In mid-June this year, social activists announced the formation of the Coalition of Krakow Movements. Social movements from Olszanica to Nowa Huta have created a joint initiative aimed at having a stronger voice in the public discussion. We talk to one of the initiators of the coalition, Pavel Halat, about the idea behind it.
Wiktor Bochenek: Let's start from the beginning, how did the idea for the formation of the Coalition of Krakow Movements come about? Why was there such a consolidating initiative at all?
Paweł Hałat: First of all, the coalition was born out of the need to have a greater impact on urban affairs and the fact that we felt that there were people among us dealing with a wide variety of issues. For many years, Krakow's social activists have been fighting for green spaces, good public space, sustainable local plans, transportation, clean air, but also for social issues, education or culture.
The theses we have prepared refer to all functions of the city's operation: culture, social issues, greenery, transportation or urban planning. Most organizations do not deal with such a broad spectrum of issues. So we are joining forces so that we can act more comprehensively, support each other and exchange knowledge.
Thescattered voices of numerous organizations and initiatives have also not been heard enough. On the other hand, together we create a front that has great potential for substance and can enter into an equal discussion with officials, who do not always want to treat the social side as an option that also brings knowledge, can help better prepare investments.
We now have the example of the tramway to Mistrzejowice, where it is actually the social side that substantively points out decisions made by officials, including those concerning tree cutting in a way that is not entirely factual and not entirely determined by the needs of residents, scientific knowledge, or expert knowledge.
Paweł Hałat - geographer, graduate of the Jagiellonian University, president of the Cracow Association Space - People - City; professionally involved in local and regional development programming, revitalization, and socio-economic and spatial analyses
photo: Author's Archive
Wiktor Bochenek: So this initiative came about because you want to be better heard in Krakow. Do you believe that in such a formula your voice will be better heard?
Paweł Hałat: Yes, first and foremost, this is about making sure that the voice of residents, community organizations, but also the independent experts who support them, are more strongly taken into account. This is also essential for improving the functioning of the city. This voice should be heard by the city authorities.
An important issue for us was the formulation of urban theses for Krakow. They are a verbalization of a certain common vision of the city held by urban movements, based on our knowledge and experience.
They cover a wide variety of issues - we worked in four main areas: climate and greenery, space and transportation, society and economy, and governance and democracy. We assume that the theses are a whole, a common point of view, or - a "city-view" (as formulated by the Congress of Urban Movements) - which means that the organizations that co-wrote them and signed on to them agree with the message of the provisions in all thematic areas, not just selected parts. At the same time, we assumed that the theses were to be specific and detailed enough to determine the change in priorities in Krakow that we consider necessary to improve the functioning of the city, to better the lives of its residents. Someone who believes in the priority of car traffic in the city, for example, would probably not sign on to these theses.
The official announcement of the formation of the Coalition of Krakow Movements
photo by Stan Baranski | courtesy of the organizers
Wiktor: How did you develop these twenty-one theses?
Paul: It started with posing some problems and challenges for Krakow - formulated in the circle of social organizations. Later, we worked through these challenges, asked dozens of people from various organizations and initiatives to respond to how these challenges should be addressed. We held several workshop sessions, which were grouped into the four areas mentioned earlier.
We received a variety of responses at the workshops - about 150 suggestions for improvement - ranging from detailed answers to general ideas that go beyond the authority of local government. On the basis of these proposals and as a synthesis of them, we formulated theses, which we presented to the workshop participants for verification and then publicly announced.
Socialists with many years of experience are organized into the initiative
photo by Stan Baranski | courtesy of the organizers
Wiktor: One thing puzzles me, the coalition brings together people from Olszanica to Nowa Huta, aren't you afraid of tensions between neighborhoods that happen to have conflicting interests?
Paul: Conflicting interests can arise at any stage, both between districts and between the subject areas we are talking about. This is what urban policy is all about - trying to balance the views and interests of different groups, taking into account the opinions of academics, experts and the public side. The basis should be reliable and transparent information about the activities and decisions of the city government.
We realize that there are different neighborhoods and it is necessary to include residents, taking into account their interests in city policy, which is not always adequately articulated.In one of our theses, we point out that Krakow is not only the center, which is most often discussed, but also neighborhoods and smaller units within neighborhoods, which have different problems - from issues such as sidewalk construction to issues of service provision or supporting local identity. An example would be Stare Dębniki and Ruczaj, which have different character and interests despite being in the same neighborhood.
Nowa Huta, to which one of the theses also refers, is alsosuch an example. It is not only the center of Nowa Huta that is slowly breaking through in urban narratives, but also the areas behind and around the combine. It's a huge area with a semi-urban and semi-rural character, where new development ideas pop up every now and then. It's also a huge area of the combine itself - in need of regeneration, reclamation and natural renewal.
One of the most important issues, causing significant conflicts, is transportation accessibility, including improving the quality and availability of public transportation, especially rail, which is still very uneven. For example, the construction of streetcar lines in the densely built-up north of Krakow is progressing too slowly. Meanwhile, more areas of intensive residential or commercial development and more ideas for new neighborhoods - such as the "New City" - are already emerging. One of our demands is to replace such objectionable, bombastic projects with new neighborhoods implemented as complexes of multifunctional development in conjunction with the development of social infrastructure and public transportation, and a more active role for the city in housing policy.
Very often, tensions arise from the fact that we allocate huge resources to investments such as the Lagiewnicka route - neglecting public transportation, both new investments and its ongoing maintenance. Hence, one of our demands is a proper hierarchy of transportation investments and a real priority for inter-district public transportation and bicycle transportation.
four topics on which the theses were based
© Coalition of Krakow Movements
Wiktor: You are a multi-member coalition. Do you think your initiative will see the emergence of a leader or a broader movement beyond the coalition itself?
Paul: It's hard to say if it will function that way. We have presented theses for Krakow, and we hope that they will be a reference point for building city policies. That political leaders will refer to these theses, taking them into account in their programs. We presented them to the public as a basis for reprioritizing urban policies.
Victor: So you care about shaping the public debate?
Paul: Of course, this is one of the most important elements. We are not creating something completely new. We have collected a certain body of work, something that various organizations have been talking about, but it was not collected in a single, common manifesto. We want the topics signaled in the theses to enter the urban agenda in earnest.
statistics on the creation of the workshop
© Coalition of Krakow Movements
Wiktor: We have learned about the theses. What do you want to propose in the future as the Coalition of Krakow Movements, and what is your plan for further activity?
Paul: We are thinking of creating a social urban think tank, to which we will invite the widest possible group of residents, activists, scientists, experts.
We want to create an initiative to develop solutions and ideas for the city and concretize theses, and respond to problems that arise in the city.
We also want to continue to participate in discussions about the shape of investments - which is already happening, for example, in the case of the streetcar to Mistrzejowice. Our goal is to support each other and look at the city more comprehensively, in every aspect.
We're also thinking about supporting local activists who are already taking action for their neighborhood, but lack the know-how, the broader visibility to run for neighborhood councils.
Wiktor: Thank you for the interview.
The Coalition of Krakow Movements was constituted in mid-June this year.
© Coalition of Krakow Movements
