Newsletter

The Hungary-Romania Cross-Border Co-operation Programme has also joined the pilot initiative marking cooperation and bridge–building between local communities across borders, through a series of project events which took place in the border area between Hungary and Romania from 20 September onwards, aiming at a broad audience including children and families. The motivation and creativity of the participating projects was quite impressive. Among the events was a scientific picnic, a cycling tour, competitions and much more!

The early bird in this line of events was the "Open day of AB-Expo Project", which took place on 20 September 2012 in Arad.

The aim of the event was to introduce the conference centre developed through A-B Expo Project and to provide insight into the new services offered by the new infrastructure. The agenda featured the Tour of the Expo Arad International complex and of the conference centre. As a continuation of this event, the Hungarian partner invited all those interested to take part in the opening ceremony of the new exhibition centre developed in the frame of the A-B Expo project on 28 September in Békéscsaba. During the event the photo exhibition entitled "Arad-Békés in pictures" and a business development fair was also opened in the presence of representatives from the partner organisations from both sides of the border.

Developments carried out on both sides of the border will not only create new jobs, but they will for sure lead to an increase in the level of competitiveness of this area.

Highlights from the first event celebrating European Cooperation Day in Arad

Highlights of the event held in Békéscsaba

The video prepared for the event is available here.

On 21 September several events took place simultaneously, one of which was the "Scientific and Entrepreneurial Picnic” held within the SCIENTSTU project in Szeged, having as central theme spectacular, interactive chemistry-photonics experiments and funny games. In addition, an „Innovative-IT corner" was set up, where talented IT experts and innovators presented ICT tools and applications during a series of discussions related to the development of new businesses ideas in the cross-border area between Hungary and Romania. Of course, all of these activities were combined with a real picnic, livened by the performances of music bands from the border area. The event was organised outdoor in order to involve a large number of people and students from both sides of the border (more than 200 persons joined in on the activities), inviting them to find out more about scientific challenges and achievements in the cross-border region.

See the best moments captured during the picnic here.

European Cooperation Day was also celebrated in Géberjén (a village in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary) and in Carei (is a city in Satu Mare County, northwestern Romania). The one-day event kicked off in Géberjén with the presentation of the institutions involved in the implementation of European projects and a guided tour along the Sulyom Educational Path developed in the frame of the project entitled “Szatmár-Bereg and its inhabitants”, creating an Environmental Exhibition Centre in Carei and Géberjén. Later participants were escorted to the Castle of Carei, which has also benefited from HURO funding in the frame of several projects.

For pictures, click here.

Sălacea Commune organized an event to open and to present the project entitled „Centres of information, education and presentation of natural history and landscape in the valleys of Cris, Barcău and Ier”. The event was opened with a guided tour presenting the progress made in the reconstruction of the mansion from Otomani from HURO programme funds in the presence of national and local level officials, as well as the media representatives. For pictures, visit www.ecday.eu

Between 21-23 September 2012 two HURO projects (HELP - European Aid for Healthy Communities from Dumbrăviţa and Derekegyház and HunroCoop - The development of economic and business communication between the settlements of Szentes- Dumbrăviţa) implemented by the Commune of Dumbrăviţa were in spotlight during the Dumbrăviţa Village Days taking place between 21-23 September. The aim of the activities was to present the monitoring and assistance system developed especially for elderly people that can be easily used in case of health-related issues or other emergency situations, developed within the framework of the HELP project and to boost the business cooperation with the help of a conference and business forum as part of the HunroCoop project. The event also included a business exhibition dedicated to local companies; therefore it attracted a high number of visitors and participants.

The Satu Mare Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with the City Halls of Satu Mare and Vetiş, Order of architects- Satu Mare branch, City Hall of Csenger, the Inspectorate for Environmental Protection and Water Management Vásárosnamény and KIÚT Association, held an ample action on 23 September 2012, entitled "European Mobility Week 2012" in Satu Mare (Vetiş) for promoting cycling and kayaking - as alternative means of travel in the Someş Valley. More than 200 bikers of all ages took part in this action.

Travel route was:
- with kayaks on the Someş river from Satu Mare to the Hungarian border (Vetiş - Fehérgyarmat);
- with bikes on the right side of Someş river from Satu Mare to the border with Hungary (on the bicycle path created with the assistance of the HURO programme within the HUROVELO project (HURO/0802/006_AF);

After arrival participants had the opportunity to participate at a public debate right on the border line relating the objectives of the GREENSOMESRIVER project (www.greenborder.ro). During the debate architecture students studying at various higher educational institutions (Babes Bolyai - Cluj Napoca, Sibiu University, University of Oradea, Timisoara University, and renowned faculties of architecture from Bratislava and Manchester, Grenwich, Portsmouth) exhibited their proposals on the establishment of a wharf in one of the two suitable spots - near the old swimming place on the right bank of the Someş river or in the vicinity of the railway bridge. Through the whole time of the debate a temporary border crossing point was opened, enabling participants to cross the border and to visit Csenger the nearest Hungarian village. Once the bicycle path will be opened inhabitants of these settlements will be able to use it for leisure, work or other purposes.

Closing press conference of the project „Studies on accumulation properties of pharmaceuticals and metabolites in the ecosystem of Körös River basin” took place on 26 September in Oradea presenting the results of the investigations carried out relating the presence of pharmaceuticals in the Hungarian and Romanian sections of Körös/Criş Rivers. To find out more about the project visit www.pharmariver.eu.

For more photos from the events featured on an interactive map, visit the European Cooperation Day website.

The members of the Joint Technical Secretariat and of the Info Point actively took part in most of the events. Seeing the results of these activities, we are happy with the first edition and believe that the effort was really worth it. Our hope is that this initiative will carry on in the following years.

Above 250 events took place in various corners of Europe between 17 and 28 September. They ranged from fairs, photo contests, concerts and conferences to picnics or sport games. Since the beginning of the 1990s, more than 20,000 projects, co-funded by the EU, have contributed to improving the lives of European citizens across borders, from creating jobs to protecting the environment to improving health care services, transport and energy.