Silesian plain. 92% of the total surface area of the region is rural. There are
500,000 inhabitants living in rural areas, representing 47% of the total inhabitants
in the region. A particularly important characteristic of local villages is their
compact development, as they did not experience the relentless dispersion taking
place over the centuries in Lesser Poland. Most of the villages were not subjected
to intensive development and are therefore well-preserved, with traditional characteristics
and often undisturbed panoramas and entrances to the villages. An additional feature
is the typical courtyard structure with well-preserved architectural details. The
inhabitants aim to create a new image of the village while preserving traditional
elements. A large number of farm guesthouses have sprung up in the Opolskie province,
allowing tourists to rest and enjoy our region, frequently called “the green lung”
of south-western Poland
The Region is one of few in Poland to create its image by through the use (among
other things) of the Village Renewal Programme: the most extensive and most long-lasting
programme aiming to activate local companies in the region. Moreover, it is the
first programme which has implemented development strategy methodology at the level
of the solectwo (the smallest administrative unit, made up of one or more villages).
It has become a way of transforming agricultural settlements into post-agricultural
villages, fully preserving and developing their existing values. The programme model
is valuable in providing general instructions to villages on how to stimulate village
renewal in the most efficient way, in accordance with the logic of the process Most
of the local renewal plans place the emphasis on tourism development goals. The
Opolskie Region is a multicultural region. The region has been inhabited by generations
of culturally diverse people, who express their strong ties with their own traditions
and still cooperate harmoniously in the development of their small homeland. The
entrepreneurial nature and activities of the inhabitants make small and medium enterprises
one of the most important elements in the local economy. Natural resources, particularly
the marl and limestone deposits, have a considerable influence on the economy of
the region. Moreover, it is the region with the greatest wealth of agricultural
traditions. All these features make the region one of the leaders in attracting
foreign capital.
BUDGET: 101,360,00 €, 85% co-funded by the European Regional Development
Fund
CONTACTS:
Dariusz Kozak
Community Initiatives Bureau
Information Office of Opolskie Region in Brussels
Av. de Tervueren 13B 1040 Brussels
Tel: +32 2 7327321
Fax: +32 2 732 7324
E-mail:
opolskie@skynnet.be
Anna Bereznicka
Community Initiatives Bureau
Marshal's Office of Opolskie Region
Tel: +48 77 44 821 32
Fax.: +48 77 44 821 31
E-mail:
a.bereznicka@umwo.opole.pl
Website:
www.umwo.opole.pl