Renewal of the Downtown

In January, 2003 Vilnius City Board approved Capital's Old City Renewal Agenda for the current year.

The Agenda 2003 is based on experience gained during the implementation mechanism of the previous years. It certainly pays great attention to sustainable development and the program needs. Attention raises towards social development and this helps to build up social conscience and responsibility through implementation of the program "Development of the Society".

The largest part of the budget will be devoted to rebuild or renovate the old city's parks, squares, streets and other public spaces. Based on a program of visual arts, ethnographic businesses and markets, preparation work will be done to realize the Little Town of Handicraft and Trades project. The implementation of the "Lost Vilnius" will be continued this year as well. The efforts are put to reconstitute old buildings. The exposition project showing the debris of the most important historical city objects will be ready to welcome the visitors. Work will concentate of renovation of a fragment of the historical ghetto of the City of Vilnius.

Vilnius Old City Renovation Agency is going to keep on regional cooperation. The Agency will organize an international conference for World Heritage Cities and will maintain ENTRUST program, financed by the European Commission and will take part in series of programs such as "Historical Cemetery", and "European Gothic Brick Road".

The estimated grand total of the program is almost 17.2 million Lits (almost 5 mln EUR). The Government of the Republic of Lithuania is expected to contribute with 2 million Lits. The Old Town of Vilnius program dates back in 1997.