The seventh edition of the unique, nationwide campaign European Funds Open Days is ahead of us. At the same time, it is the first one conducted entirely online! There will be attractions from all over Poland awaiting Internet users: virtual tours, lives, workshops, quizzes, webinars and concerts. It will be really worth spending the last weekend of September (25-27 September)... online!
Open Days are called the European Funds’ holiday for a reason. The goal of this nationwide campaign is simple: to show how much EU funds have changed Poland, our surroundings and our everyday life. And in addition, do it in the most attractive and accessible way!
Note. This year’s EFOD are unique for several different reasons, but most of all because they are open to everyone, and everyone can use them and even show oneself during them.
Reason No. 1: we are celebrating entirely online
This year, we transferred the entire campaign to the Internet. Of course, everything for the safety of its participants.
All events will be available through the EFOD’s website: dniotwarte.eu. You will be able to visit literally every corner of Poland there.
Virtual tour of the Leonardo da Vinci Science Centre in Chęciny? Vegetable and fruit carving workshop? Online articulation course? An online lesson on former life in the countryside of Podlasie? Or maybe a concert?
We have prepared multitude of attractions among which everyone will find something for oneself. All you need to do is open your browser and go to the EFOD’s website.
Reason No. 2: we have something to celebrate!
After all, the 2014-2020 budget perspective ends this year which of course leads to some summaries. According to the latest data, since 2014, we have completed 67 thousand projects for a total amount of over PLN 480 billion.
16 years of our presence in the European Union have also passed. These years include over 260 thousand various investments, financed thanks to EU funds, worth... over a trillion zlotys.
These numbers are immensely impressive. But instead of citing more statistics, we want to show that EU money has an effect all around us and really changes our surroundings. That is why we present very diverse projects, smaller and larger ones, related to various areas of life.
For seven years, with the EFOD campaign (and with our other actions – much, much longer), we have been “disenchanting” European Funds so that they ceased to be associated with large, infrastructure investment. They are also training, new classroom equipment in schools, bicycle paths, modern medical equipment in hospitals and clinics, jobs which have been saved during the corona-crisis... It is time we start thinking about EU subsidies as something that is close to us and that we all use.
Poland is one of the leaders in implementing EU subsidies, so Poles should be proud of it.
Reason No. 3: cooperation matters
Without it, there would be no Open Days. It is a joint undertaking of all institutions involved in the implementation of EU funds in Poland. The main organiser is the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, but its participants also include Marshal’s Offices from all over Poland and other fund institutions.
The scale and size of the EFOD is mainly due to the beneficiaries who have been eagerly opening up to visitors for years and by their own example showing how effectively European Funds can work.
Hundreds of attractions from all over Poland, dozens of institutions involved, online events –coordination of the EFOD during pandemic is quite a challenge. Therefore, we are all the more pleased that the last weekend of September will be spent under the banner of funds.
Reason No. 4: we will be… almost everywhere!
Every year, we try to make the EFOD campaign as visible as possible. This will not be any different this time. We are running a broad campaign in national, regional and local media to reach all interested parties with information about fund-related events.
In our campaign, we combine the message about the EFOD with showing the effects and summarising the current budget perspective.
We will show ourselves:
- on television – we broadcast 2 advertising spots,
- on the radio – in two specially recorded radio broadcasts,
- in the press,
- on the Internet – where we will promote our internet spot, special videos, we will launch a GDN campaign linking to the website dniotwarte.eu,
- in social media - where we will release our promotional materials on Facebook of European Funds and many regional profiles, and we will launch a special campaign “Show us your day.”
We will show an example of a Polish resident’s day and… all those moments in which – knowingly or not – he or she uses European Funds. Of course, spots and video materials will also be available on our YouTube channel.
All materials, prepared with a view to broadcasting them in national media, will also be made available to the Marshal’s Offices, so that they could broadcast them regionally or use them in their social media.
Reason No. 5: because we want to see the “funded” changes through your eyes!
This is why, for the first time, we have prepared a special competition “Closer than you think”.
Have your surroundings or your everyday life changed in any way thanks to EU funds? Get your smartphone or camera and… record a video about it! It is worth it, because the winners will receive attractive prizes.
Remember: these do not need to be spectacular investments. Maybe the playground where you go to with your child has been renovated from EU subsidies? Maybe you use e-services – for example, you have settled your tax using e-PIT, or you use e-Prescription? Maybe a bicycle path has been created in your area which you use to commute to work? Yes, you will find European Funds here as well. Look around and look for the characteristic “funding” boards, posters and stickers, or visit website mapadotacji.gov.pl to find projects in your area.
Applications can be submitted between 24 August and 10 September, and the winners will be announced during the Open Days. All details can be found on the website: dniotwarte.eu.
Reason No. 6: we want the beneficiaries to show their successes too
That is those who directly reached for EU subsidies. For them, we also have a competition for an amateur video – “Show us your project.” It is time for them to show off what they have achieved.
Schools which have added more equipment to their classrooms thanks to the funds. Companies whom the EU grants allowed developing innovative products. Or maybe an NGO implementing an interesting training project? We want to see it.
There is something to fight for! The main prize is a recording of a professional spot promoting the project or the Winner.
Also in this case, the deadline for sending the video is 10 September. The winners will be announced the during the EFOD.
Reason No. 7: the European context
The European Funds Open Days campaign is in fact a part of a wider campaign conducted by the European Commission. Namely #EUinmyRegion which for years has been increasing the awareness of EU citizens about the scale and diversity of projects implemented with EU support.