Gdańsk
Gdańsk joined ICORN in 2017 at an official ceremony during the Solidarity of Arts Festival. The ICORN Membership Agreement was signed in the Winter Garden of the European Solidarity Centre, in the presence of the late Mayor Paweł Adamowicz. At that moment, Gdańsk was the third Polish city (after Kraków and Wrocław) to become part of the Network.
Located in Northern Poland, in the Vistula Fens, the city has always been an intermediary between the land and the sea. As a place where many transportation lines intersect, it has traditionally serves as an important point on the cultural and economic routes between Southeastern Europe and Scandinavia- a feature which made Gdańsk a natural partner for the Hanseatic League and a host to many other important initiatives cultivating the exchange of good practices in the trade and craftsmanship. Nowadays, along with Sopot and Gdynia, Gdańsk forms the Tricity Metropolitan Area- a quickly developing urban centre within which the idea of close cooperation goes hand in hand with the endorsement of the unique characteristics of each of the municipalities.
Due to geographical and political factors, Gdańsk's identity has naturally formed as a mosaic of different languages and customs. This quality finds reflection in the entire urban fabric, from toponomy and architecture to visual arts and literature. The coexistence of various cultures demonstrates diversity as a foundation of an open and prosperous society. A witness to many grassroots initiatives which paved the way for major societal changes, such as the success of the Solidarity movement which led to the fall of Communism in Europe. Gdańsk remains a city associated with the values of freedom, equity, and civic cooperation.
The city has hosted ICORN residents from Palestine, Tajikistan, and Belarus. In 2021, in collaboration with the European Committee of the Regions and ICORN, Gdańsk established the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award, which honours the commitment of civic and city leaders, as well as local and regional organisations, to the promotion of freedom of expression, the equal protection of different views, and participatory politics. Named after a figure known for offering support to the most vulnerable groups and seeking practical solutions for their participation in civic society- an activity for which he was assassinated- the award bears great significant, emphasising the dedication and courage it takes to promote meaningful change.
In 2022, in response to Russia's war in Ukraine, Gdańsk offered humanitarian help and haven to over 100,000 refugees. Simultaneously, the Gdańsk City of Literature project engaged in organising meetings with activists, artists, and authors at risk. The cycle named Free World, in homage to the Слово building in Kharkiv, has a double function of engaging local communities with the ways in which the borders between the cultural and political domains influence the production and circulation of information and inspiring them to take part in collective action- be it within or beyond their habitual networks.
