The Three Seas Local Government Congress complements the Three Seas Initiative, launched in 2015 by President Andrzej Duda and former President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović. The President’s initiative inspired the Lubelskie Voivodeship to establish a local government cooperation component. Organised by the Marshal’s Office of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, the Congress serves as an additional platform for local governments from the 13 Three Seas Initiative countries. The guests were welcomed by the Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, Jarosław Stawiarski.

- The practical realization of the Three Seas Congress is the ongoing cooperation of local governments within the Network of the Three Seas Regions, which currently includes 27 local governments from 7 countries, with another associated region from Moldova joining today. The Three Seas University Network is also developing successfully. We have created a platform for deepening economic cooperation, signing numerous important agreements in the transport sector and cluster collaboration. We continue our efforts, expanding cooperation this year to new fields, including mutual recognition of historical heritage through partnerships between open-air museums from Central Europe and the establishment of the Three Seas Tourism Network - Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, Jarosław Stawiarski.

In his keynote speech President Andrzej Duda reflected on the decade-long history of the Initiative.

- This year’s 5th edition of this event aligns with the 10th anniversary of the Three Seas Initiative, which I had the honour of initiating. Our goal was twofold: to strengthen the economic and infrastructural resilience of Central and Eastern Europe and to amplify the voice of nations that are now at the frontline of Russian aggression against Ukraine. Ten years ago, we decided to put an end to Europe’s division into more and less developed in order to align the regional economic disparities. I thank everyone for their efforts, which bring real benefits not only to local communities but to the entire Three Seas region, its partners, and its neighbours – President of Poland, Andrzej Duda.

Each year, the Congress focuses on key investment projects in transport, energy, and digitalization, as well as international policy challenges, such as the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on various aspects of society – from security and medicine to education, countering disinformation, and economic trends. This year’s edition expands cooperation in historical heritage preservation through partnerships between open-air museums from Central Europe and the establishment of the Three Seas Tourism Network.

The participants of the discussions were distinguished experts from Three Seas Initiative countries including Lithuania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Romania, Greece, as well as associated countries: Ukraine, Moldova, and partners of the initiative: the USA, Japan, Germany and the European Commission.



The opening session, led by the content partner – Chancellery of the President of Poland, reviewed the 10-year history of the Three Seas Initiative and its future prospects. Key documents signed included:

• Declaration on the establishment of the Three Seas Tourism Network. It is a joint initiative led by the Lubelskie Voivodeship, The Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Lublin Regional Tourism Organisation, and the Union of the Bulgarian Black Seas Local Authorities. The Network aims to promote regional tourism, strengthen regional brands, and create a cohesive tourism offer for Central and Eastern Europe, using EU funding and other financial mechanisms.

• Official admission of new member to the Network of the Three Seas Regions. Ștefan Vodă region of Moldova joined the Network of Regions, which now includes 28 local governments from 8 countries. The Network aims to promote sustainable development, cross-border cooperation, and international partnerships to enhance the economic and social cohesion of the Three Seas area.

• Declaration on Partnership and Cooperation of the Members of the Network of the Three Seas Regions for supporting the preparation and construction of the international transport corridor Via Carpatia. The Lubelskie Voivodeship, Podkarpackie Voivodeship, and Slovakia’s Prešov Self-governing Region signed an agreement in Brussels in December 2024 to support the development of the Via Carpatia international transport corridor. During the Congress, additional Network members formally supported the initiative by adding their signatures.



The panellists presented a broader context for the use of AI in the economy, particularly in technical sciences and management. During the panel, it was emphasized that AI is not just about generating images and texts or the competition between ChatGPT and DeepSeek. The participants demonstrated how AI supports innovation in practice and enables the execution of tasks beyond the capabilities of typical design and research tools. Discussion included analysing whether AI can predict when an engine will fail, assess the risk of developing a rare disease, and determine the reliability of information provided by popular AI tools. The panel also explored the future development of AI in the European Union and the limitations imposed by the AI Act and national regulations.



The international session included 3 panels:

Panel I: The role of the Three Seas Initiative in the development of interregional tourism (Contents partner: Lublin Regional Tourism Organisation). The discussion focused on how shared infrastructure, such as Via Carpatia, can facilitate travel between countries and support the development of joint tourist routes. Experts addressed key challenges common to the Three Seas region, including the seasonality of tourism, the need for the industry to adapt to sustainable tourism trends, digitalization, transport accessibility, and cross-border initiatives that could significantly boost tourism in the region.

Panel II: The European Commission and European Parliament towards the Three Seas Initiative (Content Partners: Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Political Science and Administration, UKSW). This discussion provided an opportunity to discuss the role of EU institutions in shaping policies regarding the Three Seas Initiative. The panelists explored how the EU can support infrastructure development, digitalization, and energy security in the Three Seas countries. The discussion also covered the financing of strategic projects and the representation of Three Seas countries’ interests within the EU.

Panel III: The Three Seas Initiative – future and challenges in the Euro-Atlantic context: cybersecurity, economic relations, and countering disinformation (Content Partner: Schumans Thought Institute). The current geopolitical landscape is undergoing a significant “reorganization.” Changes in the White House, increasing global power competition, and the European Union’s crisis are creating political turbulence. This raises the necessity of defining the future and identifying the challenges that must be overcome, particularly in the context of transatlantic cooperation, economic growth, and economic security. Another major threat discussed was the widespread issue of disinformation, which creates instability and severely complicates policymaking, including international relations.



Marshal Jarosław Stawiarski conducted the official opening of the forum. The Economic Forum featured an opening session entitled “Women’s Lubelskie” and a seminar entitled “EXPO 2025 World Exhibition Osaka, Japan – opportunities for Lublin SMEs and the region’s economy.”

Opening Session: Women’s Lubelskie. In today’s world, the growing role of women is evident. It is worth highlighting women who have achieved remarkable professional success. The list of qualities is long: optimism, creativity, enthusiasm, curiosity, self-confidence, ambition, and above all, diligence, determination, courage, analytical skills, risk-taking ability, and assertiveness. Achieving success depends not only on personality traits, self-awareness, ambition, and resilience but also on knowledge. The Lubelskie Voivodeship is a region with significant economic potential, offering great opportunities for entrepreneurial women. Women in the region are the backbone of success and development, serving as ambassadors of entrepreneurship in a broad sense.

Following the “Women’s Lubelskie” session, a press conference was held to announce Lubelskie Voivodeship’s participation in the Polish Pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai. Participants of the press conference included: Jarosław Stawiarski – Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, Elwira Lorenz – Director of the Department of Economy of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, Kamila Lendzion – Director of the Lublin Opera, Bartłomiej Bałaban – Acting Director of the Museum of Lublin Village Open Air Museum, Marta Zielińska – Deputy Director of the Expo Department, Regional Promotion Programme Coordinator.



The World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai will begin on April 13, 2025. It is the world’s largest and most significant economic and promotional event. The Lubelskie Voivodeship’s participation aims to strengthen its international image, establish new business contacts, and promote science, culture, and tourism. Poland will present itself at Expo 2025 as a country whose strength lies in its creative, open, educated, and bold people. The theme of Poland’s presence at the World Expo is: “Poland. Heritage that Drives the Future”. At the heart of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai preparations stand the Polish entrepreneur, with the economic program being the key component of the project. The program will particularly focus on industries identified as having the highest export potential for Asian markets and as top priorities for trade relations with Japan. These industries include: medical and pharmaceutical sector, cosmetics sector, IT/Fintech sector, green technologies sector (including hydrogen industry), agri-food sector (including AgriTech) and gaming sector. The panel “World Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan – Opportunities for Lublin SMEs and the Regional Economy” will discuss how participation in the Japanese trade mission can contribute to regional economic development and support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.



Three Seas University Network (Content Partner: John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin). As part of the scientific session organised by the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Polish and international universities and research centres discussed education and cooperation as values that unite the regions. The discussion explored how to effectively leverage the potential of the Erasmus+ program for the future of the Three Seas Initiative. Additionally, the session addressed the role of artificial intelligence in medicine and healthcare, analysing its opportunities, challenges, and future prospects. The scientific session included 4 discussion panels: Panel I: Three Seas University Network: Science, Innovation and Cooperation for Sustainable Development and the Future of the Region, Panel II: Education and cooperation – values that connect: Leveraging the potential of the Three Seas Initiative and the Erasmus+ program for the region's future, Panel III: Science for health and the future of healthcare systems: Opportunities, challenges, and perspectives in the Three Seas Initiative countries, Panel IV: Artificial intelligence in medicine: Innovations, legal, and ethical challenges in the future of healthcare.