Last weekend marked another edition of the Paris Polish Forum—an event aimed at French students and young professionals from Poland and other countries. As a Community Partner of this event, we asked the coordinator, Joanna Mroczka, about the insights from the discussions held and the perspective on Polish-French cooperation:

How did the idea for organizing the Forum come about? What needs does it address?

This is already the fifth edition of the Paris Polish Forum. It is the flagship project of the ASPOL association, initiated in 2016 at Sciences Po Paris. The annual conference brings together Polish students , young professionals residing in France, and students from across the continent interested in the Central and Eastern European region. The conference aims to foster dialogue between students and representatives from Polish and French politics, economics, and business sectors. Participants include young professionals from various nationalities, studying or graduating from top universities worldwide. Our goal is to offer young Poles and students in France the chance to envision their prospects, especially in Poland, after gaining international experience in their studies and careers. While promoting France-Poland cooperation is important, our primary focus is on highlighting positive developments in Poland for young professionals. This year’s theme for the conference is “Diverging Paths,” and the topics of our panels focus on four key aspects of Polish-French cooperation: macroeconomics, technology, energy and sustainable economic development, and luxury goods.

Young Poles in France – the situation and the Need for Integration

ASPOL was established as an association of Polish students at Sciences Po Paris to promote Polish-French relations in the economic, cultural, and socio-political spheres. In the academic year 2022/2023, ASPOL expanded its activities beyond Paris and currently brings together over 100 active members, primarily Polish students, including those from other universities in France. Within the organization, there is a group of young individuals consisting of students and graduates from French institutions, representing prestigious schools such as Sciences Po Paris, École Polytechnique, HEC, ESCP, top universities like Sorbonne, as well as business schools like INSEAD.

After the United Kingdom departed from the European Union, France has become an increasingly competitive destination for European students, including many Poles, to pursue their studies. We are delighted that more and more Poles decide to join our community each year. This motivated us to launch a mentoring program two years ago in collaboration with Project Access, aiming to help high school students find their way in this new reality.

We highly value the fact that through ASPOL’s activities, we encourage young Poles to come to Paris and France for their studies while also showing Polish students who are already in France that it is worth considering a return to Poland to utilize the knowledge and experience gained in the country.

What is the significance of Polish-French cooperation in addressing 21st-century challenges?

During the thematic panels at the conference, we had the opportunity to focus on several key topics for Polish-French cooperation. One example is the macroeconomic panel: “Hindsight 2025: Lessons from the 2008 Recession.” In the face of the consequences brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, European society is facing an imminent large-scale recession. During the macroeconomic panel, we discussed the preparedness of France and Poland to mitigate the impact of the crisis, while also realizing that our responses to the Great Recession of 2008 can serve as lessons for today’s policymakers. Another example was the panel titled “Energy Sustainability + Investment Panel: The Potential of the Energy Transformation.” The panel analyzed the current and future state of sustainable energy investments in Poland, as well as the urgent need for energy transformation. The importance of cooperation between Poland and France in promoting sustainable energy investments and the potential for cross-border collaboration in driving energy transformation were emphasized.

New market areas in Poland – how can the French practice in the luxury goods sector be implemented in the Polish economy?

The PPF aims to showcase the possibilities offered by cooperation between France and Poland, particularly in areas where France is an undisputed leader, such as the “luxury goods market.” The Polish economy has tremendous potential to absorb ideas for development in specific areas, and with the rapidly growing affluence of Polish society, there is an increasing consumer market for luxury goods. This represents a significant market to tap into, a great opportunity for top French luxury brands, and an interesting direction for developing Polish enterprises.

What lessons can both sides draw from the cooperation and discussions during the panels?

The relationship between Poland and France has a long and rich history. These two great nations have deep cultural ties and mutual respect that have spanned centuries. During the conference, we observed that these relations are continuing to evolve in new and exciting ways.

The discussions we had over the past few days have shown that the benefits of Polish-French cooperation are numerous and far-reaching. We learned about the opportunities for economic growth and innovation that can be achieved through closer collaboration between these two nations. We discovered the rich cultural heritage shared by Poland and France, as well as the potential of this heritage to be celebrated and shared through joint projects. Furthermore, we recognized the important role that politics plays in maintaining strong and vibrant relations between nations, especially in light of the impending economic recession and the conflict in Ukraine. Only through open and constructive dialogue can we face common challenges and strive to achieve common goals.

Poland should learn from France’s grand vision in planning its place in the modern world, devoid of any complexes. Meanwhile, France should benefit from Poland’s regional knowledge and historical experience regarding Eastern European policy, which encompasses not only Central and Eastern Europe but also Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia!

Polish-French Cooperation: How Can We Make Use of It? Interview with the Coordinator of the Paris Polish Forum 2023

Last weekend marked another edition of the Paris Polish Forum—an event aimed at French students and young professionals from Poland and other countries. As a Community Partner of this event, we asked the coordinator, Joanna Mroczka, about the insights from the discussions held and the perspective on Polish-French cooperation:

How did the idea for organizing the Forum come about? What needs does it address?

This is already the fifth edition of the Paris Polish Forum. It is the flagship project of the ASPOL association, initiated in 2016 at Sciences Po Paris. The annual conference brings together Polish students , young professionals residing in France, and students from across the continent interested in the Central and Eastern European region. The conference aims to foster dialogue between students and representatives from Polish and French politics, economics, and business sectors. Participants include young professionals from various nationalities, studying or graduating from top universities worldwide. Our goal is to offer young Poles and students in France the chance to envision their prospects, especially in Poland, after gaining international experience in their studies and careers. While promoting France-Poland cooperation is important, our primary focus is on highlighting positive developments in Poland for young professionals. This year’s theme for the conference is “Diverging Paths,” and the topics of our panels focus on four key aspects of Polish-French cooperation: macroeconomics, technology, energy and sustainable economic development, and luxury goods.

Young Poles in France – the situation and the Need for Integration

ASPOL was established as an association of Polish students at Sciences Po Paris to promote Polish-French relations in the economic, cultural, and socio-political spheres. In the academic year 2022/2023, ASPOL expanded its activities beyond Paris and currently brings together over 100 active members, primarily Polish students, including those from other universities in France. Within the organization, there is a group of young individuals consisting of students and graduates from French institutions, representing prestigious schools such as Sciences Po Paris, École Polytechnique, HEC, ESCP, top universities like Sorbonne, as well as business schools like INSEAD.

After the United Kingdom departed from the European Union, France has become an increasingly competitive destination for European students, including many Poles, to pursue their studies. We are delighted that more and more Poles decide to join our community each year. This motivated us to launch a mentoring program two years ago in collaboration with Project Access, aiming to help high school students find their way in this new reality.

We highly value the fact that through ASPOL’s activities, we encourage young Poles to come to Paris and France for their studies while also showing Polish students who are already in France that it is worth considering a return to Poland to utilize the knowledge and experience gained in the country.

What is the significance of Polish-French cooperation in addressing 21st-century challenges?

During the thematic panels at the conference, we had the opportunity to focus on several key topics for Polish-French cooperation. One example is the macroeconomic panel: “Hindsight 2025: Lessons from the 2008 Recession.” In the face of the consequences brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, European society is facing an imminent large-scale recession. During the macroeconomic panel, we discussed the preparedness of France and Poland to mitigate the impact of the crisis, while also realizing that our responses to the Great Recession of 2008 can serve as lessons for today’s policymakers. Another example was the panel titled “Energy Sustainability + Investment Panel: The Potential of the Energy Transformation.” The panel analyzed the current and future state of sustainable energy investments in Poland, as well as the urgent need for energy transformation. The importance of cooperation between Poland and France in promoting sustainable energy investments and the potential for cross-border collaboration in driving energy transformation were emphasized.

New market areas in Poland – how can the French practice in the luxury goods sector be implemented in the Polish economy?

The PPF aims to showcase the possibilities offered by cooperation between France and Poland, particularly in areas where France is an undisputed leader, such as the “luxury goods market.” The Polish economy has tremendous potential to absorb ideas for development in specific areas, and with the rapidly growing affluence of Polish society, there is an increasing consumer market for luxury goods. This represents a significant market to tap into, a great opportunity for top French luxury brands, and an interesting direction for developing Polish enterprises.

What lessons can both sides draw from the cooperation and discussions during the panels?

The relationship between Poland and France has a long and rich history. These two great nations have deep cultural ties and mutual respect that have spanned centuries. During the conference, we observed that these relations are continuing to evolve in new and exciting ways.

The discussions we had over the past few days have shown that the benefits of Polish-French cooperation are numerous and far-reaching. We learned about the opportunities for economic growth and innovation that can be achieved through closer collaboration between these two nations. We discovered the rich cultural heritage shared by Poland and France, as well as the potential of this heritage to be celebrated and shared through joint projects. Furthermore, we recognized the important role that politics plays in maintaining strong and vibrant relations between nations, especially in light of the impending economic recession and the conflict in Ukraine. Only through open and constructive dialogue can we face common challenges and strive to achieve common goals.

Poland should learn from France’s grand vision in planning its place in the modern world, devoid of any complexes. Meanwhile, France should benefit from Poland’s regional knowledge and historical experience regarding Eastern European policy, which encompasses not only Central and Eastern Europe but also Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.