The "Partner" Project

 

Głogów, May 25-27, 2001.

Panorama talks with Zbigniew Rybka, Mayor of Głogów

- In May, a Sister Cities Conference entitled "Partner" will be staged in Głogów. What goals is it to achieve and who will participate in it?
- The concept for the conference was created by the Głogów Public Relations Department. We shared the idea with the "Sprewa-Nysa-Bóbr" and "Nysa" Euroregions, the Forum of Lower Silesian Cities' Mayors, which links representatives of the eight largest cities in our region, the Association of Polish Towns, and the Eastern Europe College Foundation. All these entities have declared their willingness to cooperate in organizing the event and have committed themselves to co-financing the project. At the Conference, sister-city cooperation will be evaluated and new means of cooperation will be defined for the future, especially in the context of Poland's accession to the European Union. We also wish to define new ways of the cooperating with cities from Eastern Europe. Moreover, the participation of representatives of the sister-cities of Głogów, towns from the Lower Silesia region, and cities from the two Euroregions will constitute an important element of the conference and a basis for the exchanges of ideas on co-operation between towns located along borders. This will greatly enrich and broaden the scope of the issues discussed during the meeting.
- Will the conference be accompanied by artistic performances?
- Yes, in order to expand the conference formula, we have decided to incorporate artistic performances into the program, which will take form of the Festival of Sister Cities. During the event, youth and folk groups from Głogów's sister-cities and cities associated through the Euroregions and the Association of Polish Towns will perform in Głogów. This will constitute a splendid opportunity for seeing and comparing different cultures, regions and nations, as diversity is most visible through culture. I believe that in the context of a uniting and increasingly unified Europe, the perseverance of these cultural differences is of great importance. Another major element of the presentation will be educating both the participants of the festival and the residents of our city. The educational activities will mainly include the presentation of the benefits of a united Europe and placing emphasis on cultural and national diversification, instead of enumerating dangers, which are often mentioned when discussing Poland's accession to the UE. During the festival, we intend to show short videos on a telescreen presenting the sister cities and their day-to-day lives.

KONFERENCJA "PARTNER - Partnerstwo Miast dla Europy"
GŁOGÓW, 25-26.V.2001

PROGRAM RAMOWY

25 maja 2001 (piątek)

• Głogów i jego miasta partnerskie.

• Próba bilansu i perspektywy rozwoju współpracy miast partnerskich po dziesięciu latach działalności samorządów w Polsce.
• Przyczynek miast partnerskich do eliminacji mentalnych uprzedzeń i stereotypów.
• Rola euroregionów w integracji obywateli Europy.
• Wspieranie partnerstwa miast ze strony Związku Miast Polskich.
• Współudział organizacji samorządowych dla młodzieży przy realizacji współpracy miast partnerskich.
• Wspierająca rola "Twinning Officers" w realizacji transgranicznych inicjatyw obywatelskich.
• Możliwości współpracy z Liason Officers w aspekcie partnerstwa miast.
• Wsparcie partnerskiej współpracy miast ze strony Unii Europejskiej.
• Droga do Nagrody Europy - motywacyjne wsparcie współpracy miast partnerskich przez Radę Europy.
• Przyszłość partnerstwa miast w zjednoczonej Europie.
• Warsztaty:
   - Wymiana szkolna młodzieży i współpraca kulturalna,
   - Współpraca gospodarcza i samorządowa.

26 maja 2001 (sobota)

PARTNERSTWO Z EUROPĄ WSCHODNIĄ

• Możliwości współpracy partnerskiej z miastami Europy Wschodniej.

• Ukraina - mało znany kraj sąsiedzki w Europie.
• Prezentacja nowo założonej fundacji "Kolegium Europy Wschodniej".
• Porównanie doświadczeń związanych ze współpracą z krajami Europy Wschodniej, dyskusja.
• Przyczynek partnerstwa miast europejskich do integrowania się Europy Obywateli.

Osoby zainteresowane udziałem w konferencji proszone są o kontakt              z Urzędem Miejskim w Głogowie (tel:076/8365477 tel/fax: 076/8341609, e-mail: promocja.glogow@wp.pl).

- Does Głogów have extensive experience in the field of sister-city cooperation?
- For many years, Głogów has cooperated with cities in Western Europe. Głogów has established long-term relations with municipalities in Germany (Eisenhüttenstadt and Langenhagen), the Netherlands (Middelburg), Sweden (Laholm) and Great Britain (Amber Valley), as well as France (Epinal), and Lithuania (Nemeczyn). On several occasions, the Association of Polish Towns has distinguished Głogów for activities aimed at the implementation of ideas related to a United Europe. In 1999, the Council of Europe appreciated the long-standing cooperation of our town with other local governments across Europe and awarded Głogów with an "Honorary Diploma of Europe". In 2000, the activities run by the city were distinguished with the "Honorary Flag of Europe". In historic terms, Głogów has always been a multi-national and consequently a multicultural town, which has made it an original and interesting place. I hope that our enterprise proves successful. We have experience, and I am convinced that everyone who comes to Głogów will draw numerous conclusions, explore ideas about international cooperation, establish new contacts and friendships, and will like Głogów and be willing to return to our city.

"PARTNER - Town Twinning for Europe" Conference
GŁOGÓW, MAY 25-25, 2001.

Conference Program:

Friday, May 25, 2001.

• Głogów and its twin cities,

• An analysis of the overall effects and perspectives for future development of twin city cooperation following ten years of local government operation in Poland.
• Twin cities' contribution to the elimination of biases and stereotypes,
• The role Euroregions play in the integration of European citizens,
• Support of twin city relations provided by the Association of Polish Towns.
• Cooperation of local government organizations for youth in carrying out partner city cooperation.
• Supportive role of Twinning Officers in the implementation of cross-border citizen initiatives.
• Possibilities for cooperation with Liaison Officers in the city partnership aspect.
• Support for partner city cooperation provided by the European Union.
• A road to the Prize of Europe - motivational support for the partner town cooperation provided by the Council of Europe.
• The future of town twinning in the united Europe
• Workshops:
   - student exchange  and cultural cooperation
   - economic and local government cooperation.

Saturday, May 26, 2001.
Partnership with Eastern Europe

• Saturday, May 26, 2001.

• Partnership with Eastern Europe cities
• Opportunities for partner cooperation with Eastern European cities
• Ukraine - a little known European neighbor
• The presentation of a newly founded "Eastern Europe College" foundation
• Comparison of experiences related to the cooperation with the countries of Eastern Europe - a discussion.
• Contribution of European Twin Cities in the European citizen integration.

All persons interested in the participation in the conference are requested to contact City Office in Głogów, tel.: 076 836-5477, tel./fax: 076 834-1609, e-mail: promocja.glogow@wp.pl