The slogan of Katowice's ECC 2016 candidacy – the City of Gardens – is an inspiration to think in an unconventional way. The ever-changing metropolis provides fertile soil for new ideas and innovation. The figure of the City of Gardens is an invitation to spend time in public spaces and work together for the sake of their development.

The garden metaphor points to the need for care and protection of the shared space. The slogan is meant to both encourage the local community members to cooperate in an effort to cultivate their local spaces and inspire their creativity. A garden is a common good which fosters unity and cooperation through diversity and openness. Our vision is to transform the city into this kind of space.

Our slogan is not just an empty cliché. On the contrary, the project recaptures certain bold ideas formerly undertaken in the city space, reminding us that the Katowice district of Giszowiec was the first implementation of the garden city idea in Poland. The picturesque buildings of these formerly working-class quarters are nowadays some of Katowice's most iconic buildings. It was also Katowice that saw the implementation of the project of unique green recreational areas known as "Jordan gardens".

Recapturing Ebenezer Howard's idea is our response to the needs of modern cities, often suffering from deurbanisation and city space...