EDITOR
Pawel Zaboklicki
EDITORIAL BOARD
Juhan Janusson
Ewa Kurjata
Iwona Smigerska-Belczak
Risto Veivo
Pawel Zaboklicki
PUBLISHER
Union of the Baltic Cities
Secretariat
Waly Jagiellonskie 1
PL-80853 Gdansk
POLAND
tel. +48 58 3010917
tel. +48 58 3019123 fax +48 58 3017637
e-mail: info@ubc.net
www.ubc.net
ISSN 1506-6266
PROOF-READING
Ewa Kurjata
COVER PICTURE
City of Gdynia
Skwer Kosciuszki
Photo: Zygmunt
Grabowiecki
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Dear UBC Friends,
The
theme of this issue of the Baltic Cities Bulletin
is on the situation of the disabled in our cities,
as a reminder that the Council of the European Union
has declared 2003 as the Year of the Disabled. This
is a very important issue, not only for the disabled
themselves but also because a society clearly shows
its true values by the way it treats its weakest citizens
and by the degree of participation by those outside
the mainstream of the citizens.
The
disabled policies have undergone a tremendous development
in our eastern member cities compared with the situation
during communist rule. Matters can always be improved,
but it is clear that the direction of the policies
is towards further integration and participation if
the disabled in all our member cities.
Some
say that taking care of disabled people mainly is
a matter of resources, and only countries at a certain
economic level can afford the luxury of having a policy
promoting integration and participation of the disabled.
In this respect we could learn from our UBC-LVRLAC
Co-operation project, as you can read in one of the
articles in this issue. Although Uganda is one of
the 10 poorest countries in the world, it shows that
a lot can be done if you have the heart and a positive
attitude.
UBC
and the UBC Commissions are expanding their activities
all the time, to the benefit of our members. However,
expanding activities cost money, and the UBC board
will continue to discuss ways of improving our finances.
There are several initiatives, but it is unavoidable
also raise the membership fee at the next UBC General
Conference. Most of the money will come back to the
members as contribution to the activities of the UBC
Commissions.
We
are getting closer to the 7th UBC General
Conference in Klaipeda in October this year. We will
discuss the role of cities in the positive economic
development in our region under the theme "The
Baltic Sea Wave - Business Development in the New
Europe". Preparations are well under way and
we have invited very distinguished and interesting
speakers to the conference, so I am certain that it
will be a very rewarding and inspiring General Conference.
Welcome
to the UBC General Conference in Klaipeda!
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Per Bodker
Andersen |
Kolding, May 2003 |
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