On May 15, 2024, under the patronage of the European Commission Representation in Poland and in cooperation with the European Parliament’s Office, a debate titled “Yes! We’re 20 Years in the EU: Is Poland Ready for the Next Challenges?” was held at the Wrocław University of Economics and Business. The event was part of the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of Poland’s membership in the European Union and aimed to encourage participation in the upcoming European Parliament elections.

The debate gathered nearly half a thousand participants from the university and the entire Lower Silesia region. Among them were high school students from Kłodzko, Dzierżoniów, Góra, Oława, Oleśnica, Świdnica, Zgorzelec, and Wrocław — with high school students making up 3/4 of all attendees.

The official opening of the debate was led by:

• Prof. Andrzej Kaleta – Rector of WUEB
• Prof. Bogusława Drelich-Skulska – Vice-Rector for Accreditation and International Cooperation at WUEB
• Leszek Gaś – Director of the European Parliament Office in Wrocław
• Izabela Zygmunt – Specialist for the European Semester and the European Green Deal, European Commission Representation in Poland

As the moderator of the debate, I had the pleasure of working with members of the Student Scientific Club “Speakers Club,” supervised by Dr. Bartosz Scheuer, Prof. WUEB. During the discussion, we addressed key challenges such as:

• the ban on registration of new combustion vehicles from 2035,
• energy transformation,
• green transformation of agriculture,
• extension of the emissions trading system to residential buildings and transport.

At the end of the event, Leszek Gaś encouraged everyone to participate in the European Parliament elections, which will take place on June 9. I am thrilled that my alma mater is actively engaging in the discourse on energy transformation. May we have many more opportunities to celebrate our membership in the European Union and discuss the challenges that lie ahead.