Organised in cooperation with the Polish Presidency of the European Union and the European Commission
Baltic Development Forum Summit 2011
Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region For the first time, Poland will be hosting the annual Baltic Development Forum Summit. The next BDF Summit will take place in the city of Gdansk 24–26 October 2011, and it will be organised in cooperation with the Polish Presidency of the European Union, Pomorskie region and the city of Gdansk. Coinciding with the BDF Summit 2011, the European Commission and BDF will organise the second Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. This will be a unique opportunity to connect with business leaders and decision-makers as we shape the future of the Baltic Sea Region together. Welcome to Gdansk in October 2011 to exchange ideas and build relationships!
3rd version, May 2011
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Baltic Development Forum Summit Coming to Poland For the first time, Poland, Pomorskie region and Gdansk will be hosting the Summit of Baltic Development Forum. The 13th BDF Summit will be setting new standards for regional cooperation in Europe by bringing all relevant stakeholders together in connection with the 2nd Annual Forum for the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Baltic Development Forum will work closely together with the Polish Government’s EU-presidency in the second half of 2011 and the European Commission, Directorate General for Regional Policy. The agenda of the Baltic Sea Macro-region in 2011 will be to • Bridge European and Regional integration • Develop regional partnerships between the EU and Russia and Eastern Partners • Bring public and private interests together • Assess and update a common strategy for the future The 2011 event will be a demonstration of how to combine top-down political guidance with bottom-up enthusiasm and entrepreneurship. The Baltic Sea Region will be setting new standards for regional cooperation in Europe and beyond. We hope you will join us in showing how Top of Europe works!
The BDF Summits offer you unique opportunities to • Influence European Policies concerning the Baltic Sea Region • Meet high-level decision-makers from business, politics and academia • Receive up-to-date information on regional and European facts and trends • Brand and promote your company, organisation or project • Expand your international network • Discuss topical issues
Summit Venue The Summit will be held in Gdansk Music and Congress Centre, on the Ołowianka Isle in the heart of Gdansk. The Centre is the seat of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic and offers excellent and very modern conference condi-
tions. The harbor and the famous shipyard are nearby – a cradle of the political re-birth of the Baltic Sea region that is celebrating its 20th anniversary along with the Baltic States who regained their independence in 1991.
Networking Village – Become an Exhibitor Networking is an essential part of the BDF Summit and the Annual Forum. Networking lunches, contact breaks and social events form a perfect setting for meeting new business partners and discussing issues of common interest with decision-makers. The exhibition area, the Networking Village, provides you with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that you are a stakeholder in the Baltic Sea Region. Showcase your company or organisation to an internation-
al audience. EU-funded projects will also have an excellent opportunity to present their achievements and results. If you buy an exhibition stand, you will get access to a larger scene for panel discussions. By exhibiting in Gdansk you will contribute to making this an exciting and informative event. For more information please contact Jørgen Christensen, Deputy Director, at jc@bdforum.org, (+45) 60 21 85 80.
Becoming a BDF Member or Partner We work in close cooperation with our Strategic Partners and Members. National governments are involved at top level. Large companies and business associations contribute and get access to a platform for debate and exchange of ideas and visions. Major cities and regional governments take part. Universities and academia deliver information and research. We are closely aligned with the European Commission, the EU Presidency, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the European and Nordic Investment Banks and other key regional players. Our network consists of more than 5.000 decision-makers in the Baltic Sea Region. BDF offers different membership and partnership programmes: • Full year engagement (Summit Partnership, Strategic Partnership, Membership)
Business Partners The Summit/Annual Forum in Gdansk will gather business partners and organizations in Poland and in the Region. We work together with Baltic Sea Chambers of Commerce Association, Scandinavian-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Business Centre Club in Poland (the Gdansk Board).
“Business Centre Club looks forward to taking part in the forthcoming event. The Baltic Sea Region is very important to business in Gdansk and we are sure that the meeting will create great opportunities for the local business leaders to join forces with new partners thereby contribute in shaping the future of the Region.” Maciej Dobrzyniecki, Chairman, Business Centre Club, Gdansk
Baltic Sea Award The Baltic Sea Award is assigned to an individual or organisation that has made an extraordinary contribution to the development of the Baltic Sea Region. The Award was established in 2007 in order to highlight and encourage positive progress in the Region. The Baltic Sea Award 2010 was given to Cruise Baltic, a network of 27 cruise destinations in the Baltic Sea uniting ten countries. Anyone will be welcome to nominate candidates for the Baltic Sea Award 2011.
• Summit 2011 engagement (Summit partner, Sponsor, Exhibitor, Service provider) If you wish to join BDF or the 2011 Summit, or if you need more detailed information, please contact Hans Brask, Director E-mail: hb@bdforum.org Phone: (+45) 60 21 85 81 (direct)
Midterm Review of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Coinciding with the BDF Summit 2011, the European Commission and BDF will organise the second Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. It will be an important rendezvous during the Polish EU Presidency, since the midterm review of the Strategy will be made. Has the right formula for the macro-regional strategy in the Baltic Sea Region been found and can it serve as a wider European model? Before the final evaluation report is presented to
EU-ministers, the Annual Forum will give all regional stakeholders a chance to give inputs and assess the many projects aiming at sustainable development, prosperity, better accessibility and increased competitiveness in the Baltic Sea Region. The Forum will include discussions and presentations of the Strategy as well as updates of the various Priority Areas. All stakeholders are invited to join this open exchange of views on the status and future of the Strategy.
About Us Baltic Development Forum (BDF) is an independent and high-level network for decision-makers from business, politics, academia and media in the Baltic Sea Region. Our mission is to create a prosperous Baltic Sea Region through regional integration, sustainable growth, innovation and competiveness. We achieve our mission by • shaping the regional agenda by publishing reports on topics vital to the development of the Region and proposing priorities for action
• bringing together decision-makers by providing a platform for cross-border, cross-sector and cross-level networking • Positioning and promoting the Baltic Sea Region in Europe and globally • Influencing the regional agenda by initiating regional strategies for sustainable growth, innovation and competiveness • Acting as a catalyst and facilitator of specific partnerships and projects One of our main activities is the annual Summit, where more than 500 decisionmakers from business, politics, academia and media meet to exchange ideas and
formulate strategies for the future development of the Region. Baltic Development Forum is founded and chaired by former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark Uffe Ellemann-Jensen. Director of the Secretariat is Hans Brask. Baltic Development Forum Nygade 3, 5th floor DK-1002 Copenhagen Denmark E-mail: bdf@bdforum.org Phone: (+45) 70 20 93 94 www.bdforum.org
Summit Partners 2011
Strategic Partners
Members
CITY OF HAMBURG
Cooperation Partners
Exhibit at the Baltic Development Forum Summit Take full advantage of the Baltic Development Forum Summit and buy an exhibition stand in the Networking Village. Inform the participants about your project and your business. The Networking Village is the right place for professionals to present new projects, expand networks and find innovative solutions through international partnerships. Being a part of the Networking Village is a chance for
companies, organizations and international financial institutions to promote their activities. The most essential purpose of the Networking Village is to engage all Summit participants in an open dialogue and thereby shape future decision-making. Apart from the usual activities in the Networking Village such as parallel sessions, seminars, roundtables, interviews, project cafĂŠ, company briefings, this year the
Baltic Development Forum Summit offers a possibility for projects of the Baltic Sea Region Programme to present their ongoing work to a wider audience. The Networking Village is the place to disseminate results of your project, engage new partners for current projects, and find inspiration and partners for future ones. An active and dynamic atmosphere favours to meet
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new partners, discuss issues of common interest and share knowledge with other participants. The Networking Village is a place where the formal and the informal parts of the Summit meet, whether you participate in some of the activities or simply enjoy your coffee, lunch and a stroll around the Village. Baltic Development Forum has for years modernized and developed the networking concept into a dynamic place for participants
to acquire new insights, find inspiration, develop ideas and find common solutions. In order to support networking, the Networking Village offers an open and interactive platform to explore different activities. Baltic Development Forum will help you equip and organise your stand. Baltic Development Forum will also help make presentations, project displays panel discussions etc. on a special dedicated scene.
For more information on opportunities and prices please contact: Jørgen P. T. Christensen Deputy Director +45 60 21 85 80 jc@bdforum.org