The Port of Gdansk received the ESPO 2021 award for social integration and assistance to those in need during the pandemic.
Piotr Bura, director of the Marketing and Communication Department, and Anna Drozd, the press spokesman, received the award on behalf of the Port of Gdansk Authority SA. The summary of the competition and the announcement of the winner took place on November 9 in Brussels. The theme of this year’s edition of the ESPO competition was “The role of ports in the reconstruction of the city and the local community”. The Port of Gdansk has something to be proud of. The Port of Gdansk Authority SA carried out several projects aimed at improving the quality of life of the inhabitants of districts closely related to the port.
We support the local football clubs “Portowiec Gdańsk” and “Torus Wybrzeże”. We are organizing the Summer Cinema on the beach in Stogi district of the city of Gdańsk. We subsidize local initiatives. Among others, we subsidize the Social Library of the “Friendly Pomerania” Association. We were involved in actions related to the fight against the pandemic. We support paramedics from Pomerania – lists Anna Drozd, press spokesman for the Port of Gdansk.
The port helps the elderly and the sick living in the districts of Gdańsk adjacent to the Port of Gdańsk (Nowy Port and Stogi). We often provide the only hot meal a day. The Port of Gdansk Authority purchased for 4 analyzers for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections, personal protective equipment, and tourist refrigerators. These goods were donated to Pomeranian hospitals. We also purchased 10 fully equipped tents, which, if necessary, can be used as temporary admission rooms.
We show that solidarity with other people, building good relationships, cooperation and responding to the needs of our neighbors “from behind the fence” – these are the values thanks to which the world can be better. The award is our motivation for further actions in the future – says Łukasz Greinke, president of the Port of Gdansk.
ESPO Award 2021 shortlisted projects: Port of Gdańsk Authority
The ESPO Award 2021 will go to the port managing body that succeeds best in playing a role in the recovery from the current crisis and in contributing to enhancing the prosperity of the city, local community and region. The winning port will demonstrate to what extent its focus and activities are essential for the recovery of the surrounding city and local community and which successful steps it is taking to assist in the social, cultural and economic recovery and prosperity of the city, local community and region.
The four projects that are shortlisted for this year’s Award are the projects of Port of Gdańsk Authority S.A. (Poland), Hamburg Port Authority (Germany), Port Authority of Valencia (Spain) and Port Authority of Vigo (Spain).
ESPO is proud to present the shortlisted projects before the winner is announced during the traditional ESPO Award Ceremony and Dinner taking place on 9 November in Brussels.
Port of Gdańsk Authority
WE ARE – unification of local community of Gdańsk’s districts Nowy Port and Stogi with its old neighbour, the sea port
ESPO: Congratulations! You have been shortlisted for the ESPO Award 2021! Could you briefly describe your project?
Thank you. It is really a great honour for us and an appreciation of the efforts we have been making for the last two years. The Port of Gdańsk is currently involved in various activities under the WE ARE slogan. The purpose of the project is to integrate the local community of the Gdańsk districts of Stogi and Nowy Port with its old neighbour – the seaport. Through these actions we want to promote the values of cooperation, solidarity and responsibility, which are so much needed in these times of pandemic.
Port Gdańsk
ESPO: How has your project contributed to the recovery from the current crisis and to enhancing the prosperity of the city, local community and region? Could you tell us more? How does your project contribute to the societal integration of the port?
During the difficult pandemic period, we have focused our efforts on the residents of two districts of Gdańsk: Nowy Port and Stogi. During the longest lockdown, we funded and distributed 8000 meals to seniors who were most exposed to the risk of contracting COVID-19. We purchased medical equipment for Pomeranian hospitals to combat the coronavirus. We also gave meals to medics and paramedics who found themselves on the front line of the fight against the pandemic. We supported local sports clubs that could not organise competitions and play in front of an audience so as to continue training and allow children, teenagers and adults to pursue their sports passions. Finally, we noticed two local initiatives. The first was the project of a social library established by a former terminal employee at our port, which is not only a place to borrow books or hold cultural events, but above all a meeting point for the inhabitants of the Stogi district. The second project was to support football enthusiasts who wanted to recreate a sports club in the Nowy Port district. We purchased the necessary equipment and paid for football coaches, who now conduct regular football classes for kids in our district. Each of such initiatives leads to another one, and that is why in the summer we organised the next edition of the summer cinema on the beach in Stogi, beehives appeared on the roof of the port ferry terminal, and recently we cleaned the beach together with the residents. The good we do comes back to us. That is why we are convinced that there will be more similar initiatives in the future.
.jpg)
Port Gdańsk
ESPO: Could you describe the original and innovative character of your project?
The original and innovative character of our project is to make the seaport friendlier to its neighbours, as currently it is associated with powerful infrastructure inaccessible to ordinary residents. To provide a seaport that is close to the people, their problems and needs. A place which, while fighting for its position on an international level, also notices social needs and the problems occurring just beyond its administrative borders. Project activities started during the difficult time of the pandemic. Through these activities and the involvement of port staff, we want to show that the world would be a better place if we learned to work with each other. Seaports are an important element of the urban space, especially those that have been operating for several hundreds years. The port connects the city with the sea. It is also the perfect location to put the “think globally, act locally” principle into practice.
.jpg)
Port Gdańsk
ESPO: Why do you think your project deserves to win the ESPO Award 2021?
Gdańsk is the city where the “Solidarity” movement was born, which then changed the face of Poland and Europe. Our fathers changed the political and economic system. Today we can continue their work through concern for others, through actions that are not always spectacular but are important for seniors, for the excluded, for people who want to grow with their dreams and passions. We want to demonstrate that solidarity with others, relationships, cooperation and openness to the needs of neighbours living next to the port are the values that can make the world better.
