Strategy of Values: By training the authorities on strategy I learn their development concepts. Today in Pielgrzymka Commune.

This time I trained in strategy the authorities and top management of the Pielgrzymka Commune. Welcoming, committed people, with whom I enjoyed working. And we had a good laugh at some examples from local government life 🙂 Substantive, but relaxed attitude – I like it!

And how is development created here? In many ways, but the strategic emphasis is on using and protecting local intangible values and — importantly — the intangible ones as well. Here are 2 examples:

1.) Thanks to the efforts of “Act Locally – the Kaczawskie Association” and “LGD Partnership Kaczawskie”, a dozen or so of communes, including the Pielgrzymka Commune, were granted the status of Geopark Kraina Wygasłych Wulkanów / Land of Extinct Volcanoes Geopark – a great success! The ultra-rich and globally appreciated geological heritage is therefore used by Pielgrzymka Commune as a pillar of promotion, adding to it its cultural, agricultural and beautiful nature heritage, and thus developing sustainable tourism. And all this in a successful partnership with neighbouring communes.

2.) The Pielgrzymka Municipal Cultural Centre, together with the Association for the Pielgrzymka Development, published a unique book “The Values Passed”. Various residents of the commune tell other residents in it about their lives and the values they have received from their parents, grandparents and other ancestors, and then passed on to their children, grandchildren and other descendants. These include solidarity, devotion, diligence, persistence, responsibility, adaptability, trust, family, community, identity, and thus the components of social and human capital, which science now considers to be as important for socio-economic development as money, technology or raw materials. Promoting such values stimulates development and, as a consequence, improves the quality of life, including the material one. This can be seen beautifully, for example, now – in this and many other Poland’s communes, where residents are jointly fighting the flood and its effects. So, let’s invest in values – it pays off!

I recommend visiting the commune and the geopark at www.gorykaczawskie.pl/en