Pécs - Urban Challenges and Solutions

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Pécs, Hungary

Brussels, 08 April 2013. Ákos Hegyi

Brief introduction to Pécs city

URBACT Training Session Page 2

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Geographical location

› Eastern-central Europe

› Pécs is located in the Carpathian Basin, › South transdanubian region› Center of Baranya county› It is bordered by Mecsek hill from the north, and a plain from the south

› located near to the border of Croatia› favorable climate› No lake or river› High way, airport, road and railway hub› Administrative, educational, medical, political center


Fact sheet

› Area: 163 km² › Height over sea level: 120 - 250m › Annual precipitation: 620 mm › Annual mean temperature: 10, 3 °C › Mean temperature in January: -1,4 °C › Mean temperature in July: 20,5 °C › Number of sunny hours: 2022 › Number of inhabitants: 157,000 › Population density: 964 person/km² › Male/Female: 54-46% › Age groups: - Children (0-14) 14%,

- Active (15-65): 69%,

- Pensioner 17%


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History – Ancient Roman city

› The area has been inhabited since ancient times, with the oldest archaeological findings being 6000 years old. Before the Roman era the place was inhabited by Celts.

› In the first half of the 4th century Sopianae became an important Christian city

› attacks by Barbarians and Huns› King Louis the Great founded a university in Pécs in 1367› After the Battle of Mohács (1526) in which the invading Ottoman army defeated the armies of King Louis II, the armies of Suleiman occupied Pécs

› Habsburg time› A more peaceful era started after 1710. Industry, trade and viticulture prospered, manufactures were founded, a new city hall was built.


History II

› 1848–49 Pécs was occupied by Croatian armies for a short time

› At the end of World War I Baranya county was occupied by Serbian troops

› World War II – Red Army

› After the war development became fast again, and the city grew, absorbing several nearby towns. In the 1980s Pécs already had 180,000 inhabitants.

› After the end of Socialist era (1989–1990) Pécs and its county, like many other areas, were hit hard by the changes, the unemployment rate was high, the mines and several factories were closed, and the war in neighboring Yugoslavia in the 1990s affected the tourism.

› Service sectorm regional center


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Ethnic groups

› Magyars - 92.6%› Germans - 3.1%› Roma - 1.2%› Croats - 1%› Serbs - 1%› Others - 1.1%

› 1998 Pécs was given the UNESCO prize Cities for peace for maintaining the cultures of the minorities


Religions

› Roman Catholic - 58.5%› Calvinist - 7.4%› Lutheran - 1.9%› Atheist - 18%› Others (mainly Christian) - 1.9%› No answer, unknown - 12.3%


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Economy

› Located in the midst of an agricultural area, Pécs is the natural hub of local products

› Until some years ago, it had a coal mine and even a Uraniummine. Several factories exist, but after the fall of the Iron Curtain many have not managed the transition well.

› There is a gradual development of modern high-tech industry› famous porcelain factory. The Zsolnay Porcelain

› Pécsi Sörfőzde (Pécs Brewery› Three industrial parks


Education

› 47 kindergartens in Pécs

› 25 institutions deal with primary education.

› Ten secondary schools in the City: five of them are maintained by the City. Three are maintained by the Church and other Christian congregations, two by the University of Pécs.

› In several schools education is bilingual: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish bilingual classes start each year.

› University of Pécs – 30000 students: Ten faculties and 210 majors. Medical, law and architect students have undivided education, in other faculties the so called Bologna system was introduced in 2006.


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External relations

› Pannon EGTC

› Pécs is twinned with:› Arad, Romania; Cluj-Napoca, Romania

› Fellbach, Germany; Graz, Austria[28]

› Kütahya, Turkey; Lahti, Finland

› Dijon, France; Grenoble, France[29]

› Lyon, France; Novi Sad, Serbia

› Olomouc, Czech Republic; Osijek, Croatia

› Seattle, USA, Sliven, Bulgaria

› Terracina, Italy; Tucson, USA

› Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

›



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Cultural Capital of Europe - 2010


Kodály Center


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Zsolnay


Zsolnay quarter


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Knowledge Center - Beehive


Markets


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Markets

› 4 markets in Pécs, one of them is open only

on Sundays,

› A variety of products sold:

Fresh food, vegetables, local products

Homemade food

Flowers

Fish from freshwaters

Sunday market: flea market, antique pieces

plants, clothes, food, etc.

› The main stakeholders:

› BIOKOM Ltd. – city operating company,

› Pécs Holding – asset management company

Closely working together with the Pécs Municipality

Pécs City Developement Nonprofit Ltd.


Market hall


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Products


Fish and meat, eggVegetables, fruits, mushroomHoney, flower, Flour, pasta, bread, pastryTobacco, clothes

Market – Fair-ground


Cars, animals, clothes, plants, food, toysForeign tradersCultural shock

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Goals

1. Possibility to gain knowledge about operations and management of city markets

2. Develop an action plane that � Improve local employment

� Effectiveness of local commercial chains

� Contributes to the reorganization of the downtown area

� Sets paths toward a sustainable city and future

� Helps to provide healthier lifestyle

� A usable SWOT, collection of best practises

� Handbook and strategy

� Cooperation development, conversation

� European Market Day

� Find EU or other financial source

� Get in line with SMART starategy


Local Support Group

› Interest is high

› There is a potential media interest

› Bottom up initiatives

› Political commitment

› Local need, demand exceeds supply

› Area available

› City owned company

› new company in the cafeteria system

› Negative:

› NO initiator

› too many ideas


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Local Action Plan

Training section is the starting pointNo real action has been undertakenNo staff assignmentToo much talk little actionCentral market project

Plans

› We plan to test through special focus groups that belong to specialdemographical, professional, age groups their need for markets attwo places in Pécs. Also the location, commercial specification andthe traffic connection will be monitored. The outcome of this researchwill help to create a proper SWOT analysis and a detailed marketresearch and a local brand will be introduced to distinguish localproducts from others.

› After it is completed we shall organize stake holders and marketoperators to develop a hand-book that shows what are the mainoutlines to establish a successful market in a city and what kind oflegislations should be made by the local government to keep urbanmarkets sustainable in Pécs.

› The final outcome (promotional campaign) will focus on publicforums and brochures. These campaigns will pay attention to Pécsand on the neighbouring cities.


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Key message

With this project we plan to revitalize two important squares encouraging people to go to markets and build social connections with each other.

Patrónis Nonprofit Ltd.


Future marketplace


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Thank you for your attention

Ákos HEGYI member of local government – City of Pécs

Vice president of Natural and Human resource Development Committe

[email protected]

URBACT Training Session I 09.12.09 I Page 29

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Pécs - Urban Challenges and Solutions