In the development strategy of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie province until 2030, the topic of the Vistula River is mentioned numerously in the context of cargo investments and natural qualities. But there is little information on the social aspect of the river – building local identity and engaging inhabitants of the Vistula region. Our talks to people living there indicate one of the main problems is the lack of consistent discussion on the growth of the region, based everyone’s needs. Locally active groups have told us about the problem of highly polarised opinions among locals regarding investments in the Vistula region, as well as insufficient tools to start a dialogue on this topic.
We will address these problems by organising in two large cities of the region diagnostic workshops for local decisionmakers, representatives of local institutions, NGOs, tourist organisations, and all inhabitants interested in the topic. Together we will create a map of challenges, opportunities, and the direction of joint initiatives for the Vistula River, and we will think about they should be managed. We will also run a cycle of Local Vistula Initiatives including actions around Vistula, problem identification, and solution ideation. Participants will join workshops on participation and local development planning. We will also set up Kujawska Vistula Network that will serve as a platform for local groups, organisations and institutions to talk about the development of the region and to build cooperation.
The first partner in our project is Pracownia Zrównoważonego Rozwoju specialising in reinforcing social dialogue, which will help us run local diagnosis and engage inhabitants in the dialogue. The second partner is the Regional Vefsna Park in Norway that has rich experience in building cooperation around riverside areas and will support us with their know-how in this respect.
