Lublin has been shortlisted as a finalist in the annual competition organised by the Eurocities. This distinction was highlighted for youth space Hej! located at 11 Peowiaków St. The annual Eurocities Awards for Sustainable Development, Community and Youth are awarded in recognition of outstanding achievements by cities in improving the quality of life of local communities.
This is a great distinction and privilege for Lublin. It is also a confirmation that the path we have chosen - to listen young people, open up to their needs and give them the opportunity to act independently - leads to good partner relations and the birth of solutions tailored to expectations. I am very delighted that Hey!, an open and inclusive youth space co-created with young people, has been highly valued and appreciated worldwide - says Beata Stepaniuk- Kuśmierzak, Deputy Mayor of Lublin for Culture, Sport and Participation, Mayor's Plenipotentiary for the European Youth Capital.
Since its launch in October 2022, Hey! has been visited by over 4,000 people and has become a place for young people to share skills and ideas through peer-to-peer exchanges. Lublin competed against cities such as Barcelona, Hamburg, The Hague, Bilbao, Ghent, Rzeszów, Leeds and London, and made the final three alongside Leeds and London. London won in the “Young people co-creating public spaces” category with Seen & Heard. This research and engagement project was designed to give young people (aged 16-24) a voice in management of their local public space.
The Awards Ceremony took place on June, 14 in Brussels as part of the Brussels Urban Summit conference.
The annual Eurocities awards recognise cities' outstanding achievements in improving the quality of life for local communities, responding to Europe's challenges at every level: from helping to reduce energy bills to supporting refugees to settle in local communities. This year's awards demonstrate the unique approach of local governments to working on global challenges at a time when many crises threaten the future of our society.
Eurocities is the network of more than 200 cities in 38 countries, representing 130 million people, working together to ensure a good quality of life for all. It was established in 1986 and currently brings together 186 cities from European Union countries (full members) and non-EU countries (associate members). It is based in Brussels. Lublin joined the Association in 2003.
