The Silesian Union of Municipalities and Districts is a voluntary association of municipalities and districts of the Śląskie Voivodeship. At present the Union is formed by 125 units of territorial self-government (114 municipalities and 11 districts) and its range covers the area inhabited by approximately 4 million people. The Union was established by territorial self-government units in 1991 as an organization to help local self-government represent and defend common interests and as a forum to exchange important information, experience and disseminate model solutions in the field of self-government management and local development. In the 90’s the Union’s basic task was to integrate territorial self-government at the regional level and to run activities to decentralise the country. The Union effectively promoted the idea of establishing self-governmental districts and provinces in Poland. The Union also played a crucial role in promoting cross-border co-operation when it operated as the Union of Municipalities of Upper Silesia and Northern Moravia. Now, after over 18 years of its activity the Union has a permanent place in the self-governmental structures in Silesia and enjoys high respect in the region. As regards to the scale of its activity and number of population inhabiting the area of its activity the Union is the biggest regional self-governmental organization in Poland. www.silesia.org.pl