WARSAW, CRACOW, POLAND

W ARSAW, C RACOW , P OLAND City coordinator: Center for International Relations Emilii Plater 25, 00-688 Warsaw, Poland T: +48 22 - 646 5267 F: +48 2...
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W ARSAW, C RACOW , P OLAND City coordinator:

Center for International Relations Emilii Plater 25, 00-688 Warsaw, Poland T: +48 22 - 646 5267 F: +48 22 - 646 5268 Andrzej Bobinski Program Coordinator [email protected] Katarzyna Szajewska [email protected]

About Poland In brief…A nation with a proud cultural Full name: Republic of Poland heritage, Poland can trace its roots back over Population: 38.5 million (UN, 2005) 1,000 years. Positioned at the centre of Europe, Capital: Warsaw it has known turbulent and violent times. Area: 312,685 sq km (120,728 sq miles) There have been periods of independence as Major language: Polish well as periods of domination by o ther Major religion: Christianity countries. A new era began when Poland Monetary unit: 1 zloty = 100 groszy became an EU member in May 2004, five years Main exports: Machinery and transport after joining NATO and 15 years after the end equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals of communist rule. It was the birthplace of the GNI per capita: US $7,100 (World Bank, 2006) former Soviet bloc's first officially recognized Internet domain: .pl independent mass political movement when International dialling code: +48 strikes at the Gdansk shipyard in August 1980 led to agreement with the authorities on the establishment of the Solidarity trade union. The shoots of political freedom were trampled again 16 months later when communist leader Wojciech Jaruzelski declared martial law. But the movement for change was irreversible. Elections in summer 1989 ushered in Eastern Europe's first post-communist government. The presence in the Vatican of Polish Pope John-Paul II was an important influence on the Solidarity movement throughout the 1980s. The Roman Catholic church remains a very potent force in Polish life. President: Lech Kaczynski Political Structure…The current government Prime minister: Jaroslaw Kaczynski structure consists of a council of ministers led Foreign minister: Anna Fotyga by a Prime Minister, typically chosen from the majority coalition in the bicameral legislature's lower house. The president, elected every five years for no more than two terms, is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The judicial branch plays a minor role in decision-making. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the identical twin of the president, became prime minister in July 2006 after his predecessor, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, resigned. Policy Issues… On taking office as premier, Mr Kaczynski stated his priorities to be stamping out corruption, reforming public finances and building roads and houses. Poland's profile on the international stage was raised by its support for the US -led military campaign in Iraq. A Polishled international force took on peacekeeping responsibilities in south-central Iraq in September 2003. Despite public criticism of the deployment, the conservative government elected in 2005 reversed the previous administration's plan to pull the troops out in early 2006. Foreign Relations… Poland gained full EU membership in May 2004 and continues to be a regional leader in support and participation in the NATO Partnership for Peace Program. It has actively engaged most of its neighbors and other regional actors to build stable foundations for

future European security arrangements. Poland continues its long record of strong support for UN peacekeeping operations by maintaining a unit in Southern Lebanon, a battalion in NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR), and by providing and actually deploying the KFOR strategic reserve to Kosovo. Polish military forces have served in both Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Economy… Since its return to democracy, Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of liberalizing the economy and today stands out as one of the most successful and open examples of the transition from a partially state-capitalist market economy to a primarily privately owned market economy. Poland’s GDP grew at an annualized rate of 5.2% in the first quarter of 2006. Faster growth has begun to reduce persistently high unemployment, from nearly 20% in the middle of 2004 to 16.5% in May 2006. Tight monetary policy and dramatic productivity growth have helpe d to hold down inflation, which was 2.1% in 2005. Taxation…A system of VAT is in operation, with a basic rate of 22% and a reduced rate of 7%. The rate of corporate tax was cut from 27% to 19% in 2004. Personal income -tax rates are 19%, 30% and 40%. Social security contribution rates remain high Foreign Trade…The current-account deficit fell sharply in 2005 to US$4.4bn (1.4% of GDP), as exports increased sharply and import growth remained restrained. Poland-U.S. Relations…The United States and Poland have enjoyed warm bilateral relations since 1989. Every post-1989 Polish government has been a strong supporter of continued American military and economic presence in Europe. As well as supporting the Global War on Terror, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and coalition efforts in Iraq, Poland cooperates closely with American diplomacy on such issues as democratization, nuclear proliferation, human rights, regional cooperation in central and Eastern Europe, and UN reform. Excerpts are taken from BBC news & the US Department of State.

About Kracow Krakow is Poland’s prime tourist attraction, a must with few equals in the entire Central and Eastern Europe. The place has been settled since the Stone Age at least. In 1038 Krakow became the capital of Poland and Polish monarchs took up their residence in its Wawel Royal Castle. The Old Town historical district in Krakow’s heart is actually the medieval city established in 1257 by Prince Boleslav V, the ruler of Poland at the time. Its well preserved original grid of streets with the huge central Grand Square, Europe’s largest in the Middle Ages, seems the last stage in the perfection of medieval city planning. It is also the best example of that art. In its long history Krakow underwent many ups and downs. The proud capital city of a mighty kingdom for centuries, it was turned into a sleepy borderland town of the Austrian empire in the 19th century. Then it became a vital center of Polish national awakening at the turn of the 20th century and the cradle of Poland’s rebirth, only to be reduced to backwater under communism. Now Krakow is nearly a million city ripe for restoration to European status. And the beautiful Old Town area remains its vibrant hub with numerous landmarks, museums, art galleries, music venues, theaters, university colleges, etc. on top of myriad boutiques, cafes, and restaurants. UNESCO entered the whole of Krakow's Old Town in the list of the world cultural heritage.

Friday, March 23 A FTERNOON

A RRIVAL OFAMMF FELLOWS

Please take a taxi from the airport to the hotel 6:300 PM

M EET IN HOTEL LOBBY - INTRODUCTION TOP OLAND AND PROGRAM BRIEFING

8:30– 10:30 PM

DINNER WITH FORMER KRAKOW-BASED MMF ALUMNI Szara Restaurant 6 Rynek Glówny www.szara.pl

Saturday, March 24 9:30– 11:00 AM

INTRODUCTION TO P OLAND: ITS R ELIGION, CULTURE AND HISTORY Father Maciej Zieba - Dominican Friar

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

TOUR OF CRACOW OLD TOWN , WAWEL CASTLE , JAGIELLONIAN UNIVERSITY

1:00 - 2:00 PM

L UNCH

2:00 - 5:00 PM

FREE TIME

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

A NNA-MARIA ORLA-BUKOWSKI – S OCIAL ANTHROPOLOGIST

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

DINNER WITH ANNA-M ARIA ORLA -B UKOWSKI, Klezmer Hois 6 Szeroka Street www.klezmer .pl

9:00 PM

DRINKS WITH STUDENTSOF THE JAGELLONIAN UNIVERSITY Kolory Bar

Sunday, March 25 9:15 AM

M EET IN HOTEL LOBBY

9:20 - 10:30 AM Optional

T RAVEL BY MINIVAN TOAUSCHWITZ -BIRKENAU CONCENTRATION CAMP MUSEUM

The site of the Nazi notorious Auschwitz death camp is an hour’s drive from Krakow. Between June 1941 and January 1945 about one million men, women and children perished in the three Auschwitz concentration camps–i.e. Auschwitz proper, Birkenau and Monowitz–and their more than forty subcamps. 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM

GUIDED TOUR OF AUSCHWITZ MUSEUM

2:30 PM

L UNCH At Karczma restaurant, an open-air museum in Lipowiec village (on the way back to Kracow)

4:30 PM

A RRIVAL INKRACOW

5:00 PM - 7:45 P M 8:30 PM

T RAIN JOURNEY TO WARSAW CHECK -IN AT NOVOTEL CENTRUM HOTEL E VENING FREE

About Warsaw Poland’s capital and biggest city, Warszawa, has often been described as the phoenix from the ashes of WWII. With about 90 % of its buildings destroyed, it is essentially a postwar city. Although the old town has been exactly reconstructed as in pre-war times, most o f the urban landscape is containing modern atmosphere. That includes the Palace of Culture and Science (once a present from the Soviet leader Stalin to the people of Poland ) on the one side, as well as recently constructed skyscraper buildings in the center of Warsaw on the other side. Warsaw’s main north-south boulevard is the Royal Way, running from the Royal Castle to Lazienki Palace, the royal summer residence. This is one of Europe's grandest stretches of road, with churches, palaces, galleries and museums lining the route.

Monday, March 26 Dress: business 9:00 – 11:00 AM

W ARSAW UPRISING MUSEUM 79 Grzybowska Street www.1944.pl

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

“P OLISH FOREIGN POLICY” OR “THE FIGHT AGAINST COMMUNISM – A BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLE AND ITS AFTERMATH …” Eugeniusz Smolar – Head of the Center for International Relations CIR – 25 Emilii Plater Street Tel: + 22 646 52 67 The Center for International Relations (CIR), founded in 1996 by the former Polish ambassador to Germany, Janusz Reiter, is an independent, non-governmental establishment dedicated to the study of Polish foreign policy as well as those international political issues, which are of crucial importance to Poland. The Center’s primary objective is to offer political counseling, to describe Poland’s current international situation, and to continuously monitor the government’s foreign policy moves. www.csm.org.pl Eugeniusz Smolar is a Journalist and media manager born 1945. His studies of Political Economy at Warsaw University were interrupted by imprisonment in 1968 as a result of participation in students’

protests in March and protests against the Warsaw Pact armies’ invasion of Czechoslovakia in August. Following his release from jail, he emigrated to Sweden in 1970 and completed his studies at the Sociology Faculty at Uppsala University. In 1975 he joined the BBC World Service as a journalist working in the Polish Section, then in 1982 became its deputy director, and later on its director (1988-1997). He was active in helping the Workers’ Defense Committee (KOR) and other democratic opposition groups in Poland, later Solidarity Trade Union, as well as underground publications. He was co-founder of émigré political quarterly „Aneks” (1973-1990) and the Aneks Publishing House. Following his return to Poland in 1997 he became member of the Management Board of Polskie Radio S.A. (public radio) with responsibility for program (1998-2002), and later its Program Director. He was co-organizer of the 25th anniversary celebrations of “Solidarity” Trade-Union (August 2005) and program director of the international conference “From Solidarnosc to Freedom”. Mr Smolar has been co-operating with the Center for International Relations. In October 2005 he became the President of the Center for International Relations. 1:00 PM - 1:30 P M

L UNCH WITH L UKASZ LIPINSKI , FOREIGN DESK E DITOR (MMF, 2004) Canteen of Gazeta Wyborcza

1:30 PM - 3:00 P M

V ISIT TO GAZETA WYBORCZA, ONE OF THE BIGGEST DAILY NEWSPAPERS INP OLAND Meeting with Polish journalists Ul. Czerska 8/10 Tel: (+48 22) 555-47-43

4:00– 7:00 PM

FREE TIME / INDIVIDUAL APPOINTMENTS TBC

7:00 PM

DINNER WITH P OLISH MMF A LUMNI

Tuesday, March 27 Dress: casual 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

W ARSAW : A CITY IN A M AKING Discussion Chlodna 25 (theme cafe)

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

“CIVIL S OCIETY AND NGOS IN P OLAND” Meeting at the Polish-American Freedom Foundation PAFF 72 Dobra Street Tel.: (+48 22) 828-43-73 The Polish -American Freedom Foundation builds on the Polish people’s historic achievements in establishing free market democracy since 1989, a success that the United States has strongly supported. The Freedom Foundation seeks to advance democracy, civil society, economic development and equal opportunity in Poland and, ultimately, in other Central and Eastern European countries.

1:00 PM - 3:00 P M

L UNCH WITH P AWEL S WIEBODA – HEAD OF DEMOS E UROPA Former head of the Department of Europe at the M inistry of Foreign Affairs

3:00– 7:00 PM

FREE TIME

7:00 PM

FAREWELL DINNER

Wednesday, March 28 DEPARTURE TO B RUSSELS

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