18 July 2016 - PhilippineAmbassador to Poland Patricia Ann V. Paez participated in the Promotional Tour to Lviv for Ambassadors accredited to Warsaw from June 24 to 26, 2016 upon the invitation of the Embassy of Ukraine in collaboration with the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland.
Accompanied by the Ukranian Ambassador to Poland Andrii Deshchytsia, the envoys headed for Lviv on June 24 passing by the border crossing via the checkpoint Hrebenne-Rava Ruska. After checking in at the Hotel Atlas Delux, they were feted to a dinner at Videnska Kaviarna (“Vienna Cafe’) where they were welcomed by the Head of Lviv Oblast (Region) Administration Mr. Oleh Syniutka and the Head of the Lviv Regional Council Mr. Oleksandr Hanushchyn. After-dinner entertainment was provided by a Ukranian band whose genre is blues music which was banned in Ukraine during the era of Soviet rule.
Built in 1825, the Vienna Cafe is a historic landmark in Lviv. Its present owners had it rehabilitated in 2005. Serving authentic Ukrainian cuisine and locally-produced wine, the Vienna Cafe is very popular with tourists.
The following day, the ambassadors had a sightseeing walking tour and after a coffee break, had a sightseeing bus tour. The Mayor of Lviv Mr. Andrii Sadovyi hosted a buffet lunch at the Italian Yard located at the Rynek Square (Public Square). The envoys went to the Potocki Palace to see the painting exhibition themed “Carpet: Modern Ukranian Artists” which was officially opened the following day. In the evening, they attended the concert of the quartet Branforda Marsalisa within the framework of Alfa Jazz Festival - a yearly event which draws thousands of tourists to Lviv.
On their last day, the ambassadors had lunch at the Citadel Inn Hotel and Resort and were met by Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Mrs. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mr. Ostap Semarak.
At the Citadel Inn Hotel, Ambassador Paez met Mr. Nazar Biczuja, Managing Director of Kulczyk Holding S.A. in Kiev. The Kulczyk Foundation headed by Ms. Dominika Kulczyk, has social projects in the Philippines.The Foundation’s mission is “to identify efficient solutions to social problems, in order to improve the situation of those in need” and its “strategy” is “to help others by introducing best business practices to the world of philanthropy.” Ambassador Paez likewise met Mr. Krzysztof Tokarski, president of Tokarski Holding S.A. with diverse businesses in both Poland and Ukraine.
Ambassador Deshchytsia gave CDs of the Lemko Bluegrass Band, which performed at the Citadel Inn during the lunch, to the visiting envoys who later headed back to Warsaw with a coffee break at Dwor Lwowski near Lublin in Poland.
Lviv is now a destination of choice by thousands of tourists who are drawn by its ancient civilization as evidenced by original edifices built when Lviv was still under the Austro-Hungarian empire as well as by Lviv’s vibrant cultural life. An interesting combination of ancient civilization and cosmopolitanism exist side-by-side in Lviv which is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.
The Promotional Tour for ambassadors accredited to Warsaw showcased Lviv’s history, old as well as avant-garde culture and featured “gastro diplomacy.”
A handy and “reader-friendly” information material entitled “Invest Ukraine-Open for U” were given to the ambassadors which underscore the following key facts about Ukraine:
- Ukraine’s economy “achieved growth in the first quarter of 2016 for the first time since 4Q2013, and is expected to grow 1-2% this year, after contracting 7% in 2014 and a further 10% in 2015.”
- Ukraine has risen 65 positions since 2012 in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business.
- With a GDP (PPP) of US$ 339 billion in 2015, Ukraine is among the top-50 economies globally.
- The average salary is US$ 179 per month.
- No. 1 in IT engineering force in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
- No. 5 worldwide in rail cargo traffic.
- Four (4) of ten (10) European transport corridors run through Ukraine
- No.1 in black soil concentration globally.
- No. 1 in sunflower oil exports globally.
- Local gas production covers nearly 60% of needs.
- 4th educated nation in the world - 99.7% literacy rate.
- 70% have a secondary or higher education.
- 9.8% of graduates in math, sciences and computing the highest level in CEE
- Jan Kourn (WhatsApp) and Max Levchin (PayPal) were born and raised in Kyiv
- World’s largest cargo aircraft, Antonov-225 Mriya, designed and manufactured in Ukraine. END
