At to the end of last year, the Healthy Cities of the Czech Republic have 107 members

We met at many interesting events in 2012

A number of thematic meetings and events not only for HCCZ members took place in 2012. The members and other interested parties met for three times at Healthy City Schools and were presented many interesting projects and collaboration offers on various subjects from the part of professional partners. For instance there have been presentations dedicated to transportation in the cities, environmental protection, physical activities, quality in public administration, use of information technologies, active ageing, approved collaboration with young people and many others. Within an accredited seminar, the participants had an opportunity to gain practical skills in the area of team work, running of round tables, media promotion, skills of argumentation and negotiation, project management or strategic planning and management in the municipalities. Two other events were dedicated to the last-mentioned topic - the March training for politicians and representatives of Healthy City authorities, where they could test the current condition of strategic management in their cities and consequently also an independent HCCZ Thematic Section that took place in May in Prague and introduced the current affairs on the national level and examples from practice. Targeted events for mutual sharing of experience in the field of local Agenda 21 and many others have been organised for the representatives of Healthy Cities and also for representatives of Prague's city districts. The participants compared their practice and searched for suitable solutions for procedures exactly in these types of municipalities. In 2012, HCCZ also participated in organisation of an interesting international seminar "The City We Create", dedicated to the quality of urban environment and held with participation of renowned urbanists, architects as well as investors, developers and specialists from other fields.

At the end of the year, the Kaiserštejn Palace in Prague hosted the prestigious Exhibition of Best Local Agendas 21 as a part of HCCZ 2012 Conference, in the course of which the representatives of Chrudim, Kopřivnice, Litoměřice, Prostějov, Vsetín, Křižánky municipality and sub-region of Drahanská vrchovina defended the fulfilment of category "B" criteria of local agenda 21. The event itself was preceded by so called spot checks attended by members of Workgroup for LA 21 of the Governmental Council for Sustainable Development as well as by representatives of the Ministry of Environment and many guests.

The 2012 events have been attended by almost 500 interested parties from the ranks of municipalities and regions, schools, non-profit organisations and other professional organisations, institutions or companies.

A number of interesting events is being prepared by HCCZ also for year 2013, for instance we will focus on the subject of volunteering, public service, cooperation with children but also on standard topics such as strategic management or cooperation with the public. There will be a celebration of the association establishment jubilee at the Anniversary 20th HCCZ Conference, which is to be held in Olomouc on September 18 and 19. We would like to invite you cordially to any events of your selection.

Czech Healthy Cities' successes in 2012 on the national and international levels

In 2012, HCCZ members won a number of awards for successes in various areas of development. Healthy Cities repeatedly succeeded in the finals of competition held under the UN title of "The International Awards for Liveable Communities" or "The LivCom Awards", held in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. The Healthy City of Chrudim won the highest award, among others winning the first place in the main competition (in the category of 20 to 75 thousand inhabitants). The second spot was won by Australian Kogarah City, and the third spot was taken by the Healthy City Jihlava. Chrudim was also awarded for partial projects in the competition of 68 projects from across the globe. The awarded projects included "Halfway House or Second Chance to Live" and "Newly - Better - with People", Jihlava succeeded with the applied project of "Environmental Education Centre". In addition to this, Chrudim won special awards for example fulfilment of the criterion "Art, Culture and Heritage", Jihlava succeeded in the fulfilment of "Strategic Planning" criterion.

The Healthy City of Krnov succeeded in this year of "Routes Through the Cities" competition, dedicated to traffic calming, as it won the prize of Škoda Auto for its project of Cycling Route though Krnov within the category of line solutions.

The Healthy City of Uherske Hradiste that won the challenge title of the City of Trees in 2011, this year won the silver award in the following international competition of Entente Florale Europe.

The Healthy Municipality Krizanky took the third place in this year of national competition titled Village of the Year within the Country Development Programme.

A number of Healthy Cities also succeeded in the regional rounds of the City for Business competition.

Successful procedures of the local governments in the field of public administration quality have been appreciated officially by the Ministry of Interior within the 8th National Conference on Quality in Public Administration in Prague. Application of Local Agenda 21 (LA21) as one of efficient methods of applying quality in public administration was again appreciated within the awards of Ministry of Interior Prizes for Quality and Innovation. Silver prize for quality in public administration for the realisation of LA21 was awarded to the Healthy Cities of Chrudim, Koprivnice, Litomerice, Vsetin and Healthy Sub-Region of Drahanska vrchovina. Silver prize for other methods of quality in public administration was awarded to the Healthy City Prostejov (model CAF 2006/2009) and Healthy Region of Vysocina (model CAF 2006/2009). Bronze prize for application of LA21 has been received by the representatives of Healthy Cities Hlucín, Hodonín, Prestice, Valasske Mezirici, Velké Mezirici, Healthy Municipalities of Krizanky and Healthy Region of Vysocina. Bronze prize for other methods of quality in public administration was received by the representatives of Healthy Cities of Ceska Lipa (ČSN EN ISO, series14001), Jilemnice (model CAF 2006/2009) and Healthy Region of Liberec (model CAF 2006/2009). The prize for innovation in public administration in 2011 was also awarded to the Healthy Region of Vysocina (Central Register of Subsidies - eSubsidies).

Healthy City Forum was visisted by a quarter of people more than last year

Healthy City Forum is a regular annual meeting with the public, where the most thorny problems of the municipality they live in are discussed. In the 2012, Healthy City Forum took place in 43 Healthy Cities, Municipalities and Regions and more than 4,300 of those who care actively for the development of the place they live in gathered there. The attendance of events grew by 25% since the last year- The attendants of these meetings identified the "10P - Ten Problems", consequently verified in a survey that engaged a wider range of citizens. The verified list of problems then goes to the local authorities who include the solution of individual topics in the planning documents including the budget. In the course of public meeting, people can get information on how the motions from previous years had been handled by the city.

So called "Young Forums" also took place in the Healthy Cities in 2012. Just like problems from the "adult" Healthy City Forum, the issues formulated by pupils and students had been verified in a survey and then submitted to be dealt with by the municipal council and local authorities. Engagement of young people directly in the "adult" Healthy City Forum, where young people formulate the problems related directly to themselves at their own table, also proved successful. Very often, these problems make it in the voting among the resulting "10P - Ten Problems".

HCCZ Best Practice database contains 190 inspiring examples

Pour féliciter 2013

We thank you for your continued support and cooperation and wish you a lot of success in your personal and professional life and especially a great deal of enthusianism on the way to healthy and sustainable world.

PF 2013