August 2009

The project „Regional Partnership for Intercultural Exchange“ has officially been approved by the European Commission in May 2009 and we are glad to be able to announce already the first main activities:

6th to 9th of August 2009: Study Visit in Subotica, Serbia during the traditional cultural event of Dužijanca

All the project partners are kindly invited to participate in this study visit that includes visiting and getting to know various events and traditions related to the “Dužijanca”, such as Tamburaška evenings, election of “Bandaš” and “Bandašica”, orchestra show, exhibitions of traditional handcraft and similar manifestations.

During this study visit will also take place two main activities related to the project:

7th of August 2009: First thematic Round Table: ““Cultural heritage of national minorities”

The round table on the topic of cultural heritage of national minorities will take place in the media center o the municipality of Subotica from 4 to 7pm.
Participants of the round table are represents of the Local Democracy Agencies of Mostar, Osijek and Subotica, represents of the municipalities of Osijek and Subotica as well as represents of the local self government of Szeged and represents of municipalities of neighbouring towns.

Program of the round table:
4 to 5 pm – presentation and history of the cultural heritage of the harvest celebrations in Subotica

5 to – 7 pm presentations of partners from Osijek, Mostar, Szeged and other guests expected from neighbouring towns

After the official program of the round table an optional participation in the concert of the traditional singer Zvonko Bogdan on the main square in Subotica is proposed.



8th of August 2009: 1st meeting of Steering Committee “Regional Partnership for Intercultural Exchange”

The first Steering Committee meeting will be held in Subotica on Saturday 8th August 2009 in the premises of the Open University, Conference room 213,
15 Trg cara Jovana Nenada street.

Program of the 1st Steering Committee meeting:

10.00 – 11.00 Welcome speech and presentation of all the partners

11.00 – 11.30 Presentation of local Subotica project team members

11.30 – 12.00 Project Inception report (draft)

11.30 – 12.30 Ddefining of the Action plan for the next 12 months, and the detailed time table for the next 6 months

Coffee break

13.00 – 14.00 Decisions to be adopted: project logo, design of publications, website, electronic Newsletter, appointment of the Project Manager

14.00 - 15.00 Concluding session: role and involvement of partners, partners agreements, annexes to be filled by partners, budget allocations

Lunch in the Restaurant

On Saturday afternoon and evening as well as on Sunday morning the participants are invited to participate in various events related to the harvest celebrations of Dužijanc in Subotica. They will have a unique opportunity to experience themselves the living cultural heritage of the minority of “Bunjevci” in Subotica.



22nd to 26th of August 2009: International Training seminar for local governments and NGO practitioners: “Cities for Good intercultural Governance” during the traditional cultural event of Interetno

Only two weeks after the first Steering Committee Meeting there will already take place a first training seminar organized within the capacity building component of regional co-operation project “Regional Partnership for intercultural exchange”.
The training seminar on Intercultural governance, for local government officials and civil society organizations will take place from 22nd to 26th of August 2009 in the localities of the Hungarian Cultural center, 4 Kossuth Lajos square, in Subotica.

Participants of the training seminar are : 25-30 representatives of local governments and NGO-s from Southeast Europe and neighboring countries (2 participants per city).
Hotel accommodation and meals are fully covered by the organizers. Travel expenses are reimbursed for two participants per town.



The five day program of the training seminar includes one workshop, lasting from 10 am to 4pm every day and a final concluding round table on the last day. The workshops proposed are:

Workshop 1: European standards in human/minority rights protection– presentation by the senior trainers; team work; case studies;
Guest speakers, senior trainers: Minority Rights Group International London ; Vojvodina Center for human rights, Novi Sad

Workshop 2: Intercultural governance at local level – from international standards to local practice

Workshop 3: Diversity management skills; public policy making; diversity reporting, role of media in intercultural understanding – presentation by the senior trainer: Media Diversity Institute, London, Milica Pesic

Workshop 4: Citizen participation at local level – from the right to information to the right to participation: human/minority rights in local community , public service delivery – presentation by the local trainer, ALDA; case study

Workshop 5: European experience – minorities and participation at local level; exchange of good local practice: case studies of: city of Osijek, city of Mostar, city of Szeged.

The date of the training seminar coincide with the Interetno Festival Szabadka-Etnopolis-Subotica in Subotica. This festival welcomes traditional dance and folklore groups of the whole world for a colourful and joyful interethnic meeting and exchange. As the topic of the festival is closely related to the content of the training seminary for good intercultural governance the participants of the seminar will get the opportunity to join several of the events proposed by the Interetno festival.