On 29-30 January, a delegation of the Vilnius District Municipality visited Myszków County (Powiat Myszkowski, Poland), where has signed the letter of intent with the authorities of Myszków County on further cooperation. Both sides are seeking to establish and develop a partnership in various fields of activity.
The document has been signed by Mariusz Karkocha, Chairman of the Myszków County Council, Piotr Kołodziejczyk, Head of Myszków, Jolanta Gulbinovič, Head of the Public and International Relations Departament of the Vilnius District Municipality Administration, and Valerija Stakauskaitė, Head of Nemenčinė Eldership.
The letter of intent between the partners is a fundamental step towards a partnership agreement. It expresses the willingness of both parties to cooperate with each other in the fields of education, culture, tourism, sport, health, fire safety and other areas. The parties pledged to base their partnership on the principles of equality, mutual trust, and cooperation between them.
"Today's signing of the letter of intent is a start of a path with a mutual perspective for the future. We are grateful that we can be together today to discuss the possibilities of our cooperation", said Valerija Stakauskaitė, the head of Nemenčinė Elderlship, who will be responsible for the execution of the cooperation agreement.
During the meeting, future cooperation activities were discussed in more detail, with an emphasis on education, as well as similarities and possible effective solutions to emerging challenges in local government. Participants expressed their interest in the activities of the county administration, such as stakeholder services, funding, etc. The participants got a closer look at the work of volunteer firefighters, organised events, visited the headquarters of the county labour office and a technical school. The delegation also visited the Bobovice Castle, an important monument of cultural heritage, where Dariusz Lasecki, one of the owners of the castle, gave a presentation on the history of the castle, the main events and its reconstruction.
During their visit, the delegation met with Ryszard Umański, a priest from Częstochowa who initiated a close dialogue between the two parties a few years ago by inviting the representatives of the government and community of Myszków County to share their kindness and Christmas gifts with the people of Vilnius District. Renata Mickevič, Head of Mickūnai Eldership, who accompanied the Vilnius District delegation, expressed her satisfaction with the initiatives and meaningful cooperation with R. Umański. Thanks to him, a noble pre-Christmas campaign is organised every year, during which the priest and his assistants visit and distribute gifts not only to the residents of Mickūnai, but also to the residents of Pakenė, Rukainiai and other elderships.
With a population of around 72 000 inhabitants, Myszków County is located on the western edge of the Kraków-Częstochowa Highlands, in the north-eastern part of Silesian Voivodeship. The county offers a well-developed and well-equipped fire brigade and health care network, as well as conditions for culture and active tourism.
In May 2022, Mickūnai Eldership signed the letter of intent for cooperation with Myszków County, and in November 2023, the letter of intent was signed with Nemenčinė Eldership.
On 2 February this year, a draft decision on the approval of the signing of a cooperation agreement between Myszków County and Vilnius District Municipality will be submitted to the Council. Following the approval, the partnership will be formalised in a cooperation agreement. Both parties will exchange theoretical and practical experience to improve local self-government, gain knowledge in the areas of public health and fire safety, and enrich local social, cultural, and academic life. A strong focus on schools, student exchanges and the dissemination of good practice is planned. This cooperation will also allow individual institutions and organisations to establish new links.
The delegation of Vilnius District Municipality expresses its gratitude to the authorities of Myszków County: the Chairman of the Council Mariusz Karkocha, the Vice-Chairman Janusz Romaniuk, the Head of Myszków Piotr Kołodziejczyk and the Deputy Mariusz Morawiec, as well as to the Head of the Office of Public Relations, Culture and Sports Promotion of the Myszków County Administration Marcin Pilis for the coordination of the visit.