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.