The Network concept is based on meetings in the course of which mayors and presidents – city and town leaders – share knowledge, good practices, experience, and ideas of how to take advantage of opportunities and overcome challenges significant to delivering the Local Development Plan and Institutional Development Plan.

This time, urban leaders discussed effectual forms of communicating with residents, i.a. on social media. Contemporary reality requires local government officials to engage in effective and swift communication with local residents, not only for purposes of consultations and selecting key investments, but also worrying phenomena-related whistleblowing, developing digital authorities, and making it easier for local residents to deal with official matters.

Apart from the session exploring effective communication with local residents, Network participants attended workshops allowing them to share experience concerning social media-based communication, discuss effectual crisis management, and analyse reliable methods of communicating with local residents directly.

Leaders from the following cities and towns attended the Starachowice meeting: Cieszyn, Jasło, Jarosław, Starachowice, Krosno, Hajnówka, Ostrów Wielkopolski, Zawiercie, Rydułtowy, Przemyśl and Opoczno.

Association of Polish Cities advisor Przemysław Cichocki is the Network co-ordinator, supported in his work by experts Ryszard Grobelny and Tomasz Kayser.

Representatives of the following cities and towns have joined the LEADERS’ NETWORK: Cieszyn, Hajnówka, Hrubieszów, Jarosław, Jasło, Jelenia Góra, Konin, Krosno, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Nisko, Opoczno, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Ostrów Wielkopolski, Przemyśl, Rydułtowy, Stalowa Wola, Starachowice, Tarnów, Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Włocławek, Zabrze, Zawiercie, Złotów, Łomża, Żary and Żywiec.

The meeting in Zabrze was organised by the Association of Polish Cities as part of the “Local Development” Programme, funded by the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism for the years 2014-2021. Programme activities include the task of developing an Experience Exchange Network, open to project participants and any other cities or towns interested in joining.