In 2019, Svetlogorsk became the first Russian city admitted to the international Cittaslow association of cities. The association's name comes from the Italian citta, meaning city, and the English slow. Founded in Italy in 1999, the movement includes around 240 cities worldwide. Its principles are to improve quality of life by slowing the pace of urban life, enjoying the uniqueness of each city, and resisting uniformity and standardisation. Cities in the association support local cuisine, the creation of new green and pedestrian areas, clean technologies and the production of handmade goods, while fostering an atmosphere of good neighbourliness and hospitality. The symbol of Cittaslow is a snail. Local residents proposed creating a sculpture symbolising Svetlogorsk's participation in the Cittaslow movement. The sculpture was funded by the municipal enterprise Svetlogorsk Parks with the support of the administration of the Svetlogorsk Urban District. The sculpture was installed in September 2021. Sculptor: Andrey Shevtsov.
