Europe very close and diverse in Chemnitz
Annual report 2013 on the City of Chemnitz's European work presented to the City Council
In the 2013 annual report on the City of Chemnitz's European work, which was presented to Chemnitz City Council yesterday, the city's EU Office once again presents examples of projects and activities realised at EU level. In co-operation and support with various associations and institutions from Germany and abroad, activities were initiated in the youth, cultural, social, environmental and educational sectors. The report provides information on the focal points of EU work, structural fund projects, co-operation in transnational projects and the EUROCITIES city network. The annual report draws attention to the various areas of European work in Chemnitz and provides information on the content, funding and implementation of activities as well as individual projects. For example, Czech and German pupils performed musical pieces together in the "Summer Philharmonic Orchestra". A binational training programme provided teachers with pedagogical knowledge and practical methods for teaching basic democratic values and preventing xenophobia. Last year, a former trainee from the City of Chemnitz's EU office realised her own project "Chemnitz in Europe - Europe in Chemnitz": the lasting result of this activity is a roundabout in the Intercultural Garden, which was recently awarded the Chemnitz Peace Prize, where young people have presented their ideas about Europe. The members of the Intercultural Garden Association welcomed young people from Portugal to a summer academy to discuss new employment concepts utilising cultural diversity and participation.
By participating in various action weeks, European policy issues were also brought closer to citizens in 2013: for example, the EU office organised events together with the VMS as part of the European Mobility Week programme - children and young people in particular were the target groups here, who were able to acquire new knowledge about their city and environmental protection in hands-on activities.
Collaboration in the EUROCITIES city network was also further expanded last year. The city's participation in the "Green Spaces and Biodiversity" working group is new. Here, member cities exchange experiences on the preservation of urban green spaces and biodiversity, among other things. In 2013, two students from Chemnitz University of Technology represented the city in Antwerp in a "Young People and Culture" workshop. Last but not least, there was an artist exchange between Chemnitz and the Finnish twin city of Tampere.
The City of Chemnitz and various organisations were also able to benefit from the European Union's structural funds in 2013. The EU report presented yesterday selected a number of measures from this large area: the "ExChance-plus" project gave disadvantaged citizens the opportunity to expand their professional qualifications through internships abroad. Chemnitz University of Technology supported students in their transition from university to work with the "Career Service 3.0 - Future in Saxony" project. Investments were also made from the European Regional Development Fund: The Annenplatz in the Reitbahnstraße area was remodelled, improving the quality of life in this inner-city residential district; a now busy vegan grocery shop and bistro was established in the Sonnenberg district.