The LAZ association coordinated the application and implementation of the project, which was acquired by the Municipality of Šmartno pri Litija on the Europe for Citizens program. We carried out activities 1.1. – Meetings of citizens with the partner municipality of Brezniški Hum from Croatia.
The Croats proved to be very good hosts, all participants were very satisfied.
On Saturday, November 10, 2012, at the ceremonial meeting of the municipal council of the municipality of Brezniški Hum in Croatian Zagorje, which, like the municipality of Šmartno pri Litija, is celebrating its municipal holiday on Martin’s Day, the mayors of both municipalities, Milan Izlakar and Zoran Hegedić signed a document of friendship and cooperation. The event was attended by 60 Šmarčani from the ranks of societies and municipal councilors.
The signing of the document is the result of a meeting of citizens of both municipalities, which took place from the ninth to the eleventh of November. The meeting of more than 100 socially engaged representatives from both municipalities is the activity of the Lagex project, for which the municipality of Šmartno pri Litija, as a leading partner, obtained European funds from the Europe for Citizens program. The program is intended to co-finance international projects aimed at encouraging active European citizenship. By connecting the inhabitants of local communities in Europe and networking non-governmental and other organizations that work within the framework of civil society, the European Union wants to improve the participation of civil society in the formation of Europe.
It is no coincidence that the meeting took place on St. Martin’s Day, because on a symbolic level, it is the patron saint Martin who connects the two municipalities. Otherwise, the common point of the meeting was the exchange of experience in the implementation of the LEADER approach projects from the European Fund for Rural Development. The municipality of Šmartno pri Litija is the co-founder of the local action group LAS Srce Slovenije, and from the private sector, the co-founder from the Šmarska municipality is the Association for Rural Development Laz from the Jablaniška Valley. The implementation of the LAGEx or LAG Exchange project – exchange of local action groups in Slovenian, was taken over by the LAZ association.
In addition to the mayor, three councilors, the president of the supervisory board of the municipality, the vice-principal of the elementary school, the meeting was also attended by representatives of the members of the LAZ association, the Štuc winegrowing association and the Dolina Sports Association. The presentation of the municipality was enriched with a new film about the municipality, the presentation of the projects of the societies, financed from the funds of the LAS Srce Slovenije, with many photographs and personal good and bad experiences in the implementation of projects. In the field, the hosts presented us with an interesting rural offer, which is dealt with by associations and innovative entrepreneurs. In particular, the 60-member Slovenian delegation was impressed by the approach to the organization of Martinovanje, which, unlike Šmarski, is very well attended, even though the municipality of Brezniški Hum has only 1,500 inhabitants.
The signed document on cooperation expresses the mayor’s desire and will to develop friendship between the citizens of both municipalities and the promotion of activities for the development of joint projects. However, the municipalities are looking for European funds that would financially enable the implementation of ideas and initiatives that were exchanged by the mayor and citizens of both municipalities at the meeting.
When saying goodbye to their new friends, the participants of the meeting invited the hosts to Slovenia next year. The associations expressed their desire for greater mutual cooperation, both in the organization of major events in the municipality of Šmartno pri Litija, as well as in the implementation of joint projects.