THE ROLE OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT PATRON – THE EXAMPLE OF THE POMERANIAN VOIVODESHIP

Abstract

For several years there has been a trend among local authorities to establish a patron. Generally, this trend has been initiated by the city councils, individual councillors or religious associations and the purpose was to emphasise the special connection of a patron with a particular place or to entrust the local community to his or her care. In selected cases, non-governmental organisations were also applicants in the procedure for the establishment of a JST patron. The example of the Pomeranian Voivodeship shows that out of seven local government units that have established a patron, in four of them the active participation of NGOs has contributed to the establishment of a patron. The aim of my article is: to show the path that a certain JST has undertaken in the process of establishing and its role in this process, to analyse the legal basis for the procedure of establishing a JST patron and the impact of establishing a JST patron on the cultural development and strengthening of the local community.