1. INTRODUCTION Despite its short history but thanks to its geopolitical situation, dynamism and openness that have characterised the city from the very beginning, Gdynia has a long tradition of ‘twinning’ with many partners, and hence international cooperation plays an important part within the city’s activities. For this reason, in appreciation for its activity on the international stage, Gdynia has been awarded numerous European prizes, including the Golden Stars of Town Twinning, the Council of Europe Flag of Honour, the Council of Europe Plaque of Honour, and, the most prestigious one, i.e. the Europe Prize. Thus, the “Strategy of Gdynia’s International Relations” is in line with the principles of the international politics of the Republic of Poland, as well as the aims and tasks of the International Relations of the Pomeranian Region. It sets out to identify the priorities, areas and principles of the city of Gdynia’s International Cooperation for the following years. The realisation of principles mentioned in the Strategy will be the next stage in the process of reinforcing Gdynia’s position on the international stage, within the European structures, as well as being a testament to the openness of our city. 2. PRIORITIES OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION When working with foreign partners, it is essential to take into account the following priorities of the city of Gdynia’s international relations. They are in accordance with the “Strategy for the Development of the City of Gdynia” and are subject to cyclical verifications and updates: a) The aspiration to make Gdynia the leading centre within the areas of economy, education, and culture in Europe, especially in the Baltic Sea Region. b) The active participation of Gdynia in undertakings, initiatives, and campaigns conducted by the European Union and the Council of Europe. c) Making use of European Union funds or any other aid funds for realisation of projects that remain in accordance with the priorities pointed out in the “Strategy for the Development of the City of Gdynia”. d) Creating a stimulating environment for international economical exchange as well as a favourable environment for the realisation of existing and gaining of new foreign investments in Gdynia. e) The promotion of Gdynia and its potential within the areas of innovation, new technologies, and design, on an international scale. f) Supporting and stimulating the development of a sustainable public transport network and the expansion of the transport infrastructure (land, air, sea) in cooperation with foreign partners. g) Implementing the strategies that support the sustainable growth of the city, whilst at the same time preserving natural habitats as well as taking action on both local and international levels to prevent climate change. h) Promotion and development of tourism and marine traditions on an international scale. i) Supporting initiatives contributing to better integration of European society, such as students exchanges and sport and cultural initiatives, organised in Gdynia or in one of the Twin/Friendship Towns. j) Reinforcing and promoting the creation of local democracy and the idea of civic society, especially in countries to the east of the European Union border through, among others, realisation of projects, organisation of study visits, placements and teaching practices. k) Promoting pro-health and pro-social initiatives realised in cooperation with Twin Towns and hence actively supporting the process of integration of the disabled and the elderly to prevent their social isolation. l) Promoting the involvement of local corporate bodies, cultural and educational institutions, schools and universities, as well as non-governmental organisations in the international relations of Gdynia. m) Exchange of experiences, initiation and realisation of common undertakings and projects at international organisations’ conventions, especially those of which Gdynia is a member. 3. DIRECTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION In order to realise the priorities defined above, Gdynia’s international activity is conducted within the following sectors: a. The Baltic Sea Region (the so-called Baltic Europe) – this choice is determined by the geographical location of Gdynia, as well as by the dynamic development of economic, ecological and tourism cooperation between the countries belonging to the so-called ‘Baltic Europe’. The creation of the Baltic Rim of Gdynia Twin Towns in 2001, as well as the availability of EU funds allocated for the realisation of pro Baltic projects, emphasises the priorities of cooperation in such a direction. b. European Union – cooperation with all the remaining members of the European Union results from the realisation of common European politics, as well as from the possibility of realising common projects partially funded by the EU. c. For the remaining European Countries, especially those situated on the eastern side of the EU border, factors deciding on the significance of such cooperation are, amongst others, the possibilities created by aid funds as well as potential and existing economic relations between our countries. Furthermore, cooperation with Eastern European countries puts Gdynia forward as an expert keen on sharing its knowledge in the field of creating local democracy and a civic society. d. With regard to North America, especially the United States of America and Canada, the choice of such a direction of international relations is determined by the possibilities of making use of American experiences. This is reinforced by the presence of strong Polish communities (including Kashubian ones) in these two countries that more often than not act as a catalyst of bilateral projects. e. Asia – cooperation with Asian partners, especially China, is determined by many years of experience Gdynia has within the field of conducting the economic cooperation and exchange of experiences with Chinese partners. f. For the remaining world areas, such as South America, Australia, and Africa, in the event of receiving an offer of cooperation with a partner from one of these continents some research will take place, and the offer will be individually assessed using methods of social and economic consultation. 4. TYPES OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Gdynia, being a city active on the international stage, takes part in various undertakings and initiatives of cross-regional and European character. Gdynia receives proposals of cooperation with new partners on a regular basis. In order to specify the rules and forms of Gdynia’s international activity, the city’s international relations may be classified as follows: I. BILATERAL RELATIONS: a. Twin Towns Cooperation – the basis for such cooperation are close relationships between Gdynia and its Twin Towns resulting, among others, from economic similarities, favourable geographical situations, or shared history. Mutual projects are carried out on the basis of the agreement of cooperation of twinned towns, previously accepted by the City Council of Gdynia. Such an agreement should only be concluded with one town in a given country and should be open-ended. b. Friendship Towns Cooperation. This type of cooperation occurs with a partner who may not meet all the required criteria for ‘twinning’, but possesses a potential allowing for the realisation of a common activity, though not to the same degree as with Twin Towns. Formalising such a relationship requires concluding an agreement regarding the cooperation of friendship towns, previously approved by the City Council of Gdynia. Such an agreement can be signed with more than one town in a given country and is of a temporary nature. c. Branch Partnerships. The basis for such partnerships consists of a precisely defined purpose of cooperation, e.g. the will to realise a common project (e.g. partially funded from the EU funds, etc.) or any other project in Gdynia’s interest. In order to legitimise such partnerships it is required to sign either a Letter of Intent or a Branch Partnership Contract, concluded in order to fulfil a particular project. Such documents can be signed with more than one town in a given country and are of a temporary nature. II. MULTIRATERAL RELATIONS: d. Cooperation with International Organisations. These enable Gdynia to cooperate with many partners with whom the city shares the same priorities (i.e. development of the Baltic Sea Region) in various fields. A membership agreement signed by Gdynia’s authorities with prior approval from the City Council of Gdynia is a formal requirement for such cooperation. 5. PRINCIPLES OF TWIN TOWNS COOPERATION The existing experiences in the field of international relations have pointed out that when establishing a partnership, similarities between partners (that can be described by a number of criteria) prove to be essential. The mutual features characteristic to Gdynia and a potential Twin Town will influence the types of undertakings realised by both cities, and, therefore, the effectiveness and measurable effects of bilateral cooperation. The criteria which outline the choice of a particular partner for ‘twinning’ are as follows: a. Geographical Location – geographical proximity/neighbourhood are undoubtedly one of the factors intensifying bilateral relations as it not only facilitates interpersonal contacts, but also more often than not has an effect on the similarity of priorities and initiatives undertaken by both cities. When it comes to choosing a partner situated at a significantly further distance away from Gdynia, it is essential for this partner to possess a convenient communications route that would minimise the time of travel between the two locations. b. Legal Status – it is important that the foreign partner with whom Gdynia intends to ‘twin’ is a local government unit or its equivalent. The similar status of a partner may have a positive effect on the shape and type of cooperation. c. Size – it is advisable that the city with which Gdynia intends to cooperate would have a similar number of inhabitants. In the case of a city with a significantly higher/lower population than that of Gdynia, the ratio of the population of the particular city to the population of the country it belongs to should be taken into account. d. Economic Profile – a similar type of economy (i.e. maritime economy, trade, and service industries) is yet another factor influencing the effectiveness of cooperation. e. Educational Profile – the existence of educational centres and institutions additionally broadens the field of cooperation, potentially contributing to the increase and diversification of ways in which cooperation may take place. f. Cultural and Sports Profiles – the presence of a wide spectrum of cultural institutions (museums, theatres, galleries, etc.) and sports centres (sport clubs, sport complexes, etc.) creates a further opportunity for bilateral relations. g. Polish Communities – representatives of Polish communities are most often the most effective driving force of the development of bilateral relations, and their involvement translates into particular undertakings and initiatives on both sides. The principles of cooperation between Twin Towns are regulated by the decisions included in the Agreement that itself is the supreme legal act that formalises bilateral contacts. The Twinning Agreement, therefore, should point out the fields in which both sides intend to cooperate when realising common actions and initiatives. Simultaneously, besides the concluded agreement, it is advisable to apply cyclical programmes of cooperation that would take into account changing tendencies and political and economic directions conditioning the relationship and, at the same time, determine the actions and initiatives the cities intend to realise in a given period of time. A Twinning Agreement should only be concluded with one city of a given country. Concluding such an agreement with more than one partner representing a given country would question the uniqueness of the partnership and the reasons for which it was started. A Twinning Agreement is open-ended. The document can be preceded by different kinds of temporary agreements i.e. a Friendship Agreement. 6. PRINCIPLES OF FRIENDSHIP TOWNS COOPERATION Cooperation between friendship towns is typified by bilateral contacts whose principles can be defined as lying in between the principles of cooperation between Twin Towns and Branch Partnerships. The term “Friendship Town” describes a foreign partner who, though it does not meet all the ‘twinning’ criteria, possesses the potential to allow the participation in numerous common activities. Such undertakings are carried out on a smaller scale in comparison to that of Twin Towns, but are on the other hand may be much more complex than those within Trade Partnership cooperation. To formalise the relationship between two Friendship Towns it is necessary to conclude a Friendship Agreement, previously approved by the City Council. It is advisable to include an annex with the cooperation programme that would define the fields of common actions and projects the two towns intend to realise together. In the case of concluding a Friendship Agreement there are no restrictions as to the number of partners from a given country. The Agreement, therefore, can be concluded with more than one city in a given country and is of a temporary nature. Moreover, the Friendship Agreement may be one of the stages of the ‘twinning’ process. After investigating the economic, cultural, and tourist potential etc. of a foreign partner and after agreeing on the levels of bilateral relations, as well as obtaining an approval from the City Council, the temporary (no less than 2 years) Friendship Agreement is concluded. It is advisable to include an annex that would outline the programme of cooperation during the period in which the Agreement is valid. This will later facilitate the evaluation of the partnership. When an evaluation conducted after the period of Agreement expires proves to be positive, a further open-ended Twinning Agreement is concluded. 7. BRANCH PARTNERSHIP The geopolitical situation of Gdynia singles it out for the part of a bridge between the Western and Eastern European countries. It also makes Gdynia a convenient meeting point on the Baltic coast. This exceptional role Gdynia plays, as well as the dynamic process of EU development together with increasing globalisation, make for an increasing need for the intensification of international relations and for a need to extend these relations over and above the traditional Twin Towns relationship principles. An interesting solution may be the Branch Partnership that is established in order to realise a particular project. Gdynia’s participation in an international undertaking or a multilateral project (e.g. co-financed from the EU or from any other aid funds) depends on the local and cross regional benefits emerging from the planned activity outlined in a given project. Legitimising such types of cooperation happens when the cities taking part in the project sign either a Letter of Intent or Partnership Agreement in order to carry out a particular undertaking. Such documents (as opposed to the Twinning Agreement) can be signed with more than one city in a given country and last until the completion of a given project/undertaking. They are, therefore, of a temporary nature. Whilst the unit responsible for cooperation with the Twin Towns is the Foreign Relations Department in the Mayor’s Office, the responsibilities for the Branch Partnership lie within the particular department of the City Hall of Gdynia/organising unit of the city administration realising the particular project/undertaking. Such departments are required to cyclically pass on information regarding the branch cooperation that is being conducted, to the Foreign Relations Department in the Mayor’s Office. With regards to the organising units of the city administration, it is advisable that the information regarding the cooperation should be passed on to the above mentioned Department. 8. COOPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS Gdynia fulfils the principles of international relations not only through bilateral relations with foreign partners but also through its participation in the international organisations’ work. Participation in the international organisations provides a wide spectrum of possibilities for exchanging knowledge and experiences, better integration and realisation of a vast number of undertakings of key importance for member cities. Membership in international organisations can, therefore, have either a more general character (while, if possible, it is advisable that the city would be involved in thematic committees) or a more profiled one. Moreover, participation in international organisations provides Gdynia with an opportunity not only to realise the statutory goals of an organisation (lying in the interest of the city and remaining in accordance with the principles of the “Strategies for the Development of the City of Gdynia”) but also, above all, provides the city with a chance for a multi-level presentation of its potential to various partners and its further development. The formal basis of Gdynia’s participation in the international organisations is a declaration of membership signed by the local authorities with previous approval from the City Council. 9. SUBJECTS DETERMINING AND ACCOMPLISHING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION The international cooperation of Gdynia should be maintained on many levels with the participation of the local authorities, representatives of the City Council, as well as the city officers. Among the subjects involved in working for the development of the international activity of Gdynia the following can be distinguished: a. City Council of Gdynia – approves Twinning Agreements, Friendship Agreements, as well as the city’s membership in international organisations and programmes. The Statutory Committee of the City Council gives its opinion, appropriately to its competence (see Note 1 below), on the propositions of partnership with a foreign partner or membership in an international organisation. b. Mayor of Gdynia – starts and develops Gdynia’s international contracts with the involvement of the representatives of the City Council as well as municipal administration. They also propose new foreign partnerships and, after obtaining an approval from the City Council, they sign contracts and agreements concerning international cooperation. The international cooperation is also realised by the organisational units of Gdynia City Hall: c. Foreign Relations Department in the Mayor’s Office – initially selects potential partners, analyses the offer of cooperation, and consults about it with local corporate bodies, cultural and educational institutions, schools and universities, as well as with the civic society organisations etc, in order to confirm their interest in a partnership. The Foreign Relations Department also manages current contacts and cooperates with foreign partners. The Department is also required to keep records and collect documentations of projects carried out within the foreign cooperation conducted by the local authorities, different departments of the City Council, and the city’s budgetary units. Moreover, the Department coordinates Gdynia’s activity in international organisations. d. Departments of the City Hall – initiate branch partnerships with foreign partners, the main aim of which is to carry out a particular undertaking or a project. Such partnership is coordinated in cooperation with the Foreign Relations Department in the Mayor’s Office and the departments are required to pass the information regarding the current partnership on to the Foreign Relations Department. The international cooperation of Gdynia is carried out additionally by: e. Units of City Administration – initiate foreign partnerships the main goal of which is to carry out undertakings or projects being in accordance with the Statute of the unit. Such a partnership is realised independently by the units and (if such a need exists) with the support of the Foreign Relations Department, while it is advisable that those units cyclically pass on information to this Department regarding the ongoing cooperation. Additionally, the following organisations may be involved in international cooperation: f. Non-governmental Organisations and other interested subjects – are the recipients of some types of international cooperation. Additionally, on their own, they initiate foreign partnerships in order to realise projects and undertakings being in accordance with the organisation’s statute. Such partnerships are coordinated individually by non-governmental organisations while it is advisable that they would cyclically pass information regarding the ongoing partnership on to the Foreign Relations Department in the Mayor’s Office. Note 1: Based on the Resolution no 1/4/2002 of the City Council of Gdynia adopted on the 13th of November 2002 regarding the appointment of the permanent committees of the City Council of Gdynia. Opublikowano: 04.11.2010 00:00 Autor: Monika Pawlińska (monika.pawlinska@gdynia.pl)