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Seminar of the UBC Commission on Urban Planning
Dear Madam/Sir,

The Commission on Urban Planning of the Union of the Baltic Cities cordially invites you to its next seminar in Šiauliai, Lithuania, between October 6th and 9th 2010. The seminar theme is "Vision of an Attractive City".

Šiauliai is the 4th biggest city in Lithuania with approx. 125 000 inhabitants. Even though the city has existed for almost 865 years, it is relatively new since the city was practically destroyed in the World War II and rebuilt after the war. In the 1900's Šiauliai became a remarkable centre of industry, but it also is the home of Šiauliai University and advanced education. Šiauliai is also famous for its basket ball team.

The Commission on Urban Planning seminar concentrates on the theme of attractiveness of cities and how to enhance the life in cities by means of urban planning. Our workshops concentrate on Šiauliai, which is a regional engine of business and cultural life, but suffering from population loss like many North-European cities. We will hear about practical examples of supporting vivid city centres from Vienna, Austria, and Hamburg, Germany. Also, if you have experience about a project increasing attractiveness of your city, we would like to hear about it: we have reserved time for 4 "best practice" examples of 15 minutes from the seminar participants. In case you are willing to give a short presentation from your city, please inform Sirpa Kallio ( e-mail: sirpa.kallio@hel.fi). The preliminary seminar programme is enclosed.

The seminar participants are expected to make their own travelling and accommodation arrangements. As Siauliai is close to the Latvian border, the nearest big airport is in Riga, from where it is recommended to take a bus for the 130 km journey to Šiauliai. The CUP is planning to arrange a bus transport from Šiauliai back to Riga airport on Saturday after the seminar, at a time that as far as possible will be adjusted to the participants flight departures.

Travel to Šiauliai must be arranged by each participant themselves. Bus ticket from Riga airport to Šiauliai costs 7.20€. The bus departures from Riga airport at 12.50 and at 19.05, it takes 1h55min. Tickets can be booked and paid in advance by the participants on internet on http://ticket.eurolines.ee/.

If you arrive in Riga airport with an early flight and want to make a short visit to Riga historical city center, it is possible to take a taxi or shuttlebus from the airport to Riga center, and then take the bus which departs from Riga Coach Station (Latvian: Rīgas Starptautiskā autoosta, situated at 1 Pragas Street near the historical city centre) at 18.45 and passes Riga Airport at 19.05 and from there it goes on to Šiauliai. There is also an additional, "last chance" bus from Riga Coach Station to Šiauliai at 22.10 (00.30 in Šiauliaii).

Please be careful and check on http://ticket.eurolines.ee / for bus ticket availability and booking and if there are any changes in ticket prices or timetables.

The seminar organizers in Siauliai recommend hotel Saulys (www.saulys.lt) with room price of 67€/night/single room or hotel Šiauliai (www.hotelsiauliai.lt) with room price of 35€/night/single room. Please make your own booking (the contact information is in the enclosed "Siauliai 1st invitation.pdf"-file).

Also, please send your filled in registration form to ubc@siauliai.l t by September 1st, 2010.

With wishes of a sunny summer and pleasant holidays,

looking forward to meeting you in Šiauliai in October

Sirpa Kallio
Chairperson of the UBC Commission on Urban Planning
City of Helsinki Economic and Planning Centre
tel. +358 9 310 36124
 sirpa.kallio@hel.fi


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