Conference summarizing the implementation of the “Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski — City ReNEWal” project

On Thursday, 14 March 24, the Ostrowiec Cultural Brewery hosted a conference summarizing the implementation of the Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski — City ReNEWal (orig. Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski — Miasta OdNowa) project. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Association of Polish Cities, people involved in the project: employees of the City Hall, the Center for Local Development, representatives of project partners, members of the Youth City Councils from Stalowa Wola, Skarżysko Kamienna and Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski with their parents, as well as Councilors of the Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski City Council and Ostrowiec Poviat Council, at the invitation of the Vice Mayor. Special guests at the conference were an 11-person delegation from the twin city of Sogndal from Norway.

The conference began with presentations on the implementation of projects in Starachowice, Stalowa Wola and Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The first to speak was Starachowice Vice Mayor Marcin Golębiowski, who presented selected aspects that have been implemented under the Local Development program. The presentation “Model Solutions to Difficult Challenges” (orig. Modelowe rozwiązania na trudne wyzwania) was given by Arleta Siwek, Head of the Stalowa Wola Local Activity Center. The head of the Planning and Development Department, Dominik Smoliński, spoke about the main assumptions of the Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski project.

Grzegorz Kaczmarek, an expert of the Association of Polish Cities, presented the results of the study “City as a place to live — Youth's self-portrait” (orig. Miasto jako miejsce do życia — Młodzieży portret własny). In total, the Association of Polish Cities surveyed more than 30,000 students in the final year of secondary schools from Skarżysko Kamienna, Stalowa Wola and Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The results of the survey were a great opportunity to discuss support for young people, the creation of civic and entrepreneurial attitudes and the problems of depopulation, which was attended by the Vice Mayor of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and Starachowice, as well as the Head of the Department of the Stalowa [TO1] Wola Center for Local Activity.

After discussing the prepared presentations, the invited guests took part in a panel discussion about the need to adapt urban policies to the issues related to urban shrinkage processes. The panel was moderated by Deputy Head of the Planning and Development Department Tomasz Gębka. 

The conference concluded with a joint presentation by three Youth City Councils. Stanislaw Krasowski from Stalowa Wola talked about the difficulties the Youth City Council encountered while working on joint projects. Klaudia Chamera and Olga Cukierska from Starachowice talked about innovative methods used to involve young people in the local community. Liva and Emma from Norway cited the benefits of collaboration among young community leaders. Armando Malesza and Julia Skowron of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski summed up several months of activities of the Youth City Council of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski.