Cooperation towards people-friendly cities

Green Mazovia and the Committee for Community Dialogue on Transport (KDS – a grouping of 20 NGOs meeting regularly in the Warsaw Office for Investment Coordination) have been awarded a grant from European Economic Area Grants to implement a project entitled „Miasta dla ludzi: współpraca na rzecz przestrzeni przyjaznej dla mieszkańców” (Cities for citizens: cooperation towards people-friendly public space).

The aim of the project (which is to be realized from March 2014 to February 2016) will be cooperation towards implementing a sustainable transport system, improving the conditions of vulnerable road users and creating people-friendly public spaces.

The project will also allow NGOs to fulfill a watchdog function, especially in terms of effective implementation of the official Warsaw transport strategy. Existing and planned undertakings will be subject to audit in order to identify existing problems and help prevent their reappearance in the future. The project will also encompass study and research (reports), instruction and training (a manual and seminars) and undertakings serving to engage citizens in forming the space of their city (a mobile exhibition, meetings in schools).

The fact that the project will be realized in partnership with KDS will allow for contacts with the local government and other authorities to be more dialogue- than conflict-oriented. In effect, cooperation should develop not only horizontally (between the organizations in KDS), but also vertically (between the Committee and the authorities). The project will also increase KDS’s power of initiative, allowing it to put forward its own professionally prepared propositions.