The Three Seas Local Government Congress 2026
On 27–28 May 2026, Lublin hosted the 6th edition of the Three Seas Local Government Congress, an international event dedicated to regional cooperation, economic development, and security across Central and Eastern Europe. Nearly 2,000 representatives of local and regional governments, public administration, academia, business, NGOs, and diplomatic missions from 37 countries participated in the Congress.
Organised on the initiative of the Lubelskie Voivodeship, the event was held under the Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki. The Congress welcomed representatives of 25 official foreign delegations from countries including Croatia, Romania, Slovakia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, France, and Moldova. For the first time, delegations from Albania also took part in the event. Ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Montenegro attended the Congress as well.
During the opening ceremony, Marshal of the Lubelskie Voivodeship Jarosław Stawiarski emphasised the importance of cooperation among countries in the region for strengthening security, stability, and economic growth. Participants also listened to an online address by President Karol Nawrocki and attended a discussion with Andrzej Duda, President of Poland from 2015 to 2025, devoted to the ten-year history of the Three Seas Initiative.
The second day of the Congress was opened by former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who highlighted the strategic importance of regional cooperation and the development of north–south transport infrastructure. During the opening session, the Memorandum of Cooperation regarding the Quantum Computing Center was signed. The agreement, concluded between the Lubelskie Voivodeship Government and representatives of Lublin’s higher education institutions, marks an important step toward the development of advanced technologies and cybersecurity in the region.
Five thematic Forums
The Congress programme was organised around five thematic forums:
- International Forum
- Economic Forum
- Security Forum (co-organised by Defence24)
- Science Forum (in cooperation with the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, IRST, and SGMK)
- Youth Forum (with the participation of the Youth Assembly of the Lubelskie Voivodeship)
Over the course of two days, 46 debates and expert panels were held, featuring more than 180 speakers representing various sectors and countries of the region. Participants included renowned experts, academics, and opinion leaders such as Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka, Member of the Economic Council to the President of Poland and Founder and President of the Three Seas Business Council, as well as Lieutenant General (Ret.) Dr Jarosław Gromadziński, President of the Defence Institute and representative of the Defence24 Group. Representatives of local governments, universities, think tanks, and businesses also actively contributed to the discussions.
We had the honour of cooperating with numerous distinguished institutions, including the Chancellery of the President of Poland, the Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Three Seas Business Council, the Centre for Eastern Studies, the Schuman Thought Institute, Digital Poland, and leading Polish universities such as the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, the Nicolaus Copernicus Superior School in Warsaw, and the Zamoyski Academy.
Economic Forum
The Economic Forum remains the core component of the Congress, providing a platform for business dialogue, an exhibition area, B2B meetings with participants of international trade missions, and an innovation zone showcasing modern solutions and technologies.
New in 2026 – Security Forum
A key addition to this year’s programme was the Security Forum, which addressed issues such as local resilience, public health and social security, protection of critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, and the role of local governments in crisis response.
The Network of the Three Seas Regions expands
Close cooperation within the Network of the Three Seas Regions enables the implementation of joint projects in areas such as economic development, infrastructure, environmental protection, digitalisation, education, and science.
During the Congress, the Network welcomed two new members: Vaslui County from Romania and the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace from Greece. As a result, the initiative now brings together 30 regions from nine Central and Eastern European countries.
In addition, new universities from Albania, Türkiye, and Spain joined the Three Seas Universities Network.
Previous editions of the Congress have already contributed to the establishment of the Network of the Three Seas Regions, the Three Seas Tourism Network, and the Three Seas Universities Network.
Three Seas Regions Gala and Awards
An integral part of the event was the Three Seas Regions Gala, during which the “International Success in the Three Seas Initiative” awards were presented. The awards recognised outstanding contributions to international cooperation and regional development in the fields of business, diplomacy, and security.
2026 Award Winners
- International Company – Perła – Browary Lubelskie S.A., one of Poland’s largest independent breweries, with a tradition dating back to 1846. Today, it is a modern enterprise successfully combining experience with innovation while expanding both domestically and internationally.
- Regional Company – WOD-BUD Sp. z o.o., a family-owned Polish company operating continuously since 1920 and playing a significant role in the development of regional infrastructure.
- Person – His Excellency Tomislav Vidošević, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Poland, recognised for his long-standing commitment to strengthening Polish-Croatian relations and advancing cooperation within the Three Seas Initiative.
- Security – Major General Dr Krzysztof Stańczyk, honoured for his leadership in developing the Territorial Defence Forces as a modern security formation capable of responding to contemporary challenges.
During the Gala, the Polish National Interest Award of the Poland–Europe Institute was also presented to Robert Kostro, a distinguished historian and publicist who served as the founder and director of the Museum of Polish History between 2006 and 2024.
The first day concluded with the Three Seas Music Concert, a unique cultural event showcasing the rich heritage of the Lubelskie Voivodeship and countries of the Three Seas region. Through performances by musicians, dance ensembles, and the use of modern multimedia technologies, participants were introduced to the history and cultural traditions of the region.
Three Seas Congress 2026 in numbers
- 2,161 registered participants from 37 countries (representatives of 13 countries of the Three Seas Initiative, but also other parts of the world: Argentina, Azerbaijan, Canada, Democratic Republic of the Congo, USA, and the Netherlands)
- 1,565 attendees, including 25 official delegations from Three Seas and European countries (e.g. Croatia, Greece, Romania, Slovak Republic. Lithuania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Albania)
- 46 panel discussions and more than 180 speakers
- 5 thematic forums: International, Economic, Security, Scientific, and Youth
- 8 ambassadors and heads of missions representing Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Latvia, Slovakia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Montenegro
- Distinguished keynote speakers, including former President Andrzej Duda, ECR President Mateusz Morawiecki, Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka, President of the Three Seas Business Council, and Lieutenant General (Ret.) Dr Jarosław Gromadziński
- Signing of agreements and letters of intent, including the memorandum establishing the Lublin Quantum Computing Centre and a cooperation agreement with the Grand Est Region of France
- Admission of new members to the Network of the Three Seas Regions, bringing the total to 30 regions from 9 countries
- Admission of new members to the Three Seas Universities Network: Aleksandër Xhuvani University (Albania), Artuklu University (Türkiye), and Ferdinand III University (Spain)
- Economic missions, B2B meetings, exhibition and innovation zones for entrepreneurs
- Awards presented in the categories of International Company, Regional Company, Person, and Security
- 32 substantive partners, including research institutes, think tanks, and academic institutions
- 20 media partners
- Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki
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