Project part-financed by the European Union (ERDF + TACIS) within the BSR INTERREG III B NP programme Picture “Here, on the hill, high standing strong stonework. / It is the hill – glorious secrets.. “ From the school hymn HINTERLAND Vitality Check Examples from typology : type Nr.8 Village (locality) name: Girdžiai Number of inhabitants : 1540 Name of Municipality : Jurbarkas Lithuania Name of County : Lithuania Vorderland dist. (dist. center 9 km to Jurbarkas; 95 km to Kaunas A voice from name of village “Rivers are coming back to their own sources, come back and you near the coast of Mituva river” Rest and relaxation center “Mituva” The holy Jurgis picture in Gidžiai church

Project part-financed by the European Union (ERDF + TACIS) within the BSR INTERREG III B NP programme Girdžiai basic school Traditional Mardi Gras fiesta in the school We are type Nr. 8 ! What does it mean for our village and what do we have to do? Strengthen the strengths! Demography Quite enough inhabitants have high education (30%) and professional education (60); Economy Farms are becoming bigger, witch use the support from EU structural funds; Stable functioning 3 business enterprises, acting couple of shops; Social Life Active functioning community center, Caritas, Health lifestyle association, in this activity participate about 90 people. Organization of traditional fiestas (for example, Holy Ona feast, barn theater and Joninės fiesta) There are artist, handcrafts living in locality. Reduce the risks! Demographic risk? (high number of pentioniers in locality, youth emigration, there are derelict houses); Economic risk ? (50% of inhabitants going to work in other places, lack of qualified workers) Social risk? (poor input of water quality, no old people centre and other social services centres).

Project part-financed by the European Union (ERDF + TACIS) within the BSR INTERREG III B NP programme Works of local artists Community centre council meeting Pond in Giržiai town near Mituva river 2002 – first barn theater spectacle; 2003 – fiesta of 450 year Girdžiai town jubilee; established rest and relaxation club “Mituva”; 2006 – according to financed project from EU structural funds “BPG development of services network, modernized V.R.Petkinienė individual enterprise “Philema“ in Girdžiai; established Girdžiai community centre; fiesta of Gridžiai school 100 year jubilee; realized first project of community centre. Picture We got type Nr. 8 ! Look what we have achieved so far : Year:Activity description

Project part-financed by the European Union (ERDF + TACIS) within the BSR INTERREG III B NP programme Vision: Girdžiai is perennially nice-looking, visiting by many tourists, favourite of fishermen, suitable for water sport and rest, wonderfull corner of nature. Inhabitants are master of new technologies, educated, closely colaborating and relying each other, nurturance etnoculture traditions and conserving cultural heritage. Village is strong ecologicaly, rejuvenated, created social value. Other future projects: creation of barn theater in renovated building and barb theater organization; pond and park tyding in locality and other projects of town environment betterment; creation of Lords Day center and the resurrection of homeage traditions and salut going to pentionier age; communication projects with partners from Sweeden (Kristianstadt) … Colaboration with Sweedish Orientational competition Picture Such a spoil couhg in pond We got type Nr. 8! Our vision for the future :