Pearls of Local Government 2026

The Kujawsko-Pomorskie Regional Self-Government, together with Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, is co-organizing the Pearls of Regional Self-Government Congress, taking place in Toruń on 15 – 16 June. The event was opened by Vice-Marshal Zbigniew Ostrowski, who also participated in the opening debate and served as a panelist in a discussion on the strategic use of European funds after 2027. Marshal Piotr Całbecki and President of the Regional Parliament Elżbieta Piniewska attended yesterday’s congress gala at the Artus Court, during which diplomas were awarded to the winners of the Pearls of Regional Self-Government 2026 ranking.

The main theme of the congress is the functioning of local communities in the face of contemporary social, demographic, and economic challenges. Discussions focus on issues related to depopulation and population aging, public healthcare, digitalization and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for efficient citizen services, as well as the energy transition and the development of the green and blue economy. The congress brings together local government officials from across Poland, along with experts and representatives of public administration and academia.

In the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna Pearls of Local Government 2026 ranking, the winners were: the Municipality of Iława and its Mayor (Wójt), Krzysztof Harmaciński (rural municipalities and rural municipality leaders categories), the Municipality of Radzymin (urban-rural municipalities), Igor Bandrowicz, Mayor of Prusice Municipality (urban-rural municipality leaders), Mińsk Mazowiecki (urban municipalities with up to 100,000 residents), Dariusz Kucharski, Mayor of Dzierżoniów (leaders of urban municipalities with up to 100,000 residents), Poznań (urban municipalities with more than 100,000 residents) and Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Łódź (leaders of urban municipalities with more than 100,000 residents)

Among municipalities and local government leaders from the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region, the highest-ranked representative was Rafał Bruski, Mayor of Bydgoszcz, who placed third in the category of urban municipalities with more than 100,000 residents.

Today’s program is devoted to expert workshops. Topics include waste management, risks and regulations related to the implementation of AI, and crisis communication in regional self-government.

Beata Krzemińska
Spokesperson of the Marshal’s Office

16 June 2026