This September, the Non-Governmental Organisations Festival will take place once again (11–12 September). It will be a special event both for organisations operating in the third sector in Katowice and for the city’s residents. This year’s organisers of the event are: the City of Katowice, the „MOST” Association for the Support of Non-Governmental Organisations, the Local Initiatives Factory Association, the Piaskowy Smok Foundation, the Regional Volunteer Centre and the AZS University Club of the University of Silesia. However, the Festival’s organisers hope that a number of Katowice-based organisations and active residents will get involved in the preparations – after all, this is an event about them and for them!
The Non-Governmental Organisations Festival is a great opportunity for organisations to showcase themselves – not through posters, leaflets and a website, but through interesting activities that they will present to the city’s residents. The event is also an opportunity to engage in conversation, to talk about their interests and passions, but also to highlight the important and wide-ranging issues that the organisations’ members dedicate themselves to on a daily basis. Thanks to the Festival, organisations in Katowice also gain the opportunity to take part in a series of training sessions and workshops tailored to their needs. However, people do not live by action alone. There will also be time for a social gathering – shared conversations, an exchange of experiences and simply spending time together.
How will the residents of Katowice benefit from this? We hope they’ll spend this Saturday in September in a creative and interesting way. A village of non-governmental organisations will be set up in the park by the Silesian Insurgents’ Monument, ready to welcome them. Individuals and groups with links to Katowice will have the chance to perform on stage. A city-wide treasure hunt will take place in the city centre, open to anyone who wishes to take part. By visiting the various zones of the village, Katowice residents will have the opportunity to engage directly with non-governmental organisations.
The Non-Governmental Organisations Festival is co-funded from the Katowice City Council budget. It will take place on 11 and 12 September. The full programme will be available soon!