May 24^th

The meeting of the representatives of the Faculty of Sports and Physical Education of the University of Nis and the representatives of the City of Nis took place at Nis City Hall on the occasion of the guest appearance of prof. Laura Capranika from the University of Rome Foro Italico. She spent a week in Nis and held a series of lectures for students and  professors of master and doctoral studies at the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education within the EU program Erasmus +. Professor Capranika is a renowned expert in dual education and dual career in the area of sports, advisor to the European Parliament for dual career and participant in a number of projects in the field of dual education. The meeting organized by the Nis City Assistant Mayor Marina Kostic was attended by the representatives of respective secretariats of Nis City Administration, Regional Chamber of Commerce in Nis, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development – School Administration in Nis, the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education in Nis. On this occasion, the examples of good practice in the field of dual education in the European Union, the projects financed from EU funds, exclusively dedicated to the development of dual education, were presented. Professor Laura Capraniki highlighted the importance of applying sport in dual education and praised the personnel potential of the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education from Nis, but also stressed the importance of the expressed willingness of the local government to support the exchange of knowledge and experiences in the education system.

VISITORS’CENTER AT CERJANSKA CAVE OPENED

May 21^st

Visitors’ Center at Cerjanska Cave has been officially opened in the presence of Nis City Mayor  Darko Bulatovic, the president of Nis City Municipality Pantelej Bratimir Vasiljevic, the leaders of cities of Sofia and Montana, the partner from Bulgaria and the director of Nis Tourism Organisation Uros Parlic. The visitors’ center is 250 meters in size, the first of its kind in the Nisava District and it is intended for fans of adrenaline sports, cave explorers, visitors and tourists, and it will have a reception area with dressing room – wardrobe, cafeteria, souvenir shop and administrative center.  The visitor center was created as a joint project by Tourist Organizations of Nis, the City of Sofia and the Association “Love and Light” from Montana within the EU Interrerg IPA program of cross-border cooperation between Serbia and Bulgaria. According to Mayor Bulatovic this project aims to use and promote this great natural monument, educational, scientific and historical heritage of Nis and the development of tourism as a branch that occupies an increasingly important place in the economy of Nis.

NIS CITY DELEGATION AT THE FORUM OF SMART CITIES IN CHINA

May 21^st

The Delegation of the City of Nis, comprised of the Assistant Mayor MiloS Milosevic, the director of PUC Mediana Dragoslav Pavlovic, and the director of the PUC Parking Service Dejan Dimitrijevic, were took part in the traditional Smart Cities Forum in Shenzhen, China at the invitation of the Huawei Company. The Forum presented the accomplishments that have been achieved in this area in a number of cities in the world, and which, in cooperation with the Huawei Company, would be implemented in Nis. The association of smart cities currently gathers around 700 metropolises, including Beijing, Singapore, Barcelona, Dubai and many others. The goal is to create smart digital services for citizens that will enable a safer and smarter society and ambience. Integration of these technologies will help city administrations build a safe, intelligent and efficient social and economic environment. As part of the Forum, the members of the Nis delegation had a series of meetings with the representatives of Huawei’s management, as well as a tour of the Centrale Corporation and command centers managed by the complete system of smart and security services in the city of Shenzhen, which is the world leader in the implementation of high-tech innovations in organization of the functioning of the city.

Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic met with the Ambassador of Cuba in Serbia Mr. Gustavo Trista del Todo at Nis City Hall.  The Mayor said that it was necessary that the traditionally good relations between Serbia and Cuba, which lasted for almost 70 years, to reflect on the regions and cities in Serbia, and that there were many possibilities for cooperation, first of all the possibilities for presenting Cuban culture at some of many Nis traditional festivals. At the meeting, the Mayor and the Ambassador discussed new forms of exchange in the field of education, medicine, culture and economy through activities that Nis would have in the future, as the largest city in the south of Serbia and one of the centers of this part of the Balkans.

May 17^th

Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic met with Mr. Jakob Matzen, an architect and urban planner at the Technical and Environmental Department of the City of Copenhagen, on the occasion of his visit to Nis and planned lecture for the students of the Faculty of Architecture and Construction Engineering in Nis. This unique lecture will give an overview of the urban transition of the Danish capital and Mr. Matzen would share his views and knowledge on sustainable planning for the future. The lecture will focus on later years’ strategies and policies including bicycle culture, the climate plan, urban life and architecture policy. Mayor Bulatovic thanked the guest from Denmark for the experiences he would share with our students and teachers and said that cooperation at the academic level and the bringing of experts from other countries was important and mutually beneficial. The visit by Mr. Matzen is the result of the cooperation between the planning departments of the City of Nis and City of Copenhagen. Copenhagen is one of the best cities in the world by the quality of life – authorities are trying to improve and develop public transport and increase the number of inhabitants who use bicycle in everyday activities even above the current 50%, he said. Furthermore, the city is closing streets for passenger cars to make room for cycling and walking, and multi-level bicycle tracks are constructed throughout the capital.

May 15^th

The International Day of Families was marked at Nis City Hall. The joint presentation of the family empowerment program was organized by the City of Nis and the organization “SOS Children’s Village Serbia”. The gathering in the City Hall was also attended by Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic and the member of Nis City Council for Social Care Affairs Ms. Tijana Djordjevic Ilic.”We have been implementing the family protection program for 5 years together with the Center for Social Work and we are trying to help empowering of this primary, but very important human community,” said Tijana Djordjevic Ilic. During the presentation of the program of work of SOS Children’s Village, it was said that the family was the basic cell of a society that provided security to an individual and that a healthy family was the foundation of a prosperous society. The Family Support Center Putokaz, which is committed to the implementation of the family strengthening program, has been already working in Nis for 5 years. By strengthening the family the society as a whole is strengthened at the same time.

EXHIBITION AND LECTURE ON CONTEMPORARY DANISH ARCHITECTURE

May 17^th

With the great support of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Ministry of Culture, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark organized an exhibition and lecture on modern Danish architecture in cooperation with the City of Nis and the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture of the University of Nis. The exhibition’s authors are Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Association of Danish Architectural Firms and DANISH ™, a platform for the promotion of Danish architecture and urban planning. The exhibition presented examples of modern, sustainable architecture of well-known Danish companies. From socially sustainable projects aimed at creating interactions to environmentally sustainable emission reduction projects by converting energy from sun, water and wind to electricity. After the opening of the exhibition, students and all interested had the opportunity to hear the lecture by Jakob Matzen, a former member of the City of Copenhagen Urban Planning Team, who shared the experience in the area of ​​town planning in Denmark. Also, after the lecture, with the support of the Danish Ministry of Culture, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark the Danish documentary film “Great Architecture on a Small Planet” produced by the Danish National Television and the production company The Thin Green Line, was screened also for the gathered public. This documentary deals with examples of Danish architecture and urban planning from Copenhagen to Buenos Aires, as well as today’s challenges, such as climate change and increasing urbanization.

May 12^th

USAID Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia Mr. Brock Bierman, and the cities of Nis, Pancevo, and Cacak signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to help their district heating plants become more energy efficient. The Memorandum was signed by the Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic, the Mayor of Pancevo, Sasa Pavlov, and the Deputy Mayor of Cacak, Milica Dacic. The project for energy efficiency in Serbia will last two years and its value is 2.1 million dollars. The aim is to reduce energy consumption through improved heating efficiency at the local level. USAID will provide technical equipment and advisory services to Nis, Pancevo, and Cacak to increase heating energy efficiency, which will reduce the amount of fuel needed to meet consumer demand.  “The framework agreement signed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the US Government enabled us to sign this memorandum today. We are glad that USAID decided to support our city out of several municipalities they were considering. We believe that this will enable further steps in improving energy efficiency and that as a city we will make a full contribution. I believe that contributed funds will be used in the right way to improve energy efficiency, which will result in citizens’ satisfaction, as well as the savings for city district heating system, “said Mayor Darko Bulatovic. The Mayor of Pancevo, Sasa Pavlov, said that the energy efficiency and the use of alternative energy sources was a strategic determination of the City of Pancevo. Milica Dacic, Deputy Mayor of Cacak, also thanked for being selected by USAID for this project. “We are trying to awaken the ecological awareness of our fellow citizens through these projects,” she said

May 11^th

Тhe EU Info Corner Nis in partnership with the City of Nis organized the Day of European values and thus marked the Week of Europe and three years of joint work at new premises in Vozdova Street. This event open for all citizens of Nis was organized at the city center. The event is part of the EU for You Campaign. The programme prepared for the event included the performances of the orchestra Impresija, children’s choir Carolija, youth dance group Boom 018, and the students of Secondary Grammar School Svetozar Markovic. Also the civil society organizations that have been actively working in the local community on promoting European values ​​and communicating took interactive and creative approach in introducing citizens to their work. The Day of European Values is part of the European Union Delegation Campaign in Serbia and the EU Info Network in Belgrade, Nis and Novi Sad and is being implemented under the title # EUzaTebe, with the idea to promote the results of EU development aid to Serbia in the process of European integration.

May 10^th

City of Nis and EU Info Point Nis marked the Day of Europe, May 9^th, by joint activity of 3 D Mapping Projection of the flags of the European Union and the Republic of Serbia on the building facade of Nis National Theatre. The facade of the theater in Nis became canvas for the symbolic conjunction of the synergy and joint efforts of the Republic of Serbia and the European Union in bringing our country closer to a community of European nations. This joint activity of the City of Nis and EU Info Point Nis was part of the #EUzaTEBE  umbrella campaign  implemented by European Delegation to Serbia and EU Info Network’s (EU Info Centre in Belgrade and EU Info Points in Novi Sad and Nis),  together with local partners with the aim of promoting the results of EU’s development assistance to Serbia as part of the European integration process.