February 2009

City of Subotica has been selected for the newly established network of the European Intercultural Cities (ICC) Joint programme of the Council of Europe and European Commission. The network of fourteen cities include also: Reggio Emilia Lyon, Lublin  Patras, Tilburg, Berlin-Neukeln, Oslo, Greenwich, who are involved in intensive exchange of good practice in areas of good local governance in multiethnic and multicultural communities. Components of the programme range from public discourse, preservation of cultural heritage, information, mediation and education. The Joint programme started in 2008., and is designed as a permanent networking activity to promote good local governance and diversity management involving different local actors and partnerships with civil society organisations.

In order to help promote awareness raising at local level, Local Democracy Agency (LDA) Subotica initiated different activities, including the training component for the journalists of local media. The project is being implemented (November 2008 – May 2009) in co-operation with the City administration and with the support of the Vojvodina Fund for development of non-profit sector. European and our Affairs is the title of the project encompassing also visits and active participation of the local journalists in entire programme activities.

The training workshop held on 3-4 February in Subotica was designed and delivered by : Milica Pešić, Executive manager of Media Diversity Institute and CoE expert for the Joint Programme.
Eighteen local journalists from electronic media and press were present, while also present were the Ms. Ljubica Kiselicki, deputy Mayor of Subotica and Ildiko Lovasi, member of the City Council in charge of culture. Co-operation with journalist and raising awareness on active participation of Subotica in European wide network of cities has become an increasingly important component of local development strategy.
Next step: YU ECO TV crew members visit to Strasbourg and the Council of Europe, 2-7 March 2009.

• The city of Oslo, Norway - Barcelona 2008
• Intercultural cities - Newsletter no. 4
• Intercultural cities - Presentation for the first meeting