Dear UBC Friends,

  UBC celebrated its tenth anniversary last year, and we are now entering our second decade. I amvery proud to lead UBC into a very promising future for our region. UBC will continue and strengthen its efforts to be a spokesman for the members and to be a meeting place for city authorities from all over the Baltic Sea Region. UBC will also continue to play an important role and I am certain that the other actors in our region and in Europe will appreciate UBC as a co-operation partner in many important fields.

   I attended the first important meeting as UBC President during the CBSS Ministerial meeting in Svetlogorsk 5-6 March 2002. I had the opportunity to meet and present UBC to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Baltic Sea Region Countries. I was very well received and it was obvious that UBC is regarded as an important organisation.

   The UBC delegation, headed by me, will pay a visit to Brussels to strengthen the ties with the Committee of Regions. Ameeting with Eurocities political leadership is also on the agenda. The aim is to present and promote UBC as an important political actor in our region, and also present some of the problems that should be treated at a European level. One important topic will of course be the role of local authorities in the process of the EU enlargement, but also to promote Baltic Sea Region issues that are relevant for UBC members.

   UBC will participate in a large conference in Brussels in early July, arranged by the Danish local and regional authority offices in Brussels. The meeting is a part of the start of the Danish chairmanship of the European Union. It will be another interesting occasion to present the Baltic Sea Region from city perspective.

   I am planning to initiate a Baltic Cities Summit at the end of this year, hopefully in my city Kolding. The aim is to define and sharpen our arguments for the future development, and to discuss further political issues. The invitation will be sent out immediately after the summer. Politicians from all UBC member cities will be invited.

   But for now I already would like to wish you a pleasant summer in the marvellous Baltic Sea Region, with the light nights and the wonderful nature.

Per Bodker Andersen
UBC President	Kolding, May 2002