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Poland, one of the few European countries that did not go into recession in 2009, will be the guest of honour at the 2010 edition of the MIPIM international real estate fair in Cannes, France next March. Rafal Biniak, vice-minister for Economy in Poland, will present the investment and real estate development opportunities of his country at MIPIM during a keynote speech on Tuesday, 16 March.

'We chose Poland because of its excellent economic performance. It was recently described as 'an island of growth in a crisis-ridden Europe' in the face of the global economic downturn, and is a rarity in the European Union, having achieved positive growth of 1.4% in 2009,' said MIPIM director Nadine Castagna. 'We shall also be celebrating the loyalty of a country that has been a MIPIM attendee since the beginning.'

As guest of honour, Poland will be in the limelight throughout the four days of MIPIM. Polish exhibitors will be grouped in two display areas: one to promote urban projects in conjunction with Euro 2012, and the other to enhance local and regional investment potential. This second focus will be promoted via an Agora, a 66-m² area for conferences, project presentations, cocktail parties and other events organised by exhibitors from Poland, as well as nearby Central and Eastern Europe exhibitors.

Over 300 Polish professionals are expected at MIPIM 2010. Polish exhibitors who have already signed up include local authorities such as the municipalities of Gdansk, Krakow, Poznan and Warsaw, together with marquee companies such as PA|i|Z - the Polish Agency for Foreign Investment, and Mayland, a major commercial real estate developer.

A programme of conferences and events has also been organised to turn the spotlight on Poland’s investment potential. The conference on cities for Euro 2012 and the Jury prize for a Polish real estate project during the MIPIM Awards 2010 will be among the highlights.