Description
The objective of the project is to involve the residents of Warsaw in the process of defining local policy on night clubs which may be a nuisance. This will be achieved by organizing consultations, a debate forum, training, conferences, and an outdoor media campaign. International experience in the field will be reviewed and disseminated, amendments to the existing legislation will be proposed and information exchange between local government and residents will be enhanced. Furthermore, the project will provide citizens with advice on legal and civic matters. The main target group are residents of Warsaw. Other target groups include local government, club owners, organizations which focus on noise impacts, housing cooperatives, condominiums and media. Project results will be disseminated in other Polish cities facing similar problems.
Summary of project results
"In recent years, in Warsaw several dozens of clubs were opened which are busy till late at night. Annoying noise from the clubs and no effective way to intervene became problems for inhabitants. Other big cities aslo have this probelm. Discussions on how to reconcile the interests of entertainment seekers and people living in the vicinity of clubs brought no satisfactory solutions. The aim of the project was to improve the quality of life for inhabitants through encouraging local authorities to set rules for the nightlife in Warsaw and including inhabitants in the decision-making processes in this field. As a result of the project, the authorities and the general public became persuaded that noise in the night is a grave problem, and a process of amending local regulations in this field was started. The President of Warsaw issued a directive on protection from night noise, nightclubs had to aghree to more restrictive provisions on quiet hours, the procedures for interventions of city guards in the district of Śródmieście were also changed. Awareness of inhabitants on their rights for protection from noise and on their abilities to influence decisions of local authorities was raised. Developed proposals for solutions were also presented in other cities (Wrocław, Gdańsk, Lublin, Kraków). Under the project, a social campaign was conducted on annoying and harmful effects of night time noise for inhabitants (radio and film spots, leaflets and posters). A document containing recommendations for city authorities, and a summarising results of qualitative and quantitative surveys, were prepared. A series of debates with participation of inhabitants and journalists, as well as a series of meetings with district authorities, city councillors and owners of clubs were organised. Inhabitants and city officers (over 120 persons) took part in trainings on harmful effects of noise and rights of inhabitants to be protected from noise. Beneficiaries of the project were inhabitants of Warsaw. In cooperation with the Foundation Global Compact Poland, examples of foreign solutions were described, and reports and recommendations were presented in other cities. "
Summary of bilateral results