AEBR Annual Events (2022): “New solutions for the future of cross-border regions”

The AEBR Annual Events 2022 took place in Szeged and Novi Sad between 28 September and 2 October 2022, with a special focus on the European Year of Youth and its related aspects such as cross-border cooperation, cross-border public services, smart solutions for mobility in border regions and other challenges, the role of multiculturalism, etc.

The events began with the VI edition of AEBR Cross-Border School held at Szeged (Hungary) on Wednesday, 28 September 2022, in cooperation with the Euroregion DKMT, and in close collaboration with the Radboud University of Nijmegen and the Province of Gelderland (NL). From 2022 on, the CBS is also part of the 21st Century Borders project, led by the University of Victoria (Canada) within the BIG Lab (Borders in Globalisation).

Since this year’s general emphasis is on youth and CBC, the Cross-Border School’s four panels focused on education across borders, retaining young people/talent in “empty” regions and cross-border youth mobility and opportunities. While various experiences were collected both from academics and practitioners as well as from young people themselves living in border regions in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and North America, the general conclusion was that life in a border region is challenging and motivating which if it is filled with meaning then it can become truly rewarding.

CESCI was represented at the conference by Melinda Benczi, international relations coordinator who participated in a panel together with Anne Thevenet (Trans-Frontier Euro-Institut Network) and Dirk Peters (DG REGIO, European Commission) moderated by Martín Guillermo Ramírez (AEBR Secretary General).

In Novi Sad, in the Great Hall of The Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the organisation held its ordinary General Assembly. CESCI (as a member of AEBR) was represented by Mátyás Jaschitz, director. The general assembly agreed on all items in a constructive way and with solid votes.

After the GA meeting, The Annual Conference started with the salutational speeches of Igor Mirovic, (President of the Provincial Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina), Istvan Pásztor (President of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina), Alexandru Proteasa (Vice-president, Timis County Council (RO)), Dr. Eörs Polner (Vice-President of Csongrád-Csanád County Council (HU)), Olivér Várhelyi (European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement), Thomas Andersson (Chair of the Current Affairs Committee, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities at the Council of Europe, President of the Regional Council of Jämtland and Härjedalen (SE)) Vasco Alves Cordeiro (President of the European Committee of the Regions) and Karl-Heinz Lambertz (AEBR President and President of the Parliament of the German-speaking Community of Belgium).

The thematic content was built up from various topics from “The New EU Financial Perspective and Cross-Border Cooperation”, through “Cross Border Public Services” and “Smart solutions for cross-border cooperation”, or “The Youth Manifesto: how to make CBC-policies more open to young people’s participation”, to “Multiculturalism, border regions and Youth”. The professional program ended with workshops, like “Youth Engagement in Cross Border Cooperation”, “How to apply to b-solutions’ call” and “Task Force External Borders”. From CESCI Mátyás Jaschitz held a presentation on the COVID effects on the border regimes around Hungary, within the frames of the panel dedicated to cross-border public services.