From November 3 to 6, the Municipality of Ankara hosted the 7th Summit of Mayors of major Balkan Cities.

The Summit’s topics were:

a) development of friendship and co-operation between major Balkan cities, thourough cultural and artistic activities,

b) urban regeneration, preservation and restoration of historical centers in Major Balkan Cities and

c) establishing permanet relations with the European Union and the Council of Europe and exploiting the EU programmes.

The Balkan Cities’ Network (BALCINET) Mayors’ Summit, held from November 3 to 6 in Ankara, the Network’s presiding city for 2006, approved the proposal by the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr. Vassilios Papageorgopoulos, to establish the institution of the Balkan Cultural Capital.

In the Declaration, which was approved unanimously, Culture became the focus of the Network’s activities and the need for participation of BALCINET representatives in cultural institutions of inter-Balkan prestige in the region’s countries was stressed, along with the mobilization of the cities themselves through the establishment of International BALCINET Festivals.

It should be noted that the Municipality of Thessaloniki has already included a relevant group of events in “Dimitria” Festival, while, following a proposal by the Mayor of Ankara, Mr. Melih Gökçek, it was decided that a BALCINET Festival is to be held in August 2007 in the Turkish capital.