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Poles generally rate our country better than Germany, Spain or France, but in terms of sports, technology and innovation, about half of respondents rate these Western countries higher. Most Poles perceive their country positively – 58 percent feel a sense of national community, and more than half feel pride and joy. These are the conclusions of a survey conducted for the We Did It In Poland campaign, which promotes Poland as an innovative and dynamic country. The premiere of the interactive exhibition in Brussels opens the European leg of the campaign. It presents selected innovations, many of which are already successful outside our country, something that we as Poles can be proud of.
For 74 percent of Poles, patriotism manifests itself, among other things, in highlighting Poland’s strengths in conversations at home and abroad , according to a representative survey conducted for the We Did It In Poland campaign. Respondents also frequently cited passing on love and respect for the homeland to their children (82 percent), participating in elections and cherishing Polish traditions (79 percent each), willingness to fight for the homeland (76 percent) or flying the flag on national holidays (74 percent). Patriotism is inextricably linked to the issue of national pride, which can manifest itself in various ways.
Poles’ thinking about Poland is dominated by positive aspects – 58 percent feel part of the national community, 56 percent feel pride, 52 percent feel joy, and in 44 percent the thought of our country triggers energy for action. Positive feelings most often accompany those of the so-called ” baby boomers” generation, those over the age of 60 -. As many as 67 percent have a sense of being part of a community, and as many feel national pride . In other age groups, these percentages are lower, but still exceed 50 percent. Among the reasons to be proud of Poland, respondents point to scientists, inventors, technology and Nobel laureates, people of culture and art – writers, poets, musicians, but mostly they are not able to give specific achievements and names, only generalities.
That’s why the We Did It In Poland campaign was created, which is intended to direct attention to the potential of Polish entrepreneurship and strengthen opportunities for the development of Polish achievements. Increasing awareness of national successes in the field of technology and business will not only counter harmful stereotypes, but also increase the interest of European partners and investors in cooperation with Polish companies.
– Poland should strive to position Warsaw as a modern, fully digital financial center of European importance. We have dynamically developing fintechs that are the pillars of this ecosystem. Today BLIK is often seen as our national pride. BLIK is the largest digital mobile payment system in Europe. We have competence, proven technology and European regulatory experts. We are also already active in two markets outside Poland – Slovakia and Romania – and this is an excellent starting point for us to build BLIK’s increasingly strong position in the Central European region. I am glad that our activities are also indirectly building a strong image of Poland on the international arena – says Dariusz Mazurkiewicz, CEO of BLIK.
The survey also asked Poles to rate each European country overall on a scale of 0 to 10. Poland achieved a high average (7.3), ahead of Spain, France and Germany, among others , but we already rate other countries higher in specific areas. In our own assessment, we are particularly clearly inferior to our Western neighbors. According to those surveyed, Germany is more successful in sports (50 percent), technology (47 percent) and innovation (47 percent). France, on the other hand, is better at sports (52 percent), is more tolerant (45 percent) and modern (44 percent), and Spain is more successful in sports (49 percent).
– To successfully develop innovation and cutting-edge technology, four elements are key. We must have an advantage that sets us apart from the competition – e.g., intellectual property, patents. Secondly, an experienced and solid team is essential. Knowledge of the market – its size, trends and needs – is also key. Most important, however, are relationships with customers and business partners, as they are the ones that make it possible to scale innovation and build the global position of Polish brands. Polish companies have what it takes to succeed globally and inspire national pride – Says Marek Garniewski, CEO of ORLEN VC.
Premiere of interactive exhibition with Polish innovations in Brussels
The We Did It In Poland campaign has received the patronage of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Among its goals is to strengthen the image of Poland as an innovative, dynamic and modern country, making a significant contribution to the development of the European Union. The launch of the campaign outside Poland is combined with the opening of an interactive exhibition, which premiered on March 19 during the Competitiveness & Security Business Summit event organized in Brussels by Business & Science Poland, which is a partner of the campaign. The summit is an opportunity to discuss newly proposed strategies to strengthen the EU’s position in five key thematic areas: innovation, industry, financing, strategic supply chains and defense.
– Poland still lacks awareness and effective educational campaigns about our modern achievements ,” says Olga Adamkiewicz, strateżka of the We Did It In Poland campaign. – We want to strengthen Poland’s image as an innovative and dynamic country both among Poles and our international partners. The campaign includes companies of different scales – from startups to large enterprises – and focuses on sectors with the greatest growth potential. It is an innovative international project, aimed at a wide range of stakeholders, which emphasizes the importance of research and development activities for the development of the Polish economy.
The interactive exhibition consists of a three-dimensional mock-up of Poland, on which railroad stations are set up, representing selected innovations that we, as Poles, can boast of. An electric train, controlled by a visitor, travels between the stations. Behind the mock-up, screens are set up, on which – when the train stops at a selected station – animations are displayed, bringing visitors closer to the essence and importance of a given innovation. There is also a live preview of the view from the driver’s perspective on one of the screens.
*The survey, commissioned by the IcludedPlus Foundation, was conducted by research agency Group 4P from December 6-12, 2024, using the CAWI method on a representative sample of 1010 Poles aged 18 to 70.
