“We are showcasing people, Polish women and men, whose achievements and creations we still use in our daily lives. Other countries also have such creative and brilliant minds. Europe has everything to be proud of. Our issue lies in the fact that we do not keep these people in our countries, in Europe. They look for opportunities to work, develop and carry out their research somewhere else,” said Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia during the opening the “Republic of Innovation” exhibition at the European Parliament in Brussels.

“We should be proud to be Europeans and keep in mind the untapped potential of our nations, our countries, our economies. We should use it as a foundation to build our strength and our renewed identity. We must show this strength now, at a time when so many people question the sense of European community,” he pointed out.

The exhibition showcases Polish inventors, whose discoveries were of major importance for the development of world science and technology, including Józef Hofman, Jan Czochralski, Józef Kosacki, Henryk Magnuski, Jan Szczepanik and Kazimierz Funk. It highlights historical events – political milestones for Polish and global democracy as well as contemporary innovations created by other Poles, including the revolutionary method of manufacturing solar cells (perovskite technology) or the Polish endoscopic capsule for digestive system imaging.

The exhibition is part of a series of events accompanying the parliamentary dimension of the Polish Presidency in the Council of the European Union. The opening was attended by Deputy Speaker of the Senate Maciej Żywno. Deputies, Senators and MEPs also attended the event.