Listen to ICE on
demand
Listen to Health in
Central Europe on
demand
Insight Central
Europe News
News Archive
Latest Programme
Programme Archive
About ICE
ICE Team
How to listen to ICE
Contact us
PROJECTS:
Bridging Europe
Health in Central
Europe
Wroclaw - big ambitions in a dynamic region of
Poland
31.8.2007 - Michal Kubicki
Wroclaw in south-western Poland is one of the
country's most dynamic cities. It's attracting
major international companies and it has big
ambitions to raise its profile. It will host EURO
2012 football championship matches and it's
also in the race to host the EXPO Exhibition in
the same year. Insight Central Europe took a
look at what's happening in the Wroclaw region
in the run-up to these events.
News
Austria News >
Czech Republic
News >
Poland News >
Slovakia News >
Radio Prague
Hungarian Radio
Radio Slovakia Int.
Wroclaw
During the city's recent promotional event in
Paris, Wroclaw's bid to host EXPO was given
the support of one of the best known Poles,
former president Lech Walesa. Thanks to a TV
link-up, tens of thousands of Wroclaw residents
were in jubilant mood, following the event on the
huge screens.
In no other Polish city can one sense a mood of
local patriotism comparable to that in Wroclaw,
the fourth largest city in Poland, with a
population of 650 thousand inhabitants and the
picturesque location at the foot of the Sudety
Mountains and on the banks of River Odra.
Bohdan Jung of the Warsaw School of
Economics, an advisor to the Wroclaw City
Council's EXPO task force, explains the unique
character of the town.
On the one hand, it's a city that's been entirely
resettled. It's got a new population after World
War Two. On the other hand, there's this
historical heritage from Germany days. Earlier
back in history, this place was overrun by
Austrians, Czechs, by Poles and Germans, so
it's a melting pot of cultures. The people who
arrived in Wroclaw were largely resettled from
Poland's eastern lands that were taken over by
the Soviet Union after World War Two so they
brought this sort of Eastern spirit into was by
infrastructure a German city. This is a curious
mix.'
Wroclaw is one of the most dynamically
developing cities in the whole of Central Europe.
In recent years it has attracted such companies
as Siemens, Phillips, Volvo and Hewlett
Polskie Radio dla
zagranicy
Radio Austria Int.
Radio Slovenia Int.
Packard. Why did they all come to Wroclaw?
Bohdan Jung again.
"Because it's a very young culture of relatively
educated young people so the labour force is
there and it's a well educated labour force that is
not terribly expensive by EU standards. I also
wouldn't underplay the importance of the human
factor. There's some continuity in the local
government. It's a place which is relatively free
of political conflict and what I've seen in case of
the EXPO is that all political parties work
together around a certain goal - just getting the
EXPO."
With its location in the heart of Europe and
enjoying a strong international position, Wroclaw
seems to stand a good chance to win the race.
British journalist Duncan Rhodes who edits a
website Wroclaw-life.com. is confident that the
city will not miss the chance.
"Certainly
there's going to be a ton of work but Wroclaw is
a forward thinking city. It's proven itself that it
can attract investors, can organize big events so
there are signs for optimism. It's going to be
tremendous chance for Wroclaw to showcase its
charms to the rest of the world and grow in
stature. I'm sure that they are not going to let
this chance go by."
The city authorities have recently launched a
'Come and settle in Wroclaw' campaign. It is
targeted at those Poles who, in recent years,
emigrated to EU countries such as Britain and
Ireland in search of better opportunities. But
there are also those who left Wroclaw for the
capital of Warsaw some years ago and now
think of going back. Agata Baran works in an
investment bank.
"Five years ago there were not many
opportunities for me. Now they're rising.
Companies are coming. They're setting up their
subsidiaries in Wroclaw more and more and
even central headquarters. And so as soon as
I've had enough experience and as soon as I've
spotted some interesting opportunities in
Wroclaw I would definitely go back and when I
have kids they will be raised in Wroclaw
because it's the best place to raise kids."
Hopefully, back in her home town by 2012,
Agata will be able to take her children to see the
EXPO Exhibition. In its bid to host the event,
Wroclaw competes with Tangiers in Morocco
and Yeosu in South Korea. A final decision will
be taken by representatives of 98 member
states of the International Bureau of Exhibitions
in November.
Radio Prague, Vinohradska 12, 120 99 Prague 2, Czech Republic tel: +420-2-2155
2931-7, fax: +420-2-2155 2903
Copyright © 2004 Radio Prague, All Rights Reserved
E-mail: cr@radio.cz