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Thursday, April 24, 2003

Klaipeda (Lithuania) wins the 2003 Europe Prize

The 2003 Europe Prize has been awarded to the Lithuanian town of Klaipeda. This decision was taken unanimously by the Committee on the Environment and Agriculture of the 45-nation Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly during its April parliamentary session in Strasbourg.Created by the Parliamentary Assembly in 1955, the Europe Prize is the highest distinction that can be bestowed on a European town or territorial authority for its actions in the European domain. The prize consists of a trophy, a medal, a diploma and a scholarship to be spent on a study visit within Europe for young people from the winning town.

Situated on the Baltic Sea, Klaipeda has developed the largest number of twinnings in Lithuania. It has a total of 16 very active twinnings, most of them in Europe - in particular with port cities such as Liepaja (Latvia), Gdynia (Poland), Kotka (Finland), Karlskrona (Sweden) and Kaliningrad (Russia) - but also in the United States (Cleveland) and Japan (Kuji). Through its numerous common projects and large popular events such as the "Sea Festival" and the Nordic-Baltic Choir Competition, Klaipeda shows that people from all levels of society can meet and experience European understanding.

Having already won the Council of Europe's Flag of Honour in 1999 and the Plaque of Honour in 2001, Klaipeda is the first Lithuanian winner of this high distinction.

The Plaque of Honour, which is the second highest distinction after the Europe Prize, was awarded to 12 towns:

France: MULHOUSE (Haut-Rhin)

Germany: ALTÖTTING (Bavaria), ESSLINGEN AM NECKAR (Baden-Württemberg), OTTOBEUREN (Bavaria)

Hungary: JÁSZBERÉNY (Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok County)

Italy: FIDENZA (Prov. di Parma)

Moldova: CHISINAU

Poland: GŁOGÓW (woj. Dolnośląskie), KALISZ (woj. Wielkopolskie)

Romania: SIGHISOARA

Spain: POZUELO DE ALARCON (Madrid)

Turkey: ANKARA

The Flag of Honour was awarded to 30 municipalities or territorial authorities:

Austria : BRUCK AN DER MUR (Styria), JUDENBURG (Styria), LANNACH (Styria) together with NIMIS (I)

Croatia : ZADAR

France: AUBERVILLIERS (Seine-Saint-Denis), BRIENNON (Loire), GAP (Hautes-Alpes), QUIMPER (Finistère)

Germany: BERCHING (Bavaria), BRACKENHEIM (Baden-Württemberg), KELKHEIM (Taunus) (Hessen), LAUBACH (Hessen), MARL (North-Rhine-Westphalia), NEUMARKT i.d. OPf. (Bavaria), OSTFILDERN (Baden-Württemberg), UBSTADT-WEIHER (Baden-Württemberg)

Hungary: JASZ-NAGYKUN-SZOLNOK COUNTY, KAPOSVÁR (Somogy County), MAKÓ (Csongrad County)

Italy : NIMIS (Prov. di Udine)

Poland: BYTOM (woj. Śląskie), GOLENIÓW (woj. Zachodniopomorskie), LESZNO (woj. Wielkopolskie), ŚWIDNICA (woj. Dolnośląskie)

Romania: ORASTIE (Hunedoara Dep.)

Russia: YAROSLAVL

Slovenia : KAMNIK

Spain : PALOS DE LA FRONTERA

Sweden: VARA

Turkey: GÜZELÇAMLI

United Kingdom: STOCKPORT

38 municipalities were granted the European Diploma:

Austria : Voitsberg (Styria)

Belgium: Evergem (East Flanders), Halle (Flemish Brabant)

France : Département de l'Ain, Aÿ-Champagne (Marne), Charnay-lès-Mâcon (Saône-et-Loire), Jassans-Riottier (Ain)

Germany: Amberg/OPf. (Bavaria), Arnstadt (Thuringia), Bad Arolsen (Hessen), Beckum (North-Rhine-Westphalia), Ducherow (W. Pomerania), Ehringshausen (Hessen), Enzkreis (Baden-Württemberg), Görlitz (Saxony), Hackenheim (Rhineland-Palatinate), Kranenburg (North-Rhine-Westphalia), Kressbronn am Bodensee (Baden-Württemberg), Leinzell (Baden-Württemberg), Liederbach am Taunus (Hessen), Nordwalde (North-Rhine-Westphalia), Oppenheim (Rhineland-Palatinate), Ottersweier (Baden-Württemberg), Pfarrkirchen (Bavaria), Waldkirch-Buchholz (Baden-Württemberg)

Italy : Caltagirone (Prov. di Catania), Crema (Prov. di Cremona), Farnese (Prov. di Viterbo), Martina Franca (Prov. di Taranto)

Poland: Oświęcim (woj. Małopolskie), Piotrków Trybunalski (woj. Łódzkie), Rybnik (woj. Śląskie)

Romania: Vama (Suceava Department)

Russia: Bryansk

Switzerland: Burgdorf (Berne Canton), Cheseaux (Vaud Canton)

Ukraine: Kharkov

United Kingdom: Caernarfon (Wales)

Source Europe Prize

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