Speech of president Coalition 2013+

Dear Members of Coalition 2013+

For the current management of the City of Košice and the new management of the ECOC 2013, the Coalition 2013 members are valued partners with whom we are keen to cooperate and communicate. Our aim is for you to play an active role from the start.

We all know well that from August 2010 when this organisation was established, Coalition 2013+ was not seen as attractive as it should have been for the previous ECOC project team. The previous team’s main focus was limited to funding only cultural events. Communication stagnated, members of the Coalition were not getting the necessary information and they didn’t have adequate opportunity to help with the ECOC project.

I can say that the barrier that continued over the last three years between the ECOC project team and the community of Košice, misunderstandings and not involving the citizens of Košice in the project, was a strong reason for the change in the ECOC management team. I therefore believe that the personnel changes we made were correct and came at the right time. The new management are not only willing but also knowledgeable. The new team communicates with stakeholders, working and pursuing the philosophy of the project and it’s long-term vision. I am convinced that this team knows exactly where it’s going and why. I also know that considering some of the articles in local newspapers you may see things differently.

Activities that are a part of the project haven’t been professionally and actively communicated so far. By the end of September we will have the results of a representative opinion poll. This will form the basis of a professionally planned marketing strategy. Incidentally a Coalition 2013+ member OneClick has been involved in preparing and carrying out this research.

Surely we have begun a new stage of operation for the ECOC project team and I am convinced that this is also new phase of the operation for Coalition 2013+. This is based on the fact that the Coalition 2013+ members will receive continuously updated information in the required form of the preparations of for investment and programme design, as well as specific proposals on how to get actively involved in the preparation and implementation of the project.

We know that a year ago at the inception of Coalition 2013+, it should have been taken as a full partner of ECOC 2013. The Coalition has clearly defined objectives, tasks and ideas itemised in its establishing contract. Founding members, figuratively speaking, offered a helping hand but it was not taken. The City of Košice, the Košice Self-Governing Region (KSGR) and the ECOC 2013 team are currently considering particulars, designs and ideas. In my opinion, from the point of view of effective cooperation with the Coalition, in terms of its relationship with these above three bodies, the important thing is that there are specific opportunities for them to contribute.

And now I go back a year. When setting up the association, the objectives of it activities were clearly defined; to support and reach as successful conclusion to ECOC 2013 and also the long term success of ECOC 2013, guaranteeing continuity for the community. Apart from this objective other activities were also clearly defined, activities that should help us reach our main objective. There are available opportunities and specific proposals on how they can be reached and I believe that Coalition 2013+ will meet these specific goals.

For example, one of the mentioned activities was to provide expert assistance in the project. There are defined specific positions in the project that could and should be staffed by professionals recommended by the Coalition in 2013+ members. I would like to mention a few:

• A budgeting specialist with a focus on public procurement
• A specialist for the creation of proposals and technical IT solutions
• A specialist from VSE – Group, who could advise us when submitting technical solutions.

The project team ECOC 2013 is keen on drawing up a working group of specialists in communications, public relations and marketing, which will be nominated by the the Coalition 2013+ members. This working group would help the ECOC 2013 team to effectively communicate the project both internally and externally. Another working group, again composed of experts from Coalition 2013+ members, would be very helpful when creating the programme structure and its specifications where we can find links between events and actions which are part of the marketing strategies of the Coalition members.

The Coalition 2013+ may begin to fulfil all the goals,on which it was founded a year ago. It can actively participate in a unique project, the like of which has never been in Košice before. The new ECOC 2013 project team is ready and has the full support and confidence of the City of Košice management. The ECOC 2013 project team is well worth your trust and and is prepared to do everything necessary to secure your trust. We all have an interest in the success of Košice – ECOC 2013. No doubt about that. I think we are on the right road to being certain that the Coalition 2013+ is seen as being important and necessary to the City of Košice and the success of ECOC 2013.

Richard RAŠI

Mayor of Košice

President of the Coalition 2013+