Record turnout of the 10th European Local Government Congress

Congress also had a record number of over 160 partners – companies, institutions, associations and media. EX was organized by the Foundation Institute of Eastern Studies, and its main partner was the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship.

The 10th edition of the EKS attracted more representatives of central administration, local government and business leaders than ever before. This year, we had the honor to host Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, deputy prime minister and minister of national defense, Krzysztof Gawkowski, deputy prime minister and minister of digitization, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, minister of family, labor and social policy and Marcin Kulask, the Minister of Science and Higher Education, as well as other government representatives in the rank of secretaries and states of state.

Many politicians and parliamentarians participated in the Congress, including: Jerzy Buzek, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland and chairman of the European Parliament, Krzysztof Bosak – Deputy Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Krzysztof Kwiatkowski, Senator, Mateusz Morawiecki, MP and vice -chairman of the Law and Justice party. The most interesting events include meetings with Magdalena Biejat, Deputy Marshal of the Senate and the candidate of the New Left for the President’s Office and Karol Nawrocki Citizens’ Candidate for the President’s Office.

EXS is the largest international local government conference in Poland. This year there were over 450 guests from 40 countries, mainly from Europe, but also from Asia and the USA. Among the most important foreign guests, it is worth mentioning, among others Ernada Suljevića, Minister of Economic Development of Montenegro, Viktorija Trajkov, deputy minister of European integration, North Macedonia, Ingida Veliutė, deputy minister of Lithuanian culture, Linda Helén Haukland, deputy mayor of the Nordland District in Norway and the Vice -President The Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Italy. Wasyla Stefanyka in Ukraine, Nancy Sikes-Cline, Mayor of St.auugustine from the USA, Kyoung-Chul Shin Director from the University of Tongmyong from South Korea.

Over 1,000 representatives of local and regional authorities participated in the Congress, including Marcin Kuchciński, Marshal of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Paweł Gancarz, Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodship; Adam Struzik, Marshal of the Masovian Voivodeship, Olgierd Geblewicz, Marshal of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Łukasz Prokorym Marshal of the Podlasie Voivodship, Kazimierz Barczyk, Chairman of the Federation of Regional Association of Communes and Poviats of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Płonka, President of the Polish Poviat Association, Adam Ciszkowski, President of the Union of Polish Self -Governments, Grzegorz Cichy, President of the Union of Polish City Rural Republic of Poland and Ireneusz Niewiarowski, president of the National Sołtys Association.

We enjoy even greater interest in local government matters and local communities on the part of business, because 35% more business partners decided to co -create our event this year. Among the 66 companies were small and medium -sized enterprises, which are a pillar of the Polish economy, but also leading investors, innovators, global businesses, which have a special impact on local environments. Congress co -created with us, among others: BGK, OHP, PFR, SGH, TUW PZUW, ABBOTT Laboratories Poland Sp. Zoo Allegro, Bank Handlowy, Ecophon Saint-Gobain Polska, Geotermia Polska Sp. Zoo McDonald’s, Polish Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Polish Chamber of Construction Engineers, Poznań Construction Corporation Pekabex SA of the Employers of the Republic of Poland, Supra Brokers SA Qmetica SA and the digital union Poland.

Congress was not only a place of debates, but also a space for exhibitors of over 50 promotional stands and for special events, among which it is worth emphasizing the Smart City meeting organized by the Polish Digital Association, gathering key experts for digitization and new technologies with representatives of local governments and business. The meeting of local government officials organized by OK Polska was a platform for talks on the future of independent financing of local government units.

A very important element of this year’s meeting was the large participation of representatives of the world of science. The congress was attended by, among others Prof. Piotr Wachowiak, rector of the Warsaw School of Economics; Prof. Alojzy Nowak, rector of the University of Warsaw; Prof. Andrzej Szarrata, rector of the Cracow University of Technology; Brig. prof. Przemysław Wachulak, rector-commander of the Military University of Technology in Warsaw; Father prof. dr hab. Mirosław Kalinowski, rector of the Catholic University of Lublin.

An important event was also the signing of an agreement on the development of the report “Security of the supply chain in the Polish defense industry”. The signatories of the agreement were Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense; Zygmunt Berdychowski, chairman of the Program Council of the European Local Government Congress and rectors of the Cracow University of Technology, the Warsaw School of Economics and the Military University of Technology. This initiative aims to analyze key challenges and solutions that will strengthen the stability and resistance of the supply chain in the defense sector – a key for Poland’s strategic interests.

The program of this year’s edition included over 250 events, including discussion panels, workshops, lectures, presentations and author meetings, in which their last publications were presented, among others Jerzy Bralczyk, Andrzej Zybertowicz, Jacek Raciborski, Przemysław Sadura, Justyna Wasil and Zbigniew Parafianowicz.

The highlight of the Congress of GO was the awarding of prizes for outstanding personalities of the world. The award of the local government of 2024 was awarded to Adam Struzik, Marshal of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship, the European Self -Governor of the Year Award was collected by Linda Helén Haukland, deputy mayor of the Nordland District in Norway and vice -chairman of the Assembly of the Regions of Europe, and the Special EX prize was awarded to Zbigniew Tur, the head of the Kłodzko commune in recognition and enormous. Lower Silesia hit the victims of the flood that was hit last year.

The jubilee 10th edition of the EXS is a huge success that confirmed the dynamic development of the Congress as a key platform for cooperation between local governments and business. The increase in the number of participants, partners and international delegations is the best proof that this event fulfills its mission. The organizers announce that the next XI European Local Government Congress will take place on March 2-3 in 2026 and will be another opportunity to exchange experiences, inspiration and building stronger local governments in Europe.