The municipality of Fließ in Tyrol, Austria was declared this year’s winner of the 14th European Village Renewal competition, with the Our Nature Park in Luxembourg to receive a European Village Renewal Award.
After a comprehensive evaluation in Munich, a high-level, inter-disciplinary and international jury has awarded the municipality of Fließ in Tyrol, Austria with the European Village Renewal Award.
“The municipality of Fließ has impressed everyone with an exemplary development process, initiated by the municipality officials, supported by the citizens and accompanied by experts. It builds from the existing strength and opportunities and demonstrates a comprehensive awareness of the problems. The development model entails a resource-saving settlement policy, a contemporary architectural culture regarding the revitalization of urban spaces and the creation and maintenance of high quality facilities and services that are geared to the needs of all generations and population groups. It further entails support of agriculture, economy and development, the promotion of art and culture as well as the maintenance and enhancement of natural and cultural landscape. Be it the inter-municipal cooperation in the Kaunergrat Nature Park, the focus on bold architecture, the creation of creative classes in the school or the successful promotion of integration of asylum seekers.”
“The motto of Fließ is ‘be open’ and has been exemplary for the municipality", said the proud president of the European Association for Rural Development and Village Renewal, the Lower Austrian Governor, Erwin Pröll.
The candidacy of the Our Nature Park in Luxembourg will receive a European Village Renewal Award for a sustainable, holistic development of a village of outstanding quality. The initiative involved an inter-municipal consortium of eight municipalities working in a former border area with difficult economic and social conditions to develop through collaborative visions and trustful cooperation an attractive living and working location. The initiative involved highly successful efforts to combat climate change, the result of over many years "open cooperation" not only by the citizens as well as those of the companies and the policy committees.
The awards ceremony organised by the European Association for Rural Development and Village Renewal will take place from 8 September to 10 September 2016 in Tihany, Hungary.
