08 Jul 2009 - 08 Jul 2009, (1)

June 11-12, 2009 – the fourth block of training course “Intensifying of communication and cooperation of regional development actors from Ukraine and Slovakia” took place in marvellous site of Zakarpattya, namely hotel-ranch “Zolota Hora” located near the town of Uzhhorod. The target auditorium of the training course had an opportunity to acquaint with the experience of highly qualified European expert in issues of planning and project ideas developing.

Goal of the training: to acquaint target auditorium with course “Project Cycle Management” and form joint vision of settling the most urgent problems of locality at the example of a project idea.

May 28-29, 2009 – the third block of training course “Intensifying of communication and cooperation of regional development actors from Ukraine and Slovakia” took place on the territory of Slovakia. All representatives of the target auditorium of the training course, namely 25 representatives from Slovakia and 10 representatives from Ukraine participated at the mentioned event. The subject of the training was “Strategic planning of locality”. All participants of the course carry out activities contributing to local and regional territories’ development at their day-to-day activities. Therefore, acquaintance with and study of issues of formation of the European approaches in the planning sphere as well as experience exchange was a valuable attainment of training’s participants.

May 22-23, 2009 – Agency of Regional Development and Cross-Border Co-operation “Transcarpathia” together with Uzhhorodska District State Administration, Uzhhorodska District Council (Ukraine) and Agency of Regional Development in Kosice (Slovakia) organized international thematic conference: “Ways of usage of international technical assistance to settle problems of sewage household water purification in village locality”. Place of holding of conference: hotel-ranch “Zolota Hora”, village Barvinok, Uzhhorodskiy district.

More than 90 participants from Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary participated in the conference. Target auditorium of the conference were representatives of non-governmental organizations and community, private companies, public services as well as local self-government bodies; representatives of local and regional authorities as well as profile departments.

Goal of the conference: to improve possibilities of self-government bodies in the sphere of attracting international technical assistance to settle problems of sewage household water purification in joint cross-border project “Pure Water” of INTERREG IIIA Neighbourhood Programme Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine 2004-2006.

May 21-22, 2009 – the second block of training course “Development and management of community projects” within joint Ukrainian-Slovakian project “IKARUS - Intensifying of communication and cooperation of regional development actors from Ukraine and Slovakia” took place at the “school of nature” in village Inovci, Slovakia.

Goal of the block: to improve skills of training’s participants what regards development and management of projects on development of border regions’ communities in Slovakia and Ukraine. Representatives of local self-government bodies and agencies of regional development and cross-border co-operation participated in the training.

April 28-29, 2009 – Starting Conference and practical seminar as the first step of training course “Intensifying of communication and cooperation of regional development actors from Ukraine and Slovakia” took place on the territory of Zemplinska sirava, Slovakia. The mentioned conference and seminar as well as all the other following training blocks were organized within Ukrainian-Slovakian project “IKARUS” with participation of Agency for the Support of Regional Development Kosice and ARD „Transcarpathia”, Uzhhorod. Representatives of communities, local and regional authorities, agencies of regional and local development, non-profit and non-governmental organizations from Slovakia and Ukraine participated in the activities. The target group in the amount of 35 persons from both border territories of Ukraine and Slovakia was defined to participate in the block of the training course of the project.

Goal of the training course: to form joint understanding of the situation and joint vision of development of border territories of Zakarpatska oblast and Kosice self-governing region as well as to establish partnership relations among representatives of communities of the mentioned territories (see Project “IKARUS”).

April 23, 2009 – project partners’ working meeting on issues related to implementation of working package “Construction of purification plants” (see Project “Pure Water”) took place. In the course of the meeting a list of issues, namely, process of preparation and holding of tender procedures what regards purchasing and constructing of purification plants as well as the members of the Evaluation Committee of the tender on purchasing of equipment were approved.

February 19, 2009 – information and practical seminar for heads and secretaries of Village Councils of Uzhhorodskiy district took place within project “Pure Water” of INTERREG IIIA Neighbourhood Programme Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine 2004-2006.

Goal of the seminar: to contribute to intensification of institutional co-operation among local authorities and increase the level of efficiency of their activity.

Tasks of the seminar:

1. Presentation of project “Pure water” as an example of attracting money from the funds of the European Community to solve joint problems of purification of sewage household water in Ukraine (villages of Uzhhordskiy district) and Slovakia (Kosice and Michalovce districts).

2. Presentation of new cross-border programme of the European Community “European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument 2007-2013” starting in summer of 2009 as a potential possibility for Uzhhorod district to attract additional money from the EU funds to settle joint problems of the region.

November 12-14, 2008 – study tour of the team of project “Pure water” took place in the Slovak Republic. Representatives of the communal services as well as local and regional authorities took part in the tour.

Goal of the study tour: to acquaint with the experience of the European Union what regards purification of sewage household water. Main bases, approaches and technological decisions on purification of sewage household water were being presented during the first day of the study tour in Slovakia. Participants had a possibility to discuss ways and instruments of solving the problem of purification of sewage household water as well as of usage of the European experience in Ukraine. Participants of the visit had also a possibility to ask questions as well as listen to recommendations and explanations of the Slovak specialists.

Participants of the study tour also saw purification plants of different types that could solve the problem of water purification both in villages and towns as well as communicated with engineers, operators and designers of purification plants. They also saw purification plants located on the territory of the Eastern Slovakia and directly near Slovakian-Ukrainian border.

October 6, 2008 – the first working meeting of project partners of project “Pure Water” within Neighbourhood Programme Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine 2004-2006 took place in the premises of Uzhhorodska District State Administration. Representatives of Uzhhorodska District State Administration, Uzhhorodska District Council, Village Councils of Uzhhorodskiy district, ARD “Transcarpathia”, Agency of Regional Development in Kosice (Slovakia), experts in issues of sewage water purification as well as representatives of design firm and the mass media participated in the meeting.

Project activities and terms of their implementation within following working packages were being discussed during the meeting:

July 24, 2008 – cross-border project “Pure water” financed by the European Community within INTERREG IIIA Neighbourhood Programme Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine 2004-2006 covering 24 months was initiated.

Goal of the project: to improve condition of environment protection in the sphere of water resources management on cross-border territory Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine, particularly on the territory of Uzhhorodskiy district of Zakarpatska oblast and Kosice Self-governing Region.

Applicant of the project is ARD “Transcarpathia” (Uzhhorod, Ukraine).
Project partners are as follows:
- Uzhhorodska District State Administration (Uzhhorod, Ukraine);
- Korytnyanska Village Council (Uzhhorodskiy district, Ukraine);
- Agency of Regional Development in Kosice (Kosice, Slovakia).
(see Project “Pure water”).

July 2008 – finalization of project “Study on Complex Biomass Treatment in Common Border Region Hu-Sk-Ua (study on feasibility)” implemented within INTERREG IIIA Neighbourhood Programme Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine 2004-2006. Additional information and project results (brochures, guidelines and recommendations) are available at the office of ARD “Transcarpathia” on condition of previous request in section “Contacts”.

June 25, 2008 – Agency of Regional Development and Cross-Border Co-operation “Transcarpathia” together with Zakarpatska Oblast State Administration and Zakarpatska Oblast Council hold conference: “Possibilities of bioenergetics development in Zakarpatska oblast”.

Main issues discussed were as follows:

- Possibilities of energy plants’ growing in the conditions of Zakarpattya;
- Possibilities of processing of biomass of plant origin into fuel granules and briquettes;
- Possibilities of bio diesel production in the conditions of Zakarpattya;
- Possibilities of co-operation with Slovakia and Hungary in the sphere of bioenergetics development; and
- Main problems and obstacles of bioenergetics’ development in Zakarpatska oblast.

Results achieved within project “Study on Complex Biomass Treatment in Common Border Region Hu-Sk-Ua (study on feasibility)” implemented within INTERREG IIIA Neighbourhood Programme Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine 2004-2006 were also presented at the conference.

Guidelines “Conception on Complex Biomass Treatment in Zakarpatska Oblast” developed within project was disseminated among participants of the conference. The Conception covers following useful information for those willing to develop bioenergetics:

- General tendencies of bioenergetics development in Ukraine, Europe and the world;
- Description of available biomass resources in Zakarpatska oblast as well as potential possibilities of their increase;
- Description of energy problems in Zakarpatska oblast;
- Description of technologies of biomass’ growing and processing as a source of energy;
- Financial and economic analysis of reasonability of biomass processing as one of the kinds of fuel and energy resources in the conditions of Zakarpattya; and
- Main recommendations for the stakeholders what regards development of bioenergetics in Zakarpattya.

April 23, 2008 – the third information seminar within project “Study on Complex Biomass Treatment in Common Border Region Hu-Sk-Ua (study on feasibility)” funded by the EU and implemented within INTERREG IIIA Neighbourhood Programme Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine 2004-2006 took place in Uzhhorod.

Main goal of the project: to study possibilities of development and usage of renewable energy sources, namely biomass, as well as to enforce cross-border initiatives to make use of the renewable energy sources in the context of biomass treatment in joint cross-border region Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine.

In the course of holding of information seminar ARD “Transcarpathia” was presenting its achievements in the process of development of the “Conception on Complex Biomass Treatment in Zakarpatska Oblast”. Particularly, financial and economic analysis of possibilities of growing and processing of biomass of agricultural and forestry origin in the conditions of Zakarpattya that was carried out within Conception’s development was presented at the seminar.

October 30, 2007 – the second information seminar within project “Study on Complex Biomass Treatment in Common Border Region Hu-Sk-Ua (study on feasibility)” funded by the EU and implemented within INTERREG IIIA Neighbourhood Programme Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine 2004-2006 took place in the conference-hall of hotel “Druzhba” (Vysoka Str., Uzhhorod).

In the course of holding of information seminar ARD “Transcarpathia” was presenting its achievements in the process of development of the “Conception on Complex Biomass Treatment in Zakarpatska Oblast”. Particularly, processing technologies of biomass of agricultural and forestry origin that would be included into the Conception as well as variants of biomass usage aimed at heat energy obtaining in the conditions of Zakarpattya were presented at the seminar.

May 22, 2007 – the first information seminar within project “Study on Complex Biomass Treatment in Common Border Region Hu-Sk-Ua (study on feasibility)” funded by the EU and implemented within INTERREG IIIA Neighbourhood Programme Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine 2004-2006 took place in Uzhhorod.

Goal of the seminar: to acquaint representatives of the project working group and other stakeholders with the condition of biomass usage in Zakarpatska oblast in view of the world tendencies of biomass and other alternative energy sources’ usage.

December 20, 2006 third informational seminar was run in the framework of training course “Civil society strengthening in Zakarpattya through capacity building of its institution”. The seminar was organized with the assistance of KIUT (OUTWAY) Regional Development Association and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungarian Republic as well as with the participation of the organization’s partner Agency of Regional Development and Cross-Border Co-operation "Transcarpathia" on the territory of Ukraine.

In the framework of seminar the following topics were considered:

October 3, 2006 With the assistance of KIUT (OUTWAY) Regional Development Association and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungarian Republic as well as with the participation of the organization"s partner Agency of Regional Development and Cross-Border Co-operation "Transcarpathia" on the territory of Ukraine on October 3, 2006 there was run information seminar "Development of NGOs of Zakarpatska oblast through their institutional capabilities strengthening" for NGOs located in Uzhhorod and Uzhhorod district.

The event has taken place in the conference-hall of hotel "Druzhba", 12, Vysoka str., Uzhhorod. In the framework of seminar the following issues were considered:

• cross-border co-operation among public services and organizations involved in local, regional and economic development of the region;
• opportunities and necessity of co-operation;
• tricks in project proposals preparing;
• training material: "How to develop a successful project"";
• peculiarities of public services implementing in view of the social needs;
• obtaining financial resources to support the public services" activity;
• initialization and development of the projects;
• regional development, development and stimulation of entrepreneurship.

July 7, 2006 With the assistance of KIUT (OUTWAY) Regional Development Association and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungarian Republic as well as with the participation of the organization"s partner Agency of Regional Development and Cross-Border Co-operation "Transcarpathia" on the territory of Ukraine on July 7, 2006 there was run the first information and practical seminar in the framework of series of training programmes "Development of NGOs of Zakarpatska oblast through their institutional capabilities strengthening".

The event has taken place in hotel "Druzhba", 12, Vysoka str., Uzhhorod. Target group of the seminar: NGOs located in Uzhhorod and Uzhhorod district.In the framework of the seminar the following issues were considered:

• self-governing civil society and its relationship with the state, principles of subsidizing in the process of decisions taking;
• role of NGOs in the society;
• activity of NGOs and their practical experience;
• necessity of partnership;
• NGOs and relationships with the mass media;
• organization of the available resources;
• cross-border co-operation among NGOs, opportunities of co-operation and its necessity;
• region, regional development, labour market in the region;
• advices regarding project proposal developing ("How to develop a successful project"").

In the framework of micro project "A Bridge Across Ukraine and Slovakia Border" organizers of the project have carried out the following activities on the territory of Ukraine:

July 10-11, 2006 - Final Conference of the project, summarization of results of joint Italian-Slovak-Ukrainian TACIS micro project "A Bridge Across Ukraine and Slovakia Border". The representatives of project target groups were familiarized with results of project action that was being carried out during 6 months as well as there were determined the perspectives and opportunities of further institutional co-operation among Zakarpatska oblast, Ko"ice self-governing region and Italy.

June 19-25, 2006 - one-week study tour for representatives of target groups of Zakarpatska oblast (Ukraine) and Ko"ice self-governing region (Slovakia) to Emilia-Romagna Region (Modena, Italy) was organized. The visit was aimed at exchanging the practical experience and contributed to strengthening the knowledge that was being obtained during the training. The representatives of delegations had an opportunity to analyze advantages of Italian experience in the sphere of local and regional development that were quite obvious in the Italy"s public sphere as well well-developed and transparent legislature was a good example. During the visit the meetings with representatives of the local authorities and SMEs of the region were being carried out. A list of practical issues on opportunities and advantages of further co-operation among Italy, Ukraine and Slovakia were discussed.

April 26, 2006 - Experts of Modena Formazione have presented project "A Bridge Across Ukraine and Slovakia Border" to the general public of the region in broadcast of Zakarpatska oblast TV and radio company. They have pointed out the main principles of project implementation and expected results as well as have given the citizens of Zakarpattya the opportunity to put questions in a live broadcast.

April 26-28, May 10-11 and May 15-16, 2006.

Experts of Modena Formazione have run the complete cycle of training programmes for representatives of target groups from Ukraine and Slovakia.

The event has taken place in the premises of Business Incubator, 46, 8-go Bereznya str., Uzhhorod.

The main goal of the training was to transfer best practices and know-how by Modena Formazione experts to the target local group.

During the trainings the theoretical issues related to basis of planning, regional development and characteristic features of institutions involved in local/regional development were considered as well as blocks of practical tasks were formed and jointly fulfilled by participants from Ukraine and Slovakia.

Theoretical part covered the presentation of Emilia Romagna Region, description of opportunities of local and regional development, presentation of practical achievements of local agencies and institutions involved in regional development as well as results of co-operation among SMEs representatives in the system of clusters on the territory of Italy.

The issues related to cross-border co-operation as well as problems and opportunities of their solving were discussed.

In the cause of trainings the representatives of target group have received an opportunity to fulfil a list of practical tasks in a team as well as personally. The example of group practical task that was fulfilled by representatives of Ukraine and Slovakia was S.W.O.T.-analysis of problems of cross-border co-operation (Ukraine-Slovakia).

April 12, 2006 - Initial Conference in the framework of micro project "A Bridge Across Ukraine and Slovakia Border". The event has taken place in hotel "Druzhba", 12, Vysoka str., Uzhhorod.

During the Initial Conference the joint Italian-Slovak-Ukrainian TACIS micro project "A Bridge Across Ukraine and Slovakia Border" was being presented. At the conference the partners involved into the project implementation, i.e. ARD "Transcarpathia" (Ukraine), representatives of Ko"ice self-governing region (Slovakia) and organization Modena Formazione (Italy), short description of all regions, main activities of organizations as well as experience of each project partner were presented. The main goal of the project, objectives, main activities planned to be implemented in the framework of the present project as well as the structure of working plan were presented. The perspectives of partnership relations among Ukraine, Slovakia and Italy were discussed.

In the framework of project "Closer to People" within PHARE programme the Agency of Regional Development KRAPO, Pre"ov (Slovakia) with the participation of the above-mentioned organization"s partner Agency of Regional Development and Cross-Border Co-operation "Transcarpathia" have implemented the following activities:

July 16-18, 2006 - training "Project planning aimed at EU funds usage". The seminar has taken place near Vinne Lake, Ko"ice self-governing region, Slovakia. In the framework of the training the following subjects were considered:

• Agreeing on the priorities of the EU policy;
• Access to the European funds;
• Project cycle management;
• EU Structural Funds 2007-2013 etc.

The goal of the training was to improve the knowledge and skills on planning, development and implementation of the projects financed by the EU.

March 15-19, 2006 - training "Minimum for Active Citizens". Phase 2. Target group - representatives of NGOs (universities and youth public organizations).

The training has taken place in Presov, Slovak Republic. The following subjects were considered:

• types of co-operation in civil society;
• analysis of opportunities and problems of social production;
• alternatives of solving the society problems by NGOs, etc.

The goal of the training was to transfer the best practices of the experts of Agency of Regional Development KRAPO, Pre"ov (Slovakia) to the target group, to exchange the experience as well as to increase the level of knowledge and skills necessary to operate in non-governmental sector.

February 23, 2006 - working meeting of representatives of the authorities of Zakarpatska Oblast Administration and Pre"ov City Hall as well as non-governmental/non-profit organizations of Ukraine and Slovakia.

The event has taken place in the conference-hall of Pre"ov City Hall and Administration, Slovak Republic.

The following issues were considered:

• The role of administrations and local councils in the process of entering the EU;
• Perspectives of joint projects development.

The meeting of representatives of NGOs of Ukraine and Slovakia has taken place in the premises of the office of Agency of Regional Development KRAPO, Pre"ov.

The main goal of the visit was to establish and develop close partnership relations as well as to discuss opportunities of further co-operation.

January 26-28, 2006 - training "A Minimum for Active Citizens".

Target group - representatives of NGOs (universities and youth public organizations).

The training has taken place near Vinne Lake, Kosice self-governing region, Slovakia.

The following subjects were considered:

• the role of state administrations and NGOs on the territory of Slovakia and Ukraine;
• the process of preparation of Ukraine for entering the EU;
• development of communities (role of civil society at the local level, planning by community, opportunities of participation in the process of decisions taking).

The goal of the training was to exchange the experience among representatives of Ukrainian and Slovak organizations as well as to increase level of knowledge and skills through practical activity in groups.