Local-SoMe’25 in Wrocław is the only event in Poland entirely dedicated to effective municipal communication, built around one key question: “How do we speak so that it makes sense — and has impact?”
The logic of the Congress reflected the real communication cycle: from the birth of an Idea, through Content and Publication, to Interaction, Reception, and Analysis.
Lublin 2029 RE:UNION was actively represented during the panel “Speaking about culture so that it becomes visible and memorable.” The discussion focused on the challenges faced by cultural institutions in promoting their activities with limited budgets and resources. Among the speakers was Małgorzata Drozd-Domaciuk, involved in the communication of ECoC Lublin 2029 and the Centre for Culture in Lublin.
Throughout the Congress, participants emphasized that in a world where presence in social media has become an obligation, simply “being there” is no longer enough. Communication cannot be merely aesthetic — it must be thoughtful, legible, and intentional, not chaotic. It must build relationships and start from understanding why we speak and to whom. One of the key themes was the need to break with excessive formality. To avoid sounding like official administrative messaging, institutions must move away from the “official language” and adopt a more engaging way of communicating.
The Congress also highlighted a core postulate: public institutions should communicate local matters “simply, accurately, and with local energy.” Every city has its own authentic atmosphere — its own Idea. For Lublin 2029, this Idea is expressed through RE:UNION, symbolizing the reunification of people, institutions, and values. It is an answer to the crisis of relationships and hope. Lublin emphasizes that culture can be a bridge rather than a barricade, referring to the values of the Union of Lublin: “Free with the free, equal with the equal.”
The European Capital of Culture Lublin 2029 (RE:UNION) is a project of rebuilding social and digital bonds. Culture is presented as a strategic instrument of change, aligned with the European Union’s vision of culture as a foundation of public life.
A significant topic of discussion was the role of interaction, exemplified by the phenomenon of “3000 Dreams.” When Lublin began creating its ECoC application, it started with listening. An invitation for residents to share their dreams for Lublin in 2029 resulted in more than 3,000 ideas, which shaped the 100-page bid book. The most common dreams included free cultural education for children and youth, a greener city, and international events.
This process became a model of communication based on dialogue and co-creation. Lublin 2029 treats the ECoC not only as a project but as a long-term commitment — a laboratory of change in which communication genuinely supports strategic goals, such as doubling cultural participation and ensuring free access to cultural education.
