On July 16, 2010 in border city Rava-Ruska (Lviv region) was held international seminar-training on the theme: “Branding and promotion of small towns according to the standards of the European Union: experience of the Visegrad Group countries for Ukraine”. The event was held in the framework of the international project, which carried out by Institute of Society Transformation (IST) together with the International Visegrad Fund.

The seminar-training organized by IST in cooperation with Vynogradiv city council and four Embassies of the V4 countries in Ukraine: the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Poland, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Hungary.

The participants of the event: leading experts form the V4 countries and Ukraine, heads of Zhovkva District State Administration, Mayors, town’s Heads and representatives of city Councils from the Transcarpathian, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Ternopil regions of Ukraine, representatives of NGOs and mass-media of Lviv region.

The aim of the international seminar-training:
~ to outline the essence and European approaches to place branding;
~ to acquaint leaders of local authorities of four Ukrainian regions with the best Visegrad Group practices in cities promotion and branding, formation tourist and investment attractiveness of areas;
~ to identify mechanisms of adaptation of municipal marketing and management of Ukrainian cities to EU requirements based on the experience of cities of Visegrad Group.


 

With welcoming remarks to participants of the seminar-training addressed:

Dr. Oleh Soskin,
Director of Institute of Society Transformation,
Professor of the Department of International Economics and Entrepreneurship
of National Academy of Management, head of the project

Iryna Vereschuk,
Deputy Head of Zhovkva District State Administration

Alla Soprun,
Mayor of Rava-Ruska


During the seminar with expert reports spoke:

1. Branding of country, region and citiy: the essence and importance for competitive development

Dr. Oleh Soskin,
Director of Institute of Society Transformation,
Professor of Department of International Economics and Entrepreneurship
of National Academy of Management


2. Effective tools of small cities branding

Nadia Matviychuk-Soskina,
Head of Marketing Department of Institute of Society Transformation,
Lecture of Department of International Economics and Entrepreneurship
of National Academy of Management

3. Polish experience of city branding and promotion (on Lublin city example)

Michał Krawczyk,
Deputy Director of the Office of the President of Lublin,
Director of Marketing Office of Lublin Council (Poland)
(Zastępca Dyrektora Kancelarii Prezydenta ds. marketingu miasta)

4. Place promotion in the international information space: Polish cities experience

Jerzy Zając,
Mayor (Burmistrz) of Lubaczow (Poland)

Janusz Szaj,
Vice-mayor (Z-ca Burmistrza) of Lubaczow (Poland)

5. Place branding and positioning (on Lviv region example)

Oksana Muzychuk,
Ex.-Head of International Cooperation Department of
Lviv Regional State Administration,
Postgraduate of Lviv Regional Institute of State Management
of National Academy of State Management under the President of Ukraine (Lviv)

6. What the electorate expects from local authorities in the context of territorial development? Some research results

Volodymyr Podhornov,
President of Ukrainian Fund
"Public opinion" (Lviv)


After seminar was held training “Forming of city positive image”:
~ Individual style of city
~ Forms and ways of city image forming
~ Practical aspects of cities positioning and branding
~ Promotion of city in the global information space
~ Advantage for city provided by Internet

Training experts:

Jerzy Zając,
Mayor (Burmistrz) of Lubaczow (Poland)

Janusz Szaj,
Vice-mayor (Z-ca Burmistrza) of Lubaczow (Poland)

Michał Krawczyk,
Deputy Director of the Office of the President of Lublin,
Director of Marketing Office of Lublin Council (Poland)
(Zastępca Dyrektora Kancelarii Prezydenta ds. marketingu miasta)

Slawomir Roszczenko,
Kancelaria Prezydenta Miasta Lublin
Ref. ds. Wspolpracy Miedzynarodowej

Nadiya Matviychuk-Soskina,
Head of Marketing Department of Institute of Society Transformation,
Lecture of Department of International Economics and Entrepreneurship
of National Academy of Management, Certified International Expert on the S.E.N.S.E.
(Strategic Economic Needs and Security Exercise) for the Ukrainian authorities and NGOs,
organized by Center of Eastern European Studies of Warsaw University in cooperation with
the American Institute of Peace supported by the Ministry of National Security and Foreign Ministry of Poland

The materials of the international seminar-training will be published in the book "Branding of cities: experience of  Visegrad Group countries for Ukraine”, the scientific journal “Economic Annals-XXI”, All-Ukrainian newspaper "City and people" as well as posted on the sites www.soskin.info, www.ist.osp-ua.info, www. cityukraine.info 

Press-Service of Institute of Society Transformation