On May 7th, 2010 competition for Youngsters on popularization of responsible consumption in Gulbene municipality concluded. 



Sustainable development, responsible consumption of resources, healthy style of living – they were themes youngsters from Gulbene Municipality schools – participants of “Creative work and idea competitions”- had been thinking about. In the range of European Days on May 7th there were best works of young people presented. 
During one month participants of the competition took part in three rounds of the competition.

They submitted action plans for attraction of human resources to Gulbene Municipality, elaborated types of advertisement for saving of local nature and economical capital resources, organized events in Gulbene Municipality for advertising of active, healthy living style. During the competition films were made, posters drawn, actions were realized and information processed and summarized, potential solutions nominated and shortcomings actualized.


Results of the competition: 1st prize – Lizums secondary school team, 2nd prize – Gulbene municipality state gymnasium girls` team, 3rd prize – Gulbene secondary school team. Gulbīša secondary school team, Gulbene secondary school No.2 team, Gulbene gymnasium, Lejasciems secondary school team received prizes for participation in the competition. A serious competition is over and prizes received – two youth exchanges to one of European Union countries, possibility to visit EU house and improvisation theatre “Hamlet” in Riga, active recreation possibilities in “X park”, also possibility to attend any of musical events in Gulbene. One team from the company “Rubate” received also special prize – additional education possibilities in the amount of 100 LVL.


In the event also FORUM theatre was also taking place – young people played different social life scenes in the form of “etude” in connection with healthy living style and saving of natural resources.


The event is implemented and financed in the range of EU program „Citizenship” project „CITY-Zen”.

Discuss environmental problems

On June 10th in the afternoon there were lot of people gathering in Gulbene Municipality Council to discuss environmental problems, including waste management and responsible consumption.

Madona Regional Environmental Board specialist Inese Sedleniece expressed her viewpoint and future vision. She spoke about European Union and Latvian policies in the field of waste disposal. At the moment the existent in Gulbene municipality waste manager companies are „Alba” Ltd. and „ Alba 5” Ltd.

Representatives from the companies explained the situation designating that a lot of efforts have to be invested in information of the inhabitants – why should waste be sorted. Gulbene Municipality Council head of Technical department Alvils Pētersons spoke on competence of the municipality and its responsibility, concrete things to be done in the nearest future.

Uldis Boldāns – representative of association “52 Franks” presented his ideas how to organize social campaigns. Organization “Green point” told about the existent and planned activities for cooperation with local governments in Latvia, informing campaigns, educational events for information of the inhabitants.

Public discussion was made more attractive by performance of Bērzu Primary school small artists, Kalniena young people from the association “Kapo” and Lejasciems Youth Centre „Pulss” representatives, who presented problems of waste management and disposal in the municipality, also enacted everyday situation through showing us our as citizen attitude when sorting waste.

WE must say a lot of interested in people participated in the discussion, also organizations who care for our common future in waste management and management of environmental resources.

We must admit problems were defined during the discussion and proposals given in the field of waste management. Solutions were forwarded for Municipality Development program and submitted to European Commission in the form of recommendations. Project is financed by Europena Commission program "City -Zen".

Inhabitants of this municipality highly evaluate crafts

July 24th in Gulbene turned into nice Crafts festival.From the very morning Swan or Youth part got new image and application where craftsmen showed their skills and pieces of arts

There was nice and positive atmosphere in the park – glazed pots, vases, clay plates, wooden products, metal hammered works, weaved carpets, silk shawls and paintings, bright hats and other products.

One of the most interesting for local people was the possibility to participate in production of a shawl in the pinning technique on the branches of a rake.

There were enough brave people because there were crowds at the creative workshop of the Folk Arts Creative Studio „Sagša” – some for sitting down and trying to weave, others – as very intense watchers. Gulbene inhabitants did silk painting with the same intense eagerness (it was offered by Gulbene Creative Association “The Fifth House”).

In small handicrafts workshop for knitting and crocheting Riga Folk Arts Creative Studio „Atkalnis”, creative workshops „ZEĶE”, „CEPURE” showed their mastership. People could watch also carving of wooden spoons, clay production, coin hammering and other things.

Sonority to the market place was given by the Igauņi family beautiful singing. It is very significant that the head of Igauņi family Gunārs is also a craftsman who is making musical instruments.

There were two seminars organized for the reason – people do not just relax and have fun, but also get to know something new. One of them – alchocol at work and in the family”, which was organized in Youth centre “Bāze”. It gathered a lot of people. Here using Forum theatre method (social theatre) therer was the problem of alcoholism problem in every day life worked out.

In the way of looking for the solution participants of the seminar were involved: social workers from the municipality, participants from custody court, specialists from Employment Agency, State Probation service and psychologists of the municipality. Most part of the participants after the seminar said they were pleasantly surprised exactly at the method of Forum theatre and the ability and talent of youngsters to see problems of the society – alcoholism – from another aspect.

Another seminar - discussion „Man, nature resources, employment in Gulbene municipality”. It gathered craftsmen, entrepreneurs and associations. The most touched themes were experience of union, association foundation, individual work experience as a business, about usage of local natural resources in production, biological agriculture and farming as a business, about vulnerary plant growing experience and normative act requirements for facilitation of verified forms of entrepreneurship. As the participants of the seminar admitted it was a great possibility to hear, ask the specialists of concrete field.

Events of this day were the last and concluding activity in the range of international project “City Zen” in Gulbene municipality.

Specialists of Gulbene Municipality Council through implementation of this project have facilitated understanding of local society and promoted responsibility in them for responsible consumption (through discussions on waste management), also for attraction of human resources, making them think more about creation of corresponding environment for people and youngsters to return to Gulbene, also on possibilities of employment in this economical crisis situation, motivating inhabitants for energetic actions, improving their living conditions.

Through organization of seminars for local public three months fruitful discussions have happened, as a result of which specialists involved in the project have formulated the most important fields of Gulbene municipality – human resources that interact with employment, nature resources and responsible consumption.

Soon project working group will summarize all advices and recommendations, ideas in facilitation of responsible consumption to present them in the project final conference in Marseille, France.

The project is financed by European Commission program "Citizen", contract No.2009-46181001-001.