About us

Fundacja Normalne Miasto - Fenomen (eng. Phenomenon (of) the Normal City Foundation) was established on March 13th 2009 by a well-known Łódź civil society activist Wiesław Kaczmarek. Its core consists of people that have met via internet and have been joined by the fondness to their hometown.

People involved in the Foundation’s work were previously actively coping with social and awareness issues within the city by themselves. They were undertaking various actions, more or less officially, to create a more pleasant and extraordinary European city. Some of them met online via Gazeta Wyborcza forum (a local newspaper) or on blogs devoted to the city condition, others during happenings of informal activists’ pack called a Group of Certain People (pl. Grupa Pewnych Osób). 

While meeting and discussing, we concluded, that we all want the same thing- an ordinary city (pl. Normalne Miasto - which became the part of Foundation’s name).

We deeply believe in the sense of bottom-up, informal, spontaneous activities, but we also appreciate the possibilities that having a legal entity status, project approach and maintaining long-term programmes offer. In our initiatives we seek to connect best elements of both.

Fenomen is a dynamic, eager to learn and ambitious group of people. We are individuals with lots of passion for our city, among whom everyone has unique abilities that account for our strength.

Our goals

According to our Statute, the mission of the Foundation is to pursue socioeconomic and cultural development of Łódź and its region, especially by the means of:

1. Drafting and pursuing socioeconomic policies along with other activities aimed at regional development and increasing the quality of life;
2. Fostering and facilitating:
• wide-ranging civic society development, including the facilitation of local communities, promoting and managing voluntary work;
• development of culture and preservation of cultural heritage of the region;
• environment protection and development of sustainable transport;
• promotion of Łódź and the region;
• development of tourism and leisure, including children and youth;
• sporting events;
• education and research.

Our aim is raising people’s awareness that they are crucial participants, not only the subject of government activity. We also try to inform that their duty but also a chance for a better quality of life is to show greater interest in public affairs, neighborhood concerns as well as those of their quarters and the whole city. We want people of Łódź to believe, that they can have a real influence on decisions made by the local government - to show that such a revolution is possible.

Our long-term goal is to establish a strong and modern society that is aware of how exceptional their city is. A society, that is actually civic, that feels connected to its place of living and takes responsibility for its shape. 

We act against stereotypes, that draw our city as an unpleasant place for living.  Especially, we want to build bridges between Łódź inhabitants and history of their small homeland, which was created with effort of people of mainly Jewish and German descent. These people sacrificed their lives to create this exceptional city.

We want to act for our city’s development, improvement of its living standards. We are opened to cooperation with people and organisations that share our dreams and visions regarding Łódź.

Wiesław Kaczmarek - our Founder

Foundation was established by Mr. Wiesław Kaczmarek - a longstanding chairperson of the Historical Preservation Society of Łódź, an activist and enthusiast of new civic initiatives focusing on the city. Wiesław Kaczmarek holds the “Social Relics Caretaker” identity card with number 1, he was awarded with - inter alia -  the “575 years of the city of Łódź” medal and  the Silver Cross of Merit (by the President of the Republic of Poland). 

He is the person, who believed in our shared dreams and our abilities to change the city.

Wiesław Kaczmarek also chairs Supervisory Board of the Foundation; he audits the compliance of the Foundation’s Board activities with the law and targets thereof. He is also our advisor, the person who indicates new directions and inspires us to act better.

Legal information

Number in the Legal Entities Registry (KRS): 0000327680 (Registry is maintained by the courts, registration is mandatory for foundations in Poland. Our Foundation was registered by the decision of Łódź-Śródmieście Regional Court in Łódź. You can check our status at krs.ms.gov.pl website).

Tax Identification Number (NIP): 725 200 58 39

Statistical Registry (REGON): 100664085

Entry in NGO database www.bazy.ngo.pl

Bank account: 25 1140 2017 0000 4002 1209 2997

You can support our activities by making donations to this account.

Contact

Mailing address:

Fundacja Normalne Miasto - Fenomen, 
Wigury 12a st.
ZIP code 90-301 
Łódź, Poland

Mobile: +48-531-157-000

Fax: +48-42 209 32 55

Email: Adres poczty elektronicznej jest chroniony przed robotami spamującymi. W przeglądarce musi być włączona obsługa JavaScript, żeby go zobaczyć.

Fenomen holds regular meetings of activists and people interested in cooperating with us, usually on first Thursday of the month at 6 PM in one of the local cafeterias. If you want to join us - you’re welcome!