Ivanovo bids for European Youth Capital 2015

On Friday, April 27^th, the city of Ivanovo submitted its bid to participate in "European Youth Capital 2015" international contest. The news was announced by Gleb Nogovitsyn, a spokesman for the Ivanovo program committee of the project. Mr. Nogovitsyn made the announcement during the opening of the 4^th Inter-Regional Festival of Youth Club and Public Associations of the Central Administrative District "Hobbies".

This is the second time when Ivanovo bids for the contest. In 2011, the city of Ivanovo took part in the contest "European Youth Capital 2014," which was organized by the European Youth Forum.

As a result of the conducted work, the city of Ivanovo reached the final of the contest for the title of the "European Youth Capital 2014." A group of young people, who believe in the potential of their city and the country, realized the idea to promote the city of Ivanovo as a youth capital of Europe from the initial stage to the bid presentation, at the support from regional and municipal power bodies.

The following cities acted as competitors of Ivanovo: Barcelona (Spain), Iraklion (Greece), Konya (Turkey), Perm (Russia), Thessaloniki (Greece), Trabzon (Turkey). When selecting the finalists of the contest, the jury members - spokespeople for European universities, public associations, spokespeople for the Committee for Culture and Education of the European Parliament - paid attention to the activity of the youth, cultural and sports events in the city.

In the final of the contest, Thessaloniki, which applied its bid for the third time, won the contest by a margin of only one vote. The jury members pointed out a high level of preparation and presentation of the bid of the city of Ivanovo, as well as high chances for victory in case of Ivanovo's participation in the contest next year.

The Governor of the Ivanovo Region Mikhail Men supports the participation of the city of Ivanovo in the International contest. The list of finalists for the "European Youth Capital 2015" will be exposed in June this year. The winner will be named in November 2012.

This year, the festival is timed to take place with the city's participation in "European Youth Capital 2015" contest. The event will demonstrate best youth practices of the city of Ivanovo, the Ivanovo region and other regions of Russia, which could become the basis for international cooperation with European youth public organizations.

Representatives of children's and youth non-commercial organizations, as well as informal youth associations, teenagers' clubs, sports sections, students' organizations and individual representatives of various hobbies will take place in the festival.

As part of the IV Inter-regional festival of youth club and public associations "Hobbies", in addition to traditional exhibitions and presentations, educational trainings and a creative concert, the news briefing of the Program committee of the bid "Ivanovo - European Youth Capital 2015" will be held. Within the scope of the briefing, officials will announce the submission of the bid of the city of Ivanovo. A large hip hop dance festival MaxiVan will take place in the city on Saturday in support of Ivanovo's bid.

More than 150 youth public associations, as well as individual representatives of various hobbies from different entities of the Central Federal District will take part in the festival.

This year, the Festival will bring together over 2,000 young people from the Vladimir, Kaluga, Moscow, Oryol, Yaroslavl, Smolensk, Lipetsk, Voronezh, Kostroma and Ryazan region, as well as from the city of Moscow and all municipal institutions of the Ivanovo region.

The following events will be organized within the scope of the festival: the presentation of youth associations, master classes, seminars, trainings, role-playing games, performances of creative and sports associations and an ice show.