E-newsletter prepared by Niš City Mayor’s Office
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www.ni.rs In This Issue: EUROPEAN WEEK OF REGION 1 AND CITIES IN BRUSSELS - OPEN DAYS 2012 EDICT OF MILAN ANNIVERSARY 3 CELEBRATION COUNCIL CONSTANTINE’S SCHOLARSHIP 3 GERMAN DISCOUNT RETAILER 4 LIDL IN NIS MEETING WITH SERBIAN 4 - BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DELEGATION
EDICT OF MILAN ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION COUNCIL
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YOUTH IS THE LAW
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RECEPTION FOR THE AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN
No. 46 - October 2012.
EUROPEAN WEEK OF REGIONS AND CITIES IN BRUSSELS - OPEN DAYS 2012 Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic took active part at 10th Open Days in Brussels from October 8-11, 2012 under the heading Europe’s Regions and Cities: Making a Difference.
YOUTH IS THE LAW 4 RECEPTION FOR THE 5 AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN RECEPTION FOR GIRONDE 5 DELEGATION RECEPTION FOR THE 6 AMBASSADOR OF BULGARIA RECEPTION FOR BENEFACTORS 6 FROM ENGLAND PREMIERE OF THE 6 DOCUMENTARY SECOND MEETING IN NIS European week of regions and cities in Brussels - open days 2012
Open Days is the annual key event for regionaland local authoritiesto showcase their capacity for creating growth and jobs and implementing European Union cohesion policy. Organised by the EU Committee of the Regions and the European Commission, DirectorateGeneral for Regional Policy (DG REGIO),
this communication and networking platform regularly brings together regions and cities from all over Europe and beyond, providing to thousands of local, regional, national and European decisionmakers and experts a real market place for exchange and debate on projects and questions related to regional and
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www.ni.rs local development. This year event was focused on smart and green growth for all – focusing on discussing and visualizing how Cohesion Policy contributes to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth; territorial cooperation: an asset for Europe – allowing exchange of experience and specific solutions between practitioners and experts on how to use cooperation as a tool for regional development and better exploitation of regional potentials; delivering and measuring results for a more effective and strategic policy offering opportunities to look back and highlight achievements by cohesion policy, including showcasing examples of successful projects or approaches. Mayor Perisic spoke at the meeting of Adriatic Ionian Macroregion. In his address to the Macroregion delegates Mayor Perisic pointed out the importance of the cooperation between the countries gathered in this macroregion for the sake of strengthening economic and cultural relations. The Republic of Serbia has been participating in the Adriatic Ionian Initiative from 2000, when the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was admitted as a full-fledged member. The Initiative was later extended to the federative union of Serbia and Montenegro, and after the referendum in Montenegro both States remained AII Participating Countries. Adriatic Ionian Initiative Secretary General Fabio Pigliapoco, earlier this year, remarked that Serbia presided successfully over the Initiative and he pointed out that during Serbia presidency the process for approving of the European Strategy for Adriatic Ionian Macroregion has begun. He added that the goal of the Adriatic Ionian Initiative was to reinforce a strong community founded on common history, cultural and environmental heritage, common interests in developing social and commercial relations and making the whole area politically and economically stronger. During his visit to Brussels Mayor Perisic had numerous significant meeting with different EU officials: Mr. Morten Moller, Head of the Unit at European Commission Directorate General for Communications Network, Content and Technology; Ms. Miriam Ferran, Head of Unit for Serbia, at European Commission Directorate
e-Newsletter: No. 46 - October 2012.
General for Enlargement and on this occasion they discussed the progress Serbia made in fulfilling the preconditions for accession EU; Mr. Laurent Bochereau, Head of the Unit at EC DG for Research and Innovation in charge of policy coordination, EFTA and enlargement countries with whom he discussed the EU strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation with the focus on perspective enlargement countries; Ms. Elena Grech, Head of Unit for IPA/ISPA and accession negotiations at the EC DG for Regional Policy; Mr. Colin Wolfe, the Head of Unit for Transnational and Interregional Cooperation at EC DG for Regional Policy in charge of Management of transnational and interregional cooperation programmes and macro-regional strategies and the two officials discussed collaboration and sharing experiences across borders, whether national, regional or organisational, as an effective way to access new ideas, innovative approaches and new skills and the possibilities for the City of Nis to become involved actively in the cooperation with other regions. Mayor Perisic visited the Embassy of Serbia in Brussels and met with the Ambassador Mrs. Vesna Arsic who presented the activities of the Embassy and Mayor Perisic had the opportunity to learn more about Serbian Diaspora living in Belgium. Another important meeting was with the Head of Serbian Mission at EU, Ambassador Mrs. Roksanda Nincic. Ambassador Nincic presented the work of this diplomatic mission which is tasked with more complex activities being the
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mission at EU. During his stay in Brussels Mayor Perisic had an opportunity to attend the official opening of City of Zagreb Representative Office in Brussels. Mayor of Zagreb Milan Bandic and Mayor Perisic discussed the potential cooperation between two cities and how to revive once vivid cooperation in the areas of culture and economy.
www.ni.rs
e-Newsletter: No. 46 - October 2012.
EDICT OF MILAN ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION COUNCIL
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The first session of the Council for Celebration of Edict of Milan Anniversary was held at Nis City Hall. The council gathered the representatives of all relevant Niš City institutions and organisations and representatives of the business community. The task of the Council is to coordinate the activities regarding the organisation and celebration of this anniversary. Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic presented officially the members of this Council and announced the opening of the Office of Edict of Milan Celebration. The office will launch the public call for all the citizens to submit their ideas about the celebration and an invitation for them to become actively involved in the preparation of the events which will mark this big anniversary. “The celebration will start on
January 11, on the Day of Liberation of Nis from Turks”, as Mayor Perisic said. The Council agreed to have ready for the next meeting the programme of the planned and completed activities so
that exact deadlines, people-in-charge and other details could be specified. The Council will have different boards which would be in charge to supervise the activities in the specific fields.
CONSTANTINE’S SCHOLARSHIP Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic and Philip Morris Serbia and Montengero Managing Director Paul Riley signed the Protocol on Establishing Constantine’s Scholarship for the best student from the University of Nis. This initiative was agreed on the meeting held earlier between the two officials during which Mr. Riley presented the activities of the company related to providing support to local community pointing out that Programme Partnership for Education and Community Development (PECD Programme) had awarded 313 individual scholarships and financed 45 group projects so far. Mayor Perisic and Mr. Riley discussed the possibilities for the factory to get involved in the celebration of Edict of Milan anniversary and the scholarship project seemed feasible enough. This scholarship is established for the Academic Year of 2012/2013 on the occasion of celebrating 17 century from Edict of Milan signing. It will be awarded to the best student from each of 13 faculties of the University of Nis. The best student from each of Nis University Faculty will receive 230.000 RSD and the funds for the scholarship will be secured by Philip Morris.
“We have decided to dedicate special place to the development of the young and talented people in the year of the great jubilee because we believe those young people will carry out the future development of this society. Together with our friends from Philip Morris, who has helped generously this community so far, especially young talented people, we have decided to award the Constantine’s Scholarship to the best students of Nis University and we hope that those scholarships will be the motivation for their further advancement” as Mayor Perisic said. “Recognizing the fact that people are the most important resource for the Nis and recognizing the need for us all, as the members of this community to foster and cherish them, it is our honor to establish this scholarship. This scholarship should be the motivation for the young people to learn and achieve personal success in life and to contribute to the development of the communities
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they live in. Constantine’s scholarship should reminds us of the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence which are civilization achievements of the Edict of Milan Jubilee which awaits us” as Philip Morris Serbia and Montenegro Managing Director Paul Riley.
www.ni.rs
e-Newsletter: No. 46 - October 2012.
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GERMAN DISCOUNT RETAILER LIDL IN NIS Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic met with the representatives of the German discount retailer LIDL.
Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic met with the representatives of the German discount retailer LIDL. LIDL picked four sites in Serbia and is looking for more land to build stores as it moves into the Balkan country. They bought the land property in Nis opposite Mr. Brcolage
store. During the meeting with Mayor the representative from LIDL expressed their interest to open several stores in Nis. LIDL bought two lots in the northern cities of Subotica and Zrenjanin and is “close to completing” purchases in Novi Sad and Valjevo.
MEETING WITH SERBIAN – BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DELEGATION Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic met with the representatives of Serbian - British Chamber of Commerce led by James Thornley the vicechairman of this association. The possibilities of establishing cooperation between the City of Nis and Nis business community with the businesses from the UK and encouraging and facilitating trade were discussed during the meeting. The principal goal of the British Serbian Chamber of Commerce is to be a forum for businesses and individuals wishing to
engage in trade, investment, real estate development, tourism, transport and other economic activities between the United Kingdom and Serbia. Mayor Perisic pointed out that City of Nis is more than interested in attracting British capital and potential investments to Nis and this part of Serbia.
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YOUTH IS THE LAW The final event within the project Youth Is the Law, organized by NGO Proaktiv which had been chosen as the resource center for RS Ministry of Youth and Sports, was held at Nis City Hall. Within the scope of this project, 10 youth initiatives promoting the activism of young people and healthy life style were financed during the period from June to October 2012.
After the presentation of the successfully implemented initiatives, Nis City Mayor said that he was aware of the problems that young people living in this city and this country were faced with and that insufficient attention or care had been given to these issues. However, this local government with new people in office would like to change this and try to give to the young people a chance. Mayor Perisic promised to work constantly to involve the young people in all society segments in order to enable them to use all the opportunities. On this occasion, RS Ministry of Youth and Sports State Secretary Nenad Borovčanin spoke about national strategy for young people and pointed out the volunteering and solidarity were the highly respected values of any society and he invited young people to become more involved and to join similar iniatives.
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e-Newsletter: No. 46 - October 2012.
RECEPTION FOR THE AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN
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Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic met with with H.E. Mr. Toshio Tsunozaki, the Ambassador of Japan in Serbia, at Nis City Hall. This was the first meeting between Mayor Perisic and Ambassador Tsunozaki and this was an excellent opportunity for Mayor Perisic c to express the gratitude on the behalf of Nis citizens for all the assistance and many donations given by Japanese government to the City of Nis. Ambassador Tsunozaki thanked the Mayor for the warm welcome. Two officials discussed the economic situation in both countries and agreed that economic cooperation should be intensified. “The people of Serbia and Japan should communicate more in order to find out more about each other. Starting from the friendship and confidence in relations between the two countries
more investors could also come to Serbia,” Tsunozaki said. After the official reception at Nis City Hall Ambassador Tsunozaki and Mayor Perisic attended the Incense Ceremony performed by famous
Japanese artist master Kihachiro Nichiura who performed the demonstration of incense ritual, calligraphy and mastership of making ikebana - spiritual dialogue between Man and Flower.
RECEPTION FOR GIRONDE DELEGATION Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic met with the delegation from French Region Gironde led by the Phillipe Henri Ledru, the Head of the Department for International Cooperation and discussed the progress on already established cooperation. Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic met with the delegation from French Region Gironde led by the Phillipe - Henri Ledru, the Head of the Department for International Cooperation and discussed the progress on already established cooperation. On this occasion Mayor
Perisic pointed out the cooperation between young people from Ns and this French region with the objective of exchanging the experiences and bringing two nations closer. “Our permanent task has to be the care about young people and
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securing their future”, as Mayor Perisic said announcing the opening of the official City Office for Youth. Mr. Ledru agreed with the Mayor Perisic that although we lived in different geographic areas we shared common problems. “Having that in mind, it is important to develop cultural cooperation and to improve the cooperation between the young people who are the future of their communities. It is also important to have the support of the local self government for the project dealing with the problems of young people”, as Mr. Ledru said. The meeting was attended by Sasa Miljkovic, Honorary Consul of French Republic in Serbia, Ms. Andrea Guduric, and French Embassy Coordinator for Decentralized Cooperation between France and Serbia, Ms. Aurelie Michel, the director of French Institute in Nis.
www.ni.rs
e-Newsletter: No. 46 - October 2012.
RECEPTION FOR THE AMBASSADOR OF BULGARIA
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Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic met with H.E. Ambassador of Bulgaria in Serbia Mr. Angel Dimitrov and H. E. General Consul of Bulgaria in Nis Mr. Atanas Krstin. Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic met with H.E. Ambassador of Bulgaria in Serbia Mr. Angel Dimitrov and H. E. General Consul of Bulgaria in Nis Mr. Atanas Krstin. “Bulgaria is very important country for us because it represents the closes contact with EU. The crossborder cooperation between Bulgaria and Serbia is of special importance for this region because it reflects the spirit of cooperation and unity between states. And that is why we want to become
more involved in the work of Danube and Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, besides already established cooperation between the cities in Serbia and Bulgaria, so that we could have easier access to IPA Funds” as Mayor Perisic said. H. E. Ambassador of Bulgaria in Serbia Mr. Angel Dimitrov said that there was a broad spectrum of possibilities for cooperation between two nations in economic and cultural and touristic sectors. Also, the construction of the Corridor X is an important project for
both countries and the Ambassador hoped that the City of Nis would give its contribution to the successful cooperation of this project.
RECEPTION FOR BENEFACTORS FROM ENGLAND Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic welcomed at Nis City Hall Mrs. Julia Palmer, MD, the Secretary General of London City Health Department and Mrs. Elaine Laycock, MD, a true friend to City of Nis who donated significantly for the past 15 years to different health care institutions. This meeting was an opportunity for the guests from London to present to Mayor Perisic their work and to announce future activities. Mrs. Laycock donated the equipment for the Department of Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry at the Dentistry Clinic in Nis. 7 complete dentistry units were donated to the
Clinic. Donations were made to the hospice unit at the Pulmonary Clinic in Knez Selo. It also important to point out the engagement of these distinguished ladies and benefactors of Serbia in securing education for medical staff from Serbia and organizing study visits of our medical teams to England.
PREMIERE OF THE DOCUMENTARY SECOND MEETING IN NIS After the premiers in Belgrade, New York, Washington and Novi Sad, the cinema audience in Nis had the chance to see Second Meeting, a new documentary by Zeljko Mitrovic, the author from Nis. The film was dedicated to the meeting of two pilots from different sides. One was the pilot of an F-invisible 117A, another soldier who commanded the unit that it was shot down. Their first meeting was on the radar and 12 years later decided to meet and get to know. This is a human story of a unique encounter. The premiere in Nis was
attended by two main protagonists of the film, the pilots Dale Zelko and Zoltan Dani, the US Embassy in Belgrade Cultural attaché J. Drew Giblin and Nis City Mayor Zoran Perisic, who greeted the guests on this occasion. The film is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, Provincial Secretariat of Culture of AP Vojvodina, U.S. Embassy,
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Belgrade, Balkan Trust for Democracy Fund, the City of Nis and City of Apatin, Municipalities of Medijana and Pantelej and different sponsors from business community.