Tour no. 8

According to the definition, Smart Village is an approach based on a combination of modern tools and technologies to improve the quality of life and raise the standard of public services for citizens, with better use of resources and lower impact on the environment.
However, how can one transfer it into real action? The answer can be found in tour no.8!
During this trip, you will get to know the background of the activities that influenced the current image of Piaseczna Górka and Kolonia Wiązownica. You will talk to people co-responsible for the projects implemented here in recent years, you will get to know the organizations behind the intelligent side of these villages and you will see solutions that not only improve the lives of residents, but also constitute a good example of the direction of changes that small towns may follow.

Main topics of the study tour:
- Smart Villages.

Piaseczna Górka
Piaseczna Górka
The first place we will visit will be the Piaseczna Górka municipality, where we will meet a representative of the "Z Górki" association operating since 2015. The last 7 years of the organization's activity have proven how important for the development of rural areas is the active participation of the local community in processes aimed at improving the quality of its life.

While visiting the municipality, we will meet the unconventional Mrs. Alicja Jamorska - Kurek - the laureate of the Village Head of the Year 2020 competition. We will learn examples of completed projects, thanks to which Piaseczna Górka deserves the name "Smart Village". Some of them were financed from national and EU funds, obtained thanks to the work of the "Z Górki" association.

We will see or hear about, among others:
- rain garden - a way of preventing local flooding and a response to climate change
- willow pergolas - an example of living architecture in the countryside
- outdoor library - allowing to promote, strengthen and facilitate reading;
- questing path - a method of creative promotion of local history and culture
- study tours - a tool to gain ideas for further development
- workshops for residents, sports activities, family picnics, fund raising in favor of those in need.

Kolonia Wiązownica
After getting familiar with Piaseczna Górka, we will go to the Wiązownica-Kolonia - a village with 450 inhabitants, with over 800 years of history.

We will start our visit with meeting the exemplary Leader of our rural areas, Jacek Piwowarski, awarded in the national competition, the Village Head of the Year 2017, who will introduce us to the history of activities, projects and changes that took place in the countryside during his term in office.

Thanks to good management, constant and active communication between the authorities and the inhabitants, Wiązownica-Kolonia perfectly fits the ideas defined by the Smart Villages definition, constituting an example of what a village open to changes can achieve, based on cooperation between residents jointly deciding on their development. The best examples of this are:

Active operation of the PasjoDzielnia Foundation
A women's non-governmental organization that supports and involves women,  both male and female social leaders and people - as its name suggests - with a passion for action and sharing.


As they say about themselves: Our mission is to network, support, inspire and give space to act for people who expect from life more than others. Our activities are directed in particular to women, but also to male and female social leaders as well as people with passion that they want to share.
The main goals of the foundation are:
- supporting the development of interests and passions,
- women's rights and their development,
- promoting and supporting leadership attitudes,
- development of personal and social competences,
- development and popularization of local and regional culture.
The Foundation undertakes many initiatives that serve the inhabitants of the region on a daily basis. Among them, the most impressive is undoubtedly the creation of a cinema in the old barn building, which, as one of the few in the country, displays GRAND OFF Reviews of the Best Independent Short Films of the World.
The activities of the foundation were appreciated in 2020 with an award in the My Smart Village - Concept and Fact competition organized by the Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development.

Kacanka Valley
Local Activity Association, focused on the integration and activation of the rural community, creating a friendly space as well as discovering and popularizing local heritage.


New life of the old school
A project thanks to which the village saved a crumbling, over 100-year-old school building. Today, it performs new functions and serves the local community anew.

Rural mural
An initiative that gathered over 80 people who want to embellish their surrounding and together create a part of a friendly space in the countryside.