events in 2010

On 5th March 2010 in Gdynia City Museum there was held an inauguration ceremony of the Kingdom of Belgium's Honorary Consulate in Gdynia. It was Mr. Janusz Jarosiński, the president of Port of Gdynia Authority, for many years acting for the benefit of Polish-Belgian cooperation, who took up the post of Honorary Consul. He was chosen to perform this honourable function by the Kingdom of Belgium's Ambassador, Mr. Jan Luyks. The newly opened Consulate with its seat in Gdynia at 9 Rotterdamska street covers pomorskie and zachodnio-pomorskie voivodships. The inauguration of the Consulate was attended among others by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium, Jan Luyks and wife, delegates of the Belgium's diplomatic corps, Tri-city consuls as well as representatives of authorities of different level. 
                                                                                                       Photo: T. Urbaniak

PROMOTION OF GDYNIA BUSINESS WEEK AT THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The second edition of the Polish-American project Gdynia Business Week will take place in August 2010. However, the works on the project have been going on for a couple of months now both in Gdynia where the project will be carried out and in Seattle where representatives of the Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Association as well as the Washington Business Week oversee the content-related part of the programme.
As part of the preparations for Gdynia Business Week a meeting was held in the American Chamber of Commerce on 23rd March 2010 where Gdynia City Hall representatives and the American partners of the project had an opportunity to present the programme's goals and results to employees of American companies dealing with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The participants in the meeting were impressed with the project being carried out in Gdynia. They emphasized its educational aspect as well as the idea of training young "entrepreneurs" to work in the international environment.
Members of the American Chamber of Commerce expressed willingness to get involved in Gdynia educational project raising students' business awareness and enabling them to learn economic issues in practice. Representatives of Boeing, Microsoft, IBM as well as consulting and recruitment companies were present at the meeting.

MEETING OF THREE UBC COMMISSIONS: ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND TRANSPORTATION

On 17th-19th March 2010 a meeting of the UBC Commissions on Energy, Environmental Protection and Transportation was held in Gdynia. Gdynia presides over the works of the UBC Commission on Transportation Secretariat. The theme of the meeting was Sustainable Solutions for Combating Climate Change in the Baltic Sea Region - implementing the UBC Sustainability Action Programme 2009-2015 and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. The aim of the meeting was to analyze challenges of climate change from the point of view of the three Commissions involved. The climate change is a phenomenon we witness already today and therefore decisive actions are needed in order to avoid undesirable changes in the environment.
On 18th March, during the meeting of the UBC Commission on Environment the participants got acquainted with storm water solutions in Gdańsk as well as storm water measures in the cities of Pori and Turku (Finland). The representative of Swedish Climate Municipalities organisation introduced methods for effective implementation of actions aimed at combating climate change.
During the panel of the Commission on Transportation the importance of implementing sustainable mobility solutions in everyday life was underlined. Heavy traffic inevitably leads to air pollution having thus negative impact on the climate. The speakers presented the strategy of public transport in Gdynia, encompassing trolleybus system, paid parking zones as well as bicycles initiatives. The delegate of Ghent (Belgium) presented a very well developed bicycle transport strategy of this city aimed at promotion and development of healthy transport habits. The speaker of Umeĺ (Sweden) presented the activities of the Agency for Mobility Management she works for as well as initiatives promoting sustainable transport solutions. At the end of the transport panel the representative of POLIS organisation from Brussels (Belgium) introduced the participants to the Carbon Aware Travel Choice project - CATCH. On 19th March the panel of the Commission on Energy was held. The representative of TT Centre Kalmar Science Park from Kalmar (Sweden) presented the innovative Baltic Region & Technology Transfer System.

SIGNING THE LETTER OF INTENT WITH RUSTAVI

On 28th - 31st March 2010 Gdynia was visited by an official delegation of Rustavi in Georgia. The delegation was made up of among others Mr. Mamuka Chikovani, Mayor of Rustavi. The main point of the agenda was to sign the letter of intent on strengthening the cooperation between both cities. The ceremony took place on 29th March 2010 and the letter was signed by Mr. Wojciech Szczurek, Mayor of Gdynia and Mr. Mamuka Chikovani, Mayor of Rustavi. The objective of the letter is to strengthen partner contacts between our cities and cooperation in different spheres of social life among other things culture, education, NGO sector, business and innovation, health and social care, tourism and sport as well as mass media. Twin city agreement will be the next step taken after positive evaluation of the bilateral cooperation's effects.


TWIN CITIES' SPORTING COMPETITION

On 6th - 8th May 2010 there was held the 18th Twin Cities' Sporting Competition. The Competition was opened by Wojciech Szczurek, Mayor of Gdynia and about 300 young sportsmen from Gdynia twin cities of Kiel, Karlskrona, Liepaja, Kaliningrad, Klaipeda and of course Gdynia took part in it. Youngsters competed in four disciplines: football of boys, handball of girls, field and track events as well as summer biathlon of boys and girls. In addition a Mini Adventure Race was organised for the participants. Gdynia won in the general classification, Klaipeda came second and Kaliningrad - third. It was the representatives of Karlskrona who won the Mini Adventure Race - they took up to the 7th place in this competition.
The Sporting Competition traditionally ended with the European road running race on the Seaside Boulevard. The Competition is a perfect opportunity to exchange experiences and start cooperation between sports clubs and coaches. It results in more frequent unofficial contacts between cities for example through youth exchange and thus peers from neighbouring countries getting to know one another better.

QUARTER OF A CENTURY OF COOPERATION BETWENN GDYNIA AND KIEL

The 25th anniversary of Gdynia and Kiel twinning link falls in the year 2010. In connection with this jubilee the city halls of Gdynia and Kiel together with the Polish-German Association in Gdynia prepared a programme of celebrations in the form of a project entitled "Together for European dialogue - 25 years of Gdynia-Kiel partnership". The project was financially supported by the Foundation fo Polish-German Cooperation in Warsaw. The main jubilee celebrations were held in our city between 14th and 15th May 2010. Gdynia was visited by an official delegation from Kiel led by Cathy Kietzer, Chairperson of Kiel City Council. The delegation took part among other things in the solemn meeting with Gdynia authorities.
As part of the celebrations, at the stage of Gdynia Municipal Theatre as well as in the Primary School no. 10 a theatrical company from Kiel called „Theater im Werftpark Kiel" performed a play in German language version called „Zwei Monster". In addition, on 15th May 2010 a fair entitled „Kiel-Gdynia: we have so much in common" was held in "Kiel Park" in Gdynia Chylonia. During the fair there were organised among other things competitions referring to the cooperation between Gdynia and a Kiel band "Funk Kombinat Kiel" as well as a Polish band called "JahKuzzi Bubble System" played. Many attractions were provided for children and young people ("Monopoly" and other board game competitions, face painting, balloon animals, "AUTOCHODZIK" game - driving license for the youngest). The participants in the fair could take commemorative photos with the Neptune from Kiel. As part of the project there was organised a plein-air workshop of Gdynia and Kiel photographers. There was also organised an internet competition on the cooperation between Gdynia and Kiel, the main prize being a weekend trip to Kiel during the opening of the international "Kieler Woche" event in June.
The jubilee celebrations in Kiel were organised on 17th June 2010. On that day a solemn meeting of the representatives of Gdynia authorities and Kiel authorities was held in Kiel City Hall. There was also organised a preview of the „Gdynia impressions' exhibition of Gdynia and Kiel photographers' pictures taken during plein-air workshop as well as performances of the "Piotr Mania Trio" band. Moreover, as part of the 25th anniversary of cooperation there was held a ceremony of giving the name of "Gdynia" to one of the buses belonging to the Kieler Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH (KVG), a company responsible for public transport in Kiel. Gdynia bus is the most modern vehicle of KVG and is also called a blue angel as it uses the newest lowest emission technologies and guarantees quiet ride, thus being environmentally friendly.
During the bus naming ceremony Gdynia was represented by among others the Deputy Mayor Ewa Ůowkiel. The Kiel side was represented by Ms Cathy Kietzer, Chairperson of Kiel City Council, KVG representatives as well as artists of the „Theater Werftpark Kiel" theatrical company who were dressed as angels and decorated with Gdynia symbols. After occasional speeches there was a symbolic baptism ceremony of the bus and naming it "Gdynia". At the end of the ceremony the Deputy Mayor Ewa Ůowkiel presented KVG with a Gdynia teddy bear to keep reminding the passengers of Gdynia bus about Gdynia inhabitants and the friendship between our city and Kiel. After the ceremony the bus driven by a KVG driver coming from Gdynia started its first journey!

VISITS OF SCOUTS IN GDYNIA

The City of Gdynia supports our compatriots who live behind the eastern border of our country, by means of hosting groups of Polish scouts from these areas. There are scouts from the Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus among them. During their stay in Gdynia in June and August, they met representatives of local authorities in Gdynia City Hall. They also visited Gdynia City Museum and Science Center "Experyment". They also had the opportunity to visit the tallship "Dar Pomorza", a Polish Navy vessel ORP "Blyskawica" and Aquarium.

GDYNIA BUSINESS WEEK 2010

On 21-26 of August 2010 Gdynia was the host and co-organiser of the second edition of an international project "Gdynia Business Week". In this project 88 students from Gdynia high schools, 10 American teenagers and 7 students from Gdynia's sister city - Kaliningrad had the possibility to get acquainted with company management techniques and gain skills necessary to run business. Participants of the programme worked in groups of 12 that formed companies in which through business simulations they learnt how to make decisions connected with company management as well as how to set sale prices, marketing costs and budgets for their products. They also developed communication and negotiation techniques, networking skills as well as teamwork. The programme culminated in a Tradeshow where student companies and their products were assessed by business representatives.During the graduation Ceremony a Deputy Mayor of Gdynia Mrs. Ewa Ůowkiel awarded winning companies in three categories. In the category "Tradeshow" the winner was company C led by Darby Vigus from Monroe High School and Anna Próchnicka from the Mechanic Schools in Gdynia. This company offered the shareholders a magic mirror with a touchpad and scanner allowing to adjust the outfit according to weather conditions.
In the category "Shareholders' presentations" the first award went to company B advised by Rodney Youckton from Chehalis Tribe/ Lucky Eagle and Joanna Lemańczyk from the Cooling and Electronic Schools. The last competition was business simulation BizSim. Here unbeatable was company G, instructed by Fred McDonald from Central Washington University and Magdalena Buczma-Pawelec from the School of Economics and Administration.
Gdynia Business Week project was organised by Gdynia City Hall, foundation Washington Business Week and Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Association. It has also been supported by the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone and Gdynia companies e.g. Speednet Ltd. Gdynia hosted company advisors from American companies e.g. Boeing.

RUSTAVI DELEGATION VISITED GDYNIA

On 20th - 29th September, a training study visit of the representatives of the Georgian City Rustavi was held. The visit was organised within the AIA project: "Community dimension of Rustavi's new economy" coordinated by the Association for the Economic Development of Municipalities from Szczecin.
The delegation headed by Mamuka Chikovani, Mayor of Rustavi and Kakha Gurgenidze, Chairman of the Rustavi City Council included also specialists from the City Hall, representatives of the companies dealing with housing economy in Rustavi and Tbilisi as well as the World Bank programme coordinator for the Caucas Region. During their stay in Gdynia the guests got acquainted with the Strategy for Gdynia Development, learned the assumptions of Gdynia's social policy and housing policy (including social housing and rules of functioning of the housing cooperatives). The Georgians were also interested in the subject of thermomodernisation and revitalisation of housing estates. They participated in a number of study visits, among others to schools, to one of Housing Cooperative Authorities, to the socio-therapeutic day-care centre "Witawa" as well as to the "Apteka" Club in Gdynia Chylonia.
The strategic management of the city and metropolitan area was another topic that was presented to the delegation. The guests got familiarised with the transport metropolitan activities such as the cycling transport of the Tri-City conurbation, intelligent transport systems, Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway and Rapid Urban Railway.
During the visit representatives of Rustavi authorities took part in Gdynia City Council session where the Mayor of Rustavi presented his city, its activities and development plans.

STUDY VISIT OF THE UKRAINIAN DELEGATION

On 5th-8th October 2010, a group of representatives of the Ukrainian organisation "Front for Change" paid a visit to Gdynia. The development of self-governance in Poland, local budget, waste management, public transport, investment development as well as social welfare were the main topics of the delegation's meetings. During their stay in Gdynia the guests had an opportunity to take part in a meeting with the city authorities, where they got acquainted with the rules of functioning of the local government. The delegation visited several institutions in Gdynia, among them Gdynia Centre for Non-Governmental Organisations, Pomeranian Science and Technology Park, EXPERYMENT Science Centre, Municipal Centre for Social Aid as well as "Eko Dolina" waste management company.

UBC COMMISSION ON TRANSPORTATION SEMINAR


AUTOCHODZIK PROGRAMME

On 23rd October 2010 between 10 am and 5 pm the youngest inhabitants of our city had a chance to take part in traffic education workshops held in the educational room of Gdynia City Museum as part of the AUTOCHODZIK programme.

VISIT OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNION OF POLES IN BELARUS

On 17th November 2010, on the invitation of the authorities of Gdynia and Association "Wspólnota Polska" ("Polish Community"), our city was visited by a group of over forty representatives of the Union of Poles in Belarus.