2015
Saturday
May
09

Cittaslow Festival 2015 Gołdap - Behind us!

Polish National Network

On Saturday, May 9, in Warmia and Mazury Region, the sixth edition of the Cittaslow Festival took place. After Reszel, Lidzbark Warmiński, Nowe Miasto Lubawskie, Olsztynek and Ryn, Gołdap was a host of this event. This charming little town has joined Polish Cittaslow network in 2013.

Cittaslow Festival was a great opportunity to present the growing potential of the Polish National Cittaslow Network which consists offifteen cities from Warmia and Mazury Region: Barczewo, Bartoszyce, Biskupiec, Bisztynek, Dobre Miasto, Gołdap, Górowo Iławeckie, Lidzbark Warmiński, Lubawa, Nidzica, Nowe Miasto Lubawskie, Olsztynek, Pasym, Reszel and Ryn and four form outside Warmia and Masuria: Murowana Goślina from Great Poland Region, Kalety from Silesia, Rejowiec Fabryczny form Lubelskie Region and Nowy Dwór Gdański from Pomorskie Region.

During the Festival the cities advanced in the adhering procedure were presented: Prudnik from Opole Region and Lidzbark (on the river Wel), Orneta and Działdowo from Warmia and Masuria.

Rich programme of the Festival contained many attractions: the fair of artisanal products and artistic performances from the member cities of Polish Cittaslow cities, the fair of natural and traditional food, competitions. Participating cities took part in the „Cittaslow cities tournament". There were three categories: "Contest for the Most Beautiful Snail", "Contest for The Most Beautiful Stall" and "Canoeing Race". The winner in the category of Snail was the city of Gołdap and in the category of the Stall was the city of Dobre Miasto. The great winner in all categories was the city of Gołdap. Inhabitants of Gołdap, tourists and invited guests had a chance to taste for free regional dishes prepared specially for this occasion by the restaurant members of the Culinary Heritage Network Warmia Mazury Powiśle (www.culinary-heritage.com). Most popular were, of course, "kartacze" (special potato dumplings), which could not miss in the town, which itself is called "the capital of kartacze" and where annually are held "World Championships in Eating the Kartacze". The culmination of the festival was the evening concert of "Indios Bravos".

The important part of the Festival was the conference on Saturday 9th, about development of Cittaslow concept entitled 'Cittaslow – a Chance for Future Generations'. Representatives of the Cittaslow International authorities and Cittaslow International Scientific Committee were present, among them the representatives of the board of the Cittaslow Association, Mr. Arnoud Rodenburg, first Vice-president of Cittaslow International, Mayor of Midden-Delfland in the Netherlands, Mr. Pier Giorgio Oliveti – General Secretary, Mr. Gian Luca Marconi, President of Cittaslow International of the previous term, nowadays the Cittaslow Ambassador from Castelnovo ne' Monti (Italy), Mme Sabine Storme, Cittaslow Ambassador, Responsible for Convivium Slow Food
and Cittaslow Network in Belgium, Mme Andrea Mearns, Cittaslow Ambassador from Mold (Great Britain), Prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Skalski, member of the Cittaslow International Scientific Committee.

Cittaslow Festival was organised in the frames of the project 'Cittaslow – a network of cities in Warmia, Mazury and Powiśle favoring a good quality of life' from the means of the Regional Operational Programme Warmia and Mazury for the years 2007-2013.

The festival was organised by the Self-Government of Warmia and Mazury, supporting member of the Cittaslow International Association.