1. Origin, scope and objective of the report
1. City to city co-operation may
apply to a wide range of urban communities. Certainly it does to
large ones such as Berlin, London, Moscow and Paris. But it also
applies to smaller populations within cities of less than 1 million,
to those in towns of a few thousand and even to those in villages
of only a few hundred people. For constructive relationships between
cities, towns and villages do not have to depend upon size or status,
or even upon populations themselves. For within Europe’s urban
areas these can equally be forged between civil society groups,
cultural institutions, businesses and social enterprises.
2. This report argues that good democracy requires strong support
by administrations, cultural and educational institutions, associations
and citizens, especially at local level. Therefore, the Parliamentary Assembly
should assist citizens’ cultural and educational opportunities and
facilitate international co-operation in this field.
3. Recent European elections reflect mistrust of and alienation
from politicians and their institutions. City-to-city co-operation
is viewed differently. Much freer from European bureaucracy it is
also even independent of national control and interference. For
it consists of direct exchanges between European communities themselves;
particularly through the arts, cultural heritage, the creative industries
and intercultural dialogue. As a result, working synergies and partnerships
are forged. These not only involve institutions and local authorities but
the private sector and citizens as well. Such contacts thus serve
to rebuild confidence, enthusiasm and trust.
4. Yet attempts to form international links face challenges from
economic cutbacks, the tendency of States and governments to centralise
and from a rise in racial prejudice. Consequently heritage and
culture can often be sidelined. Ironically, however, thanks to cheap
travel, social media and common language, the opportunities for
international communication and exchange have never been greater.
5. This report seeks to connect three themes: the nature and
purpose of city-to-city co-operation, particularly in the field
of culture; its assistance to democracy and stability in Europe;
and how it can best be advanced by governments and institutions.
6. Between cities and communities, the benefits of cultural exchange
are identified in terms of better understanding of its quality and
diversity, of enhanced scope and political will for it to be built
up and managed; of greater numbers of people who have access to
their own heritage and who take part in local cultural life; and of
more employment and improved economic returns connected with the
development of cultural tourism.
7. The report also recommends the adoption of certain measures
both at local and national levels to encourage city-to-city co-operation
in the field of culture. Existing achievements should be highlighted.
These include the work of individual artists, that of cultural and
other associations in cities and the huge contribution by civil
society initiatives and local participants.
8. It will be argued that European identity benefits from city
cultural co-operation in three ways. From strengthened cultural
awareness in itself. That this leads to greater appreciation and
respect for difference and diversity. And thereby that bridges can
be built across cultural divides.
9. The Council of Europe has consistently promoted cultural exchange
and diversity in Europe: through its Congress of Local and Regional
Authorities;

through its Centre of Expertise
for Local Government Reform; by its endorsement of the Council of
Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for
Society (CETS No. 199, “Faro Convention”); and through its co-ordination
of the European Cultural Routes and the expanding network of Intercultural
cities.
2. Brief
historic overview
10. There is a long history of
international city-to-city co-operation in Europe. This has assisted
peace and prosperity across the continent, particularly through cultural
exchanges.
11. Since the time of ancient Greece and its city States, there
have been countless examples of cities co-operating with each other.
Thriving for several centuries is not least the Hanseatic League
which connected about two hundred towns and city States in pursuit
of mutual trade and political influence. The rise of nation States
from the 16th century onwards gradually diluted the influence and
independence of European cities.
12. However, towards the end of the 19th century their independence
partially revived. This was caused by dissatisfaction with Europe’s
nationalism and its aggressive policies. Cities thus then came to
stand for peace and solidarity,

resulting
in the foundation of the International Union of Local Authorities
(IULA) in 1913. Yet it was not until after the Second World War
that they provided both a key initiative and moral lead. At municipal level,
this was to form links and partnerships between nations which had
recently been fighting each other. Thus was born what became known
as the “town twinning” movement,

which in Europe has been assisted since
the 1950s by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions
(CEMR).

13. Created by the Parliamentary Assembly in 1955, the Europe
Prize rewards municipalities which have twinning arrangements with
foreign municipalities and are involved in a wide range of activities
to develop the relationship with their European partners. Sixty
years after it was set up, the Europe Prize with its four separate awards
(the European Diploma, the Flag of Honour, the Plaque of Honour
and the Europe Prize) is as relevant as ever, representing as it
does an important vehicle for improving relations between European
citizens.
14. It is estimated that 70% of the world’s cities have been engaged
in some type of international co-operation, while over 11 000 pairs
of cities in 159 countries have entered into twinning relationships.

In
1989, the European Parliament formally recognised the role of town
twinning and established a funding stream which survives in the
new
Europe for Citizens 2014-2020 programme.

15. While, as indicated, common interests can be followed up bilaterally
between two cities or centres, they can also be pursued multilaterally
between several cities and through EUROCITIES

or
similar networks which any particular city may join.
16. In 2004, IULA merged with other municipal organisations to
form the global body: United Cities and Local Government (UCLG),
with CEMR acting as its subsidiary for Europe. The emergence of
UCLG reflects the important role now acknowledged to be played by
cities and their administrations alongside national and international
bodies.
3. Main
themes and trends of city-to-city co-operation
17. Until the 1990s, most city
twinning focused on education and cultural exchanges. This same focus continues.
However, many twinning links are now also used to assist business,
trade, apprenticeships and jobs within their respective local economies,
thereby raising their own city profiles.
18. Nor has twinning been confined to European cities as a reciprocal
practice amongst themselves; a great number of links have been formed
between European cities and those elsewhere. To some extent, these
reflect global migration. The international wing of the Dutch Association
of Municipalities is an example.

Many European cities have forged
relationships in the developing world with regions which may also
be the source locations for their own resident foreign migrants.
Such links (often known as “city diplomacy”

or “decentralised development co-operation”),
while mainly providing technical assistance, often also offer mediation
and peace-building in former conflict zones; as a result of these
activities, community integrity and confidence also benefits host
cities.

19. Another noticeable trend over recent years is a diminution
in the role of local authorities and the growing importance of civil
society (both professional and voluntary) in the maintenance of
international relationships.

20. Over the last five years, the economic downturn has reduced
international commitments (both bilateral and network memberships).
Some argue that the only way for town twinning to survive is as
an arm of city promotion and investment strategies.

Others,
however, say it must proceed free of performance management and
value-for-money auditing, achieving its purpose through informal
ties and rituals of hospitality and empathy.

21. Some also claim that the traditional post-War model of twinning
is no longer relevant; yet within a current background of austerity,
euro scepticism and national insularity it is instead outdated.
Hence it is asserted that whilst town twinning and individual exchange
programmes such as Erasmus may have mainly engaged a middle class
audience, they have had little persuasive influence upon the groups
in society from whom the populist-xenophobic political parties draw
most of their support.

4. City
co-operation in the field of culture 
22. “If I were to start anew, I
would start from culture” are words often ascribed to Jean Monnet.
Culture provides an accessible platform upon which to bring together
not only strangers, but past or potential antagonists. As a powerful
healing agent it has already carried out an invaluable service since
1945. Yet within and between cities it can also now clearly help
to promote many other useful actions.
23. There are several ways in which cities have sought to co-operate
within the context of culture:
- bilateral
twinning relationships may begin with general cultural and education
exchanges, then develop into working synergies in other connected
spheres such as technical knowledge, business, trade, apprenticeships
and employment; for example between Croatia and the United Kingdom,
such working synergies exist between Zadar and Dundee, as well as
those between Dubrovnik, Zadar and Inverness;
- multilateral collaborations are often within the framework
of a European Commission funding programme such as INTERREG, URBACT
and Creative Europe; or form part of the Council of Europe’s Framework
Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society;
- networks which include a cultural element, for example:
- UCLG’s Agenda 21 for Culture
- UNESCO’s Creative Cities
- EUROCITIES’ Culture Forum
- The Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities network;
- city networks devoted to culture, in particular:
- World Cities Culture Forum
- Les Rencontres – Association of European Cities and Regions
for Culture
- CreArt (Network of Cities for Artistic Creation)
- European Cities and Capitals of Culture
- European Association of Historic Towns and Regions
- Inter-City Intangible Cultural Co-operation Network
- Organisation of World Heritage Cities
- Network of European Regions for a Sustainable and Competitive
Tourism.
4.1. Obstacles
to co-operation
4.1.1. Financial
austerity
24. A city’s international programmes
must always play second fiddle to its main commitments, and all
the more so during periods of austerity. These include statutory
responsibilities to deliver certain services such as the provision
of education and welfare or the maintenance of essential infrastructures.
In this scenario, it is very difficult to retain budgets for traditional
city-twinning activities or to contemplate joining international
networks.
4.1.2. Lack
of powers and initiative
25. One reason why cities find
it difficult to maintain internationalism is that they lack the
powers to take independent decisions and action. In many countries,
the national government defines the role of local government and
disburses finance from the centre, leaving cities with little room
for manoeuvre, even if they were so inclined.
4.1.3. Dependence
and obsolescence
26. Even where independent twinning
associations have emerged over the years, driven by local fund-raising
initiatives, there is a now less enthusiasm than there used to be:
A whole generation of people who joined such associations in their
youth are now ageing and withdrawing from active participation,
often not being replaced when they do.
4.1.4. Lack
of access and continuity
27. Equally, in the case of multi-city
networks and projects, many have become dependent upon one source of
funding, perhaps a time-limited European Commission grant, and thus
lack the flexibility to adapt when this expires.
28. One contribution to the survey which was conducted came from
Agenda 21 for Culture (A21C) (the culture and sustainability campaign
of UCLG with a global perspective); it mirrors the challenge which
Europe presently faces. Whilst noting that active collaboration
between cities in Asia and Latin America was now working well,
the respondent observed that many European cities seemed more concerned
with self-promotion, branding, fund-raising and short-term competitive
advantage. It warned that if and when Europe emerged from its current
preoccupation with austerity and xenophobia, it might be surprised
to find that other parts of the world have moved on to more advanced
collaborative paradigms.

In order
to address this perceived deficit, A21C says it will seek to involve
many more European cities than in the past in its future activities
such as peer review and joint capacity-building programmes.
29. Asked to identify an example of best practice of city collaboration
in the European context, however, A21C was unequivocal in recommending
the Council of Europe’s own initiative, Intercultural Cities (see paragraph
36 below). Indeed A21C is proposing to emulate ICC’s structure and
methodology in the remodelling of its own strategy for the coming
decade.

30. Despite the problems indicated above, already new models for
international city co-operation are being designed and implemented.
Outlined below are some of the main advantages of city co-operation.
They are illustrated with some good practice examples.
4.2. The
benefits of city co-operation
31. Whilst local authorities can
galvanise local identity and create the conditions for international
co-operation, they neither can nor should monopolise the field.
Their role is to provide a space in which many groups and interests
within public service, civil society and the private sector can
pursue worthwhile endeavours.
32. The motivations and enabling mechanisms for such relationships
are diverse, but there remains an important role for national and
supranational organisations such as the Council of Europe itself.
Other benefits outlined below still derive from the leadership of
city government, but many of the most dynamic come from “bottom-up”
initiatives.
4.2.1. Creating
a European cultural identity
33. After the Second World War,
the town twinning movement provided a consensual and democratic identity
for the former combatants of western Europe. Then again in 1989,
a new post-Cold War identity was made possible. Once again city
partnerships and networks were actively forged. Yet a generation
has elapsed since then and there is now the need to give renewed
vigour and contemporary relevance to this objective. The following
are two examples of such attempts.
34. CORNERS is an intercultural artists platform. It was initiated
in 2010 by six cultural institutions – Europe–Intercult (Stockholm),
Exodos (Ljubljana), POGON (Zagreb), Drugo More (Rijeka), City Culture
Institute (Gdansk) and Umeå 2014–European Capital of Culture – and
has subsequently forged partnerships with institutions in Bulgaria,
Georgia, Italy, Kosovo*,

Serbia, Spain and the
United Kingdom. In its first phase, it conducted extensive expeditions
by mixed groups of artists to the former Yugoslavia, the Caucasus,
eastern Europe, Lapland, the Basque Country and Northern Ireland,
with the intention of forging transnational collaborations. Now,
having won funding under the European Union Creative Europe programme,
it is transforming these creative relationships into practical projects
in local communities. For example, one project is comparing the
meaning and uses of public space between Croatia and the United
Kingdom; whilst another brings artists from Sweden, Poland and Serbia
together to engage with “street corner” children in Slovenia.

35. For many decades, the land border between Russia, Norway and
Finland in the high Arctic was a troubled and restricted place.
It experienced extreme destruction in the Second World War and was
then locked down as a high security NATO/USSR barrier for decades.
It suffered a further disadvantage of being so far in the North
that the communities of Kirkenes, Murmansk and Nikel were hardly
known and not even considered part of Europe. Now, however, a common
community of interest is developing there along the coast of the Barents
Sea, representing both the ancient lands of the Sami people and
the future management of the rich economic resources of land and
sea and of climate change. Yet even though there is more freedom
of travel across the political border, it has remained difficult
to create common spaces of interaction between Norwegians and Russians.
The arts have provided a most effective solution, particularly through
the annual Barents Spektakel organised by the multilingual and intercultural
organisation Girls on the Bridge (
Pikene
på Broen). Through the co-operation of artists and children
and audiences travelling to experience various co-productions either
side of the border, as well as the commissioning of work from throughout
the continent, there are now many tangible reasons for the people
of the Barents to feel like full members of Europe.

4.2.2. Encouraging
the appreciation of diversity and living together
36. If European cities engage their
diverse citizens, then clearly they also enhance European democracy and
stability. The following examples indicate how international and
local actors can work together to assist this process.
37. The Intercultural Cities network (ICC) was founded in 2008
by the Council of Europe in response to the White Paper on Intercultural
Dialogue and in solidarity with the European Year of Intercultural
Dialogue. It highlights that cities were the important stage upon
which would be negotiated (for better or worse) the future of a
multi-ethnic Europe. It challenges xenophobic rhetoric with a concept
of “diversity advantage” which sees opportunity and innovation in
diversity and interaction. It gives agency to cities to design policies
and practices which will release these resources and facilitate
co-operation between politicians, officials, civil society, business
and the media in over 60 European cities. The ICC Index enables
cities to analyse their practices according to a 70-point profile
and to compare themselves with peers; and empowers them to experiment
and take calculated risks in pursuit of new ideas. Whilst a supranational
body has provided a shaping framework, the cities actively participate
in the setting of agendas, priorities and the sharing of costs.
38. By encouraging joint working between cities, the ICC has enabled
several spin-off projects to emerge, and has also enabled good local
ideas to be scaled-up to an international level. A good example
of the former is SPARDA (Shaping Perceptions and Attitudes to Realise
Diversity Advantage), which aims to foster successful integration
of migrants by designing better local communication strategies.
Seven partner cities (Coimbra (Portugal), Had-Dingli/Malta, Limassol
(Cyprus), Patras (Greece), Reggio Emilia (Italy), Lyons (France)
and Valencia (Spain)) were selected as pilot locations to implement
communication campaigns. Results were promising.

An example of the latter is the project
Antirumores, originally designed to counter the spread of misinformation
about immigrants in Barcelona; this project has now been adopted
across many European cities.

39. The City of Melitopol in south-eastern Ukraine joined the
Intercultural Cities network with a clear understanding of the “diversity
advantage” that could be achieved. Firstly, it wished to raise awareness
of itself as a city which, despite many waves of invasion, immigration
and settlement, has managed to maintain a harmonious community free
of inter-communal acrimony. Secondly, it wished to employ this as
a tool in tackling the severe degradation to its heritage and to
the environment caused by years of economic hardship. The centrepiece
of this strategy is a plan to revive its large and derelict park
as an “intercultural park” which would both reflect the diversity
of the local population and be a tourist destination. It made an
appeal through the ICC for international advice and the Fontys University
in Tilburg (Netherlands), an ICC member, responded. Fontys formed
a multidisciplinary team from Ukraine, Norway, Portugal, Canada,
Netherlands and the United Kingdom and conducted an intense and
creative assessment of the park, in association with local residents,
resulting in a plan that Melitopol will be able to follow for years
to come.

40. Many innovative co-operation projects have been initiated
under the Europe for Citizens banner, but many too have languished
once their initial injection of European Union funding has expired.
Thus more projects should establish a sustainable and longer-term
existence in order to mature and capitalise upon the international
co-operation links which have been established. A good example of
this is the project Cooking Away Prejudices, initiated by the National
Institute for Social Integration in Vilnius. Civil Society organisations from
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia came together with UNITED for Intercultural
Action from Amsterdam to evolve an effective model for undermining
xenophobia; which model they have dubbed “Travelling Social Cuisine”.
The project brings youngsters together for joint cooking exercises,
“Human Libraries” in which they may “borrow” people from different
cultural backgrounds to learn about their lives, and facilitate
discussions. It has been evaluated a success in reducing racism
in the Baltic republics.

4.2.3. Achieving
better management and protection of local culture and heritage
41. Europe’s historic and contemporary
culture faces many threats including neglect, environmental degradation,
speculative and exploitative land development, and the lack of resources
or appropriate management skills; but is also presented with many
opportunities too. In a climate of finite resources and austerity,
it is unacceptable for there to be wastage or duplication, but this
is always likely if localities lack the curiosity or the capacity
to learn from the experience of others. City co-operation is one
of the most effective and efficient ways of directing knowledge
and competence to those who need it, as can be seen from the examples
below.
42. Maintaining the integrity of a city’s built heritage, whilst
improving its accessibility is an important challenge. One such challenge
was a city-to-city co-operation venture between the Polish city
of Warsaw’s Heritage Protection Department and the Norwegian city
of Bergen’s Heritage Management Office, to exchange experience and
expert knowledge on how to improve disabled access to historic buildings
without compromising their historical character and settings. The
project took the form of exchange visit-workshops between Warsaw
and Bergen specialists, followed by a seminar in Warsaw summarising
the findings along with a publication in two languages (Polish and
English).

43. Projecting such city-to-city models on a large scale has produced
the Inter-City Intangible Cultural Cooperation Network (ICCN).

It is the only international organisation
of local governments and cultural organisations that aims to safeguard
the world’s Intangible Cultural Heritage and “its inseparable relation
to sustainable local development” and is a UNESCO-endorsed non-governmental
organisation (NGO). Significantly, it also proclaims its aim to
“make cultural peace” based on mutual understanding formed through intercultural
dialogue. The ICCN is a global network with many European members,
but seems to be notably absent in much of the north and east of
the continent. Its highlight is an annual International Forum which specifically
engages the enthusiasm of young people in both the protection and
creation of intangible heritage.
44. TANDEM is an exchange programme that assists cultural organisations
in building long-term, international working relationships. It supports
knowledge development through pairing cultural managers from different
countries, and their organisations, in a year-long programme of
training and co-operation, leading to joint projects in each other’s
cities. It also creates wider networking and fund-raising opportunities
with project partners from Europe and beyond. Since 2011, TANDEM
has brought together more than 200 independent cultural organisations
and supported the professional development of over 150 cultural
managers from more than 80 cities and 25 countries in Europe and
its near neighbourhood. Examples of its achievements include connecting
traditional textile makers in rural Republic of Moldova with leading
fashion designers in Berlin; and artists from Turkey and London
collaborating to track the routes, and tell the stories of, Syrian
refugees to Europe. TANDEM is promoted by the European Cultural
Foundation and MitOst. Its current programme twins cultural managers
from Ukraine with their peers in the European Union,

whilst future plans include a programme
to connect past, present and future winners of, and candidates for,
the European Capital of Culture award.
4.2.4. Building
social cohesion and citizen participation
45. One of the best guarantors
of the maintenance of human rights and democratic values is the
active participation of citizens, local associations and businesses
in the life and decisions of their communities. Ironically, a great
way of invigorating and expanding such local initiative is through
exposing it to international comparison. Experience shows that when
youth and civic groups have the opportunity to travel to meet like-minded
people in other countries, not only do they discover new ideas and
skills, but they also learn many things about themselves that might
have remained hidden or dormant at home, as the examples below demonstrate.
46. Studies (quoted in paragraph 20 above) have suggested that
much international co-operation activity of the past has failed
to represent, benefit or influence working class communities in
Europe’s towns and cities. However, there is one organisation with
a specific remit to address these issues: Banlieues d’Europe, based in
Lyons (France). Founded in 1990, it now has 118 active international
partners and 7 500 contacts in Europe’s most disadvantaged urban
residential areas. The network covers many topics, but art and culture
is a constant leitmotif. In 2014, it enabled the cities of Belfast,
Munich, Turin, Vienna, Cluj-Napoca, Budapest, Madrid and Lyons to
co-operate on “UrbART”, the creation on an online Platform mapping
innovative youth cultural activities across Europe. A specific aim
is for the participants to develop awareness about the importance
of European mobility and opportunity provided by Erasmus+. Meanwhile,
between 2013 and 2015, “7 STEPS” is a network of seven European
partners in Brussels, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Lyons, Copenhagen
and Helsinki, which have carried out activities centred on choreographic
creation in urban dance.

47. The cities of Subotica in northern Serbia and Wolverhampton
in the English midlands have nurtured long-term relations founded
on the sharing of experience in building democratic participation
within a multi-ethnic environment. Originally brokered by the Network
of Local Democracy Agencies in the former Yugoslavia, close relationships
were built between politicians and senior officials in each municipality.

The longer term aim has been to connect
people in civil society, and the arts have been an effective means
to this. In particular, the Lighthouse Media Centre in Wolverhampton
has produced a film documentary demonstrating for British and Serbian
audiences how artists and musicians are overcoming the linguistic
and political barriers which have divided Subotica since the civil
war.

48. A member of the ICC network, the London Borough of Lewisham
has also been a pioneer of youth participation in democracy. For
the last decade it has held annual elections for a Youth Mayor and
a cabinet of Youth Advisors, possessing influence (and a £30 000
annual budget) in the borough. Because it works so well it attracts
a large youth electorate and is much more than a token gesture.
This has aroused widespread international interest and in recent
months there have been invitations from cities in Denmark, Sweden,
Poland, and Norway to share ideas, broaden horizons and raise aspirations
with adults and young people. The Young Mayor’s team have also organised
training projects with Malta, the Czech Republic and Germany. Most notable,
however, has been the long-term relationship with Lewisham’s twin
town of Antony, a French commune in the southern suburbs of Paris.

49. Founded in 2010, the Doc Next Network aims to create a vibrant
European space where young people’s media messages are more accessible
in mainstream public discourse.

Its goal is to create an arena where the
views of a new generation of documentary makers, media artists and
emerging journalists are made more visible – opening the public’s
eye to new European perspectives. This unique movement offers new connections
between online free (remix) culture, the media industry, documentary
circuits, the arts establishments, academic environments and the
European policy-making arena. It is founded upon four independent
cultural organisations which act as hubs for their wider regions,
namely: Association of Creative Initiatives “ę” (Warsaw, Poland),
British Film Institute (London, United Kingdom), Mode Istanbul (Istanbul, Turkey)
and ZEMOS98 (Seville, Spain). Since 2012, it has worked with some
50 young media-makers with a migrant background from the four cities,
and remixing the existing imagery of migrants in different European countries,
the project has had many spin-offs such as the touring live cinema
performance “European Souvenirs”.

4.2.5. Bringing
socio-economic investment to localities
50. There is increasing awareness
that through the application of sustainable heritage and cultural
tourism strategies, as through the encouragement and development
of creative industries, localities can achieve revenues, investment,
jobs and profile, and retain them in spite of globalisation. To
achieve the economies of scale or the flexible specialisation which
is necessary in these new economies, many cities are now finding advantage
in forging or renewing city relationships, as the examples below
demonstrate.
51. Through competitive bidding processes, such as the European
Capital of Culture, many cities now have the opportunity to raise
their profile and to position themselves within new international
relationships and networks. Experience suggests that the ability
to take long-term advantage of these short-term opportunities has
been rather variable, but a number of cities have shown real determination
to cement lasting relationships. Foremost amongst these has been
the city of Lille which has sought to build upon its role as European
Capital of Culture in 2004 with the Lille3000 initiative. For example,
in 2009, with “Europe XXL”, it embraced the cities and cultures
of Istanbul, Berlin, Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Budapest, Bucharest,
Warsaw, Ljubljana, Belgrade, Zagreb, Sarajevo and Moscow in a year
of festivals. Most of these collaborations over the last decade
have been linked to efforts to revive the economy and physical fabric
of the conurbation. For example, in 2012, the Futurotextiles expo
was held in the city on the occasion of the opening of the European
Centre for Innovative Textiles in the new industrial zone of Tourcoing,
l’Union. Lille-Métropole has also been elected as President of the
UCLG Committee on Culture, reflecting that its interests are not
only European but global.
52. At the place where eastern Styria in Austria, eastern Slovenia
and south-western Hungary meet, 24 municipalities from the three
regions have formed a pact for communication and co-operation. The
aim of the “24 Towns” project is to trial new and experimental ways
of marketing their towns and to increase the attractiveness of their
shared region to tourism generally; and on the back of this to develop
common cultural and commercial programmes. Most recently, this has
included joint development of technology and of a publicity strategy
to create a downloadable audio-guided touring system to be offered
in all 24 towns.

53. The Scottish city of Dundee and the city of Zadar on the Dalmatian
coast of Croatia have been twinned since 1959, and in February 2014,
the Council of Europe invited a small group of Dundee civic and
business leaders to visit Zadar. Dundee was represented by its Lord
Provost, who had talks with the President of the Zadar County Chamber
of Commerce. It emerged that Zadar has a thriving tourism sector,
a busy port, a large agricultural hinterland and considerable potential
for leisure businesses, including land earmarked for golf course
development. The city of Dundee shares these business and cultural
interests, enabling new alliances to be forged. Such is a good example
of how cities with old established links can act to refresh and
refocus their relationship to meet the new conditions of contemporary
Europe.
5. Conclusions
54. In the 21st century, with the
acceleration of urbanisation, cities have a greater impact than
ever before upon both the global community and within it the individual
himself. Whilst international co-operation between cities has always
been a natural facet of human civilisation, it has never been more
important or necessary than now. It is a source of important cultural,
social and technological innovations and has also been a significant
guarantor of peace and reconciliation.
55. Cultural heritage and cultural innovation have always been
an incentive and driver for international city co-operation. Culture
offers a unique means for us to negotiate the complex balancing
act of building local, global and multi-ethnic identities, and in
ways which enhance rather than undermine democracy and social capital.
56. In the current context of austerity and growing Euro-scepticism,
observed in recent European elections, city-to-city co-operation
offers an opportunity much closer to citizens. By increasing co-operation
activities and different forms of exchange among cities in Europe
(particularly through the arts, cultural heritage, the creative industries
and intercultural dialogue), new forms of creative partnerships
and connections are generated – involving not only local authorities
and institutional partners, but also the private sector, associations,
cultural actors and citizens directly – which may help to rebuild
confidence, enthusiasm and trust in Europe.
57. Such benefits cannot be taken for granted, however, and at
several levels there needs to be concerted action in order to realise
them.
58. Assisted by the Council of Europe, support should be given
to both national and local agencies in the field. The Council of
Europe already makes a significant contribution in this regard,
for example through its Congress of Local and Regional Authorities,
through its Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform, its endorsement
of the Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for
Society and its co-ordination of the European Cultural Routes and
the growing network of Intercultural Cities.
59. At metropolitan levels, there is a need to breathe new life
into long-standing bilateral and multilateral relationships as well
as to forge new networks. National and supranational agencies have
an important role in supporting them through devolving more powers
and initiatives or by helping to shape new mechanisms and networks.
60. Local authorities hold the key position in retaining and developing
international city relations, but they should raise their game in
the current climate. They must lift their sights above narrow econometric
factors and broaden the range of participation beyond educated elites.
They should also demonstrate political courage and leadership to
withstand the scepticism against internationalism emerging across
large sections of the media and the political spectrum.
61. Whilst municipalities remain central to the process, perhaps
the most significant and still-evolving impulse for local/international
co-operation is from civil society, particularly with the emergence
across Europe of a “Millennial Generation”, which moves with greater
ease across borders and identities. The challenge is for cities
and cultural institutions to have the openness and flexibility to
accommodate these loose and dynamic forces alongside more formal
political, administrative and business structures.