The second edition of a cross-border conference dedicated to regional development demonstrates the value of cooperation among Polish and German communities in coordinating their activities.

Representatives from Ostvorpommern, Uecker-Randow, Uckermark and Barnim in Germany and from Police, Goleniow, Stargard and Gryfice in Poland attended the event, hosted by the city of Szczecin and themed “Between Vision and Practice.” The second annual event, held at the Radisson SAS Hotel, featured a working character, with participants from local agencies in Poland and in Germany joining elected leaders and members of the public for a two-day series of panel discussions and group briefings.

There is no doubt that our priority should be cooperation and its goal should be to gather inhabitants of the borderlands regions to realize mutual project – Dennis Gutgesell, vice-prefect of the Uecker-Randow district, told reporters at a press conference timed with the event. – It is obvious that Szczecin is a natural centre of the region.

Session themes included industry, education, project management and culture. Among the main topics: labour market liberation in Germany for Polish workers in 2011 and Szczecin’s bid to become the European Capital of Culture in 2016. Mutual ideas and initiatives were discussed, with a focus on how to transfer these into projects.

The liberation of the labour market in Germany is an important field of cooperation, as well as a serious challenge as well – Szczecin Mayor Piotr Krzystek said. – A program of teaching foreign languages must be intensified, and there must be recognition of work qualifications and educational achievements.

Participants agreed that the European Capital of Culture 2016 will be realized together with German partners, with a mutual project to a so-called Cultural Labyrinth, a portal to an information database about cultural life in the region. Also to be created is a Borderland Academy through which administrators and specialists from various fields and branches of government can share their experiences.