Discussion Panel within the “City of Ideas”
On September 27, 2021. in the Central Zone Katowice, as part of the City of Ideas organized by Gazeta Wyborcza and Metropolia GZM, a discussion panel was held on demographic changes, including aging of the society and shrinking cities, in which participated, among others, Agnieszka Labus together with other panel guests.
The guests of the panel were:
– Jacek Woźnikowski – Director of the dep. Socio-Economic Development and Cooperation, Metropolis Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska
– Janina Piwowarczyk – senior citizen and social worker from Katowice
– Krzysztof Mejer I Deputy Mayor of RUDA Śląska for municipal economy
– Mikołaj Figlarski – an activist of the Project Youths Make Metropolis II group
Przemysław Jedlecki from Gazeta Wyborcza chaired the debate.
The most important conclusions from the debate:
-we need to change the way of thinking about senior policy towards aging policy at the level of central, regional and local administration
– regional and city strategies should be oriented towards cross-challenge solutions, not silos – think about an aging strategy (which affects society as a whole and the problems in 8 WHO age-friendly city areas), not a strategy for seniors!
– aging of the population and shrinking cities is a CHANCE for the renewal of the region and the city (research shows that societies living in shrinking and aging cities and regions are socially, economically and ecologically more sustainable than in dynamically developing ones) – do not be intimidated by the headlines newspapers about the demographic and apocalyptic tsunami!
– demographic changes can contribute to a different way of thinking about urban renewal policy, which can therefore become competitive against other regions and cities
-silver economy, services and products aimed at the needs of an aging society, should be developed in particular in aging and shrinking regions and cities!
Photos by:
Agnieszka Skoczyńska