Kaliningrad City Day 2008

On 13 September 2008 the citizens of Kaliningrad, celebrated its 753rd anniversary. This year 28 official delegations representing the partner-cities from Russia, Belarus, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Denmark visited Kaliningrad. All the city guests paid their attention to the changes in Kaliningrad. These are new roads, shopping centers, developed areas, parks and public gardens.

Some results of this meeting are visible now. The President of Kiel (Germany) assured the continuation of cooperation in the social sphere, which is based on traveling seminars and experience exchange between municipalities. Besides, Kiel is ready to take part in the new projects and to cooperate within education and culture. Mayor of Zeitz (Germany) expressed the intention to sign the agreement on cooperation between the cities of Kaliningrad and Zeitz in the nearest future. Zeitz is ready to support the existing and to develop new contacts in the educational, social, economical and cultural spheres. On 12 September the meeting between the Head of the Housing and Communal Service of Zeitz and the Head of the Kaliningrad Municipal Unitary Enterprise "Vodokanal" was held. As a result, the agreement on visit of the Kaliningrad colleagues to Zeitz was reached. Head of the Rostock Mayor's Office and Chairman of the Bremerhafen City Council are also interested in continuation of the mutual work with Kaliningrad in such spheres as education, economy and culture. Colleagues from Lódz (Poland) and from Odense (Denmark) are ready to support the youth exchange and to continue cooperation with the Kaliningrad creative groups. There is also the necessity of preparing new international projects in the framework of the EU programs. In this respect the interest was expressed among others by the representatives of Klaipeda, Lódz, Gdansk and Odense.

The City Day promotes and contributes to the setting of the new contacts between municipalities and also to strengthening of the already existing links.