Super cities in super region

Every weekend during three recent months, ten Lithuanian cities and regions competed on a very popular TV show to win the name of the country's'Super City'for the first time. Each team had to introduce the city, its values, people, talents, and to sing, dance and rival in wits and sports.The whole country selected the best city voting by phone. Klaipėda won with an overwhelming majority. Though it was just a game, it united the communities all over the country, inspired pride, self-esteem, dignity, patriotism, and the determination to make own contribution to prosperity. It has also corroborated the high ranks of Klaipėda among inhabitants and confirmed the fact, earlier disclosed by a survey, that Klaipėda is the city, where people would like to live.

The winning team of Klaipėda with fans at TV show 'Super City'

In the overall picture of European political, economic, social and cultural life, the Baltic Sea Region could definitely be among the winners. A strong regional partnership on all levels, wisely combined with competition, over the recent 20 years resulted in enormous change. From a closed, dull, industrial port, Klaipėda has become an internationally recognized city, the winner of Europe Prize 2003 of the Council of Europe, the venue of many international cultural and the host of prestigious world sailing events. A city with a steady growing cargo and cruise shipping port, one state and one international universities, the centre of innovation culture and entrepreneurship - Science Tech- nology Park, excellent transport infrastructure, a successfully operating Free Economic Zone, new residential areas, a new Concert Hall, theatres and clean beaches for recreation, new service centres, big shopping malls, Klaipėda has got the fortune of everything to continue unveiling its extensive opportunities. A real breakthrough of developments was possible to active employment of the EU financial instruments. In 2011 alone, the overall value of EU support to a variety of projects under the City's implementation comprises 75,6 mln EUR.

Over two decades, the UBC served as a good school for local politicians and administration employees. As 50% of regulation affecting local government originates from the EU legislation and other international agreements, and democratization gathers speed, cities are taking more and more responsibility. For improving their performance, as well as managing the interface between the state and citizens despite of sometimes very limited resources, the experience exchanges within the UBC Commissions are of a great value. Thanks to the UBC, local politicians are now better placed to express and defend local interests on the national level, too. Being among founder cities of the UBC, Klaipėda is becoming increasingly aware of the organization's potential to lead cities in the 21^st century and make the BSR a sustainable Super Region of Europe.