Municipality of Veria

MUNICIPALITY OF VERIA

Natural and Demographic characteristics Veria is located in the northern Greece and is part of the region of Central Macedonia. It is 791,43 Km² in size and its population amounts to 70.000 inhabitants. The municipality of Veria consists of five Local Communities that successfully combine the characteristics of both an urban and a stunning natural environment. The city of Veria is the capital of the municipality and has a population of approximately 45.000 inhabitants. The city has a multicultural character as indicated by the plethora of Byzantine, -‐post Byzantine churches and mosques. In Its heart, neoclassic mansions and traditional quarters coexist harmoniously with the new architectural planning. The forests of “Vermion” and “Pieria” as well the river “Trippotamos” which runs through the town add to the natural beauty of the periurban area. At the northern part of the municipality, the Vermio Mountain accommodates the ski center of Kato Vermio, one of the most famous in Greece. , In the east the “Aliakmonas” river creats a unique ecosystem of successive lakes, a NATURA 2000 protected area. On the whole, Veria constitutes an important crossroad in North Greece, has a central position on the axis of Egnatia highway and is located 95 km away from the Thessaloniki airport. History and Culture The history of the area goes back to 7.000 BC with the prehistoric settlement of New Nicomedia.The city of Veria is ancient in origin and first appeared in historical texts around the 5th century BC. Veria grew rapidly and kept its importance through time. Τhe archaeological site of Vergina (Aigai) listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, accommodates the ruins of the palace of King Philip and his son, Alexander the . Great The works of art discovered in the Macedonian tombs of the area, including the 1 famous wreath of oak of King Philip are today exhibited in the respective Museum of Vergina. In 154 BC, the Romans took over the city and it lived through a period of great splendor. Its prosperity in the Byzantine period is still obvious by the large number of churches and monuments, still preserved. th In the 15 century it was conquered by the ottomans and in 1912 united with the Greek state.

Culture has a special place in the everyday life of the city. Apart from its long history and natural beauty, Veria has developed distinct and strong cultural activities. The city organizes every year a series of festivals and cultural events such as the “National Meeting of the Municipal Regional Theatres of the country” (mid-‐August), the “Dimitrios Vikelas” National Amateur Theatre Festival, the International Piano Competition” for young artists, the “Imathiotika” (August-‐September), which includes festivities with a rich cultural programme deriving mainly from Veria’s tradition. Moreover, the Youth Association of Veria, organizes, since 2008, the Aliakmonas River Youth Festival, which is a spectacle that combines music and sports beside the river Aliakmonas.

Veria has important cultural infrastructures and institutions which encourage different cultural activities. The Municipality owns a al number of cultur enterprises, such as the Center for Cultural Initiatives and Communication, the Municipal Peripheral Theatre, the Cultural Enterprise of Veria, the Municipal Library, the Center of European Studies and the Institute of Balkan Architecture. Furthermore, Veria hosts one of the largest and most complete libraries in Greece, awarded in 2010 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for its exemplar services. It is a four-‐story building offering multimedia, as well as special and rare editions. It collaborates with many international organizations and hosts several cultural events. In the field of higher education, Veria hosts the School of Urban-‐Regional Planning and Development Engineering and the postgraduate program entitled “The t” Science of Interne which both belong to the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Social and Economic features The organization of the economy of Veria has ter a traditional charac with a weak productive base, low degree of extroversion and a majority of small and medium size enterprises. 8.76% 2

of the economically active population is occupied in the primary sector, 21.99% in the secondary and 66.78 % in the tertiary sector. In the recent years a number of immigrants, in particular from the Balkan and Eastern European states has moved to the area of Veria. Within the municipality also resides a population of Roma, mostly from Greece. The Municipality of Veria in its effort to promote multiculturalism and social cohesion has undertaken a series of initiatives to improve their quality of life, as well as to promote their integration within the local community.

Development activities and objectives The development planning of the Municipality of Veria focuses on urban and rural development, promotion of multicultural heritage, protection of natural resources and environment, fostering of economic growth and social innovation. For this purpose, the Municipality is actively engaged in a number of national and European networks, namely the Network of Historic Towns, Greek Network of Towns with Rivers and through this to the European network “Union de Terres de Rivières”, the National Cultural Network of Towns and to the European Local Inclusion and Social Action Network (ELISAN). In addition, Veria has implemented a series of EU funded projects, through which it collaborates with local and regional authorities from across Europe in order to tackle common concerns and promote common interests. Moreover, the city cooperates closely with the University Schools for the planning and implementation of urban development projects (Model Innovative Plan for Development).

More specifically its priorities are: - Sustainable urban development and restoration of the historical centre in order to promote economic social and environmental development - Rural development, protection of local production methods and promotion of its agricultural products - Further development of tourism through the improvement and modernization of infrastructure and promotion of multicultural tourism - Provision of innovative social services in order to tackle poverty and marginalisation of vulnerable social groups 3

- Protection of the biodiversity (especially within the Natura 2000 network) and sustainable use of the natural and man made environment. - Development of international cooperation and materialization of innovative actions with the aim to upgrade the environmental, cultural and economic profile of the city.

Experience in EU Programmes The Municipality of Veria has an extensive experience in the implementation of projects within the framework of EU Programmes and initiatives. More specifically, over the last years Veria has participated in the following EU projects: -‐ Skills for Town Twinning: Strengthen the dialogue between the EU and its citizens with the aim of promoting the emergence of an active European citizenship (Europe for Citizens, 2006-‐2007). -‐ International Youth Seminar: Promotion of the mobility opportunities and occupational training of the young people. (Youth in Action, 2008-‐2011). -‐ Vocational Training and Integrated Tourism Development: New skills and qualifications in order to bolster tourism and promote growth (Leonardo, 2009-‐ 2011). -‐ LINKS: Low tech INherited from the old European city as a Key for performance and Sustainability. Replacing the historical urban centers into a dynamic of residential attractiveness, while preserving the architectural identity and cultural ACT heritage (URB , II 2009-‐2012). -‐ Friends Beyond Borders: Promotion of the autonomy and social inclusion of young people with mild cognitive disabilities (Youth in Action, 2010-‐2012).

Contact: Veria Office Brussels Office Mr Stefanos GAZEAS Mr. Athanasios GOUMAS Address: Mitropoleos 55, Veria 59100 Address: Rue d’Arlon 38, Brussels 1000 Tel: +30 23313 50626 Tel: +32 (0) 2 234 3600 Fax: +30 23313 50572 Fax: +32 (0) 2 230 9266 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.veria.gr Website : www.regioeuropa.net