January 18, 2013

Mayor Emanuel Meets With Delegation Leaders Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf and Under Secretary of State Beata Stelmach of Poland

Talks Centered On Opportunities for Greater Collaboration and Economic Development

Mayor's Press Office    312.744.3334

This morning, Mayor Rahm Emanuel met with Poland’s Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf and Under Secretary of State Beata Stelmach.  The Mayor and the Polish leaders had a fruitful conversation concerning various subjects, including opportunities for greater collaboration and economic development.

“I welcome Under Secretary Stelmach and Ambassador Schnepf to Chicago and am pleased to continue strengthening our longstanding friendship with Poland,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Chicago’s rich history as a city of immigrants has benefited from the Polish people, who have played a defining role in the cultural, social and economic fabric of our city.” 

The Polish capital city of Warsaw represents the first Sister City agreement entered into by Chicago, in 1960. Approximately one million Polish-Americans live in the Chicago-area, the largest population of people of Polish heritage outside of Warsaw. Over 200,000 Poles reside in the City of Chicago.  

In attendance alongside Ambassador Schnepf and Under Secretary of State Stelmach were the Consul General in Chicago, Paulina Kapuscinska and Director of the Economic Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Grzegorz Kozlowski.  While in Chicago Ambassador Schnepf and Undersecretary Stelmach have also participated in a program co-hosted by World Business Chicago and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Mayor Emanuel continues to foster positive economic development with foreign countries as a tool to strengthen Chicago’s economy. To further those efforts, over the past several months the Mayor has met with dignitaries from Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, China and Lithuania.

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Photo Caption: Mayor Emanuel meets with Ambassador Schnepf and Under Secretary of State Stelmach of Poland.


Photo Credit: Brooke Collins - City of Chicago