Background
On August 27, 2004, the Municipality of Svishtov signed an agreement for collaboration with the City Council of Students (CCS). According to the agreement, the Municipality started receiving information of the problems, questions, and solutions of this age group of the Svishtov population. The agreement also deepened and encouraged the contacts between the Municipality of Svishtov and the student association.

Practice

The agreement deepened and encouraged the contacts between the Municipality of Svishtov and the student association. The relation between the two institutions is multilateral. On one side, the Municipality established open dialog and cooperation with the young people in taking management decisions, concerning their part of the population. The cooperation between the two sides of the agreement covers the following areas:

- consultations in project development;

- joint activities with high school and university students;

- partnership in development and realization of various projects;

- joint researches and inquiries among citizens on issues of public significance.

The Municipality of Svishtov and the City Council of Students exchange successful practices and information. The student association counts on the Municipality for financial and material support, for participation in seminars on regional and national level, as well as for support in realization of projects initiated by the students themselves (Internet TV and radio, for example), and contact establishment. The areas of collaboration are: environment, preservation of the biodiversity, culture and education, tourism, spare time and sport activities, and information services. The mutual understanding, trust and tolerance between the Municipality of Svishtov and the City Council of Students are the main preconditions for activating of the civic participation in resolving of local problems.

Results

For the first time the Municipality of Svishtov looked for new ways and areas of cooperation with the youngest citizens of the municipality. With its new initiative, the Municipal management contributed to the development of a civil society in the spirit of European cultural values.