E U R O P E A N A N D R Y C H Ó W

“Everything divides countries and everything unites municipalities”

/ Edouard Herriot/

This brochure has been created to commemorate the Europe Day on the 9^th of May that has become a European symbol. Along with the flag, the hymn, the motto and the common currency euro, it represents a political identity of The European Union.

"Ode to Joy" – it is a hymn of Europe adopted by the Council of Europe and the European Union.

The Ode is performed each year on the 9^th May – the Europe Day. It also accompanies celebrations and summits of the Union along with the hymn of the country that chairs the Union in a relevant half-year.

The European flag – the flag of the Council of Europe and the European Union. There is a circle consisting of twelve gold stars on a blue background. It was created by a Spanish diplomat Salvador Madariaga y Rojo and a French draughtsman Arsene Heitz. According to the official interpretation, the twelve gold stars forming a circle on the cornflower blue background symbolize solidarity and harmony among the European nations. The circle is also a symbol of unity. At the end of his life the author-draughtsman confessed that when creating the project he based it on the Madonna in Glory painting (Carlo Dolci, 1960) which shows Maria on a dark blue background and there are twelve stars above her head in the shape of a circle.

“A partnership is a meeting of two municipalities in order to implement common interests and tighten bonds of friendship having the European perspective under consideration”

It is a definition created after the II World War by Jean Bereth, one of the founders of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions.

Europe of the first post-war decade yearned for one thing – peace. Not only the leaders but also the nations – participants of the II World War, quickly realized that a friendship-based mutual cooperation between all of the countries can prevent from another war. Council of European Municipalities and Regions created in 1951 eagerly supported the idea. It was the municipalities that were to build new Europe. This spontaneous movement was called twin union. It developed simultaneously with the process of unification of Europe – at the time only its western part. The fifties brought a real explosion of the number of partnerships.

The aim of the cooperation is to develop friendly relations as well as to maintain durable friendship and cooperation between the towns. The cooperation is realized thanks to mutual visits of the inhabitants, meetings of the youths, sport teams and tourist groups, organizing common exhibitions and symposiums.

A good partnership can bring plenty of benefits for the local and communal people. The meetings between various people from different European regions give opportunity to solve problems together, to share opinions and experiences.

The cooperation can mobilize young people and their peers from other countries to act. It can help anyone to understand what Europe is, what it means in the contemporary world and where it can lead.

The partnership is a long-term commitment of the partners – not a short-time cooperation within the project. It should live through political changes and temporary problems as well as offer support in case of e.g. natural disasters (flood, earthquake, etc.). In this long-term partnership it is important to adjust cooperation to current requirements and needs.

The partnership meetings take place basing on the European Union Program “Europe for Citizens 2007-2013”

Europe for Citizens is a European Union program supporting active European citizenship. The program, planned for the years 2007-2013, aims at engaging the citizens and the civil society organizations in the process of a European integration.

The program Europe for Citizens is co-financed by the European Union.

Within the program the cooperation can be financed by:

· acting 1.1 and 1.2: citizens meetings and creating thematic networks of sister towns

· acting 2.1 and 2.2: civil projects and aid supplies

The program gives grants, with applicants having to provide applicable part of financial means from their own budget. This applies in most cases of the European Commission programs.

The European Commission receives lots of applications every year but it has a limited budget. For this reason they not only need to fulfil all the formal requirements but also have to be of a high quality. The extent to which the project is going to contribute to familiarization of Europe with the citizens and whether it consists of priority subjects has to be taken into account.

Thanks to international meetings as well as exchanging experiences and opinions the program should contribute to the development of intercultural dialogue and deepening of mutual understanding among the citizens of the European Union. This challenge takes new light in the context of new countries joining the EU.

Europe for Citizens is a unique forum of meetings, actions and reflections on history and the future of our continent. The project is based on the rules of respect for common values, history and cultural diversity. These values, considered most important, are freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, tolerance and solidarity.

A great role in the partnership meetings is played by voluntary service which is an important element of an active citizenship. In our municipality it is particularly visible in terms of an active participation and help on the part of the nongovernmental organizations, interpreters and entrepreneurs who spare their own free time for the common interest.

Andrychów has signed contracts with five European towns: Isny im Allgäu, Břeclav, Langraaf, Priverno, Tukums.

ISNY im ALLGäU

Till November 2007 Manfred Behrning was a mayor of Isny.

The partnership contract was signed on the 2^nd May, 1998 in Andrychów.

Isny im Allgäu is a town in Germany, in the Baden-Württemberg federal state, with a population of around 14,5 thousand.

Isny town is situated in the heart of Allgäu, 25 miles from the Lake Constance and it is an ideal starting point to the Alps. The landscape is highly diversified with great amount of meadows, lakes and forests. There is a large moss nearby, lots of footpaths leading through green meadows, forests and villages. Schwarzer Grat (3354 m above the see level) is the highest peak in Baden-Württemberg.

There are around 14 500 inhabitants in Isny. Out of all the employed 5% works in agriculture, around 43% in industry, around 11% in trade and public transport and the rest 40% in other branches of industry. There is a couple of industrial factories in Isny. The town is home to a Higher Vocational School and three clinics specializing in bio-regeneration.

On the 2^nd May, 1998 the cooperation between our towns was sealed – the Partnership Agreement was signed. Since that day Isny and Andrychów have cooperated closely and effectively organizing thematic workshops, symposiums and youths’ exchanges. The leading subject is always ecology and environmental protection.

Between the 30^th August - the 2^nd September, 2007 a partnership meeting took place in Andrychów – 10 years of friendship between the towns: Andrychów – Isny im Allgäu and Breclav in Moravia as well as Priverno in Italy. Foreign folk bands participated in this round anniversary: ”Trachtenverein Isny” and „Slovácký krúžek Stara Břeclav” from Breclav, which gave concerts during the artistic program in that year’s harvest festival. The preparation had been made since March, i.e. the moment of submitting the project for grants to the European Commission in Brussels.

The meeting commenced with a Conference: “Europe – chances without barriers”. The mayors of both towns spoke about their towns in the context of a ten-year cooperation, there were presentations and films, later a discussion. Local reality, perspectives for development and areas suitable for cooperation were presented.

Thematic workshops were the next step of the meeting: Tourism and Folklore, Safety and Craft and small companies. The workshops are the most important part of each partnership meeting. The representatives of the same trades, occupations or similar interests have an opportunity to exchange their experiences as well as continue cooperation outside the program of the EU.

Between the 8^th May – 11^th May, 2008 a group of delegates from Andrychów visited the sister town Isny im Allgäu. The meeting was organized thanks to funds obtained from the “Europe for Citizens 2007-2013” program. Among the participants were: the municipality authorities, councilors, representatives of Association of Sobriety in Andrychów, tourist organizations (PTTK “Andropol”, RTS “Jawornica”), representatives of the Electrical Power and Heating Plant “Andropol” S.A., representatives of the police, fire brigade, the Association of Rural Landladies, the retirees, education, birds breeders, sleeping base managers as well as families that for many years have maintained contact and friendship with families from Isny.

The 10^th anniversary of the partnership between the towns and the workshops covering subjects of touristic products and renewable resources of energy were the main topics at the meeting.

The “ParadoX” band functioning at the Family Support Centre in Andrychów also participated in the trip playing for the local community during the old cars exhibition – a cultural event similar to “The Days of Andrychów”.

Thanks to those meetings appealing mutual projects were made, new multiple acquaintances were struck up.

An important element of the youths exchange lies in putting emphasis on their stay with foreign families and communication in foreign languages. Plenty of long-term friendships have been created that way.

BŘECLAV

Břeclav is a picturesque town in the south of Moravia in the Czech Republic, 50 km to the south-east from Brno. It lies at the Austrian border at the Dyja river. The area reaches 87,17 km² with around 27 thousand of inhabitants.

The partnership agreement was signed on the 16^th December, 2005 in Břeclav.

Břeclav town was established in the 11^th century near a castle built by the prince Brzetysław. In the 12^th century the castle became, for a short period of time, home to an independent principality. Between 1426 – 1434 the castle was occupied by the Hussites that organized military expeditions to the Austrian lands and to Hungary. In the 16^th century Břeclav became a part of a property owned by an old Žerotín family who rebuilt the castle in the Renaissance style and expanded the town. After the White Hill battle the castle was taken over by the Lichtenstein family. One of the town’s historic events was the construction of a railroad from Vienna to Brno in 1839. The town became a crucial junction after a railroad to Přerov was built in 1841, Lednice in 1901 and Kút in 1909, which contributed to a great development of industry and escalated immigration.

On the 12^th September 1872, under the decree, Břeclav received a status of a town.

Apart from a number of monuments and important church buildings, there are rich folklore traditions within the cultural riches. Folklore groups, Moravian associations, retinues, folk bands playing dulcimers and choirs constitute attractions of the traditional events, such as Saint Vaclav’s Holy Day Celebration.

Since 1996 the complex Lednice – Valtice, a national treasure reminding of a famous Lichtenstein dynasty, is on the List of the UNESCO World’s Cultural Heritage.

Lednice – thanks to a romantic palace surrounded by a park and other minor historical monuments, is one of the most eagerly visited places in the whole Czech Republic. The old medieval castle dated from the 18^th century was gradually rebuilt to become the Lichtenstein’s magnificent summer residence in a neo-Gothic style.

Valtice – famous for a beautiful castle that used to be a showy home for the Austrian and Moravian Lichtenstein lords. The Valtice palace is the most expanded baroque lay edifice in Moravia. It was built between 1643 – 1730.

The south of Moravia can boast about its wine being a one of the best in Central Europe nowadays. The wine tradition in Moravia goes back to the Roman times.

Lichtenstein paths – a unique collection of cycle routes joining the most beautiful monuments of the Lichtenstein’s family in the south of Moravia in the area of the Lednice – Valtice complex and the south Austria. The 90 km-trans-boundary route of Princely Path in Moravia joins with four shorter ones: Břeclav, Poštorensk, Lednice and Valtice.

Signing the Partnership Agreement between our towns took place on the 16^th December, 2005.

In 2006 a cornerstone commemorating the sister towns of Břeclav was unveiled.

Every year, during the first days of May there is an opening of the tourist season which commences with a bicycle rally on the Lichtenstein’s family paths. The delegates from Andrychów also participate in this event.

The Moravia Holiday – “Moravsky Den” is celebrated in June. On the castle meadows most important historical scenes are presented with the participation of knights from different eras. There is a king’s retinue, knights in the armor, musketeers, horses, etc.

Saint Vaclav’s holy day is celebrated in September and it is combined with a colorful procession through the town. The local folklore bands in lovely regional outfits can be admired.

The cooperation with Břeclav also resulted in cultural events of a great importance. On the 13^th February, 2009 Břeclav citizens organized a Moravian Feast in the Community Center in Andrychów. The program included a performance of bands such as: CHARVATČANÉ and NOTEČKA as well as a screening of a movie “The Lichtenstein’s Land in Moravia”. In the Center’s hall we could admire Radek Buka’s photographs presenting the Moravian park-palace complex Lednice – Valtice.

During the feats the guests had an opportunity to taste Moravian wines and regional dishes. After that day a new idea was born – organizing a Feast of Andrychów in Břeclav.

For two years our towns have been actively participating together in the International Tourism Fairs in Katowice, Cracow, and Poznań. The Department of Tourism, Sport and Culture presents its local touristic attractions, cultural output of Andrychów Municipality and the more and more impressive touristic accommodation.

LANDGRAAF

The partnership agreement was signed on the 28^th June, 2007 in Langraaf.

Langraaf is a dynamic municipality of around 40 thousand inhabitants, its area reaches 2.500 ha. The municipality borders with Germany and places like Brunssum, Kerkrade and Heerlen.

The history of the region dates back to a distant past. Castles, churches, monumental homesteads, old forests, valleys with creeks and picturesque villages characterized by an extremely nice atmosphere have been witnesses of this old history.

The name of the municipality derives from ‘Landgraaf’ which means a double embankment with a dry moat. Langraaf comes from Germany and used to range between sandy grounds and heath lands from Ubach through Worms farther through Nieuwenhagen to Schaesberg.

In 1982 those three municipalities joined together and Langraaf municipality was made.

Langraaf, in touristic and recreational terms, is the most attractive town in the region. Apart from enjoying multiple green areas inside and outside the municipality, the citizens, tourists and people visiting the place can relax in various parks that provide attractions and a countless number of cafés. There are magnificent attractions such as Snowworld, Mondo Verde and Megaland.

Langraaf is the peak point in Parkstad Limburg. Park Gravenrode is the point of a great importance, made of a natural terrain spreading along Langraaf municipality and Kerkrade. Among others, we can find Megaland and Autokino there. The newest attractions are:

Mondo Verde

A trip around the world in one day. Opened in 2002, the thematic park takes you to the buildings and gardens from different regions of the world. It gives the visitors a chance to taste the atmosphere of Italy, Portugal, the gardens of China, Japan, Morocco, the tropics, England, Russia and Austria, etc. Traditional buildings, nicely made gardens and various pavilions offering food make this trip a whole day adventure. According to a tale, the ruler Strijthagen dreamt about it and the dream came true.

Snowworld

Snowworld, also located in the Graverode Park, is another pride of Langraaf. This complex consists of three ski lanes of which the longest one is 520 meters long. At the same time it is the biggest covered ski slope in the world. It is possible to ski here all year long on real snow.

Langraaf has its own theatre located in an old church in Ubach. It also offers a multitude of attractions of a minor caliber, such as a literary café and an artistic gallery. Langraaf is an attractive place for sport lovers. It has lots of sport clubs that enable anyone to play football indoors and outdoors, to swim, to play tennis, to fish, to play bowling, to fly plane models and to go shooting.

A partnership meeting took place between the 9^th – 11^th June, 2006.

An exhibition of artistic compositions was organized in front of the Bobrowscy Palace within the “Culture and Painting” workshop. One could see the work of Grupa Twórców ‘MY’ from Andrychów as well as invited quests from Breclav – Karel Krivanek – a draftsman, Milan Bruchter – a photographer, Frantisek Schulz – a graphic designer; additionally from Holland: Carry Bakker, Maria Stamms and Marjo Boesten.

In the first period of contacts between the towns the cooperation concentrated mainly on culture, tourism and youths exchange. Along with the development of the relationship workshops for entrepreneurs and people from similar branches were organized.

The cooperation between the Association of Sobriety in Andrychów – Social Integration Club ‘Watra’ and a similar Dutch counterpart is considered very important.

During the partnership meeting in September, 2008 in Hard Rock Area “Youths and Music” workshop took place followed by a concert performed by rock bands from Andrychów as well as “Beliar” from Langraaf. The international concert was a continuation of the project started in Langraaf.

PRIVERNO

Priverno is a town and a municipality in Italy, in the Lazio region, Latina province.

There are around 13 200 inhabitants, it is an area of 234,4 people per square kilometre.

The partnership agreement was signed on the 5^th September, 2008 in Andrychów.

Priverno is situated between the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea. The town is 60 km away to the south of Rome. There is rail magistrate joining Rome with Naples. The beginnings of this Roman town go back to the 4^th century B.C., the village was destroyed during the attack of Saracens in the 9^th century A.D. Till 1870 Priverno belonged to the Papal States. Nowadays it is a touristic town, a wonderful place to rest for e.g. the citizens of Rome. It is located on a picturesque hill, has narrow streets, twisting stairs – remains of the Hellenic era, rich architecture and a multitude of churches.

The cooperation between Andrychów and Priverno was started in September 2005. A meeting in Priverno took place in March 2006.

Taking initiative together and the meetings of delegates from the two towns resulted in signing the Partnership Agreement in September 2008.

In connection with the opening of a new stadium “Antonio Palluzzi” in Priverno the town representatives invited football teams from sister towns Andrychów and Břeclav to play a game.

On Saturday the 2^nd June and on Sunday the 3^rd, 2007 TJ SOKOL BŘECLAV (Czech Republic), FC BESKID ANDRYCHÓW (Poland), CALCIO (Priverno) and C.L PRIVERNO CALCIO met.

In March 2008 a delegation from Andrychów took part in celebrations in St. Tomas of Aquin memorial. The most important part of the meeting was signing the partnership and friendship agreement between Andrychów and Priverno on the 6^th March. A debate with the high-profile Italian politics on problems of the united Europe was organized in the conference hall of the monastic complex in Fossanova. There were also educational workshops in the result of which youths exchange was organized.

The Fossanova Abbey

The history of Fossanova dates back to the roots of the Roman empire times.

In the past, the abbey was mainly a famous and respected center of spirituality and education. Cardinals and popes used to visit it (the altar was preserved in 1208 by the pope Innocent III). In 1274, Tomas of Aquin – the most prominent representative of the medieval thought and one of the greatest geniuses in the history of Christianity passed away here. At the time a prefect of Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith cardinal Joseph Ratzinger – presently the pope Benedict XVI, together with his cooperates went on a pilgrimage to Fossanova in May 2005.

Today the abbey is in the hands of Franciscans who have been present there since 1932. It is often a venue for a broadly defined cultural promotion. The Franciscans community actively participates in organizing the events in cooperation with the chief agency of monuments restoration in the Lazio province as well as with the mayor of Priverno and the owners of the abbey land. Thanks to this continuity of faith, culture and history the abbey in Fossanova is a fascinating place where everyone can, in a spiritual harmony, art and tradition, find rest from the frantic contemporary life style.

TUKUMS

Tukums is a town in Latvia, in the east part of Kurland with around 20 thousand of inhabitants, situated 20 km to the west of Riga at the Baltic Sea, on a hilly land (Milzkalne Hills). The town is in majority characterized by a low wooden architecture from the first half of the 20^th century, home for the Tukuma Rajons district.

There is a famous spa around 10 km to the north of Riga, at the Baltic Sea, between the Gulf of Riga and the Lelupa river called Jurmala.

Jurmala is mainly a cluster of estates: Ķemeri, Jaunķemeri, Sloka, Kauguri, Vaivari, Asari, Melluži, Pumpuri, Jaundubulti, Dubulti, Majori, Dzintari, Bulduri i Lielupe. Its most important touristic asset is a beautiful clean beach, but also a well-developed sleeping, catering and sanatorium base. The monumental character of the town with wooden architecture attracts great amounts of tourists. There is European Music Festival “New Wave” organized in July that gets artists together from all over the Europe.

The Partnership Agreement was signed on the 5^th September, 2008 in Andrychów.

Between the 9 - 11^th June, 2006 there was a meeting of the representatives of the sister towns Langraaf, Břeclav, Tukums and Priverno in Andrychów.

Two folklore bands also arrived from Břeclav “Slovácký krúžek Poštorná” and “ Koňaré” as well as Inese Smirnova and Dace Lebeda from Latvia. The latter organized a point of information on their town, presenting in brochures a beautiful landscape of their region and its touristic values including the major one – close proximity to the sea.

The mayors of the four European towns: Priverno, Langraaf, Břeclav and Tukums, under the mayor’s of Andrychów leadership, had a chance to see the main municipal investments and to visit the “Ludziom Gór” Sanctuary on the top of the John Paul II hill, where they met with Tadeusz Rakoczy – the Ordinary of the Bielsko - Żywiec Diocese.

Between the 19 – 22^nd July, 2007 a partnership meeting took place in Tukums. Among the participants were the delegations from other nine sister towns of Tukums: Korelici (Belarus), Plunge (Lithuania), Krasnogorska (Russia), Tidaholm (Sweden) and Izjum (Ukraine).

During the meeting thematic workshops were organized:

*Social aid – problems of social care were discussed using the example of a newly opened social assistance center in Tukums.

*Education – visits were made to the gymnasium in Tukums. Nowadays, there are six Polish schools in Latvia: two in Riga and one in Daugavpils, Kraslava, Jekabpils i Rezekne respectively. In 1999, construction of a school in Jelgava began. Additionally, Polish language classes are held in Sunday schools at ten locations and a couple of schools has nonobligatory classes. Since 1992, Daugavpils has had a Polish language kindergarten whereas six kindergarten departments function at the Polish schools in other towns. Polish lecturers work at three universities: University of Latvia, Latvian Academy of Culture in Riga and Daugavpils Pedagogical University.

*Sport - children (aged 12) from the sister towns played a few football games.

*Culture – youth music bands from the sister towns gave concerts.

Between the 4 – 7^th September 2008, within the European Union program “Europe for Citizens 2007 – 2013”, a partnership meeting took place in the Municipality of Andrychów with the representatives of the towns: Břeclav, Langraaf, Tukums and Priverno. This time with a “Europe beyond generations and regions” motto. An international conference was the main point of the meeting, during which a partnership agreement was signed between Andrychów and Tukums as well as Andrychów and Priverno.

A few thematic workshops were organized during the meeting: Youths and Music, the University of the 3^rd Century, Environmental Protection, Alcohol and Drugs – prevention, Artists, Culture, Craft, Administration, Tradition and Tourism. On Sunday the 7^th September, 2008 the towns along with the citizens of our municipality participated in a harvest festival. Among the performers were „Sjpasskapel De Trek-Zek” from Langraaf and „Dancu spele in Latvian - Dancu spele” from Tukums.

Stalls offering local products from the sister towns were one of the festival’s attractions.