Head OrganisersWelcome Words from the

WELCOME WORDS

Welcome Words from the Head Organisers

One thing that the year 2020 taught us is that we cannot leave anybody behind. Hence, the theme for Digital Regional Selection Conference Kielce 2021 was born – togetherness. There is nothing more important than helping each other. Society may not look as we know it in a few years if we do not cooperate and acknowledge that the future is us. Kielce is one of the bigger cities located in the centre of Poland – and Europe. What makes Kielce stand out are the constantly progressing areas it is known for, while still maintaining the sense of locality and cultural identity. Starting from agriculture, going through limestone mining, metallurgic resources and nowadays focusing on promoting technology. With the renowned University of Technology and initiatives such as Technology Park – uniting the corporations from Poland and abroad. Kielce is an example that inspired us for this session’s main objective Togetherness: sense of belonging in a digital era.

Moreover, 2020 enhanced the already progressive process of digitalisation. Undoubtedly, it happened unexpectedly and developed immediately. We were forced to adapt to the abrupt changes. Traditional parts of our lives, such as school and friends meetings, were moved to virtual reality. Our presence on the Internet is more noticeable than ever before. We learned how to choose the best parts of it and use it efficiently. Nevertheless, it also exposed how much we depend on technology. It highlighted some omitted issues and now they are visible more than ever.