2 PRESENTATION Šilutė District Municipality community is proud about evaluation of our activities on European Community ideas by European Council Parliamentary Assembly's Diploma (2006), Flag Honour (2009) and Plaque of Honour (2011). Getting The Europe Dipoma, 2006, Strasbourg. Gettnig the Flag of Honour, 2009, Šilutė. Getting of Plague of Honour Šilutė, 2011. 3 Very exceptional year was 2011: Šilutė celebrated 500 years Anniversary, it was honored as Lithuanian Capital of Culture, and our European activities were awarded by Plaque of Honour. All these Year was full of cultural events, exhibitions, educational activities, variety of presentations, which took place in Šilutė region, and also in the capital of Lithuania - Vilnius. We are proud of our creators, cultural and educational institutions, Monitors communities, non-governmental organizations and businessmen, who were a great team, and organized very exceptional events glorifying Šilutė edge. Šilutė was visited by many guests from Lithuania, foreign delegations and tourists. 4 5 6 7 The Symbol, designed for Silute Lithuanian Cultural Capital – 2011. Logo, designed for Silute 500 Aniversary. We want to assure, that Šilutė region community (located in Klaipeda region, in the western part of Lithuania), which is over 50,000 people will continue to operate at European level and will seek the main prize - the Europe Prize of European Council Parliamentary Assembly. We are democratic, contributing to a range of European actions, organizing the international events; we are actively cooperating with foreign communities, by all means keeping and cherishing our heritage, developing our regional culture. Pamarys region is attractive not only for its exceptional geographical location, unique landscape, but is also famous for its cultural-historical heritage, unique ethnic culture and courageous cultural innovations. In Register of Cultural values are involved 322 objects, and it is one of the biggest lists in Lithuania. Our cultural life is glorifying by many institutions - Šilutė Public Library of Friedrich Bajoraitis and its branch offices, cultural centers, professional chamber Drama 8 Theater and museum. Amateur art groups of children, youth and adult in also create nice events and enrich our leisure time. We have also active education and training institutions, totally in region it is 38 such institutions. Important role takes associations, of which within 40 works on the cultural, educational, historical and areas (total it s 200 associations). We have very active rural communities, whose activities are really important and promising. Šilutė District Municipality community’s activities are visible not only in Lithuania but also in Italy, Spain, Latvia, Poland, France, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Germany, USA, Canada and other. 9 10 Giving thanks for the great European Council of Parliamentary Assembly's estimations and Mrs. Anne - Marie Menger, the Europe Prize Sub-Committee Head‘s, warm incentives and support, we would like to ensure that the community is ready to win the highest award –Europe Prize. Sincerely, Virgilijus Pozingis Ida Vasiljevienė Municipality Mayor Administration Director 21.12.2011, Šilutė 11 THE MEMBERSHIP OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT IN ORGANIZATIONS Šilutė District Municipality is an active member of Lithuanian Municipalities Association (LAL) (since 1995), which is in the Council European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), the United Cities Organization (UTO International Union Local Self-Government (IULA) and cooperates with neighboring countries, government associations, municipalities and other non-governmental organizations. The Mayor of Šilutė District Municipality Virgilijus Pozingis is the member of the Lithuanian Association of Local Authorities Council and Board and the member of the Land Management and Rural Affairs Committee. Mayor V. Pozingis is also the Chairman of Klaipėda Regional Development Council. The main goal of this council is the effective planning of the European Union's Structural Funds, encouraging of investment and new businesses and services in urban and rural areas, promotion of the general regional local government initiatives, solving problems of the region, representing the region in the international organizations, and the cooperation with the regions of other states. 2011-04-07-08 The director of Lithuanian Association of Local Authorities Roma Žakaitienė participated in Belgrade, Serbia, in the meeting of Secretary-General and the Directors' of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR ), which was the subject of ongoing CEMR's working methods Reform Progress and priorities for 2020. The future of the largest association of European Local and Regional authorities was discussed in three parallel working groups, one of which was chaired by LAL director R. Žakaitienė. During the discussion two key issues were discuss: operational guidelines of the 'CEMR 2020 - from vision to reality” project and the reform of organization working methods according the needs of its members. Discussing the future vision of CEMR R. Žakaitienė expressed Lithuania's assent for CEMR up to the year 2020 become the most important organization admitted by European Council and the European Union representing the interests of European Municipalities and Regions, which main role is to influence European policies and legislation and noted that this objective should be achieved in two ways. "In order that the influence of the organization recognized by the European Union Committee of the Regions, Council of Europe Local and Regional Authorities of the Congress of the European Commission and other institutions, it is important to continue to strengthen the role its own as cornerstone of the European Local and Regional Authorities as the expert and the main source of information in this area " said Director of the LAL in Belgrade. She also introduced the LAL developed proposals for new CEMR's working methods, emphasizing the ways to increase operational efficiency by exploiting the opportunities offered by information technology, for example, organizing expert group meetings on the Internet. During the meeting it was also discussed the CEMR policy formulation and information about the activities of the organization aspects, more important this year's meetings and events. Council of European Municipalities and Regions General Association of Secretaries and Directors also discussed the preparations for the upcoming 2012 General Assembly CEMR. Currently CEMR is the largest organization in Europe representing the interests of local and regional authorities. CEMR includes more than 50 national municipalities and regional local government associations of 39 countries. Overall these associations together represent more than 100,000 local and regional authorities in Europe. CEMR works as an information exchange forum, to ensure adequate representation of regional and local interests in EU policy-making processes and to create a lobbying channel for consultation with the EU. At EU level CEMR wants similar legal guarantees, which already has a national association in their respective countries. 12 LAL which is the member of CEMR since 2001, is actively working with the CEMR twinning coordinator network, Employment and Social Affairs Committee, Environment Committee, a group of government representatives in Brussels ELAN. Council of European Municipalities and Regions - the largest non-governmental organization of the European Union and neighboring countries, local and regional organizations, representing the common interests of subnational level engaged in lobbying the EU institutions. 2011-08-29 The Mayor of Šilutė District Municipality Virgilijus Pozingis was invited to the Lithuanian-Polish-Russian Cooperation Neighbourhood Programme second annual conference. The conference aimed to inform local authorities, regional authorities and the public about the progress of the program, the program activities and opportunities. During the meeting the future cooperation in the neighborhood area was discussed. The event was also associated with the international conference "Neighbourhood Co-operation: Russian Federation, the European Union and Norway” in which participated in the Mayor Virgilijus Pozingis. 2011-09-25-27 Šilutė District municipality is the member of Euroregion Baltic (ERB) since it’s beginning (1998), and Mayor Virgilijus Pozingis participated at the forum in Gdansk (Poland)., in September 25-27, 2011. Mayor participated in the discussion about ERB cooperation. It was noted that further cooperation, expansion of tourism activities in the region by improving the availability and promotion of entrepreneurship can provide to ERB significant added value. It was also discussed about the activities of Youth board - to encourage young people to participate actively in the activities of the ERB and to prepare a joint youth project. The meeting with the region's municipal youth coordinators and ERB Youth Board Chairman Irmantas Sujeta was planned. In the meeting the new ERB Youth Board project will be presented. ERB - the biggest Euroregion in Europe, was founded more than 13 years ago. Over the years, this Euroregion cooperation has developed rapidly: it includes both EU members (Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania) and Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation (RF). ERB is a network that develops cooperative relations, facilitate the political dialogue, as well as ensure sustainable economic, social and environmental development. 2011-09-28-29