Network of Progressive Cities

th 6 Conference on Sustainable Development in Municipalities European Dialogue on the municipal implementation of the 2030 Agenda

Getting the civil society on board Image of the project

The Network of Progressive Cities was founded in Słupsk, Poland, in 2015. It aims at strengthening Dariusz Szwed (Note: You can automatically insert images City of Słupsk from your files into this image placeholder via the image symbol) bottom-up approaches and sharing information concerning municipal best-practice examples in [email protected] different fields of progressive politics, including mobility, culture and demographic change. The www.slupsk.pl network‘s guiding principle is to involve all citizens and to leave no one behind. The progressive

Initial situation

▪ Currently, the political situation in Poland is extremely tense. The government rather splits and incites than unites society. This situation makes cooperation among municipalities and their citizens particularly important.

▪ In a democracy, the government‘s task is to serve people, which includes serving local authorities, representing communities. In many areas (e.g. sustainable energy/climate policy, nature protection or economic situation of cities) this is a challenging situation in Poland at the moment. Space for additional graphics/images or statistics on the category initial situation ▪ With regard to local best-practice examples, there is insufficient communication or exchange of information between the national and local governments. Therefore, the situation is quite inefficient. (Note: You can automatically insert images from your files into this image placeholder via the image symbol) ▪ Leaving behind smaller, economically and socially weaker communities is a common problem in neoliberal systems with regard to the sustainable development of Poland.

▪ Thus, the idea to develop ‘new tools for democracy‘ evolved.

Objectives © Network of Progressive Cities

▪ The idea was to work more WITH the citizens as a form of ‘co-government‘.

▪ The aim was to get everybody in the civil society on board.

▪ Strengthening bottom-up approaches: sharing ideas and spreading concepts.

▪ Basic idea of the network: showing value-based but practical examples of progressive politics. Space for additional graphics/images or statistics on the category objectives ▪ The network‘s targets include the aim to make communities stronger instead of taking political responsibilities away from them. (Note: You can automatically insert images from your files into this image placeholder via the image symbol) ▪ Policies that help everyone not being left behind are crucial for a democratic Europe.

Implementation

© Network of Progressive Cities ▪ In 2015, Robert Biedroń—mayor of the City of Słupsk and Poland‘s first openly gay mayor at that time—initiated a discourse with other Polish mayors to become familiar with their stories of getting elected.

▪ The network is not based on structures but on values and needs.

▪ It is coordinated by Dariusz Szwed who uses his personal network—he has been active in politics for many years—for the project and the connection of actors. The network‘s activities focus on concrete local actions with people to strengthen local communities and to stay connected with the European Union (EU Sustainable Energy Week, Space for additional graphics/images or statistics European Mobility Week etc.) due to the tense political situation in Poland. on the category implementation ▪ For four years, every three to four months regular meetings have taken place to exchange ideas and local best- (Note: You can automatically insert images practice examples. These include, among others, municipal mobility, climate/energy, culture and demographic from your files into this image placeholder via the image symbol) change. Achievements

▪ Cooperation with IKEA: donation of 5.000 LED lamps which were distributed to the poorest households in Słupsk, since LED lamps were not affordable for them. Such practical solutions are helpful to create trust and enable collaboration with all levels of society. The guiding principle is not to make only the strong stronger.

▪ Banning plastic bottles from the mayor‘s office in Słupsk: Doing this and drinking tap water contributes to saving money and protecting the

environment. Szwed: ‚Ecology is not for rich people, it is for smart people.‘

▪ Common statement ‘Solidarity for Climate‘ during COP24 in Katowice in December 2018 including shared values but also concrete actions. More information: www.solidarnoscdlaklimatu.pl Space for additional graphics/images or statistics on the category achievements ▪ The network successfully achieved that progressive politics contribute to economic wealth and integration. It is a revolutionary way to build stronger municipalities, since it is a network of values. (Note: You can automatically insert images from your files into this image placeholder via the image symbol) ▪ The approach built on trust and collaboration is considered as a new way in a neoliberal context.

▪ A vast majority of mayors participating in the network has been re-elected.

▪ Stronger communities = stronger mandates = stronger Europe.

The participation of representatives from An event of: In cooperation with: Funded by: Central and Eastern European municipalities is supported by the Central and Eastern Europe Department of: