Katowice with an award for sustainable development!

Katowice has been honoured with silver medal for cities with a population of over 400,000 (it includes those who live here and those who stay only at day) as part of The International Awards for Liveable Communities LivCom Awards 2023, and the finals were held in Malta.

“While organizing the World Urban Forum in Katowice, we focused on promoting the Sustainable Development Goals. We spoke about them both in the debate, as well as inside the Kato Urban Corner, and in other zones available within the city during the forum. Also, the city’s policy for tackling the climate change or poverty is based on these goals. Our activities have been recognized worldwide, the silver medal at International Awards for Liveable Communities LivCom Awards 2023 being their result. However, we do not intend to rest on our laurels.

We are aware that future of next generations is in our hands, hence the need to purse our objectives,” says Marcin Krupa, the mayor of Katowice.

photo. UMK

The LivCom Awards is a prestigious competition which promotes good practices and innovative solutions for implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. It is organized by the LivCom Committee and the United Nations Center for Regional Development (UNCRD) and the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP). The crucial aspect of the competition is exchange of experience between cities and creation of an international network. Each year, the communities that meet at the LivCom Award finals exchange best practices and experiences, and join forces to address common challenges.

Katowice’s presence in the finals is another sign of recognition by the international experts of our sustainability policies and proves that one year after the WUF, the city is still developing the initiatives it has undertaken. This year, our competitors included Abu Dhabi – the winner of the gold award, Xinyang (China), Eskişehir (Türkiye), Davao (Philippines). It is worth mentioning that Katowice was not the only Polish city among the finalists: the gold award went to Gdynia for smaller cities with a population between 150,000 and 400,000 residents, while Ostrów Wielkopolski was awarded the bronze for their environmental projects.

“We began our efforts by preparing the extensive application where, in accordance with the guidelines, we described the solutions we have implemented in recent years,” says Marta Chmielewska, Director of the Promotion Department. “The document covered environmental protection and green economy, revitalization of landscape and public spaces, social participation, or management of culture, art and heritage. During the finals, we were obliged to give a presentation about Katowice about the sustainable development and implementation of the SDG’s with an emphasis on the applied solutions for the elderly. After all, the theme of this edition was active aging,” she adds.

photo. UMK

Last year, WHO Global Network included Katowice in its network of aging-friendly cities and municipalities. Any 60+ resident can participate in events, actions and activities organized by the city. The initiatives make life easier e.g., the handyman or the silver book as well as a range of engaging activities, including senioriadas.

The “Katowice Senior in the City” program was created with seniors in mind. Its main goal is to improve the quality of life of the 60+ residents by providing them with access to appropriate forms of support. Its detailed objectives are health, housing, social and participation in social life.

Furthermore, there are other activities implemented such as the NIEMAPA KATOWICE (NIE TYLKO) FOR SENIORS (NOMAP {NOT ONLY} FOR SENIORS) project, which features more than a dozen Katowice attractions – for those interested in culture and art, healthy living or exploring neighbourhoods. The paper version of NIEMAPA can be collected for free at the Municipal Culture Centres and the Tourist Information Centre in Katowice. The online version can also be downloaded from the website (https://niemapa.pl/niemapy/katowice-seniorzy/).

Compiled by: the Department of Social Communication, Katowice City Hall