18th December, 2010.

Organized by the Local Democracy Agency Agency, in co-operation with city administrations Subotica, and Szeged, minority local self-government and civic organization "Dugonics Andras", on 18 December 2011. in Szeged, Hungary this annual meeting of partners of the Local Democracy Agency Subotica, was held within ALDA support ensured by the annual Operating grant.

About thirty of the representatives of partner cities municipalities, institutions and civic organizations, were present during the meeting discussed the annual activities of the Local Democracy Agency, with emphasis on the existing Partnership with the City Council of Woverhampton, United Kingdom. The meeting began with introductory notes by Ms. Melinda Nagy Kiseres, project coordinator in the Office of Local Economic Development, representing the host city - Subotica, who welcomed all present at the partner meeting organized by the LDA Subotica, civic organizations with which the city cooperates as a partner and not only one project and share it with very good results. "Specifically, the project of Regional Partnership for Intercultural Cities, promote the city of Subotica as an intercultural city, which is listed among the 14 intercultural cities by Council of Europe. It was just one of the ideas and initiatives of the Centre, and today we are here in Szeged to develop new initiatives and new partnerships.

Annual activity report of LDA Subotica was presented by the Delegate Olga Perušić . She presented the cooperation between local authorities and civil sector cooperation in the region, promoting European values, as well as education for democratic citizenship and European integration. She also informed that it was  here in Szegedin  one year ago, on 19th of December 2009  a historic day for Serbia was marked by introducing  visa liberalization , and when a group of NGO-s and citizens from Subotica   were warmly welcomed by the  high ranking officials  of the city of Szeged in the city hall. . When we look back at our work in the year 2010, I think that our colleagues in Szeged need to know, and we are very proud of the fact that our local government in the moment is the only in Serbia in direct communication with the European Commission Directorate for Enlargement, and in European integration we are promoting the concept of good government and multiculturalism as the heritage of this region. Our plan for 2011 is certainly to share these experiences with the local government and civil organizations in Szeged, to propose a city of Szeged for the next phase of development of this project and the inclusion among the intercultural cities. We want to promote these common values in the region and the European Union, "said Olga.

An overview of the Agency's activities was presented by Olga Perušić, delegate, highlighting the project "Regional Partnership for Intercultural Exchanges", funded by the General Directorate for Enlargement, European Commission. The city of Subotica is the leading applicant in this project and the partners are the Light House in Wolverhampton, the Association of Local Democratic Agencies (ALDA) and Local Democracy Agencies of Subotica, Osijek and Mostar. Frank Challenger, director and Nerina Villa, coordinator of the activities of film production talked about the expected results of the project and the role of Wolverhampton and the Light-house.

Dr. Laszlo Gyimesi, vice president for Development and International cooperation for the City of Szeged, said that the Office of International Cooperation at the local government of Szeged will achieve objectives of the already established twinning of Szeged and Subotica. "If you look at the already existing collaboration on cultural and cooperation, we believe that in future there will be serious cooperation to develop for both municipalities to get cultural and economic benefits, based on shared history and geographic location of the future in the European Union. Serbia is a potential candidate of the European Union and we would like for Szeged to be a partner and provide the support needed for further association, therefore I am glad that today at this conference we have a good number of young people with whom this cooperation will extend. I consider myself as an operational person, and hereby announce that a small delegation of the local government together with representatives of civil society will visit Subotica at the beginning 2011."said Dr. Laszlo Gyimesi.

The main challenges of the Local Democracy Agency Subotica for the upcoming period were listed out at the meeting: regional networking and finding new partners in order to develop capacity to help local authorities in the region of Vojvodina preparing to the process of Serbia integrating the European Union, as well as the promotion of local economic development and cross-border cooperation. The successful cooperation with the region of Buskerud, Norway, based on successful projects in the field of local economic development lasted more than 10 years until it ended in 2009. Thus, long-term support from partnering municipalities and cities is strategically very important for the Agency. Further successful work of LDA Subotica requires strong support from existing and potential new partners as well as from the city of Subotica.

After having listed the burning issues, Jozsef Kozma, vice president of the Danube region association, presented specific documents, among them the EU Strategy for the Danube region.

"The strategy , adopted by the European Commission on 8 December 2010, is guiding our work. A second document establishes the statute of the civil association "Deli Tisza menti Télrsélg fejlesztélsi Közhasznú Egyesület", which will work to strengthen the Danube region. There was a need to establish an organization to connect all the participants coming from different fields to implement the strategy and the projects of the Danube region. Thus, a cross-boder organization was formed made up of half Hungarian members and half members from abroad. The vice-president is Vörös Attila, from the municipality of Senta, Serbia. This time we had to explain how one of the founders are members of cross-border, because the precedent that the party founders civic organizations, because it was not the case until then. Our goal is to find all the relevant stakeholders to get them involved in the project and contribute through networking to the development of the Danube region. The third document is the scientific study of regionalism, which highlights the importance of Danube region and what kind of cooperation could be implemented. It is important to develop centers of decision making and implement strategies locally, not in Brussels or other places of decision-making, so the region can work directly with its citizens who are the users of the center" said Jozsef Kozma.

Stevan Nikolić, director of the Educational Center of Roma, participated in the discussion. He cited  some examples of good practices and pointed out that people are initiators and implementers of any cooperation, in order to find their place in society. "Our work is oriented to inclusion of Roma in this region. I understood that the Danube strategy is complex and that it includes a lot of actors of the cooperation: authorities, organizations and individuals in a way that leads locally to a unique strategy giving regional results. Also the integration of Roma is also not a local problem, and we believe that in order that organization work in the region, the Danube strategy is an example of good practice. Our position is that the solution of the problem lies in the family, and thus creating the democratic conditions, which means the creation of equal conditions for each individual. Today, I responded to the partnership meeting of the Local Democracy Agency in order to convey their experiences and contributed to networking " said Stevan Nikolic.

The local organizer Dusan Marjanovic, Director of Dugonics Andras, a Croatian-Hungarian association and representative of the Croatian minority self-government of the city of Szeged said that they have implemented a large number  cross-border projects and activities that promote the Serb-Croatian-Hungarian relations, and that the participants were belonging to local governments, civil society or individuals. They often have a coordinating role, linking the civic organization among themselves, and with the institutions and local governments for concrete cooperation and the realization of projects.

Stanka Parać Damjanovic, director of the Local Democracy Agency Subotica, invited the Szeged government and the representatives of civil organizations to visit Subotica, to take part in the program and to renew the cross-border cooperation with the city of Subotica in the development and exchange of intercultural practice. "I think it would be good to be useful to introduce the concept of interculturalism to those who believe that Szeged has interest to participate in the next phase of the project. Examples of good practice that are in our archives, could be promoted in the region and in the European Union, we really try to act as a network in addition to our members from civil-society organizations, members of both cities and regions of the European Union.  In 2011. new innovative  models and approaches of cooperation should be explored, considering the long standing experience and the level of mutual understanding between the two cities. There is also a need to exchange experience in cooperation between the civil sector  and public authorities while specific attention should be given to increasing opportunities for collaborative development of projects for EU funding..

The follow-up activities agreed during the meeting were:

Visit to Subotica in January 2011– for a cross-border sport day, organized by Andras Dugonyic Association

Exchange of experience and visits to public cafee – an open public space for citizen participation in local political life (during the first half of 2011)

Invitation to Szeged city representative to attend the final conference in Mostar (March 2011).

Participants:

1. Dr LÁSZLÓ Gyimesi, councilor and advisor for city development and international cooperation, Szeged

2. JOZSEF KOZMA, advisor for Urban Planning and External Relations

3. MELINDA NAGY KISERES, project coordinator for the Office of Local Economic Development, Subotica

4. ALEKSANDAR T. LONČANSKI, member of the Mayor’s cabinet, Subotica

5. KORNELIJA MILOSAVLJEVIĆ, project team members, finance sector, Subotica

6. DANILO ČABRIĆ, member of the Mayor’s cabinet, Subotica

7. SVETISLAV MILANKOVIĆ, deputy director of the Municipal Museum Subotica

8. ANDÓCZI BALOGY EVA, PR Szeged’s library "Somogyi könyvtár"

9. OLGA PERUŠIĆ, delegates of the Local Democracy Agency Subotica

10. GORTVA-Konya MONIKA, representatives of civil society Szeget

11. STANAKA PARAĆ DAMJANOVIĆ, director of the Local Democracy Agency Subotica

12. DUŠAN MARJANOVIĆ, President of Croatian minority self-government of the city of Szeged

13. MARIJA REM, teacher and translator

14. STEVAN NIKOLIĆ, director of the Educational Center of Roma, Subotica

15. TIBOR TOMATO, a member of the Croatian minority self-government of the city of Szeged

16. EVA TOMATO, a member of the Croatian minority self-government of the city of Szeged

17. Meszaros Agnes, a member of “Dugonics Andras” civil organisation, Szeged

18. IVAN RAJČIĆ, a member of “Dugonics Andras” civil organisation, Szeged

19. DEJANA BIBIC, coordinator of EVS and the Youth in Action Program, LDA Subotica

20. VIKTOR RONJEC, LDA SUBOTICA

21. SANJA VASIĆ, LDA  SUBOTICA

22. AGNES RIVET, LDA SUBOTICA

23. GABRIELE KUŠTAN, LDA SUBOTICA

24. GREGOIRE VIALLETON, LDA SUBOTICA

25. LEJLA ŠANTIĆ, LDA SUBOTICA

26. SRĐAN MATIC, LDA SUBOTICA