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AEBR Annual Events 2022 at DKMT Euroregion: Szeged (HU), Novi Sad (RS), Timisoara (RO)

This was the general outline of events:

WEDNESDAY, 28 September 2022

VI Cross-Border School in Szeged, Hungary, Euroregion DKMT

THURSDAY, 29 September 2022

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

AEBR ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2022, Day 1

FRIDAY, 30 September 2022

AEBR ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2022, Day 2

Saturday 1 October 2022

Cultural and study visit to Fruška gora Mountain

Sunday 2 October 2022

Study visit to Timiș / Timișoara (Romania)

 

ARRIVAL IN HUNGARY, SERBIA AND NOVI SAD

For those participants arriving in Budapest to attend the VI CB School in Szeged (28/9), a transfer was available on 27 September.

For those participating in the AEBR Annual Events 2022, a transfer was available to continue their travel from Szeged to Novi Sad on the evening of Wednesday, 28 September. Other participants arrived directly at Belgrade international airport, where a shuttle was organised to Novi Sad by AEBR Balkan Office.

A FOCUS ON YOUTH

The European Year of Youth was a core element of AEBR Annual Events 2022, where we welcomed many young representatives of European border regions. We discussed various aspects of cross-border cooperation, cross-border public services, smart solutions for mobility in border regions and other challenges, the role of multiculturalism, etc.

Youth participation: young politicians from border regions were encouraged to take part.

Working languages: English, German and Serbian.

Final programme with links to videos and presentations (updated on 4 October 2022)

WEDNESDAY, 28 September 2022

SCHOOL OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION

The AEBR Cross-Border School (CBS) was organised for the 6th time at the NOVOTEL Hotel in Szeged, DKMT Euroregion, Hungary, in close collaboration with the Radboud University of Nijmegen, the Province of Gelderland (NL) and the University of Victoria (Canada). From 2022 on, the CBS is also part of the 21st Century Borders project, led by the University of Victoria within the BIG Lab (Borders in Globalisation), with many partners in various continents. This year’s general emphasis was on youth and CBC.

WEDNESDAY, 28 September 2022, Pre-Conference Event

Hotel Novotel, Maros utca 1, H-6721 Szeged, Hungary

9:00 – 16:00

9:00 – 9:15

 

6th CROSS-BORDER SCHOOL

Welcome, opening and introduction

(Papers on the topics under discussion are still welcome at info@aebr.eu)

9:15 – 10:45 (I)

Panel 1: Education across Borders

Moderation and introduction: Martin van der Velde, Radboud University Nijmegen (the Netherlands) and Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly, University of Victoria (Canada)

  • Natalie Baloy, Western Washington University, Bellingham (United States): The Cross-border Salish Sea Studies program.
  • Paul Sars, Radboud University: Bi-national teaching and learning: Barriers and solutions.
  • Ingrid Groenewegen and Cigdem Zantingh-Akcelik, NHL Stenden, Emmen (the Netherlands): Developing Cross-border Education in the Rijnland Institute.
11:00 – 12:15 (II)

Panel 2: Retaining young people/talent in “empty regions”

(and other urgent challenges in border regions; possible solutions and mechanisms)

Moderation: Martín Guillermo Ramírez, AEBR Secretary General

  • Anne Thevenet, Trans-Frontier Euro-Institut Network
  • Melinda Benczi, Researcher at the Central European Services for Cross-Border Integration (CESCI)
  • Dirk Peters, DG REGIO, European Commission
14:00 – 14:45 (III)

Panel 3: Cross-border Youth Mobility and Opportunities

Moderation: Eszter Csokasi, Director, Euroregion DKMT

  • Cross-border and multi-country projects on Youth Mobility in Hungary’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (2021), Richárd Kószó, PhD student
  • The importance of youth mobilities for academic development, Claudiu Botoc, PhD., Associate Professor, West University of Timișoara
14:45 – 16:00 (IV)

Interactive session with the youth:

Life for a young person in a border region in Western Europe/Eastern Europe/North America

Exchange of views between young people about living in a cross-border area in different parts of the world.

17.00- Transfer from Szeged to Novi Sad
afternoon Transfer from Belgrade to Novi Sad
20:00 Welcome get-together at the Sheraton Hotel in Novi Sad,

 

AEBR 2022 Executive Committee, General Assembly and Annual Conference

New solutions for the future of cross-border regions

29-30 September 2022, Novi Sad, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia

Simultaneous interpretation in English, German and Serbian.

 

Panoramic view of Novi Sad from Petrovaradin fortress.

Photo by Ivan Aleksic (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

 

Below you can find the final programme with links to videos and presentations:

THURSDAY, 29 September 2022

08:30- 09:00

09:00-09:45

 

 

Great Hall of The Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina

REGISTRATION for ExCom & GenAss

AEBR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING:

(only for Executive Committee members)

Preparation of the General Assemblies and regular decisions.

09:45-10:00 COFFEE BREAK

10:00-11:45

Registration for GenAss remains open & Registration for Annual Conference starts

AEBR GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING 2022:

(only for AEBR members in good standing)

Election of President, Vice-presidents and Board. Financial documents, Annual Report 2021 and new working programme.

12.00-13.30 LUNCH BREAK

13:30-14:30

Great Hall of The Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina

AEBR ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2022, Day 1

You can watch again the Opening and Sessions of Day 1 on YouTube (original sound with Serbian interpretation overlayed)

Opening

Igor Mirovic, President of the Provincial Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (RS)

István Pázstor , President of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (RS)

Alexandru Proteasa, Vice-president, Timis County Council (RO)

Dr. Eörs Polner, Vice-President of Csongrád-Csanád County Council (HU)

Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement (click here to watch his video message)

Thomas Andersson, Chair of the Current Affairs Committee, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities at the Council of Europe, President of the Regional Council of Jämtland and Härjedalen (SE)

Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions (click here to watch his video message)

Karl-Heinz Lambertz, AEBR President and President of the Parliament of the German-speaking Community of Belgium

Brief video of the Opening (without sound)

14:30-14:40 Great Hall Presentation of AP Vojvodina

(watch the video)

14:40-15:40

Great Hall of The Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina

Panel I

The New EU Financial Perspective and Cross-Border Cooperation

Moderation: Ezster Cokasi, Director, Euregio DKMT

Keynote speech: Jean-Pierre Halkin, DG REGIO, European Commission

  • Marija Fenjac, Head of the Department for Projects, Provincial Secretariat for Regional Development, Interregional Cooperation and Local Self-Government, Territorial Cooperation in the AP Vojvodina (click on the titles to access the presentations when available; if not indicated, presentations are available in English)

Overview of different aspects of programme management in Europe:

  • Erik Hagen, Innlandet County Council (Norway), Management Authority and Secretariat of Interreg SE-NO CBC Programme
  • Elke Sepak, Director of Euregio Erzgebirge (DE/CZ), Managing a Small Project Fund (DE-CZ)

15:40-16:40

Great Hall of The Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina

Panel II

Cross Border Public Services

Moderator: Ricardo Ferreira, DG Regio

  • Jean-Baptiste Cuzin, Director of cross-border, European and international cooperation, Région Grand Est, (FR)
  • Fredrik Lundberg, Wasaline Board Member, Kvarken Ferry
  • Tamara Krivosija Glisic, Independent Expert Associated “European Affairs Fund” of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina
  • Maja Konsulovski and Milan Kocić, Department for Emergency Situations, Ministry of Interior, Republic of Serbia, Cross border reaction in emergency situations
  • Mátyás Jaschitz, Director, CESCI, COVID-19 cross-border effects around Hungary

16.40-16.45

Closing of the Day: Remember Ukraine!

Address of Mr Volodymyr Chubirko, Head of the Regional Council of Transcarpathia (Ukraine) (click here to watch his video message)

16:45-17:00 Networking coffee
17:00-19:15 Guided tour of the PETROVARADIN FORTRESS
20:00

 

Reception – Hotel Sheraton Novi Sad

SAIL OF PAPENBURG 2022 AWARD CEREMONY & DINNER

(for registered participants)

Petrovaradin Fortress

 

FRIDAY, 30 September 2022
 

8:30-9:00

AEBR ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2022, Day 2

Registration

Watch the sessions of this second day on YouTube

(original sound, mostly English)

9:00-10:15

Great Hall of The Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina

Panel III

Smart solutions for cross-border cooperation. Presentation of innovative practices:

Moderator: Martin Guillermo-Ramírez, AEBR Secretary General

  • Safe and sustainable small regional aviation:
    • Electric aviation approaches in various European regions, myths of e-aviation (video)
    • Small aviation initiatives in the Carpathian Region, Mihai Pătrașcu, Director of Satu Mare International Airport (RO) and Natalie Nosa, Director of IARDI (International Association of Regional Development Institutions, Uzhhorod (UA)
  • Fluvial transport and Hydrogen ports, Andreas Kochs, Deputy Director, Euregio Rhine-Waal (DE/NL)
  • Tagus International, Ana Atanet, GIT / Euroregion Alentejo-Centro-Extremadura (EUROACE, ES/PT)  (additional video presentation)
  • How the Euroregion Spree-Neiße-Bober and their members react to coal withdrawal?  Carsten Jacob, Director, Euroregion Spree-Neiße-Bober e.V. (DE/PL) and Fred Mahro, Mayor of Guben
 

 

10:15-11:30

Great Hall of The Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina

Panel IV

The Youth Manifesto: how to make CBC-policies more open to young people’s participation

Moderator: Bektha Djilidjel, AEBR Team member and activist from the Youth Manifesto Group

  • Milan Savic, State Secretary in charge of youth, Ministry for Youth and Sports, Republic of Serbia
  • Dane Basta, Provincial Secretary for Sports and Youth, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Youth policies and activities of the Secretariat for Sports and Youth
  • Veronica Capenti, representative of Interreg ALCOTRA’s Managing Authority and its Youth Council, and Yasmine Calosso, IVY volunteer currently at Interreg ALCOTRA (video interview)
  • Nicole Meneghetti, IVY volunteer at Interreg Italy-Slovenia CBC Programme
  • A real space for children and young people, Sofía Areal, member of Tomiño’s Youth Council
11:30-12:00 Coffee break

12:00-13:15

 

Great Hall at the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina

Panel V

Multiculturalism, border regions and Youth

Moderator: Ana Bojović, jоurnalist, Radio-Television of Vojvodina

  • Adrian Borka, independent councillor, Provincial Secretariat for Education, Regulations, Administration and National Minorities – National Communities – independent councillor, Model for the Protection of the Rights of Persons belonging to National Minorities in AP Vojvodina (PPT in ENG, PPT in SRB)
  • Bojan Greguric, Provincial Secretariat for Education, Regulations, Administration and National Minorities – National Communities, Promotion of Multiculturalism and Tolerance in Vojvodina (SRB)
  • Stanislav Radulović, Undersecretary, Provincial Secretariat for Culture, Public Information and Relations with Ethnic Minorities – The youth and heritage – tradition and future in CB region (IPA Project) (text) (additional video presentation)
  • Maria Griva, IVY volunteer at the Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia
  • Tetiana Stanieva, Founder and Managing Director, International Ethnographic Film Festival, Bolhrad (Odesa Oblast, Ukraine)

13:15-13:30

Special Guest: Oleh Luksha, Interregional Co-coordinator of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, Current challenges and effective forms and methods of inter-municipal cross-border cooperation by Ukraine and other countries in the Carpathian macroregion under war conditions
13:30-13:40 CLOSING OF THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE
13:40-15:00 LUNCH AND COCKTAIL
NOTE: The workshops only worked in the English language.

15:15 – 16:30

Great Hall and other rooms at the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina

Workshop I Youth Engagement in Cross-Border Cooperation

This working session brought together members of AEBR were interested in exchanging with young people and young people involved in updating AEBR’s CBC Youth Charter. With the aim of improving youth’s participation in border regions and cooperation programmes, participants discussed solutions and shared best practices.

Moderators: Bektha Djilidjel and Milena Pallotta, AEBR Projects Office

  • Goran Ostojić, General Secretary, Novi Sad Youth Forum
  • Aleksandra Ilijin, Senior Associate, OPENS
  • Roxana Balan, a participant of “Updating CBC Youth Charter” workshop and IVY volunteer
  • Nataša Gligorijević, a participant in developing the Youth CBC Charter
  • Dirk Peters, DG Regio, European Commission
15:15 – 16:30 Great Hall and other rooms at the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina

Workshop II How to apply to b-solutions’ call

AEBR’s team presented the call for proposals launched in the framework of the b-solutions 2.0: Solving Cross-Border Obstacles initiative, an action by the European Commission and AEBR. Representatives of public bodies and cross-border structures were invited to exchange with AEBR’s team and brought forward possible legal and administrative obstacles they face when cooperating with their neighbouring regions.

During this dedicated workshop, b-solutions’ team illustrated the application procedure and provided concrete assistance to apply and receive technical support to solve such obstacles.

Contributions:

  • Caitriona Mullan, AEBR Expert
  • Cinzia Dellagiacoma, AEBR Projects Office
  • Mariane Bloudeau, AEBR Projects Office
  • Ricardo Ferreira, DG REGIO, European Commission
16:30 – 17:30

 

 

 

Workshop III – TFEB

The Task Force External Borders discussed its priorities for the coming years and celebrated 15 years of existence since its foundation in Lappeenranta (South Karelia, Finland) in September 2007, paying special attention to the transformation of some (cross-)border areas in the Eastern External Border region.

Coordinates: Johannes Moisio, South Karelia Region, Chairman of the AEBR TFEB

Contributions:

  • Caitriona Mullan, AEBR Expert
  • Ana Nikolov, AEBR Balkan
  • Tetiana Stanieva, AEBR partner, Bolhrad (Odesa Oblast, Ukraine)
  • Dirk Peters, DG Regio, European Commission

The Task Force has a profile in Facebook

16:30 – 17:30 Workshop IV – future project(s) partnership on sustainable mobility 
20:00 DINNER

Social and cultural programme during the weekend. Novi Sad is the European Capital of Culture 2022, together with Esch in Luxembourg and Kaunas in Lithuania.

SATURDAY, 1 October 

Study visit to Fruška gora Mountain monasteries and wineries

SUNDAY, 2 October 2022

Study visit to Timiș County / City of Timișoara (Romania)

There were many exciting things to do in Novi Sad, including the programme of the European Cultural Capital 2022

Thank you very much, DKMT Team and the Team of the Provincial Secretariat for Regional Development, Interregional Cooperation and Local Self-Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina!

 

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