Future capital of culture Pécs is setting for CoR seminar on education and citizenship

COR/Future capital of culture Pécs is setting for CoR seminar on education and citizenship

On 11 September, the city of Pécs, home to the oldest university in Hungary and joint European Capital of Culture for 2010, will host a seminar on Learning Regions and Cities Promoting Active Citizenship for the Committee of the Regions' (CoR) Commission for Education, Culture and Research (EDUC).

Márta KUNSZT, Vice-Mayor of the City of Pécs, will join Balázs NÉMETH, member of Pécs City Council, and Jyrki MYLLYVIRTA, Mayor of Mikkeli, Finland, and chairman of the EDUC Commission of the Committee of the Regions in welcoming members of the CoR's EDUC Commission.

The event will also be attended by Ferenc KÉKES, President of the General Assembly of Baranya County, Roberto PELLA, member of Biella Municipal Council, Italy, and rapporteur of the CoR’s opinion on Addressing the concerns of young people in Europe - implementing the European Youth Pact and promoting active citizenship, and Karin LOPATTA-LOIBL, of the European Commission's directorate-general for education and culture

Pecs is regarded as a centre of innovation, with exceptional facilities, epitomised by the assembly hall where the seminar will be taking place. The seminar aims to address the policy issues surrounding education and its connection to active citizenship and promote the exchange of best practice regarding educational initiatives and strategies for active citizenship at local and regional level. It will also seek to promote cooperation between local and regional authorities in the creation of Learning Regions and Cities.

Following an opening address from Vice Mayor Kunszt on behalf of absent Mayor László Toller, Mr Németh, an alternate member of the CoR, will introduce the first half of the seminar which focuses on education as the key means for promoting active citizenship. The second part of the session, chaired by Dr Imre László KOMLÓSI, Vice-President of the University of Pécs, will examine how cities and regions cooperate in promoting active citizenship in their education and training programmes, emphasising how regions can use opportunities to set up networks in this area.

EU Committee of the Regions

The Brussels-based Committee of the Regions (CoR) was established by the Maastricht Treaty in 1994 as a consultative body to provide representatives of local and regional government with a voice at the heart of the European Union. The European Commission and Council of Ministers are obliged to consult the CoR’s 317 members on proposed EU laws across a wide range of policy areas, including employment, transport and the environment. The assembly can also be consulted by the European Parliament.

Hungary has twelve full and twelve alternate members, nominated by the government, in the CoR.