We have written several times about our activities related to our efforts to help war-torn Ukraine. This time, we'll let you get a first-hand look at the setting of the international fair, which we attended in person on February 15-16, 2023.
Why?
Because the theme of the event appealed to us and fits perfectly into our concept of concrete plans in Ukraine. We are working on them together with Valbek and our daughter company Geodata Ukraine.
Rebuild Ukraine emphasizes the infrastructure, industry, housing, and investment needed to rebuild Ukraine's war-torn economy. Hundreds of companies from 22 countries such as the UK, Austria, Belgium, Finland, and Korea participated in the fair. The Czech Republic, under the auspices of the Business Club Ukraine and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, had a modern stand and presented 14 companies mainly from the construction sector. Another 40 or so Czech entrepreneurs visited the fair as part of a business mission with the Minister of Industry and Trade Ing. Jozef Sikela.
In order to make the event really effective and the negotiations concrete, it was possible to meet personally with representatives of 23 municipalities that suffered great damage during the war in the Ukrainian pavilion. The Czech Republic is conducting bilateral negotiations directly with the city of Dnipro. Specifically, it will deal with assistance to the Dnipropetrovsk region. This is the second largest and most populous of Ukraine's 24 municipalities. It lies slightly east of the center of the country on both banks of the Dnieper River. It is still partly affected by the war.
Our colleague Ing. Yevhenii Spivak from Geodata Ukraine led discussions with many of the participants at the fair and also made important contacts thanks to his specialization and passion. Unlike us, he has personal experience of the difficult life in a country where power cuts and siren sounds are the order of the day due to the Russian invasion. The emotions you carry in connection with such experiences are not transferable. There was a sense of togetherness, determination, and a desire to continue to help.
Ondrej Hrdlicka, who also traveled to Rebuild Ukraine and heads up an international business, said: "A very successful trade fair from which we took away a lot of knowledge, contacts, and hopefully business opportunities for our vision. The Czech Republic approached the event very responsibly and prepared the best pavilion at the whole fair. We were also invited to a meeting at the embassy where some Ukrainian cities presented themselves. I was disappointed only by the approach of Poland, which held a parallel exhibition at its embassy."
To borrow the ending of the official report of Business Club Ukraine: "The fact that the event was successful is evidenced by the fact that the organizers have already announced the holding of a similar fair on 14-15 November this year again in Warsaw. Ukraine will also become a partner country of the International Engineering Fair in Brno."
Link to the event: www.rebuildukraine.in.ua/en
Mgr. Lucie Kmochová
