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NORTH INDUSTRIAL ZONE EQUIPPED WITH COMMUNAL INFRASTRUCTUREThe city industrial zone located in the north-eastern part of the city which represents the city priority investment locations has been infrastructurally completed with the help of Urban Institute financed by USAID MEGA Programme.

Presently more than 20 companies are operating in this industrial zone. Although the zone was equipped with the access roads, power and gas supply network and telecommunication infrastructure some companies had to face the problem of sewerage lacking. The

company owners asked for help from Mayor’s Office for Local Economic Development and the City became involved in the process of finding the solution to the problem which prevented normal functioning of these companies and their plans for development and expansion.

NORTH INDUSTRIAL ZONE EQUIPPED WITH COMMUNAL INFRASTRUCTURE

NIŠ CITY PROMOTED THE CITY SAFETY STRATEGY

CITY OF VIENNA PARTNER IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

PREPARATIONS FOR OPENING THE CENTER FOR RESPONDING TO

EMERGENCY CRISIS SITUATIONS

CITY OF NIŠ AND MUNICIPALITY OF PALILULA IN EXCHANGE 3

PROGRAMME

ETHNO VILLAGE IN SIĆEVO

ITALIAN AND FRENCH ENTREPRENEURS

ONE KINDERGARTEN MORE IN THE VILLAGE AREA

FIRST INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON ENERGY MANAGEMET

PARTNERS FROM HESSEN IN SOCIAL CARE SERVICES PROVISION

FAREWELL VISIT OF FRENCH AMBASSADOR TERRAL

PRESENTATION OF CONSTANTINE’S

VILLA PROJECT

PETROLEUM INDUSTRY OF SERBIA INVESTS IN SPORTS AND CULTURE

IN NIŠ

ART COLONY SIĆEVO 2010

SERBIA IN THE RHYTHM OF EUROPE PROJECT PRESENTED

MAYOR WELCOMED YOUNG PEOPLE

FROM EUROPE

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NIŠ CITY PROMOTED THE CITY SAFETY STRATEGY

CITY OF NIŠ AND MUNICIPALITY OF PALILULA IN EXCHANGE 3...

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North industrial zone

ITALIAN AND FRENCH ENTREPRENEURS

No. 21 - September 2010.

E-newsletter prepared by Niš City Mayor’s Office

In This Issue:

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Urban Institute financed by USAID MEGA Programme came to rescue by co-financing with 5.944.250, 00 RSD the construction of the sewerage network. Urban Institute secured the construction material and the supervision of the works, while the City of Nis had to prepare all the necessary documentation. Niš City Mayor Miloš Simonović, USAID MEGA Programme Peter Epstein and the Head of Niš City Office for Local Economic Development Milan

Randjelović visited the construction works site in the industrial zone North. The project of the sewerage network construction in the industrial zone North is the real example of finding the solution, by joint efforts of the City of Nis and international organisations which support local economic development, to the problems that the local entrepreneurs are facing. The City of Niš will continue to work on resolving the problems with which the local business community is facing.

This simulation event was organised to promote Niš City Safety Strategy. The simulation objective was to present to the citizens the advancement of the city services in the modernization process in crisis management and the results of improved coordination in managing emergency situation. Sector for Emergency Management at the RS Ministry of Interior together with the City of Niš coordinated the simulation. The special police forces squads together with city fire department teams, medical ER teams and Red Cross volunteers participated in this demonstrational exercise. Niš City Safety Strategy is the result of the vision shared by the city authorities and the cooperation with USAID f u n d e d Preparedness, Planning and E c o n o m i c S e c u r i t y P r o g r a m m e . The Strategy is a result of work of all relevant city, municipal and republic institutions in cooperation with the University of Niš Faculty

The simulation exercise on responding to terrorist attack, fire out-burst, massive traffic accident and spill out of dangerous toxic materials was held at the very center of the City of Niš.

NIŠ CITY PROMOTED THE CITY SAFETY STRATEGY

CITY OF VIENNA PARTNER IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Representatives of the City of Niš and the City of Vienna signed the Agreement on Cooperation between relevant city departments in the area of preparation, protection, responding, recovering and mitigating natural hazards and catastrophes. First response to a disaster is the job of local government’s emergency services with help from nearby municipalities from the region, the state and volunteer agencies. The agreement envisages the exchange of experiences in the operation of so called first responding departments such as: city fire departments, urgent medical response services, special police forces for emergency management. The experts from Vienna will work together with domestic experts to create the community’s long-term strategy for all the citizens to work together to build, sustain, and improve the capability of both local government and community as a whole to protect people and property from devastating loses.

for Occupational Safety and was unanimously adopted by the City Assembly. Niš is the first city in Serbia to develop the comprehensive safety strategy with the vision of economically, socially and environmentally safe city that is permanently improving its institutions for promotion of safety, acting proactively and properly resolving risks and threats to the security for a purpose of increasing the quality of life of its citizens. Niš City efforts towards improving the disaster management system have been recognized by the Global Campaign within the United Nations International Strategy

for Disaster R e d u c t i o n ( U N I S D R ) . The City of Niš is the first city in Serbia to join the World Disaster R e d u c t i o n C a m p a i g n ‘Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready’ and

therefore the City received a special certificate at the ceremony held at Niš City Hall.

Terrorist attack simulation exercise

USAID funded Preparedness, Planning and Economic Security Programme works with the cities and municipalities in Serbia to build a sustainable and systematic approach to local-level disaster management by strengthening local disaster response systems and providing municipalities with the tools to respond to natural and manmade disasters. The Preparedness and Planning component helps municipalities meet domestic legal obligations and international standards in disaster preparedness. So far 80 cities and municipalities in Serbia have been involved in the programme and 45 have been certified.

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the Regional Center for Responding to Emergency Situations.

EMERCOM aviation department team together with the RS Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management team carried out joint demonstrational rescue operation of putting out the forest fire by applying the emergency response from the ground and from the air. This demonstrational operation was the part the promotional activities related to establishing Regional Center for Responding to Emergency Crisis Situation which would be officially opened in 2012. On the occasion of the reception for the Russian EMERCOM

The call was announced for the projects aimed at s t re n g t h e n i n g capacities of local authorities to improve services and stimulate local d e v e l o p m e n t in line with d e v e l o p m e n t priorities. The total value of approved projects is 5,547,338 Euros, of which 4.864.224 Euros is a contribution of the EU, while the amount of 683,113 Euros is a contribution from local governments.

delegation at Niš City Hall, Mayor Simonović said that the City of Niš was ready to provide all the necessary logistic support in order for this project to be implemented. This is just the beginning of the cooperation which is defined by agreement made between the governments of Russia and Serbia. The representatives of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations confirmed that their visit to the city of Niš and their presence at the demonstrational rescue operation will be twofold useful in order to agree on the spot and on the job all the issues relevant for the opening of

The City of Niš and the City Municipality of Palilula were chosen to participate in the programme together with other 53 towns and municipalities while other 34 will be involved as

Russian EMERCOM delegation visited the city of Niš on the occasion of organizing joint demonstrational exercise on the optimization of activities on emergency response with the use of modern technologies.

Delegation of the European Union in Serbia and the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities organised the official ceremony of signing the contract with towns and municipalities whose projects were approved under the first call within the EXCHANGE 3 Programme.

PREPARATIONS FOR OPENING THE CENTER FOR RESPONDING TO EMERGENCY CRISIS SITUATIONS

CITY OF NIŠ AND MUNICIPALITY OF PALILULA IN EXCHANGE 3 PROGRAMME

Demonstration of fire fighting

EXCHANGE 3 promotion - signing contracts with city-municipalities

partners. The grant of 143.000 Euros has been approved to the City of Niš for the implementation of the project of establishing call center and one stop shop for issuing the c o n s t r u c t i o n permits. The grant of 113.000 Euros was allocated to the City Municipality of Palilula for the

implementation of the project related to the social care services.

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The project was approved within SEENET program: International Network of Cooperation between Italy and South-East Europe, as a part of Program: Strengthening of Ecology Tourism on the Territory of Skadar, Niš, Nikšič, Kraljevo and Peć. The project objective is the improvement of living conditions of inhabitants in rural area and protection of natural wealth, as well as improvement of accommodation capacities, involvement of Niš City in the network of ambient and eco tourism, sensibilization of local inhabitants, promotion of Niš tourism and tourism potentials. Complete project documentation for the construction

of 11 housing facilities and ethno restaurant with an information desk will be prepared by the Niš City Institute for the Protection of Monuments. The facilities will be constructed on the location that belongs to Niš City and which is located in Sićevo village. Project designs will be jointly prepared by the Niš City Institute for the Protection of Monuments and 10 students of the final year or post graduates of architecture - 5 from Serbia and 5 from Italy. Total project value is 151.141€. Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will finance the project with 104.819€ and Niš City with 46.322€. Project duration is 36 months.

Niš City Mayor Miloš Simonović and Luca Lietti, representative of Italian region Trentino, signed the contract for the realisation of the project Strengthening Niš City Capacities for Ambient and Eco Tourism.

ETHNO VILLAGE IN SIĆEVO

The businessmen from these two countries expressed great interest in investing in our city. Mateo Mastromateo, attaché for Economic Relations from the Embassy of Italy, Belgrade, expressed confidence that support and incentives for foreign investors provided by the Serbian government and local self-government, would very soon show concrete results in a greater interest in investing in this part of south-eastern Serbia, and stressed that the Embassy of Italy would be doing more on introducing Italian entrepreneurs with the investment potentials of the City of Nis. Niš City is the first city in Serbia visited by French-Serbian Chamber of

Commerce delegation whose head office is located in Belgrade. Their intention is to bring this part of Serbia, as a development potential, closer to French economists.

Representatives of Italian-Serbian and French-Serbian Chambers of Commerce met the Mayor of Nis Milos Simonovic and representatives of Mayor’s Office for Local Economic Development in Niš City Hall.

ITALIAN AND FRENCH ENTREPRENEURS

Reception of the Italian-French Businessmen in City Hall

ONE KINDERGARTEN MORE IN THE VILLAGE AREA One more village on the territory of Niš City will get a kindergarten.

After one in Gornja Toponica, inhabitants of Donji Matejevac will get a new facility for the daily stay of their children. The construction of this kindergarten will be a donation from Elaine Laycock, Serbian benefactor who signed the Letter of Intent with the Mayor of Niš City, Miloš Simonović. During the meeting with the Mayor of Niš City and City Councilor Dušica Davidovic, Elaine Laycock said that it would be a great pleasure to support the construction of one more kindergarten in Niš village area. She added that she expected that new kindergarten would be opened by the middle of the following year, bearing in mind previous good experience in cooperation with Niš City. Niš has become recognizable, among other things, for its intention to make education services available to every child, no matter where he or she lives - whether it is the city or village, said Simonović. After the construction of a kindergarten in Gornja Toponica, the first one in the village area, there will be another one built in Donji Matejevac which can admit 90 children, said the Mayor and emphasized that Niš City would provide location and needed infrastructure. He also expressed his expectation that this new kindergarten would be opened before the planned date.

One kindergarten more in the village area

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This unique event, first of this kind, was opened by the Minister of Mining and Energy of the Republic of Serbia Petar Škundrić and Miloš Simonović, Mayor of Niš City. This Forum was attended by around 300 experts from the whole Europe- Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Bulgaria, numerous representatives of local self-governments, investors, embassies, business, banks, chambers, expert-development agencies, international and national media. The main aim of the Forum was to present advantages of introducing obligatory energetic management on the local level, aimed at higher energy efficiency and enormous savings. International and national speakers presented their good practices and economic effects of energy management in local self-governments around Central Europe. Exchange of international experience at this event will contribute to the stronger involvement of local

inhabitants in the process of education, planning and implementation as well as to direct cooperation with the selected funds, banks and EU institutions ready to invest in the development of energy efficiency. ‘’City of Niš recognized the importance of rational use of energy, increase of energy efficiency, use of renewable sources of energy and environmental protection. It is also shown by the fact that the City of Niš was the first one in Serbia to establish a Council for Energy Efficiency. ‘By following this idea, Forum’s imperative is to help local self-governments and economy subjects in the region, to immediately catch up with contemporary world trends. Exchange of experiences among experts from the country and the region should contribute to the raising of awareness about the importance, principles and possibilities of energy management on the local level, said Simonović.

Niš City hosted First International Forum on Energy Management at Local Level organized by Central European Development Forum CEDEF, under the auspices of the Ministry of Mining and Energy, in cooperation with the Agency for Energy Efficiency of the Republic of Serbia and Niš City as a host.

FIRST INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON ENERGY MANAGEMET

FAREWELL VISIT OF FRENCH AMBASSADOR TERRAL Niš City Mayor Miloš Simonović met with the French Ambassador Mr. Jean Francois Terral on the occasion of the Ambassador’s leaving Serbia upon the completion of his mandate.

This was the farewell visit of the ambassador to the City of Niš. Ambassador Terral pointed out that very close cooperation had been established between the City of Niš and Embassy of France in Belgrade and that it was the merit to be ascribed to Mayor Simonović. Ambassador Terral also spoke about several French companies which invested in the city during the past few years. He expressed his belief that the new French ambassador would continue to cherish this close cooperation with the City of Niš. He announced that University of Nis would soon open Department for French Language at the University of Niš. After the reception at Niš City Hall, Ambassador Terral and Mayor Simonović visited the office of the French honorary consul.

Farewell visit by Ambassador Terral

The cooperation protocol focuses on partnership in improving the functioning of the institutions in South East Serbia in charge of taking care of physically and mentally challenged people. IB Behindertenhilfe will provide consulting services on the preparation

of the city social care system plans and the support in the implementation of the different projects in that area. It will work together with the City of Niš on opening the Resource Center, out-patient care department as well as on the organisation of the daily workshops.

Niš City Mayor Miloš Simonović and the Director of International Organisation - Behindertenhilfe Hessen Michael Thiele from Hesssen Germany signed the Protocol on cooperation in the area of social care services primarily providing services to physically and mentally challenged people.

PARTNERS FROM HESSEN IN SOCIAL CARE SERVICES PROVISION

Director of International Organisation - Behindertenhilfe Hessen Michael Thiele

and Niš City Mayor Miloš Simonović

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PETROLEUM INDUSTRY OF SERBIA INVESTS IN SPORTS AND CULTURE IN NIŠ

Niš City Mayor Miloš Simonović and General Manager of the Serbian Petroleum Industry Kyril Kravchenko signed the Agreement about financial support to Women Handball Club Naisa, National Theatre in Niš and Nišville Jazz Festival.

The donation is 10 million dinars worth. By signing this agreement on social and economic cooperation, Serbian Petroleum Industry and the City of Niš began joint strategic action in the above mentioned fields on the Niš City territory. This agreement is the result of the common interests of Serbian Petroleum Industry, as the corporate responsible company, and the City of Niš, as the local self-government, to preserve and to promote the local community values, to improve the life quality in the city, and to develop mutual relationship through cooperation in the implementation of the projects related to cultural manifestations and sports events.

Niš City Mayor Miloš Simonović and General Manager of the Serbian

Petroleum Industry Kyril Kravchenko signed the Agreement

The project envisages the comprehensive excavation and conservation works and the presentation of the Mediana site on the occasion of celebration big Christina jubilee - 1700th anniversary of signing the Edict of Milan. The project objective is the presentation, popularization and the promotion of the cultural heritage and this is expected to be done through a r c h e o l o g i c a l and architectural e x p l o r a t i o n s , conservation and restoration works, the conservation and presentation of the frescoes and movable a r c h e o l o g i c a l artifacts. The c o n s e r v a t i o n approach used in the exploration of Mediana site had been planned according to the conditions of contemporary life. Special attention will be paid to the protection and presentation of the monuments, to the reconstruction and revitalization of some parts of the villa with peristyle, to building of the protection construction over the preserved architectural details and to the villa garden arrangement. The project also envisages the presentation and reconstruction of the commercial and military life in Mediana and Naissus, creation of the models and 3Ds presentations and other multimedia presentations. There is a subproject entitled Times of Constantine focused on the creation of models of devices

The works within the Project Constantine’s Villa on the archeological site of Mediana began.

PRESENTATION OF CONSTANTINE’S VILLA PROJECT

and weapons used in Roman wars. The project is being implemented by the experts from the University of Belgrade and Archeological Institute of Belgrade, from the Republic and Nis City Institute for the Protection of Monuments, Nis National Museum and the Central Institute for Conservation. Nis City Mayor Milos Simonovic and Nis City Council Member Miodrag Radovic visited the exploration

site. On this occasion the city representat ives pointed out that the construction of the water supply network and road infrastructure was also necessary in order to fully complete the project. Also, the construction of the reception building with

ticket selling office and souvenir shop was also planned at the very entrance of the site. Mayor Simonovic spoke about comprehensive preparations that the City undertook in order to prepare for the celebration of the Edict of Milan signing anniversary. The City started to reconstruct central road and street network as the part of the above mentioned preparations. Also, the Church dedicated to Holly Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen is in its final phase. The complex with the greatest cross in the Balkans is planned to be erected at the nearby hill Vinik. The monument dedicated to the emperor Constantine the Great is also planned.

Constantine’s Villa on the archeological site of Mediana

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12 artists from Serbia, Denmark and Japan talked to the Mayor about novelties which could be introduced so that work at the colony could be more constructive during the forthcoming years. “The City of Niš has increased the budget allocation for cultural manifestations, especially for those with long lasting traditions such as Sićevo Arts Colony. We are planning to start the construction of ethno village in Sićevo by implementing the project together with EU and thus this particular manifestation will become more prominent and artists would have better conditions for their creative work”, said Mayor Simonović. International Art Colony is the oldest art colony in Serbia and in the Balkans. The most important Serbian female painter Nadežda Petrović recognized the beauty of Sićevo George and founded the art colony in

the village of Sićevo in 1905. More than 400 painters from former Yugoslavia participated at some time in the work of Sićevo Art Colony. Since 1991 the colony got its international trait and became open for the artists belonging to different generations and esthetic views. Thanks to Sićevo Art Colony, Niš Gallery of Contemporary Art has in its possession more than 700 paintings.

Niš City Mayor Miloš Simonović welcomed the participants of International Art Colony Sićevo 2010 at Niš City Hall.

ART COLONY SIĆEVO 2010 MAYOR WELCOMED YOUNG PEOPLE FROM EUROPE Niš City Mayor Miloš Simonović hosted a reception for the participants of Sandkorn Youth Conference 2010.

This year in Niš, young people from Europe are meeting to discuss topics such as youth culture and youth integration. Their host is the High School Svetozar Markovic. There are about 80 participants, teachers and students, from 12 countries: Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, Croatia, Poland, Ireland, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. The meetings in the Niš Fortress were held from 30th August to 6th September and they were great opportunity for young people to get to know different cultures andlifestyles and for many of them this was the first opportunity to meet Serbia and the City of Niš. High school Svetozar Marković is one of the founders of European project SANDKORN, which is humanitarian organisation and an association of the high schools in Europe engaged in promoting of education, culture and integration of young people in Europe with the respect of all particular national traits and differences. On the occasion of the reception Mayor Simonović expressed his pleasure with the fact that the City of Niš had the chance to be the host to high school students from European countries.

Sandkorn Youth Conference 2010 Workshop

300 most talented children from Niš will be selected at the auditions which would be held from September this year to June 2011. The team of professionals working on the project will organise the trainings in choir singing, modern dances, folklore dances and show hosting. Upon the completion of the training the children will perform on the central city square in Nis together with Serbian famous singers who performed on Euro songs so far.

The project Serbia in the Rhythm of Europe was presented at Niš City Hall to the directors of the primary and secondary schools in Niš.

SERBIA IN THE RHYTHM OF EUROPE PROJECT PRESENTED

A reception for participants of the International Art Colony “Sićevo 2010”

at City Hall

Serbia in the Rhythm of Europe