SKILLS : Visit of Cypriot municipalities to Italy – 21/09/2010

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On September 16th, representatives of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities and of the municipalities of Dali, Kato Polemidia, Lefkara, Aglantzia, Polis Chrysochous, Morfou and Engomi, travelled to Italy, in order to participate in a formal meeting with representatives of municipalities of the Lazio region, in the framework of the SKILLS project (www.skills4europe.eu/).

On September 17th, the delegation met with Italian delegates in the Savelli Palace, where Mr. Francesco Chiucchiurlotto, ANCI National Councillor, Mr. Nicola Marini, Mayor of Albano, Mr. Maurizio Sannibale, representative of the Region of Lazio, Mr. Yiannis Antoniades, Secretary General of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, Mrs. Sara Peciarolo, director of Lazio Region for European programs, Mr. Aristos Melis, Municipal Secretary of Lakatamia and Mr. Charalambos Charalambous, Municipal Councillor of Dali presented their municipalities and organizations and discussed on collaboration opportunities.

On the same day, the delegation visited the City Hall of Anzio, (Municipality which is twinned with the Municipality of Pafos in Cyprus), where the Italian partners presented the City Hall and their city. On September 18th, the delegation visited Rome and the Vatican.

SKILLS project: Meeting of Cypriot and Italian Municipalities – 28/09/2010

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On Monday, September 27th, a meeting was held between representatives from municipalities of Cyprus and Italy, with the aim to promote future collaborations, based on European policies and programs and especially the Europe for Citizens programme.

The meeting was attended by Mayors, Deputy Mayors and members of Municipal Councils, as well as members of the Association of Municipalities of the Region of Lazio (ANCI Lazio) and the Union of Cyprus Municipalities (UCM).

On behalf of the UCM, the meeting was opened by its Vice President, Mayor of Mesa Yitonia, Mr. Christos Messis. Mr.  George Georgiou, Mayor of Kato Polemidia, Mr. Alexis Michaelides, Deputy Mayor of Larnaca and Mr. Yiannis Antoniades, Secretary General of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, spoke about the partnerships of Cypriot Municipalities with those of other European countries, notably through twinning, and their importance not only for the municipalities themselves but also –and mainly- for their citizens.

The Italian elected representatives from the Municipalities of Albano Laziale, Roccacorga, Cerveteri, Anzio, Castiglione di Teverina, the mountain Municipalities of Castelli Romani e Prenestini, the majority of Mayors and Deputy Mayors, as well as the Secretary of ANCI Lazio, made reference to the external relations and cooperation of their municipalities and, in turn, expressed their desire to cooperate with municipalities from Cyprus, which was also one of the main aim of their visit to Cyprus.

Castelli Romani e Prenestini, the majority of Mayors and Deputy Mayors, as well as the Secretary of ANCI Lazio, made reference to the external relations and cooperation of their municipalities and, in turn, expressed their desire to cooperate with municipalities from Cyprus, which was also one of the main aim of their visit to Cyprus.

During the lunch break, the elected representatives of both sides discussed concrete proposals for cooperation. Afterwards, Cypriot officials presented their Municipalities and expressed their desire and availability for cooperation with their Italian colleagues.

This meeting was a continuation of a previous one, which took place in the first week of September, with the visit of Cypriot officials to Lazio, wherethey were hosted by the Local Association of Municipalities of the region (ANCI Lazio). The meetings, as well as the creation and operation of the relevant website were financed by the SKILLS project, which the two Associations implement together. SKILLS is implemented under the Europe for Citizens programme.

The Europe for Citizens programme aims to promote active European citizenship. It also aims to give citizens the opportunity to share experiences and opinions and participate in constructing an even closer Europe, united in its cultural diversity and to develop in this way the concept of citizenship of the European Union and the sense of European identity, while contributing to intercultural dialogue.

DECISIVE PROJECT: ITS FIRST RESULTS ALREADY VISIBLE – 30/09/2010

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The DECISIVE project counts already nine months of life. And even though its two main actions (study visit to Brussels and final seminar in Cyprus) have not yet taken place, it is obvious that the project contributes to cultural change, in relation to twinning and European activities of municipalities as well as the participation of citizens to these activities.

Let’s take a more detailed look at the achievements of the DECISIVE project up to now:

Twinnings: It has now begun to be perceived by the municipalities that twinnings can be really useful and that they are not just synonyms with cultural exchanges or travelling opportunities.

Participation of citizens: It is important that citizens and especially organized citizen groups now understand (in those municipalities that this was not the case up to now) that they have the opportunity to work in close cooperation with municipalities and get actively involved in twinning. In at least two municipalities, the organized groups of citizens (mainly Youth Councils) already took the initiative to get in contact with their municipalities, in order to work together on twinning projects.

Union of Cyprus Municipalities: When the DECISIVE project began, a lot of Cypriot municipalities did not even have one officer who was working on twinnings or other European activities. Moreover, the officers of those municipalities that were more organized, did not know each other and many were not cooperating or even communicating with the twinning officer of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities.

Now, most municipalities have appointed at least one officer who deals with twinning issues. These officers have now met each other and have begun to cooperate and exchange information and ideas. It is important that even the Union of Cyprus Municipalities is now aware of the European actions of its Members. The attitudes seem to begin to change…