Gregor Gowans is the editor of the "Wroclaw Uncut" service (www.wroclawuncut.com) dedicated to economic, cultural and sports events in Lower Silesia's capital.
Born in Scotland, Gregor studied in Aberdeen and spent some time working in Seville, Spain. In 2007, a friend proposed that he go to Wroclaw. "It was a time of important economic changes, followed by cultural and social transformations. New generations are becoming more and more creative, taking advantage of the freedom their parents didn't have," says Gregor.
Apart from building the website with the intention to provide independent contents, Gregor is in charge of the English version of the Śląsk Wroclaw football club and the New Horizons Film Festival websites, and he also teaches English in many companies. "In one of the groups we've got five people, each one from a different country. There are women from Turkey, Italy, Spain, France and Poland," he lists.
Tolerance and public space
When asked about tolerance for foreigners, Gregor still sees some area for improvement. "Acts of racism still occur in the UK, but they are, however, less visible. Nonetheless, defining Wroclaw as an intolerant place would be excessively superficial and untrue. The city definitely needs some debate about these issues, held in English," suggests Gregor who dreams about creating an open public space where foreigners living in Wroclaw could express their opinions.
The popularity of the TEDx events (independent events where local leaders, scientists and cultural personalities get a maximum of 18 minutes to present a speech sharing inspiring ideas) organised in Wroclaw clearly demonstrates the need for such initiatives. Working together on solving local issues translates into benefits for all of the stakeholders. Gregor gives the example of the Nadodrze neighbourhood where the revitalisation shall be focused on creating relationships: "We need more places such as Café Rozrusznik which support with their hospitality the brand of Nadodrze as a suitable place for revolutionary, innovative projects.
So? Shall we run this debate?"
Marcello Murgia
