About Katowice
Katowice is a fairly young, more than 155-year-old city in southern Poland. It is one of the biggest business centres in the country. It is the capital of the Silesian Voivodship, and from 1st July 2017 it is the largest city of the Upper Silesia and Zagłębie Metropolis, inhabited by over 2 million people. It is home to renowned academic, medical and cultural institutions. The hallmark of Katowice is the Spodek arena which hosted many international music and sport stars and looks like a flying saucer.
Katowice used to be the leader in coal mine extraction but today it is recognised for its cultural and business events.
A wide range of hotels, state-of-the-art conference halls and the perfect access attract various organizers who find the best venues in the centre of the agglomeration. The festivals and cyclical events include regional and international projects.
Music lovers and theatre fans visit the city every year to get to know the current trends, listen to world stars and feel the unique atmosphere. The Silesian Jazz Festival, Rawa Blues Festival, Off Festival or Tauron Nowa Muzyka have become a permanent events in the music calendar while the A PART International Theatre Festival, the International Summer Theatre Garden and the Festival of Directing Art are significant events forthe theatre community.
Why Katowice?
City Transformation
Revitalization of the former coal mining area enabled the establishment of the Culture Zone – a unique space on the national scale. The new headquarters of the Silesian Museum, NOSPR (Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra) and the International Congress Centre in the vicinity of the legendary "Saucer" bring prestige to the city, attracting both locals and tourists to its center.
Metropolis
Katowice is not only a city inhabited by approximately 300 thousand people but also the heart of Upper-Silesia and Zagłębie Metropolis, integrating 41 cities and municipalities, populated by more than 2 million people. The urban body created in July 2017 is an expression of joint commitment and concern for the welfare of the region, which offers a real opportunity for accelerated, dynamic development.
Economic Transformation
The region which is traditionally associated with coal mining and heavy industry gradually strives to become a leader in innovation and new technologies. These ambitions are reflected in the development of modern business sectors and sustainable investments.
City of Events
Katowice, as the host of many international events, is perfectly prepared to host large conferences. The state-of-the-art congress centre, well-developed hotel facilities and transport network are the characteristics that make the capital of the conurbation the city of business tourism.
Eco-Responsibility
The city with extensive experience in levelling the effects of long-term environmental degradation. Thanks to the efforts made, the quality of air, the condition of the environment as well as the standard of inhabitants’ life are clearly improving.
Transport
Three international airports (KTW and KRK, OSR), two motorways, national and regional roads, modern rail and public transportation make up an extensive transport network that provides the possibility to easily reach the city from almost every part of the country and the world.
Accessible to all
The Government of Poland, the City of Katowice and UN-Habitat are working hard to make the Eleventh World Urban Forum (WUF11), being held from 26 to 30 June 2022, the most accessible World Urban Forum ever. This will enable all participants to engage and participate in events and meetings. WUF11 will bring together a wide range of global experiences on how to create inclusive and accessible cities with opportunities for all.
Key messages
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Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak
Secretary of State, Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Government Plenipotentiary for WUF11
Katowice is a unique place on the map of Poland. Associated with mining and heavy industry, it has transformed into a city of new opportunities, where innovative business and culture flourish.
The capital of the Silesian Voivodeship and the region are changing and we want to show these Polish experiences of transformation to the whole world at WUF11
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Marcin Krupa
Mayor of Katowice
Katowice, as the host of the World Urban Forum, will once again engage in a discussion on the problems of contemporary cities. Our analysis of the city's activities on many levels: social, economic and environmental, made in the light of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, allows us to better prepare for the event that we will host next year.
We are also planning many competitions and events for the inhabitants as part of the Urban October organized by UN Habitat