Polish National Foundation will promote Poland
According to Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło, Poland needs some good PR. The world needs to hear more about Poland’s economic success and the companies that are building it. That is why a new public body will be created: Polish National Foundation.
The institution’s main goal will be to work on Poland’s image abroad and to counteract negative and untrue stereotypes foreigners may have with regard to the biggest country of the Central and Eastern Europe region.
Beata Szydło announced the news at Polish Stock Exchange in Warsaw. She was accompanied by the Minister of State Treasury, Dawid Jackiewicz, whom the head of Polish government named as the initiator of the concept of creating the new entity. Prime Minister thanked him for such an inspiring idea.
However, Dawid Jackiewicz noted that the idea actually comes not from him but from major state companies who see the need to work on the image of Poland. Representatives of the companies approached the Minister and nudged him for action towards promoting Poland.
Polish National Foundation will be financed through contributions coming from big state-owned companies. According to media reports, the budget of the new entity will close around 100 million PLN, which is around the amount the Senate of Poland needs to function. Also, individual donations from regular Poles are to be an accepted source of founding.
The corporations that are to support the project are the country’s 17 biggest state treasury companies, including those operating in the sectors of energy, petrol, finance, insurance, and chemicals. These are: PGE, Enea, Energa, Tauron, PGNiG, PKN Orlen, Grupa Lotos, PZU, PKO BP, Giełda Papierów Wartościowych, Totalizator Sportowy, KGHM, Grupa Azoty, Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych, Polski Holding Nieruchomości, Polskie Koleje Państwowe. The entities have already signed a letter of intent regarding the venture.
Prime Minister Szydło declared that the Foundation will be building “the brand called Poland” and present a country that is beautiful, friendly, and ambitious. Dawid Jackiewicz noted that the area of promotion has been overlooked. Poland needs to reach out with a positive message to the world. According to him, the country’s is often hurt by false, unnecessary, stereotypical information. The Polish National Foundation will be fighting against that.
The joint efforts of the founding institutions are to bring the effect of synergy.
The Foundation is to be created within the next two months.
