Programme “Europe for citizens 2007–2013”
Town Twinning, Action 1, Measure 1.2 The Thematic Networking of Twinned Towns:

International conference “Inovativni državljani ustvarjajo prihodnost Evrope”
“Innovative Citizens Create the Future of Europe”
Žalec, 26 to 28 August 2009

CONCLUSIONS

The international Town Twinning conference titled “Innovative Citizens Create the Future of Europe” and held from 26 to 28 August 2009 in Žalec, was the third partner town conference organized by the Žalec Municipality as a winner of the tender “EUROPE FOR CITIZENS – Measure 1.2 The Thematic Networking of Twinned Towns”, financially supported by the European Commission.

So far, we have held three conferences with three select and apparently correctly chosen topics: in 2006, environmental protection, in 2007, coexistence of generations, and this year, innovation. The correct choice is not supported merely by the success of our European tenders, but primarily by the fact that social gathering, discussions and sharing experience regarding the issues of common European values truly bind us!

As in the previous years, upon conclusion of the conference, we have established that although we have different ways of solving problems in individual fields, the coming together of people from various parts of Europe provides a wonderful opportunity to swap experience, upgrade it through discussion, and implement the upgraded experience in our own environments on a daily basis. Thus, our partners from the Czech Republic were able to tell us about the successful implementation of the idea of a university of the third age, which they got during their visit to Žalec two years ago. We are convinced that some of the ideas born at this year’s conference will also come to life in a similar way.

At the presentation of results and press conference held at the Podpečan Farm in Galicija on Friday, 28 August 2009, we first remembered all the activities of the past two days and summarized the results of the three-day gathering.

The key goals of the conference were the transfer of good practices in stimulating innovation and creativity, and social gathering of European citizens from partner towns: Žatec (Czech Republic), Westport (Ireland), the Campagnia region with its centre in Naples (Italy), the Varaždin Municipality (Croatia), Kruševac (Serbia), and, of course, the hosts from Žalec and the neighbouring municipalities of the Savinjska region. There were a total of over 20 participants from abroad and over 60 participants from Slovenia, excluding the numerous side activities, such as the CHIAROSCURO art school with two young participants from Ireland.

At the plenary meeting and workshops, the participants could learn more about the “Europe for citizens 2007–2013” programme, exchange information and knowledge with the representatives of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, and the JAPTI agency, critically evaluate the Slovenian strategy and practice of stimulating innovation, as well as get an insight into methods and approaches to problem solving and encouraging innovation and creativity in different fields of partner towns from different countries.
   
Through visits to the companies NOVEM at Ložnica pri Žalcu and UNIFOREST at Latkova vas, presentation of the activities of the Institute of Hop Research and Brewing, discussions with the representatives of the Žalec Regional Chamber of Craft and Small Business, and through numerous side activities, the participants in the conference became aware that investment into development and creativity is the key to a successful way out of the financial crisis.

In summary, through three days of activities, the participants in the conference learned about European cultural and linguistic diversity, diversity in approaches to problem solving, but at the same time, got to know each other better, strengthened their bonds and friendships, and finally, established that awareness of the diversity, upgraded by friendly ties, represents the strongest foundation for our unity, closer relationships and cooperation in a jointly built Europe.

What about our plans for the future?
During conference presentations, and above all, during the workshops and visits to companies demonstrating good practices, we have established a number of problems, as well as different approaches to and methods of stimulation of innovation in individual fields of people’s lives in our partner towns. We have also formed professional and friendly ties, thus forming a functional partner network, which will represent a quality basis for further work in the field of encouraging innovation and creativity in our partners’ home environments. Several of the established problems or needs, we will be able to solve together, in cooperation (e.g. the issue of work exchanges for youth groups, participation of all partners in various international events dealing with creativity and innovation, such as the CHIAROSCURO art school), while we will have to solve others by ourselves. However, through the transfer of mutual experience, we will be able to solve them quicker, with fewer mistakes and thus also more cost-effectively – but above all, with a view to stimulating creativity, innovation and development of Europe as a whole.         

Therefore, our future steps will be the following:
- In the field of stimulating creativity and innovation: partner towns will encourage further discussion on the subject from a detailed professional view and from the view of the civil society and the broad public;
- We will carry out several concrete projects, such as the exchange of a group of young people from Italy coming to work for Slovenian companies, participation of the young from each partner town at next year’s international art school in Žalec in August, development of common projects and joint tenders for various European calls for tender related to creativity, culture, innovation in economy, tourism, etc.;
- We will expand the cooperation of partner towns – the next meeting within the framework of the “Europe for citizens 2007–2013” programme is planned for next year in Žalec, where we will try to invite new partners (as at this year’s conference, where we were joined by our partners from Croatia and Italy);
- We will seek mutual help, exchange of experience and above all – spend pleasant time together!

An important result of the “Innovative Citizens Create the Future of Europe” conference, held from 26 to 28 August 2009 in Žalec, is also the promotional material:
-    DVD of all activities;
-    A publication of the summarized presentations and examples of good practice;
-    A webpage www.towntwinning.si, providing an insight into the conference as well as enabling all interested people to contribute to the formation of common European values by submitting their opinions.

Through the abovementioned means of communication, we will ensure long-term promotion by the conference “Innovative Citizens Create the Future of Europe” of the importance of human creativity and innovation in the modern society and of the values built by the European Community through the programme “Europe for citizens 2007–2013”.

Written by:
Danica Jezovšek-Korent, Director of the Savinja Development Agency