The 10th European Congress of Local Governments, the largest international conference in Poland devoted to local government issues, recorded a record number of applications this year. More than 2,500 people have already registered today, including representatives of local government units, politics, central administration, science and culture from Poland and abroad. This confirms that the congress has been an important place for exchanging experiences and discussing the future of local governments in Europe for years.
The guests of this year’s edition will include representatives of the Polish government, including Krzysztof Gawkowski, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Digitization, Marcin Kulasek, Minister of Science and Higher Education, Henryk Kiepura, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Education, and Konrad Wojnarowski from the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy. Their participation in the congress will allow for a substantive discussion on key challenges, such as digital transformation, education and regional policy. A very important and interesting event will be a meeting and conversation with Magdalena Biejat, the candidate of the New Left in the presidential elections.
The participants will also include representatives of the world of science. They will perform, among others: Bernard Ziębicki, Rector of the Krakow University of Economics, and Ihor Cependa, Rector of the Precarpathian National University. Wasyl Stefanyk. Their presence emphasizes the importance of inter-sectoral cooperation in solving local government problems.
An important group of participants are voivodeship marshals, who play a key role in shaping regional policy. Among them will be Marcin Kuchciński, Marshal of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Łukasz Prokorym, Marshal of the Podlaskie Voivodeship, Adam Struzik, Marshal of the Masovian Voivodeship, Olgierd Geblewicz, Marshal of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Their experience will be a valuable contribution to discussions on regional development and international cooperation.
The congress also has a strong international dimension, which is emphasized by the presence of guests from various European countries. They will include representatives of local governments from Ukraine, including Olena Dmytrenko, Chairman of the Chernihiv Regional Council, Andrii Karaush, Chairman of the Rivne Regional Council, Violeta Labazyuk, Chairman of the Khmelnytsky Regional Council, and Hryhorii Nedopad, Chairman of the Volhynian Regional Council. Also coming from Ukraine will be Bohdan Andriyiv, Mayor of Uzhgorod. In turn, guests from other European countries confirmed their participation, among others: Costel Alexe, Marshal of the Iasi Province from Romania, Roberto Ercolani, Captain of the City of Serravalle from San Marino, Paula Nilsson, Mayor of Ystad from Sweden, Linda Ozola, Deputy Mayor of Riga from Latvia. Their presence, as well as the participation of other foreign guests, emphasizes the importance of cross-border cooperation and exchange of experiences between local governments from different regions of Europe.
This year’s edition of the congress will focus on several key thematic threads that are particularly important for local governments in Poland and Europe. The program will include panels devoted to digital transformation, including the use of new technologies in the management of local government units and the digitization of public services. Another important topic will be sustainable development, with particular emphasis on challenges related to environmental protection, waste management and renewable energy.