Cittaslow Network Poland

POLAND

15th Anniversary of Polish Cittaslow Network

The idea of slow towns of ”good quality of life” was born in Poland in Warmia and Mazury – 26 out of 35 members are located in this region. The rest are scattered all over the country - from the Opole region on the south, through Mazovia and Łódź in the center, and to Pomerania and Western Pomerania on the north. The accession of the first Polish city - Reszel - to the Cittaslow International began in 2004. A year later, the city councils of this city, as well as Biskupiec, Bisztynek and Lidzbark Warmiński adopted resolutions on joining the network, which finally happened in 2007. At the same year the founding cities established the Polish Cittaslow Network. Since 2008, her work has been coordinated by Cittaslow Office established in the Marshal’s Office of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. Promotional activities in the year of 2007-2014 resulted in the accession to the network by other cities. In 2021 Węgorzewo, Olecko, Morąg and Szczytno joined the network. Currently we have two more candidates. In 2015, the “Polish Cittaslow Towns” Association was established, which made it possible to obtain funds from the EU. The association unites 21 Cittaslow cities from Warmia and Mazury region. During the financing period 2014-2020, the implementation of the “Revitalization program for the Cittaslow towns” began. Within this program, 92 projects will be implemented in 19 cities (the total value of cofinancing from the EU was EUR 51.1 million). Currently, the implementation of the entire program is advanced at 80%, the last projects will be completed this year. A lots of elements of the urban space were revitalized (including green areas and historic buildings) by giving them useful functions for city residents and tourists. In 2021, the members of the Association worked intensively on the preparation of a new program: “Cities of Good Life 2030”, which includes strategic projects from 20 Cittaslow towns. One of them, called “There is no good life without clean air”, worth around EUR 56.5 million, has been pre-qualified for funding from the new EU budget. After 15 years, the Cittaslow brand has become recognizable throughout the country. It has also become the subject of scientific research and studies are being written about it. As part of the celebration of the jubilee year, Polish Cittaslow towns have prepared a series of events to celebrate the anniversary and to implement the ideas of Cittaslow in practice. Among more than twenty events of the 15th Anniversary Calendar, you can find sports, cultural and scientific events. There will also be knight tournaments, culinary festivals, fairs and city days. The Jubilee events will culminate in the presentation of the “Social Effects of the Revitalization Program” in Brussels, which will take the form of posters exhibition.