Magic of Cross Border Cooperation marked in the Final event in Latvia

Participants of the event were welcomed warmly by Mr Hardijs Vents, Head of Vidzeme Planning Region Development Council. Mr Hardijs Vents expressed his gratitude to all project implementers for their investment of time, knowledge and boundless efforts to increase welfare of the inhabitants of the Programme area.


Opening speeches were given by Mr Sandis Cakuls, the Head of the Joint Managing Authority, Deputy State Secretary, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia, Ms Julia Koger, Advisor of European Territorial Co-operation Bureau of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Estonia and Ms Svetlana Bibichkova, Deputy Head of Unit for Regional and Cross-border Cooperation, Department for Regional and Cross-border Cooperation Development; the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. The Head of the Joint Managing Authority and both representatives of National Authorities of the Programme emphasized the great importance of continuous cooperation and close work together to ensure further development activities that improve regions’ competitiveness.

The results and best achievements reached within the supported projects were exhibited through a photo and video show that revealed brightly the tremendous contribution of every single project to the overall and specific Programme objectives.

 

To ensure continuity of the Programme, Ms Iruma Kravale, Director of Development Instruments Department, Ministry of the Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia, Ms Julia Koger and Ms Svetlana Bibichkova presented information on the preparation process, thematic objectives  and management of the two future bilateral CBC programmes  - "Latvia-Russia" and “Estonia-Russia” 2014-2020.

Inspiration for new and creative project ideas was given by two project presentations of Latvia-Lithuania CBC Programme. Ms Ilze Stabulniece, Manager of Latvian office of Euroregion "Country of lakes", presented project called “Development of co-operation platform for Latvian and Lithuanian vocational schools and entrepreneurs” that aims at increasing employment between graduates from vocational schools and developing new entrepreneurships to ensure high qualified and internationally competitive specialists. Ms Anna Builo-Hoļme, Project manager at Zemgale Planning Region, explained that throught project “Cross border network of crafts as promoter of attractiveness of Latvia-Lithuania borderlands” common art and craft culture values were promoted, sector of craft and applied art developed and regional art & crafts entrepreneurship fostered.

Mr Mārtiņš Daugulis held an interactive session preparing a ground for the participants to network, establish new contacts and joint ideas for future projects.

Award ceremony was dedicated to honour the most notable projects and implementers. Awards were given to multiple nominees in 8 nominations – best project site, best communication/promoter, best project manager, best solution, best sustainability/impact for future, outstanding event and pearl of region.

On a second day of the event, visits to the project sites in Vidzeme and Latgale regions were organised with a special attention to the Programme’s measure 2.2 - preservation and promotion of cultural and historical heritage and support of local traditional skills. During the visit in Balvi museum participants were invited to enjoy the exhibition premises equipped with sets of integrated digital systems, as well as learn more about the invaluable experiences and friendships that have been gained and established throughout the project duration. Closing of the day was marked with an official opening of 200-year-old wooden Alexander Pavilion in Aluksne Manor Park. The opening ceremony was well attended not only by the participants of the Final event, but also by local inhabitants that showed great interest in the work that has been devoted to restore and revive Pavilion’s appearance. Words of congratulations to the project implementers were delivered by Mr Sandis Cakuls, Mr Aivars Fomins, Vice-Mayor of Aluksne Municipality, Ms Unda Ozolina, the Head of Joint Technical Secretariat of the Programme and Gunārs Grīnfelds, the restorer of the site.


Final Closing event of the Programme united with the European Cooperation Day will be held in September 2015.

Photos of the event in the website gallery will be published shortly.

A list of awarded projects in all three Final events will be published later this month.

Altogether 50 cross-border cooperation projects have been supported by the ENPI Estonia-Latvia-Russia CBC Programme 2007-2013 with the overall budget of 58,89 MEUR involving 241 partners from three countries.