ITALY

2011

• Within the project Enhancement of the Niš City Capacities for Ambient and Ecotourism which has been implemented within SEENET Programme the exhibition of 20 most successful replicas of typical village houses from Sićevo George were displayed at European Corner. The project is being implemented with the City of Trento from Italy since SEENET Programme represents a network of local authorities from Italy and South Eastern Europe that collaborate in a three-year Programme of decentralized cooperation in order to strengthen the governance skills of involved territories and promote sustainable local development. In the course of project implementation the conceptual designs were jointly done by the experts from Niš City Institute for the Monument Protection and ten students of the final year of architecture or the post-grade students - five from Niš and five from Trento, selected by the Architecture Faculty Expert Councils. The conceptual designs present the architecture, interior design of houses, the economy and the organization of a family life in old Serbian village in authentic way.

2010

• Niš City Mayor Miloš Simonović and Luca Lietti, representative of Italian region Trentino, signed the contract for the realisation of the project "Strengthening Capacities of Niš City for Ambient and Eco Tourism". The project was approved within SEENET program: International Network of Cooperation between Italy and South-East Europe, as a part of program: Strengthening of Ecology Tourism on the Territory of Skadar, Niš, Nikšič, Kraljevo and Peć". The objective of the project is the improvement of living conditions of inhabitants in rural area and protection of natural wealth, as well as improvement of accommodation capacities, involvement of Niš City in the network of ambient and eco tourism, promotion of tourism and tourist potentials in Niš. Complete project documentation for the construction of 11 housing facilities and ethno restaurant with an information desk will be produced by the Niš Institute for the Protection of Monuments. The facilities will be constructed on the location that belongs to Niš City and which is located in Sićevo village. Project designs will be jointly produced by Niš Institute for the Protection of Monuments and 10 students of the final year or post graduate studies of architecture - 5 from Serbia and 5 from Italy. Total project value is 151.141€. Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will finance the project with 104.819€, and Niš City with 46.322€ out of which 30.000€ will be provided by Tourist Organization of Niš. Duration of the Project is 36 months.
• Italian Cultural Center from Belgrade and representative of Public Museum of Milan took part at the Conference entitled "DIRECTIONS AND MODALITIES OF NIS CITY INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN THE DOMAIN OF CULTURE". This conference is a part of the project - Developing Program Base and Promotion of Nis City Office for International Cooperation in Science, Education and Culture. First day of the Conference represented a final step prior to establishment of Nis City Office for International Cooperation in Science, Education and Culture. Its aim was to, after first internal consultations, hear opinions and suggestions from important partners outside the City- representatives of Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, cultural attachés of embassies and culture centres in Serbia, representatives of donor' community and national experts in the area of cultural policy. The second day was dedicated to presentations and exchange of experiences in the field of research, protection, valorisation and promotion of cultural heritage of Constantine's cities: Trier (Germany), Arles (France), Milano (Italy), Izmit - Istanbul (Turkey), Carnuntum - Petronelli - Vienna (Austria), York (Great Britain) and Niš (Serbia

2009

• Program SILD (Settlements and Integrated Local Development Programme - SILD) is a continuation of Settlement and Integration of Refugees Program (SIRP). SILD program is realized on regional level in partnership with Italian Government and except for Serbia, they will focus on Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The program fund if 7 mil €, out of which 3, 8 was allocated for Serbia. SILD id aimed at contributing to sustainable and inclusive cities by giving support to integral urban development with special emphasis on devastated neighbourhood, in line with the task of 11 Millennium aim of development 7 related to adequate housing and improvement of conditions in poor parts of the City as well as through harmonization with standards and European Union practice. SILD is harmonised with national strategies of sustainable development and framework of policy of social inclusion. SILD will have a role of catalyser for resources of capital investments which support financial institutions of European Union, such as Council of Europe Bank (CEB), Instrument for Pre-accession assistance (IPA) and others. SILD has an aim to identify integral accession which combines social housing and integral urban development within perspective of social inclusion. In Serbia, the program will be implemented in partnership with 11 cites/municipalities (Bor, Čačak, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Leskovac, Niš, Novi Sad, Subotica, Užice, Valjevo, Vranje) and with significant participation and in coordination of Team for Social Inclusion and Reduction of Poverty from the Cabinet of Vice-president for European integration. It will also be implemented in partnership with relevant competent ministries where Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning also belongs, once a partner of SIRP program, and other national institutions such as Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities.  (SKGO).
• Within SIRP Adendum program, City of Niš and UN Habitat signed the Agreement on realization of initial phase of the project of Implementation of Strategy of Niš City Development. from December 2008 to May 2009, Work Team consisting of local consultants and representatives of local administration, with technical support of UN-HABITAT, formulated revision of Strategy of Development of Niš City and Operational program for the period from 2009-2011. Operational program represents a review of concrete activities and projects with financial construction for their implementation. It is based on the Strategy of the Development of Niš City and national strategy documents, harmonized with European development documents. Operation program will be orientated to realization of development policies.
• City Housing Agency Niš and UN HABITAT signed the agreement on cooperation on the Project Initial steps in the process of relocating Roma settlement in Niš which refers to development of urban planning and architectural project design of settlement and preparation of projects for relocation itself.
• National Conference entitled Organized Criminal - Dossier of Serbia, organized by NGO Protecta and the City of Niš was held in Niš. National conference is a part of European civilian campaign against organized crime. FLARE network, first European network for fight against organized crime was created by non-governmental organizations in which NGO Protecta was included, started international campaign for civilian fight against organized crime on March 21st in Napoli, Italia, on a big anti-mafia gathering, that is organized for 14th time, in the memory of victims of organized crime. Over 100.000 people took part at this gathering and Serbia was represented by NGO Protecta and NGO Generator Vranje. In the framework of this campaign there are 33 different events which will be organized by NGOs, members of FLARE network, in 28 countries of Europe and Near East. The City of Niš joined the organization of Campaign for the fight against organized crime. The Campaign has three main aims- to make influence on European Parliament to announce March 21st International Day of Memory of victims of organized crime, to make influence on European Parliament and National Local institutions to support civilian society and non-governmental institutions in fight against organized crime, to make influence on European Commission, Council of Europe and National institutions of European countries to introduce, on the level of European institutions, introduce legal norms and regulations that regulate issues of social use of property acquired through criminal acts. Michele Cruto, President of FLARE network, Antonio Maruccia, special commissary for confiscation of property obtained through organized crime in the Government of Italy, Stefano Fumarulo, representative of Bari, Michele Cruto, representative of Libera organization spoke about the fight against organized crime and Italian experiences.  

2006

• In cooperation with Italian Non-governmental organisation UCODEP and National Employment Service, Regional Chamber of Commerce and Agency for Development of Empoli Valdelsa District in Italy, and within SEENET program, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Toscana Region, Informative-Communication Center for Development of Entrepreneurship was opened in the City Hall.   
• A Telephone info-center (Help Desk) was opened and is intended for obtaining all necessary information from public utility companies Mediana and Naissus. This service is realized within the project "Improvement of Quality of Services in Public Sector of the City). Participants in the project are City of Niš, Italian NVO UCODEP, PUC Naissus, PUC Mediana, and project was financed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Italy and Toscana Region, within SEENET program. The value of the project is 39.970 €.

2005

• SIRP – Settlement and Integration of Refugees Program – was aimed at development of sustainable solutions for housing problems and integration of refugees with low incomes and other vulnerable households as well as to build capacities on municipal and republic level for renewed use and additional building. The Government of Italy financed the program which was implemented by UN-HABITAT. The program was implemented in 7 selected municipalities/cities: Municipality of Čačak, City of Kragujevac, Municipality of Kraljevo, City of Niš, Municipality of Pančevo, Municipality of Stara Pazova and Municipality of Valjevo.
• In March 2005 a Memorandum f Understanding between UN- HABITAT and City of Niš for construction of 78 new housing units for families of refugees and socially vulnerable persons, as a first phase of investments realization in the amount of 1.019.200 €, which represent a donation from Italian Government. Construction of flats in Pasi Poljana Settlement was started in June 2006. Cities and municipalities, participants in the project, among which is the City of Niš, took over the responsibility to provide construction land and communal infrastructure. In November 2008 keys of the flats in Pasi Poljana with 60 flats for refugees and 15 socially vulnerable families from Niš were delivered to beneficiaries.  
• City Housing Agency Niš was founded in 2003, during preparation phase of SIRP program, as legal inheritor of Fund of Co-fund Housing Construction in Niš, and aimed at accomplishment of local housing policy, management and maintenance of public, rental and social housing fund. UN Habitat and GSN Niš mutually worked on preparation of Housing Strategy of the City of Niš which was adopted in 2006 and represents basic instrument for planning, budgeting and implementation of City of Niš housing policies.
• In October 2006, City Assembly adopted a Decision on access to the development of strategy of Niš City Development. City of Niš founded a Council for Development, a body that managed the project and which was chaired by President of Niš City Assembly and consisted of 19 members of City Assembly, including representatives of all political parties, five city municipalities and local NGOs. A 21 member Work group has was selected as well, consisting of representatives of Mayor's Cabinet, City Administration and Public Utility Companies, Chamber of Commerce, Finance and Bank sector, NGOs, media and state administration. 8 local consultants for work on strategy were selected – sociologists, economists, urban planners and experts for environmental protection from Niš University and Urban Institute of the City of Niš.

•  Beginning of organized collection and transport of communal waste from settlements Sićevo and Prosek- Donation from NGO " COOPI" Italy

2001

• Within UNOPS program (United Nations Office for Project Services) called "City to City", Niš started discussions about possible cooperation with Italian district of Empoli. Cooperation within this project consist of support to local economic development, paying special attention to promotion of small and medium enterprises and improvement of public services, with special emphasis on environmental protection aimed at protection of people's health.