Published on 29 November 2024
As proud holders of the prestigious title, the city will implement a programme of activities, developed in cooperation with residents. Ahead of that is an intense period of preparation, translating the ideas from the application into concrete actions.
The competition took place in two stages with all competing cities were required to submit their initial applications by mid-September 2023. Lublin’s 60-page bid booklet outlined the organizational and financial capacity for implementing the programme. After an evaluation by an international panel of experts, a shortlist of cities were selected to progress to the second stage which also included Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, and Kołobrzeg.
Lublin’s final application was a 100-page comprehensive book detailing the programme, the organizational and financial plans, and the vision for the city. It was created in collaboration with the local cultural community: artists, activists, and social leaders. A key stage in the competition was the visit of a European panel of experts to Lublin in September, followed by a presentation of the final application.
The best applications within the ECoC competition are those that aim to showcase Europe’s rich and diverse culture; that highlight the key societal values that are important to the European Union; and that look to strengthen a sense of community and integration. Lublin’s slogan— RE:UNION— incorporates all these elements perfectly! The term RE:UNION can be interpreted as a notable meeting; a dialogue; care for one another; and a new perspective on Lublin.
The Mayor of Lublin, Krzysztof Żuk, said: “The last two years have been a time of intense work for all of us, with many valuable projects and events realized in the spirit of the RE:UNION idea. Taking on the challenge of participating in the competition was easier because we already have valuable experience from our previous bid for the title in 2016. We also have a wealth of unique knowledge and ‘know-how’ from being another capital— the European Youth Capital in 2023. I want to thank all the communities involved for their collaboration and contributions to this great success. We have once again proven that Lublin’s culture and its creators have enormous potential!”
The experience of other winning cities shows that winning the title has been a powerful boost for development, improving cultural vibrancy as well as bringing economic and social benefits. Lublin’s programme will deliver hundreds of events, attracting thousands of tourists, elevating the city’s profile within Poland and globally. It will also increase opportunities to access European funds to invest in infrastructure and to support social and cultural initiatives. Consequently, the award is expected to mark the beginning of many positive changes for the whole city over the longer term, providing an opportunity to address cultural and societal challenges and to improve the well-being of residents.
The ECoC competition was launched 40 years ago in Greece. To date, over 60 cities have held the title. In Poland, the title has been awarded twice, to Kraków in 2000, and Wrocław in 2016.
At the end of October, the URBACT IV Monitoring Committee selected 116 URBACT Good Practices from the 249 submissions received. The ‘Good Practice’ label is awarded to urban initiatives that are effective; participatory; integrated; relevant; and easily transferable to other European cities.
The ‘Let’s Think Up Lublin Together: Participatory Creation of the Lublin 2030 Smart Strategy’ was developed from an existing idea, and funded with a grant of nearly PLN 2.4 million, awarded to the Municipality of Lublin through a national competition. The competition was about creating a liveable, resident-friendly city using smart solutions, and with citizens actively participating in its management and shared decision-making. The Lublin 2030 Smart Strategy has been developed on this basis, through the involvement of many individuals and communities. A key part of delivering Lublin’s strategy will be to continue to promote and develop participatory approaches with the community.
URBACT will promote the 2024 ‘Good Practice’ winners over the coming months, and particularly at the City Festival 2025 which will be in Wrocław (Poland) in April. The festival will offer Good Practice cities the opportunity to present their initiatives, to inspire other European cities, and to forge project partnerships with other URBACT cities that are interested in adapting these practices through URBACT Transfer Networks.
You can check out the Lublin 2030 Strategy here: https://lublin.eu/biznes-i-nauka/strategia/s2030/pobierz-strategie-lublin-2030/
