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At the intersection of the freedom of opinion, expression, peaceful assembly and association, the freedom of religion or belief stands as one of the fundamental tenets of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Unfortunately, even when such freedoms are part of the declared principles of some democracies, several groups and individuals keep being actively and/or structurally discriminated or targeted because of their religion or beliefs. Since 2019, the United Nations instituted an International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief on the 22nd of August to tackle this issue. ALDA also tackles discrimination against religion or belief – and any other form of discrimination that may lead to hate crimes – through the STAND UP project.

Aside from the long history of religious discrimination in several countries (for example, the antisemitic component of Nazism during World War II), this International Day tries to respond to an alarming surge of discrimination and violence against certain religious groups in more recent times. For example, although they are not the only victims, there have been increasing instances of islamophobia in the USA and many European countries – what the Secretary-General of the UN has defined as an ‘epidemic of hatred’ – especially after major terrorist attacks. Indeed, anti-terrorism rhetoric can often be linked with hate and violence against certain religions. The institution of this International Day exactly one day after the pre-existing UN’s International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism (21st of August) certainly attempts to prevent this risk.

Inclusiveness and non-discrimination represent key values of ALDA’s work and mission

In addition, the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) denounces how Islamophobia is often another form of racism rather than a criticism towards a religion per se. All those practising a religion are assumed to have certain opinions or behaviours that are seen as negative or threatening; and those linked to a social group or ethnicity are assumed to be practising that religion and to hold specific negative values. Thus, victims of islamophobia often simply belong to a certain ethnicity but are not even Muslims.

Instances of racism, xenophobia, religious discriminations and other forms of marginalisation clearly intersect in the phenomenon of the acts of violence based on religion or belief, be it Islam or other religions. In order to tackle the issue, an intersectional approach that takes into account different aspects of identity and combining discriminating factors is needed. ALDA is particularly active in employing such an approach against overt violence via STAND UP, a project that aims at improving the reporting and prevention of hate crimes through localised and flexible analyses of hate speech. ALDA is also implementing an anti-discriminatory policy with the purpose of becoming more inclusive and to avoid marginalisation because of religion, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, (dis)ability and other factors.

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The E-voice project, funded by the European Commission to reflect on the impact of the pandemic on young people, institutions and voluntary associations, was presented at the Senate of the Italian Republic in Rome (Italy) on 14 July 2023. Thanks to UDC Quaestor Senator Antonio De Poli who promoted the initiative, a delegation of young Italians, volunteers, officials and administrators attended the official project presentation press conference. 

The presentation was also attended by the national director of the CERV Italia programme, Ms. Manuela Marsano, who emphasised the strong impact of similar projects on a partnership network of 7 bodies spanning the whole of Europe and involving thousands of European citizens.

Afterwards, Ms. Manuela Todeschini, on behalf of young people, brought the experience of the Mioveni event in April, emphasising how the Romanian city’s social communication during the pandemic was optimal in reaching even the most vulnerable groups. Finally, city councillor Mr. Pier Luigi Zarantonello presented the new project website www.evoiceproject.eu, within which a blog is now available to discuss the four areas of interest of the project, notably educational poverty, mental health, bad habits and unemployment. The objective is to research the best existing practices to generate a list of recommendations for the partnership.

E-Voice aims at helping young people to get actively involved in decision-making processes

E-Voice is a project implemented with communities to reflect on the post-pandemic European Union from the point of view of solidarity among citizens, especially young people, and democratic participation in local politics. The discussion concerns the impact that the pandemic has had on citizenship with regard to 4 key issues: mental health, educational poverty, unhealthy habits and unemployment, but also topics of education, social services, health authorities, employment centres and corresponding services across borders will be involved.

The project will enable youngsters from the 7 European countries to meet and exchange methods and good practices, to engage in pilot actions and to get to know first-hand the solidarity system of the visited country, while the objectives of E-Voice will be achieved by different methods: international mobility, participation, exchange of good practice, cooperation networking and transnational valorisation events.

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EU4Accountability is an European Union-funded programme aimed at strengthening the capacity of Moldovan civil society organisations to better fulfil their role as governance actors to improve the social accountability of public administration and central government in Moldova (🇲🇩).  From 2021, EU4Accountability actions support civil society to implement their projects to increase social accountability by increasing local engagement and transparency. The 30-month programme trains more than 60 CSOs from 10 districts of the country to improve their social accountability and budgeting capacities participatory budgeting, to participate in and monitor the local governance process, and monitor the local governance process, participate in policy dialogue with local authorities and central government. Out of a total of 50 EU4Accountability projects, 5 of them were successfully completed between July and August 2023.

ALDA actively contributed to the management of different projects in this sense. 

The ProEntranse organisation, responsible for the implementation of the project in Vorniceni and Micleuseni, in the Strășeni district, together with citizens and both municipalities, managed to increase transparency in local public administration throughout a series of trainings aimed at optimising the information process of Local Public Authorities (LPAs), providing local councils with the necessary technology and involving the population in the decision-making process. As a result of these activities, citizens’ trust in local authorities has increased considerably.

The project’s performance, however, was the involvement of young people in local decision-making processes and as a result, Alternative Youth Councils were formed in Vorniceni and Micleuseni. In this regard, youngsters have signed a document that regulates the functioning of these Councils and they are going to submit a medium-term action plan to the LPA.

Citizens and civil society as key actors of the EU4Accountability project

In the same district, the Association of the Zubresti Native People “Zubrea” and the Zubresti Municipality, have put a lot of effort and enthusiasm into the creation of an Information Centre for citizens, which will facilitate the provision of public services, obtaining permits and other documents issued by the Zubresti LPA. At the test stage of the Centre, 500 documents were already completed, thanks to the modern technology and software within EU4Accountability.

The project has ended in Zubresti, but it is certainly an example of the active involvement of civil society and the willingness of the LPA to contribute to great and sustainable actions and to solve the pressing needs of the community.

In the city of Gura Galbenei in Cimislia, civil society has also shown social responsibility as AO ADER, together with the local Municipality and its inhabitants, contributed to the implementation of priority actions within the local context.

Through the EU4Accountability project more than 40 citizens learned about participatory budgeting and monitoring of public procurement at local level and technical needs were provided to broadcast live the meetings of Gura Galbenei Local Council. Also, at the initiative of citizens, the courtyard of the “Guguță” kindergarten was landscaped, trees and shrubs were planted, an irrigation system was installed, benches were installed and other improvements were made with the voluntary involvement of citizens.

In the village of Volintiri, in the district of Stefan Voda, actions and activities in the first stage of the project seemed unfeasible: thanks to the resilience, the ambition and the confidence in the initiative, supported by the Association Speranta Voliniri and the village Mayor’s Office, capacities in the field of social responsibility were strengthened for 40 people and the infrastructure for meetings and public hearings was considerably improved. Residents have expressed their willingness to be involved in the decision-making processes of the LPA in the future, and already know what are the next projects involving civil society for the benefit of the locality. 

People in Need also actively managed the implementation of a project involving young people from Dezginja, Comrat, as they have been very active within the framework of the EU4Accountability project. Their achievement is the creation of a Youth Centre in the city: this project marks a significant step towards strengthening cooperation between the Молодежь Гагаузии Association and the local Municipality.

The youth centre aims at providing a conducive environment to the holistic development of young people, offering access to a range of educational, recreational and cultural opportunities. It will serve as a space for discussion and creation of proposals for social engagement, interactive workshops, vocational training, sports events and community initiatives that meet the needs and aspirations of local youngsters.

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In the framework of the project “Milan Sport United”, PlayMore! – leader of the initiative –  together with ALDA are pleased to announce the open call for participation in the training workshop “sport, inclusion and volunteering”.

With the aim of fostering the integration and social inclusion of refugees in the Metropolitan City of Milan through various activities, the project focuses on sport as a means through which avenues of communication can be opened between people, regardless of their social status and origin.

🚶If you are:

  • A volunteer or collaborator of voluntary associations, NGOs, cooperatives or foundations active in the field of sport or social promotion;
  • Passionate about integration through sport of refugees, migrants and people at risk of social exclusion; 
  • An organisation that promotes or intends to activate inclusive sports activities;
  • An English speaker;

This workshop on “sport, inclusion and volunteering” is for you!

Together with a multicultural team of 20 people, including 6 members of European sports or social promotion associations, 8 local sportsmen and women and 6 local refugees, you will be able to:

  • participate in recreational activities of PlayMore!
  • share your experience and compare it with that of your peers
  • contribute to the identification of effective models and practices

🚶When and Where?

From 14 to 16 of September 2023 at the PlayMore! Sport centre in via della Moscova, 26, Milan, Italy.  

🚶How to participate:

If you are interested you can send an email by 22 August 2023 to Aladdin at aladdin@aldaintranet.org and Rita at rita@aldaintranet.org attaching the completed and signed participation application, which you can find below, with your Curriculum Vitae.  

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Read the full call

Check out the Agenda of the Event

Application Form

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On 27&28 July, ALDA Secretary General, Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, went to Warsaw (Poland) to participate at the Conference for the presentation of the project “Mariupol Reborn: Architectural Principles of Reconstruction”, developed to revive the city of Mariupol once it is back in Ukrainian hands.

The project will be developed and supported by several international and Ukrainian experts, European cities, national foundations, representatives of all levels of government and many Ukrainian businesses, which plan to regenerate the city after the de-occupation through different international practices and the implementation of the latest technologies. A Recovery Plan will be elaborate and widely discussed directly with the residents.

Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida emphasised the need to base the reconstruction of Ukraine on the engagement of citizens and the empowerment of local governments

During the summit, which was also attended by the Mayor of Mariupol, Mr. Vadym Boychenko and the Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk, Mr. Piotr Grzelak, Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida presented ALDA’s work in the country and the cooperation with the LDA Mariupol, emphasising the need to base the reconstruction of Ukraine on the engagement of citizens and the empowerment of local governments. 

Among the points discussed, ALDA Secretary General introduced to the attendees the Flagship Initiative in Ukraine, an initiative which aims to enhance the relationship with Ukrainian entities thanks to the opening of seven new LDAs in the country, in addition to the already existing ones (LDA Mariupol and LDA Dnipro) as useful instruments to promote cohesion and peace.

ALDA is firmly active to ensure a peaceful future for Ukraine and will follow-up on this meeting, cooperating with the partners in order to promote the project and ensure a successful rebuilding of the city.

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ALDA has been selected by the Youth Department of the Council of Europe to implement the COMPASS National Training Course. 

The course will be held from 10 to 13 October 2023, in Vicenza (Italy) and it aims at strengthening skills related to Human Rights Education (HRE) and at promoting the role of Human Rights educators and practitioners in the implementation of HRE activities and programmes in their contexts. The COMPASS national training courses are implemented in the framework of the Council of Europe “Youth for Democracy” programme 2022 and its priority to support young people’s access to rights.

The COMPASS national training courses are organised at the initiative of youth organisations or education institutions interested in introducing and developing the provision and quality of human rights education. They are important both for the quality of the learning that they provide and for the potential that they have in promoting human rights education in the country or countries concerned.

The course is for all youth workers, human rights activists, representatives of youth associations, volunteers and teachers on the national territory, eager to deepen their knowledge of Human Rights education and acquire new skills on the use of the COMPASS manual and other educational tools promoted by the Council of Europe. 

If you are interested, read the full call for participants (in Italian) here and apply by September 1, 2023.

Apply to the COMPASS – National Training Course

“Empowering young leaders for more sustainable and inclusive communities”

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From 4 to 6 August 2023, the final event of the Water’s Experts project took place in Italy, hosted by the project leader, Paese dell’Acqua.

Partners and international students were welcomed in Sassinoro (Italy), a lovely town perched on a hill in the south of Italy, and surrounded by nature and water courses: the perfect framework to conclude the journey of the Water’s Experts project.

The 3-day final event gave students the opportunity to meet their peers from other countries and share their experiences and knowledge about the topic. Moreover, partners discussed together the project’s results which have been afterwards presented to the citizens in order to raise awareness on the importance of water and the issue of climate change. 

Among the several activities planned for the final event, the most important role was played by international students who were selected to be part of the event as they have been actively involved during the three days. 

Students shared their experiences and knowledge about the topic as they have been actively involved in the whole project

On the first day, youngsters from Italy, North Macedonia, France and Portugal presented the work done during the training course in their respective countries, while the second day they put into practice the skills they acquired during the workshop on the Fluvial Functionality Index. Guided by Ms. Enrica Bronzo, biology teacher, students and the partners explored the Sassinora river, analysing together the main morphological aspects and, in the afternoon, the teacher facilitated an interesting discussion to disclose the data collected on the river situation. The conclusions of the exchange were then presented to the Mayor and a member of the City Council, together with proposals and recommendations on the topic.

Moreover, thanks to the event, participants had the chance to discover more water resources of the area during guided tours of the Tammaro and Biferno rivers, as well as the interesting archeological site of Sepino Altilia, in the region of Molise, Italy.

Finally, the last evening was dedicated to the projection of the documentary “Til the last drop” in collaboration with the association “Controcorrente per il Sarno che verrà”.

The final event of the Water’s Experts project represented an important moment of sharing, being a link between the students from different parts of Europe, the project partners and the local community, based on the common value of the importance of protecting the water resources and the environment.

Read more about the project on Paese dell’Acqua website

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On July 21 2023, the ALDA Coordination Board, composed of ALDA Secretary General, Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, the Director of Programmes and Corporate Strategy, Mr. Marco Boaria and the ALDA Office Directors and Heads of Departments and Regional Units, met the newly elected Mayor of Vicenza, Mr. Giacomo Possamai. 

The meeting, which took place in the beautiful framework of ‘Sala degli Stucchi’ in Palazzo Trissino (Italy), was aimed at discussing the partnership and future collaboration between the two entities, with the willingness of creating a strong base to build a resilient and long-lasting cooperation. 

ALDA firmly believes that cooperation between the two entities can lead to a strengthening of the participatory base at the local level

ALDA, which has offices in Europe and its neighbourhood including in Italy, precisely in Vicenza, is very active in the local context with projects, activities and initiatives that not only aim to promote local democracy, good governance and citizen participation, but touch on a wide range of topics including urban regeneration, migration and land valorisation. 

With the establishment of ALDA Italia APS (Associazione di Promozione Sociale) the Association’s presence in the local area has increased through the implementation of several projects directly involving citizens and promoting local territorial development, such as Alta Via della Grande Guerra and HILL projects.

ALDA firmly believes that cooperation between the two entities can lead to a strengthening of the participatory base at the local level.

Joining synergies to address everyday local challenges such as increased migration flows, reduction of citizen participation in public life and more, represents the key for a future where democracy and good governance are always more present and resilient.

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On July 18, 2023, Mr. Alessandro Perelli, ALDA Vice-President and representative of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in the Governing Board, together with Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Secretary General, and Ms. Veronica Vidotto, ALDA Membership Officer, went to Trieste (Italy) to meet with the President of the Autonomous Region of FVG, Mr. Massimiliano Fedriga, and the Municipality of Trieste. 

The Region Friuli Venezia Giulia has a longstanding partnership with ALDA and finances three Local Democracy Agencies. On the working table together, the key focus was on: 

  • the relevance for the Region concerning the work in the Western Balkans for their historical, economic and cultural relations, linked to the need to cooperate for EU membership;
  • ALDA’s Flagship Initiative in Ukraine: regarding this, the region FVG is committed to support Ukraine and aligned with the Italian Ministry of Entreprises and Made in Italy who sees the harbour of Trieste as the access to the Mediterranean for Ukraine. The President expressed the interest of the Region in working together for the opening of LDA Odesa;
  • the structured relation within the Italian and European institutions: FVG is interested in the efforts of ALDA to develop structured relations with the Italian institutional framework. Since 2021, Mr. Fedriga has been president of the Conference of the Regions and Autonomous Provinces, whose strengthened role can be a platform for ALDA to involve Italian regions and to work at intra-regional level.

Mr. Fedriga welcomed ALDA’s work and initiatives, and the Association is looking forward to continuing this valuable collaboration and working further on the territorial and local approach as the foundation of democracy and development.

The Association is looking forward to continuing this valuable collaboration and working further on the territorial and local approach as the foundation of democracy and development

During the second part of the day, the ALDA team met with the Municipality of Trieste, namely with Ms. Serena Tonel, Deputy Mayor of Trieste, and Ms. Beatrice Micovilovich, in charge of urban planning and programmes.

Trieste has had a twinning program with the Municipality of Mykolaiv for many years, which was strengthened with the outbreak of war in Ukraine, with the City of Trieste providing regular humanitarian aid.

ALDA will follow-up on this meeting, getting in touch with Mykolaiv Municipality and working with the partnership revolving around the opening of a new LDA in Ukraine.

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From 3 to 5 July, 2023, the Local Democracy Agency Tunisia organised at the Continental Hotel in Kairouan, Tunisia, the “Multiplier Event”, an international workshop on environmental good practices.  The event gathered stakeholders coming from different tunisian cities and many international guests were also present: indeed, the focus of the occurrence were two main projects, notably READY (Raise Environmental Awareness for Deprived Youths) and AUTREMENT (Urban and Territorial Planning to Reinvent Mobilities and Engage Tunisian Citizens).

On July 3, 2023, LDA Tunisia warmly welcomed participants who had the opportunity to enjoy an exciting bike ride around the city of Kairouan while exploring its streets and monuments, as well as its incredible architecture. Moreover, the tour was the occasion to learn about Kairouan’s rich historical background as it was guided by a professional historian specialised in tunisian cities’ historical development. 

The day after, following LDA Tunisia Representative Mr. Youssef Nouri‘s welcoming speech, the first online workshop entitled “Effective communication on climate change” took place: led by Ms. Iro Alampei, Education program Representative within the MOI/ECSDE federation in Athens, Greece, the session aimed at providing the audience with concrete tools to raise awareness on climate change issues through a successful communication strategy.  

The event gathered stakeholders, notably youngsters, coming from 8 different countries and it represented a fruitful platform to deepen youth capacity building

Afterwards, the training session on the “Introduction to the localization of the SDGs at the local level” took place within the AUTREMENT project. The training’s objective was to analyse the process of translating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within the local context and challenges, defining, implementing and monitoring local actions and strategies that contribute to the global achievement of the SDGs.

To conclude the event, the floor was given to ADL Zavidovici Association which explained the READY project to the audience and moderated a panel of young participants that quibbled around sustainable development and climate change challenges.

The event gathered stakeholders, notably youngsters, coming from 8 different countries and represented a fruitful platform for youth to deepen their capacity building while networking: indeed, during the last evening, a cultural event was organised to give participants the opportunity to share with one another music, games and songs and get to know more about different cultures.

LDA Tunisia is deeply grateful to experts that joined the event for the valuable information and insights that were provided and to all the participants for their active interest and engagement throughout the event.

LDA Tunisia thanks also the associations that joined the event, among which ADL Zavidovici (Italy), Right Challenge (Portugal), ALDA, Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG) (Turkey), Arc en Ciel, Ain Sefra (Algeria), We Youth (Tunisia) and the Lebanese Development Network (Lebanon) which unfortunately could not take part in our event due to logistic reasons; special thanks also to the partners of LDA Tunisia: Strasbourg Municipality (France), the city of Mahdia and Kairouan (Tunisia) and the whole AUTREMENT project consortium for the constant collaboration and support.

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“Local Democracy will save Democracy”: this was the motto and the core concept behind the ALDA Festival 2023, held from 6 to 9 June in Etterbeek, Belgium.

The highlight of this 4-day long event was most certainly ALDA General Assembly, which took place on Thursday, June 8th in the beautiful and historical location of the Etterbeek Municipal Hall, kindly hosted by the Mayor of the Municipality, Mr. Vincent De Wolf. 

We’ve been very proud of noticing an increasing participation and interest by the whole network of ALDA. Indeed not only members’ representative, but the hall was filled with partners and friends of the Association, who attended intrigued by ALDA’s activities in Europe and around the world and wished to deepen knowledge on ALDA’s present and future action plans and priorities.

The opening of the Assembly was conferred to the vice-president of the European Commission, Ms. Dubravka Suica, which was followed by a fruitful exchange of opinions and questions by members and partners in the hall. Extremely interesting and insightful speeches were also delivered by our guests the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Mr. Leendert Verbeek; the Head of Unit of the programme Europe for Citizens, Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), Mr. Gilles Pelayo; and the Executive Secretariat of the Central European Initiative, Mr. Ugo Poli. 

These experienced speakers focused on the importance of democracy, and how crucial it is to safeguard it especially in the present time, where democracy itself is undergoing various threats such as populism, authoritarianism, disinformation and misinformation. 

“To save democracy with local democracy means that we are in emergency times where democracy needs to be saved, for this reason it is important to act now”- stated Mr. Poli.

They all emphasised how crucial it is to act locally and to promote and sustain democracy at the local level, so that a solid foundation can be built to establish a resilient global one.

This session continued with the presentation of the paper “Local Democracy will Save Democracy” by Ms. Daniela Ciaffi, Labsus vice president and ALDA member. A publication that capitalises on the experience of ALDA and its members and partners in an attempt to contribute to the challenges posed to Democracy in Europe and in the world. It was followed by the preview of the documentary on the 30 years anniversary of LDAs in the Balkans produced by Mr. Francesco Zarzana, vice president of ALDA, and director of Progettarte Officina Culturale. 

Local Democracy will save Democracy: ALDA General Assembly 2023

The opening ceremony of the ALDA General Assembly was followed by a statutory part, a more technical phase, where the internal matters of the organisation were discussed. Ms. Maddalena Alberti, Director of the Association “LDA in Zavidovici”, member of ALDA and member of the newly ALDA Advisory Board, was appointed as Chair of the Ordinary General Assembly. A very important role, which consists of leading the work of the Assembly and ensuring that all major points of discussion are addressed.

After having explored the activities implemented in 2022 by the organisation and the Local Democracy Agencies, through the presentation of the Activity Report 2022, another important moment took place, which consisted of the presentation of the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Policy by Ms. Natasa Vuckovic, ALDA vice-president, with the purpose of outlining values and standards we expect staff and other people associated with ALDA to uphold, protecting staff and other stakeholders from any form of discrimination. 

The Assembly concluded with the official presentation to the audience of the Advisory Board members, a selected group of persons which thanks to their expertise in different fields will closely follow the work of the organisation by acting on geographical areas. 

The annual General Assembly of ALDA is the most important event of the Association, where members, stakeholders and partners gather together to discuss the work done so far and establish future directions. This year it had a different taste, because it also marked an important anniversary for ALDA, namely 30 years since the establishment of the very first Local Democracy Agency in the Balkans, the LDA Subotica. 

30 years of supporting and promoting local democracy, to save democracy globally. 

Because Local Democracy will save Democracy. 

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A new period has started in Europe with Spain that has assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Following the last Swedish presidency, from the 1st of July, the Iberian country took this role for the next six months, until December 31st 2023, being the first of the current “Trio”, made up of the presidencies of Spain, Belgium and Hungary. 

After decades of growth but also delicate and peculiar challenges, and with the impasse of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the President of the Spanish government Mr. Pedro Sánchez declared his gratitude and diligence for this responsibility, presenting the priorities of the Spanish mandate.

ALDA welcomes the Spanish Presidency of the European Council: focus on reindustrialization, environmental transition, internal changes and social and economic justice

One of the pillars of the Spanish Presidency is Europe’s reindustrialising through innovation, greater integration of the single market and the development of trade relations with third countries aimed at strengthening European supply chains. 

The second priority is the implementation of an ecological transition that supports the achievement of climate neutrality and targets set by the European Institutions, saving money and creating new job opportunities.

Another aim stated by President Sánchez is to consolidate the social pillar, fighting economic injustice through “the establishment of minimum standards for business taxation in all Member States, particularly in the digital sphere, and to combat tax evasion, tax avoidance and the use of shell companies“.

Finally, the fourth priority is to strengthen Europe’s union, enhancing communitary instruments, such as the NextGeneration EU funds, and internal reforms like the discussion of a new Pact on Migration and Asylum. 

ALDA welcomes with emphasis the new Spanish Presidency, willing to support it in the fulfilment of this agenda and encouraging the European governance to keep active the participation of the citizens.

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Czech Presidency of the European Council: Welcome!

ALDA welcomes the Swedish EU Council Presidency

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July is Disability Pride Month! During this month, we focus on persons with disabilities to foster their empowerment and ensure they are seen and included in building broader equality. 

According to the Fact Sheet on Disability by the World Health Organization, persons with disabilities represent the world’s biggest minority, making up around 16% of the global population. It should be added that, from an intersectional perspective, disability is often combined with other factors, like gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity and economic status, that can result in multiple forms of inequality.

Research by SDG Watch Europe shows that many European countries still lack legislation aimed at protecting persons with disabilities from discrimination. Even worse, according to the European Disability Forum, some of these countries uphold laws which actively discriminate against them, like those enforcing sterilisation on persons with disabilities.

Certain paternalistic beliefs deem persons with disabilities as completely incapable of taking care of themselves, or of at least participating in decisions that concern them. A similar ableist world-view designs society only for bodies without disabilities, effectively disabling other bodies by turning their impairments into actual barriers to social inclusions and preventing them from fully fitting.

Rather, the Disability Pride movement constitutes itself with the different needs of different bodies in focus, in order to empower them. For example, its official flag has recently been redesigned with limited strobe effects and brightness, making it more accessible to people with colour blindness and to those with visually triggered disabilities.

ALDA aims for the change of discriminatory policies, behaviours and beliefs from an intersectional point of view

Inclusiveness is one of the values at the core of ALDA’s Gender Equality & Anti-Discrimination Policy, which contrasts bias and prejudices toward persons with disabilities of all kinds.

Micro Glossary: 

Ableism: A form of discrimination against persons with disabilities. It is often inscribed in policies, behaviours, rules, etc., that are centred around bodies without disabilities, resulting in the exclusion of bodies with different needs

Intersectionality: It refers to how certain social categories or characteristics – such as ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, economic status, (dis)ability – can be interconnected and overlapping. Intersectionality often sheds light on how people belonging to more than one category can experience multiple types of discrimination

Persons with disabilities: Someone who has some form of impairment which, in an ableist culture and society, makes them face additional struggles or barriers. Many prefer it to “disabled people”, so that the person is emphasised, rather than the disability. “Persons” and “disabilities” also refer to the wide range of individualities and impairments, which do not constitute a homogenous group or condition

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The highly anticipated kick-off meeting for the USE IPM (Up-Skilling Researchers for Sustainable Entrepreneurship based on Innovation Process Management) project commenced this July 13, at the Faculty of Economics in Niš, Serbia. 

The partners, representing more than 12 european institutions met to introduce their universities and associations, while outlining their respective roles and contributions within the cooperation.

The USE IPM (Up-Skilling Researchers for Sustainable Entrepreneurship based on Innovation Process Management) project aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of researchers in widening countries, empowering them to thrive in the fields of research, innovation, and technology transfer. 

With a focus on sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation process management, the project aims to create a network of valuable partnerships and drive the development of innovative solutions with lasting positive effects.

Looking forward to the next meeting!

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On June 24 2023, Mr. Marco Boaria, ALDA Director of Programs and Corporate Strategy, participated in the “Forum delle Acque” (water forum), which took place in Terni (Italy). 

The “Forum delle Acque” is a moment of study and discussion on good practices for the protection and regeneration of the water resource: a meeting ground for knowledge, ideas, projects, organisations and people active on this issue, and a laboratory for sustainable and circular solutions in the interaction between mankind and nature, which aims to create a space for experimentation, information and reflection.

The forum aims to contribute to the creation of a new ‘Water Culture’ by approaching the topic from different aspects, which correspond to the various focuses presented; creating training and discussion for public and private decision-makers; investigating new relationships between art, technology, popularisation and science; developing new educational models oriented towards awareness and sustainability; implementing cultural enhancement of landscape and community systems; improving water management in the face of increasingly critical changes; proposing experiences in the territory directly related to water.

Reaching its second edition, the four-day long Forum was attended by numerous speakers who, through their expertise and knowledge, provided interesting and insightful information on the topics mentioned above. 

Guidelines, good practices and coordination policies on water issues were presented to stakeholders

Specifically, the day on 24 June focused on the valorisation of the cultural and natural landscape through Water Ecomuseums. The lecturers discussed the presentation of the best national experiences in order to outline guidelines, good practices and coordination policies on the matter. 

Mr. Boaria participated in a roundtable discussion on the Water Ecomuseum of the Marmore waterfall, called “Le Terre di Hydra”, an ecomuseum that aims to increase the attractiveness of the area, rediscovering values and adding meaning to the tourist’s visit: a gateway to the area, its history and its many points of interest.

The participation in the Forum acquires a very important meaning for the Association. ALDA, as well as ALDA+ and ALDA Italia Aps, through the implementation of European, national and local projects, have always been committed to the valorisation of the territory and the use of digital and technological tools to safeguard it and increase its attractiveness. ALDA is particularly interested in the experiences of eco-museums mainly because of the strong ‘participatory’ background on which eco-museums are based, and therefore on this common value we look forward to future cooperations between the Association and the network of eco-museums. 

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ALDA is beyond excited to welcome the selected Leverage for Initiating Volunteers in Europe and Surrounding (EU LIVES) volunteers, who will join ALDA for the following 11 months.  Meet Lorenzo, Michele, Alessia and Kauan Juliano, joining in Brussels (Belgium); Annalisa, Martina and Amal, working in Strasbourg (France); and Francesco and Giorgia, volunteering at the ALDA Office in Skopje (North Macedonia). They will actively work on different projects and initiatives within different departments, among which the project implementation and development sections and the communication one. 

The nine EU LIVES volunteers attended a two-day long training on the different activities of ALDA, introduced by the ALDA staff in Cremona (Italy). Afterwards, volunteers took off to their respective new roles and destinations: they are now moving their first steps in the ALDA offices, supported and encouraged by the whole ALDA Staff who is looking forward to working with young, proactive and determined volunteers. 

On a general perspective, the EU LIVES project, developed together with the Municipality of Cremona within the Italian “Universal Civil Service” Programme, aims at involving young people in mobility paths that favor their personal growth: on the one hand in view of their professional future, on the other in relation to their role of citizens of local communities and of a wider European community. Hence, the volunteers will follow the general target of the project by implementing ALDA’s daily tasks and while being part of ALDA’s big community. 

ALDA knows that each of them has a lot of potential to convey and wants to wish them a great year ahead: welcome to the team!

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In a world grappling with the urgent challenges of climate change, the EU24 Engage for the Planet project emerges as a sign of empowerment. Spanning five European countries – Sweden, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, and France – this ambitious initiative will bring together domestic and mobile union citizens to foster dialogue and action in the realms of climate justice, climate change, and sustainability. 

Over the course of 20 months, gender long as balanced blended exchange events will serve as catalysts for democratic engagement and bridge the participation gap among young citizens, individuals from diverse backgrounds, and mobile union citizens.

Within this initiative, ALDA is organising a poster competition to link all the events together through climate-related themes. This competition is a key dissemination and inclusion element throughout the project: an unique opportunity for artists, designers and passionate individuals from all backgrounds to showcase their creative talent while raising awareness about challenges and issues of the climate crisis.

Let your creativity flow and create a visual masterpiece that inspires change and engages our communities

As a result, this initiative will enable participants to link local issues of climate change, climate justice and sustainability to larger debating events. It will also stimulate a gender-balanced & diversity-oriented participation of citizens from diverse backgrounds through a participative and creative format. 

Moreover, by participating in the EU24 Poster Competition, candidates will have the chance to make a meaningful impact while friendly competing to win exciting prizes. Indeed, winners will be invited to the EU24 Engage for the Planet final event in Brussels (🇧🇪), on June 2024. Imagine showcasing your artwork and contributing to the collective effort to tackle climate change!

The first deadline for the mobility art poster submission is on September 1, 2023. Don’t miss the opportunity to have your artwork seen by everyone: best posters will be selected and displayed at the Mobility Event in Strasbourg (🇫🇷) on September 28, 2023, to reward winners’ talent and commitment towards sustainability.

Please complete the form to ensure your participation: let your artistic voice be heard! 

DOCUMENTS

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From June 25 to July 2, 2023, twenty youth workers gathered in Vicenza (Italy) on the occasion of the Training of Trainers of the ReCAP project.

Coordinated by La Piccionaia, the Training of Trainers represented a crucial moment for the project. After having identified and proposed different artistic and cultural tools to be collected in the Art and Cultural Toolbox for Youth workers, the involved participants from the ten partner organisations had the chance to present and test the targeted techniques. These techniques will be then used to involve youngsters with fewer opportunities at local level and help them reintegrate in their communities in the post-pandemic context. 

The overall goal of the ReCAP Training of Trainers was to share the expertise and knowledge of the partners with colleagues from all the partner countries, and identify strengths and weaknesses of the selected tools based on different artistic methods, such as dance, theatre, painting, poetry, and use of pictures.

The techniques discussed will be used to involve youngsters with fewer opportunities at local level and help them reintegrate in their communities in the post-pandemic context

The team building activities held at the beginning of the training by Mr. Carlo Presotto, the Artistic Director of La Piccionaia, were essential to create a safe environment for the participants to freely express themselves and feel involved in the process of co-creation of the tools.

Then, throughout the 8-day intense training, the enthusiastic participants created great synergies and a strong collaboration in their group, and they actively participated in the daily sessions, highly contributing to the success of this Training of Trainers.

This fruitful experience created the base for the youth workers to define their local paths, through which they will replicate and use some of the tools in their local contexts. In the upcoming months, each couple of youth workers based in each partner country will be working with selected groups of young people in vulnerability, with the aim of promoting social inclusion and active participation among them.

In the meantime, a comprehensive toolbox collecting all artistic and cultural tools is going to be finalised by La Piccionaia, and will be published soon as the second project result. 

Read more about the ReCAP project here.