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Students presented PIPE to an international audience

Impressions from St. Petersburg 2003-11-22

Here are four impressions about the BSSSC Conference in St. Petersburg, and how the students and management presented the project, and what response and feedback we gained from the participants.

Alla Mamonova to the left in this picture

Impression 1 from a russian student

On october 23, Thursday more than 350 people from 11 Baltic Sea countries gathered in St. Petersburg for BSSSC annual Conference. Among all these participants was PIPE team of 12 members, full of energy, PIPE spirit and enthusiasm people from Russia, Norway and Latvia.

The meeting consisted of some important and also boring conferenses, but definitely the most vivid part was the workshop devoted to PIPE project activity! Students presented the work they have done in their regions and their future goals whithin PIPE.

In addition, the management introduced the project on the whole. The action was spectacular and involving and indeed catched everyones attention. some listerners were even putting down almost everything PIPErs were talking about..!! Our promotion of the project was also very good.

So, how the audience responded to the whole thing?? I think everyone was impressed! Everything worked out great!

I shall undoubtedly say-PIPE was starringJ

by Alla Mamonova

student

The Latvian delegation from the left: Kristîne Mihaïova , Linda Bçrziòa ,Edgars Vimba and Lothars Dravants

Impression 2 from the Latvian delegation

23 25. Of October in St. Petersburg took place the annual conference regarding measures happening in the BSR.

In this conference took part three representatives from PIPE, LATVIA project Linda Bçrziòa (entrepreneurship class), Kristîne Mihaïova (training program for Cesis city youth council), Edgars Vimba (regional identity research group). Our main goal in this conference was to present PIPE project and actively participate and acquire new know ledges about collaboration between located in the Baltic Sea region.

Generally, I can say that we were one of the younger participants and we needed to work together with very experienced people it made this process more interesting for us.

We participated in the official opening of the BSSSC conference. There were given speeches by very high officials. The best I remember the speech given by representative of the European Commission Mrs. Katherine Borg Ram about the fact, that all depends only on our own initiative. She said that is very important part already today to realize and stimulate Baltic Sea region countries to collaborate.

After that conference the work was happening in different workshops what were completed according to the interests. All participants from PIPE project were acting in the group called: Youth in the Baltic sea region. After some instructions all were watching for the presentation of the PIPE project. It consisted of four parts. The introduction was given by project manager Alf. S. Johansen with very interesting and creative presentation. Then in very high-level information about project gave Edgars Vimba. But about experience gained during the project realization in Russia - in Murmansk told Artjom Berbov. But after that senior advisor of PIPE Bjorn Opjodsmoen, gave the conclusions and outlooks. I can say, that the great competition and nice speeches from participants, and activity had made really big interest about PIPE project.

I think it was really important conference for each of us, and it gave important investment in our further activities.

From the dinner party

Impression 3 from the Latvian delegation

From 23-25 October The Baltic states Co-operation took place in St.Petersburg. Politians from European countries took part in the event. The PIPE also participated in the conference. Our project was represented by the youth of Latvia and Russia. We introduced the audience with the main objectives of our project and the work we are involved in.

These days were stimulating for us, since we were kindly invited to take part in the workshop"The youth of the Baltic Sea Region" and other interesting activities. We discussed the issue of youth co-operation in different countries. Also we tried to identify the problems which prevent the successful co-operation and find solutions to them.

To my mind, it was very sweet of the authorities of St.Petersburg to have invited us to a dinner party on behalf of the Citys 300th anniversary.
This conference gave us a chance to see politicians at work and to understand what the politics is.

And what is most important:we felt welcome there and were treated on equal grounds with the other participants. We will never forget the nice time we had in St.Petersburg.Thank you very much.

Informing about PIPE at the BSSSC Conference

Impression 4 from the Latvian delegation

A report about the participation in the BSSSC XI Annual conference in St. Petersburg,
23 25 October, 2003

I, Edgars Vimba, have taken part in the BSSSC XI Annual conference in St. Petersburg, 23 25 October, 2003.

The aim of the participation was to present and promote PIPE project overall and give examples about its realization in Latvia. The project was presented in front of high officials and a lot of politicians have got acquainted with the project. I think that it will give positive effect to the PIPE project and help in the future to realize PIPE and other projects. This conference has really helped to promote project and the name of it will sound in very different regions located in Europe. It wills doubtless affect positively other regions and especially small municipalities, so the PIPE will have been helping to the other municipalities to involve youth in the development process.

During this conference I acquired a lot of new knowledge about Europes political structure and its development tendencies. I have improved my language skills and experienced different culture in Russia during these days. The speeches given by representatives of different organizations gave me impression how are the international organizations working and how important their contribution to the development is.

I can conclude that such kind of conferences is very important to the projects development and my personal growth.

I would like to take part in the next conferences as well in order to ensure good project promotion on the international scene.

Edgars Vimba,

Member of the steering committee