Žilina and the Beskids

Beskids region

1.385.036 inhabitants live in Euroregion Beskids CRITICAL MASS

Žilina, Frýdek-Místek, and Bielsko-Biała are industrial and economic centres surrounded by the Beskids mountains. This poignant contrast between the urban and natural landscapes impacts the character of those cities; the surrounding mountains and forests provide opportunities for tourism and outdoor activities. Joining our forces would help us to gain a critical mass of inhabitants (1.385.036 inhabitants live in Euroregion Beskids) and operators, and will make our voices heard more in the broader European context.

Social & cultural interactions

CULTURE & INDUSTRY

While on the economic level, particularly in the automotive industry, the Žilina region is deeply intertwined with its neighbours, the social and cultural interactions often don’t go beyond formal demonstrations of cultural heritage, regional tourism and traditional commercial exchanges. Despite the strong ties existing in the region, there is still a lot of untapped potential in these cross-border cooperations, especially in the field of culture and creative industries.

Exploring

OUR POSSIBILITIES

We want to use the European Capital of Culture as an opportunity to explore our mutual relationship across the three borders and to create together an attractive and dynamic region, based on its creative, industrial and touristic potential.

This candidacy is a unique chance for the city of Žilina and the surrounding region to deal with the complex legacy of the past and to define the future European direction. We feel the need to tear down the mental barriers and to work together across the national borders. Despite our differences, we agreed to unite in pursuit of common interest, to escape the trap of passive provincialism by means of enhanced cooperation, to establish a “new centrality” and “repositioning” the region on the European map.

Relationships

CROSS- BORDER

In the upcoming years, we expect the completion of the last missing part of the Baltic-Adriatic route E75, part of the EU core Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The new motorway will connect the cross-border regions and shorten the distance between Žilina, Bielsko-Biała and Frýdek-Místek. This new infrastructure will definitely change our relationships.

Cultural profile of Žilina

The cultural profile of the city is made up of a mixture of traditional folk culture and contemporary art. Established cultural institutions such as theatres, museums, and libraries blend with the lively ecosystem of independent cultural organisations to provide a solid base for cultural infrastructure.