TWIN TOWNS

LJUTOMER (Republic of Slovenia)

The Charter on fraternization with Ljutomer  was signed on 25^th  November  1974 in Užice. In 1941 Serbia hosted a great number of refugees from Slovenia, who stayed in Serbia till the end of the war. In memory of those days of hardship, mutual visits of the citizens of Slovenia and Serbia were organized by means of a caravan “Bratstvo-jedinstvo” (Brotherhood-unity).That was the basis for the start of a successful cooperation between Ljutomer ad Uzice.The cooperation was interrupted during the period of the isolation of the country and it was continuedin 2000. The contact between the Regional Chamber of Commerce from Uzice and the Association of entrepreneurs from Ljutomer was established This cooperation has been realized through the exchange visits of the delegations on the occasion of the Day of the City. There has laso been cooperation in the areas of culture and economy.

KURSK (Russian Federation)

Cooperation of Užice and Kursk started in 1967 on the occasion of the 50^th anniversary of October Revolution. The basis for the cooperation is Uzice Republic of 1941 and the cannon battle at Kursk in 1943.Cooperation between the health workers, textile workers, the youth and the representatives of the informative activities of the both cities was established. In recent years cooperation has been realized by means of the protocol visits of the delegations during the celebrations of the Day of the City and by exchanging the greetings.Upon the initiative of the mayor of Kursk , Victor Surzikov, the Protocol of Coperation between the cities of Kursk and Uzice was signed on 24^th September 2007, within the celebrations of the Day of the City.

KASINO (Republic of Italy)

Cooperation between Cassino and Uzice began as a part of cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the Province of Lazio to which both Rome and Cassino belong.The cooperation is based on the events from World War II.The Charter of Fraternization between Cassino and Utica was signed on 19^th September 1980 in Uzice, which was followed by the signing in Cassino in May 1981.The visits of the secondary school students and the economic representatives(delegations) followed. The Folk Dancing Ensemble”Prvi Partizan “ from Utica was a guest in Cassino. Cooperation with Cassino was interrupted during the period of the isolation of our country but it was continued in 2000. In recent years protocol correspondence has become customary.

VELES (Macedonia)

The Protocol cooperation  between  the towns with  Tito’s name (Titova Korenica, Titov Drvar, Titograd, Titov Veles, Titovo Velenje, Titova Mitrovica and Titovo Užice) was signed in 1982.The towns, which used to be named after Tito, stopped the cooperation, but Veles and Uzice  continued cooperation by exchanging protocol visits of the delegations on the occasion of the celebrations of the Day of the City.

COOPERATION WITH THE TOWNS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Apart from the cooperation with the cities in other countries, Uzice has also had a good cooperation with the towns in the Republic of Serbia. Upon the expressed wish of the towns , the keys of which were handed over to Duke Mihailo Obrenovic by the Turks in 1862 and 1867 , on 24^th September 1996, the Charter of cooperation was signed between the towns of Užice, Belgrade, Šabac, Smederevo, Kladovo, and later Soko-grad, that is Ljubovija, and it was decided that annual meetings would be held in a different town each year.

GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS

American Agency for Aid and Development (USAID) has had a successful cooperation with Uzice for 7 years.In the year 2002 the Municipality of Uzice was one of the first two municipalities in Serbia which entered the Programme of the Reform of Local Self-government(SLGRP).By means of this programme  Užice has been given aid in offering services to the citizens, enhancing the financial management of the Municipality, managing public utility companies as well as the information technologies. At the same time the Municipality entered another USAID’s programme-Revitalization of the Community through Democratic Action.This programme was implemented by the Organization for international Relief and Develoment  (IRD) in the period from  2001-2007. By means of this programme the Municipality received donations through different projects, the total amount of which is 3,600,000 dollars. The majority of the implemented projects were in the field of infrastructure, health service, development of the civil society etc.

Since 2006 has been involved in the  Minicipal Economic Growth Programme  (MEGA). This Programme has provided support to the opening  of the Offices for the Local Economic Development, creating new job posts, establishing private-public partnerships, promotion of the investment potentials of the municipalities etc.

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation  (SDC)  has had a long and fruitful cooperation with Užice. Through its Municipal Support Programme (MSP) it has been providing assistance to the City since 2001.The following projects have been implemented successfully in cooperation with them:
- Remote control of Waterworks –phase I ( total value of the project 70,000 CHF)
- Remote control of Waterworks –phase II (the value of the project  100.000 CHF)
- Reservoir for water supply  "Cerovića brdo" (the value of the project  55.000 CHF)
- Remote control of public illumination  (value of the project 90.000 CHF)
The project named "Implementation  of GIS" is in progress ( the estimated value of the project is 135,000 CHF).
With the technical support of this organization Užice has made two strategies: The plan of changes of the Municipality of Uzice(2006) and the Programme of sustainable development of the Municipality  Užice 2008-2015 (2007).

Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V.- HELP is a German non-governmental humanitarian organization , which Utica has been working with since 2007. The following projects have3 been implemented so far:

- Encouraging entrepreneurship among young people( where 20 unemployed persons received non-repayable funds for starting their own business)

- The Program of assistance to the internally displaced persons by securing alternative housing opportunities and income-based activities( where HELP and the City of Uzice built a block of flats in Sevojno , the total area of which is 1015 m2, with 18 flats for the accommodation of internally displaced persons.

Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities  (SKGO) is a national alliance of the local governments in Serbia. The City of Uzice has been an active member of this institution ever since its foundation. One of the most important projects in which the City of Utica has participated is the Exchange Programme, and the continuation of this Programme known as Exchange is underway.