International cooperation

Cēsis town is:

Member of the Hanseatic League since 1367.

Member of the Union of the Baltic Cities since 1997.

Member of the European Historical Re-enactment Network since 2003.

Twinning towns:

 Achim (Germany)
Website: www.achim.de

The contract between municipalities of Cēsis and Achim was concluded in 1992. The leader of cooperation is Achim-Cēsis Friendship Society. Students from all Cēsis schools are in the youth group of the Society. Camps for students are organized every year. Cooperation includes different culture, education, and sports, as well as several completed social projects. The most successful ones: concerts of the Vidzeme chamber orchestra, Pils choir; volley-ball and ping-pong competitions, social assistance to the poor people in Cēsis. Significant experience in managing the municipality has been gained.

 Tyresö (Sweden)
Website: www.tyreso.se

A contract between Cēsis and Tyresö was concluded in 1991. It envisages the exchange of experience in municipal management, environmental protection, education, medicine and culture, and has been successful during last years. Several projects in the field of sports and education of the youth have been implemented.

 Rokiskis (Lithuania)
Website: www.rokiskis.lt

A contract on cooperation was concluded in 2000. It envisages cooperation in the exchange of experience in managing the municipality, social security, ecology, tourism, culture, education and sports.

 Rakvere (Estonia)
Website: www.rakvere.ee

The letter of intent on cooperation was signed on 7 May, 2004. Several visits for the exchange of experience have taken places, as well as project – international camp in Rakvere where students from Cēsis also participated – has been carried out.

 

 Verese (Italy)
Website: www.comune.varese.it

A contract on cooperation was concluded in June, 2003. It envisages the cooperation in the spheres of economics and tourism.

 Venafro (Italy):
Website: Venafro

A contract on cooperation between the town of Venafro and Cēsis City Council was concluded in 1991. A project on a successful exchange of information between the partners is being framed.

 Konstancin-Jeziorna (Poland)
Website: www.konstancinjeziorna.pl

The Protocol of intensions has been made between the municipalities of Cēsis and Konstancin-Jeziorna on 27 January, 2009 for the purpose of establishing both towns exchange between the communities and its citizens. The Protocol schedules contribute to and promote co-operation and exchanges within the fields of culture, art, sport and education.

 Zhovkva (Ukraine)
Website: Zhovkva

The protocol of intensions has been signed in 2005. Main aim to collaborate is to keep updated information among international institutions, city’s administration departments, schools, culture institutions ect, as well as to promote meeting possibilities among both countries and towns youth and organizations.

 Tara (Russia)

Cēsis was first town that offered possibility to Tara to be as a twinning town in 2002. In Tara live more than 27 thousands of inhabitants, 50 thousands – in district of Tara. The reason of converge Tara to be a twinning city was that several hundreds of Cēsis inhabitants were moved to Tara, as well as the reason was connected with fast development of Tara’s economy, social life, education, culture and art. Different activities, common projects, visits and exchanges have been taken place.

Common Twinning city with Cesis District Council

Frederiksberg (Denmark)
Website: www.frederiksberg.dk

A contract between Cēsis Regional Council, Cēsis City Council and Frederiksberg Municipality was concluded on December 16, 1996. The contract envisages cooperation in the field of education, culture, business accounting, planning, tourism, health care and social security. There has been the exhibition of craftsmanship and art organized at Frederiksberg. We have a very good cooperation with the Centre of Adult Education in Frederiksberg. Businessmen and representatives from organizations supporting business participate in the exhibition “Businessman of Cēsis” every year. Frederiksberg Municipality has given a bus to Cēsis Region. The bus is now carrying passengers at CATA, a transportation enterprise at Cēsis.

Cooperation towns in Latvia

By uniting municipalities of Cēsis, Rūjiena, Cesvaine, Madona, Smiltene, Staicele, Aloja, Ainaži, Amata, Jērcēni, Arona, Skaņkalne, Ošupe and Trikāta 'Public service regulator’ was formed on 10 June, 2002. On 1 October, 2002 municipalities of Lubāna, Indrāni, Ērģeme, Vestiena, Salacgrīva, Plāņi, Dzelzava, Ērgļi, Blome and Liepa also joined it.

On 21 March, 2002, during the general meeting of members, statutes of the Ltd. voluntary organization (v/o) ‘North Vidzeme Waste Management Organization ‘(NVWMO) were approved. 80 municipalities united in this organization.

On 8 November, 2002 Ainaži City Council and Cēsis City Council signed the letter of intent on mutual cooperation in the fields of education, culture, tourism and information technologies.

As a result of cooperation between Cēsis City Council and other physical and legal entities, following establishments were formed: Ltd. ‘Cēsis Olympic Centre', Boarding house, Night shelter, Night shelter for men, Public Sauna etc. There are shares in v/o ‘Cēsis Market’ (Cēsu tirgus), ‘Vidzeme TV’ (TV Vidzeme), JSC Cēsis Beer (Cēsu alus), JSC DanLatGruppen Latvia etc.

In 2003 agreement was concluded among City Councils of Valmiera, Ainaži and Cēsis about organization of the camp “Zīļu laipa” for Siberian Latvian children. This camp will take place this year from 29.07.to 08.07., and it is supported by the Social Integration Fund.
 

Cēsis has had a long historical experience of being a member of the Union of Hanseatic Cities. It allows the city to participate actively in the traditional Hanseatic Days held in one of the 200 member cities every year. During Hanseatic Days there is an opportunity to inform the member cities on the town, its culture and business.

Cēsis, together with the cities of Jēkabpils, Liepāja, Rēzekne, Rīga and Ventspils, is a member of the Union of Baltic Cities. There are 84 towns and cities in the Union. Cēsis participates in international seminars and conferences.
 

Different projects, elaborated together with these sister cities, envisage cooperation in the exchange of experience in tourism and ecology. Cēsis City Council and Östergotland County Council have elaborated a project providing for training in ecological tourism. Cēsis City council helps actively the people that are interested in the development of ecological tourism. Cooperation with Iisalmi region in Finland includes a project that envisages the management of tourism in the countryside. Several towns in the Northern Vidzeme, together with regions in Lithuania, have begun a significant project on the development of culture and tourism.