About the project
"Together We Change Przemyśl" in the framework of the "Local Development Programme",
financed from the funds of the
EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021
and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
The Local Development Programme is designed to support cities in the most difficult socio-economic situation to develop and implement by them a sustainable approach to local development and thus to reduce negative development phenomena.
The Local Development Programme aims to strengthen social and economic cohesion in the country by improving the quality of the natural environment (in particular the air quality), accessibility and living standard of the inhabitants of medium and small towns. In accordance with provisions of the Strategy for Responsible Development, due to the occurrence of growing negative phenomena, particular intervention is required by cities losing their social and economic functions, characterised by stagnation or slow development rate.
Providing comprehensive and concentrated support will make it possible to limit or reverse unfavourable trends occurring in them and will contribute to improving their functioning as attractive places to live and work.
A former voivodship capital, Przemyśl is located very close to the Polish-Ukrainian national border. It is a major road and railway hub.
Over a dozen years ago, the city lost its rank of a voivodship capital centre, a development which continues to affect the local community through assorted formal and mental issues. A sense of development-related degradation and marginalisation prevails among local residents. Moreover, the city has largely failed to take advantage of its favourable border area location (the EU’s external frontier on its doorstep an extra bonus) to improve the business development dynamic. The weakness of Przemyśl as an academic centre, considerable development-centred vitality of the academia in the voivodship’s capital (Rzeszów, 95 km away), legal status and physical condition of housing stock (historical buildings included), low emission-caused air pollution, and a variety of social conflicts have all been conducive to accelerating urban depopulation, especially in terms of young people’s outflux.
Yet Przemyśl is a city with a rich past spanning over 700 years, of significance to Polish and Galician (regional) history. The city and its buildings were important in terms of defence (Fortress of Przemyśl). Last but not least, it is a location where diverse creeds (Roman and Greek Catholics, the Orthodox, Judaists) have learned to co-exist peacefully. In consequence, Przemyśl is filled with high-class diverse historical monuments, boasting a charming old quarter (Przemyśl’s Old Town Complex has been recognised as a Monument to History as of December 10th 2018, pursuant to an ordinance of the President of the Republic of Poland), the Casimir Castle, multiple churches, monasteries, abbeys, brick and wooden Orthodox churches, palaces, municipal architecture monuments (i.a. a unique railway station dating back to the Fortress of Przemyśl era), city walls and historical cellars, not to mention the Fortress of Przemyśl military complex buildings (with numerous Fortress-related forts, cemeteries and museums).
A number of issues have been identified in the course of project works, including but not limited to the following:
• The city’s exacerbating social and demographic situation,
• Przemyśl’s poor business development,
• Climate change-related threats,
• Restrictions to the city’s spatial development.
Concurrently, driven by intent to reverse all negative tendencies, the municipality has identified the key long-term objective of reaching a point when the city’s image could be described in terms of the following premise: Przemyśl – a thriving city, rich in positive social energy.
The premise is to be delivered through a variety of tasks, as listed below (while project assumptions have been curtailed, the significance of these tasks prevails, and the city will attempt to deliver them):
• Przemyśl – a city identifiable through its heritage, culture, and attractive tourism and rest & recreation offer,
• Przemyśl – an accessible city taking advantage of its diversity and multi-culturalism to build a society of dialogue, openness and social integration,
• Przemyśl – a city taking advantage of its bonus location to foster sustainable development and modern entrepreneurship,
• EcoPrzemyśl – a city caring for the environment, and using state-of-the-art technologies to improve local attractiveness and quality of life,
• Przemyśl – a smart city developed in collaboration with local residents, with an attractive educational offer, diverse housing stock, and extensive array of social services.