2009)
Population density	122 people per sq km
Population growth rate	0% (2008)
Net migration rate	-0.46 migrants per 1,000 population (2008)
Life expectancy	71 (men) ; 80 (women)
Literacy rate	99.8% (2003)
History	966, April 14 : Baptism of Poland 1569-1795 : First Republic 1795, October 24 : Loss of independence 1918, November 11 : Regaining independence 1918-1939 : Second Republic 1944-1989 : People’s Republic of Poland 1989, July 19 : Third Republic was established 1999, March 12 : NATO accession 2004, May 1 : EU accession
Public holidays	January 1, May 1, May 3, August 15, November 1, November 11, December 25, December 26 and Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Pentecost Sunday, Corpus Christi (movable)
GDP per capita	$17,482 (purchasing power parity)
GDP structure by sectors	Agriculture : 2,8% Industry : 31,7% Services : 65,5%
Unemployment rate	10.8% (July 2009)
Population below poverty line	15% (2008)