For Citizens programme Action 1- Measure 1.2 – Network of twinned towns

Name of organization Birzai district municipality administration

Contact person Jurga Bagamolovienė

                         Public relation specialist, international project coordinator

Address  Vytauto street38, LT-41143 Biržai

Country  Lithuania

Telephone no. +370 618 25832

Fax no. +370 450 43134

E-mail jurga.bagamoloviene@birzai.lt

www   www.birzai.lt

Language spoken:  English, Russian

Please describe your organization (target group, activities, etc.):

The history of the town is connected with the aristocratic Radvila  (RADZIWILL) family, which kept house in Birzai from the beginning of the 16^th century to 1811. K. Radvila built a castle in Birzai in 1589. In 1575 the Apasčia and Agluona Rivers were dammed up, Lake Sirvena was formed. This lake, about 400 years old, is the oldest artificial lake in Lithuania.                 

     The land of Biržai has a high gypsum content and numerous underground rivers, caves and caverns. As a result, the land of Birzai is dotted with over 2000 sink holes which appear when the ground caves in. They range in size from small holes to craters big enough to swallow a house. Some are dry while others are filled with water from underground sources.

After Lithuania regained independence in 1990, Birzai district municipality was formed. Now it includes 8 wards and is governed by Birzai district municipality council which consists of 25 councilors. Mayor is the head of the Council and whole municipality.

Birzai district municipality administration is responsible for implementation of the Council’s decisions.  Birzai district municipality administration is run by Administration director and consists of 15 Departments. 236 employees work in Municipality administration and 8 wards which are the part of Administration.

The work of Municipality council and Municipality administration is strictly regulated according the law of Local Self –Government of Lithuanian Republic. Municipality is a member of The Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania.  The Association has it’s delegation to the Standing Committee for Euro-Mediterranean Partnership of the Local and regional Authorities (COPPEM). The association works with CLRAE, CEMR and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Municipality provides various types of services citizens need. One of its functions is to organize activities for different age groups of citizens, help them to prepare various projects, coordinate international exchange, organize meetings with the citizens from partner towns, support the ideas of citizens and help them with their implementation.

Do you have any experience in EU programs?

Programme "Europe for citizens" Action 1- Measure 1.1 projects in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Please describe your project idea (project theme, place, partners, etc.)

2012 year is announced as a Year of Active Aging and Solidarity among Generations. At the same time the idea of volunteering is also one of the priorities. Considering this Birzai district municipality prepares the project including 2 age groups: elderly people and youth.

In Birzai there are quit a lot of organizations uniting elderly people. The Third Age University and the Association of Elderly People are the biggest ones. They are already performing some volunteer actions and are really willing to meet other elderly people from other countries, discuss the way elderly people organizations act abroad, what are their priorities, work methods and establish personal relations among the elderly persons from other countries for the future cooperation.

Young people are very active in Birzai as well. Thought Birzai has only few formal youth organizations, strong informal youth works a lot under the supervision of Youth work coordinator who is the part of Municipality administration staff.

The main idea of the project is: older people have lot of knowledge, they are like an experts and live witnesses of the history of their towns. On the other hand, young people are excellent in using modern technologies and they feel free in virtual life of nowadays. So why not to try to unite these 2 things? Modern technologies + history?

Activities:

We ask young people to introduce older ones with modern technologies, especially film cameras and the ways digital record can be edited to make a film. After such lessons seniors would be asked to make movies about the way they remember, see and understand the history of their town, what they think is the most important and valuable, that their generations wants to say to those who will live after them. Of course young people will remain as consultants in this work. On the final event all films will be presented and the DVD with all of them will be produced.

Elderly people are familiar with traditional crafts and national cuisine. During the visits elderly people will share their knowledge with young people.

Target groups and partners:

Elderly people (60+), young people (16-29) and project coordinators in all partner countries

When do you want to do the project?

The application will be submitted by Birzai district municipality by 1^st February 2012.

Project duration:  September 2012 – August 2014

Date until this partnerrequest is valid:

Birzai would like to get in touch with interested partners before the 25^th November so that they may start planning for a potential collaboration.