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The World Climate Summit, COP27, started in Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt), and lasts from 6 to 18 November 2022. It’s the Conference of the Parties, all those who signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 

United Nations climate change conferences are among the largest international meetings in the world.

Moreover, climate change and environmental damage are urgent issues across the globe, as their effects are already being felt. For this reason, there is a need to adapt more quickly and comprehensively, and achieve a better world for us all, through a strategy of sustainability and climate neutrality. 

As the consequences of climate change are felt by everybody, but above all by the most vulnerable people, all citizens should engage and take action through initiatives that promote environmentally friendly and sustainable development policies. Therefore, civil society organisations (CSOs) play a primary role in raising awareness of citizens on climate change, approaching the green transition actions in a participatory process. 

ALDA’s work in the field of environment and climate change focuses on specific topics, such as climate change in urban and rural areas, flood risk mitigation, environmental governance, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable agri-food systems. In this framework, ALDA contributes to enhancing environmental governance both at the local and international levels, through an intense process of dialogue and communication among policymakers, civil society actors and practitioners.

Following last year’s edition of the Conference, nations are expected to demonstrate at COP27 that they are in a new era of implementation by turning their commitments under the Paris Agreement into action. Within the Climate Action goals of the Conference, what is ALDA’s role and how is it contributing with its work?  

ALDA’s commitment can be seen in the implementation of various projects!

ALDA’s initiatives and projects in line with COP27

Starting with “Climate Of Chage”, whose motto is “End climate change, start #ClimateOfChange!”, being a Pan European campaign to build a better future for climate induced migrants, the human face of climate change. The project engages young EU citizens in support of policies and development actions to tackle climate change as a driver of irregular migration and forced displacement worldwide. 

Within the project, one objective was the collection of signatures for the petition, that was delivered to policy-makers during the COP27 by 5 Youth Ambassadors. The petition hitted the incredible number of 105.113 signatures, a result that was possible thanks to the thousands of people that joined the movement.

“READY” project aims to strengthen the socio-ecological awareness and capacity building of its young beneficiaries. Through the environmental issue, the young beneficiaries will develop skills in campaigning, project management, communication, advocacy etc.

The newly implemented project “SHARED GREEN DEAL”, moreover, aims to stimulate shared actions on Green Deal initiatives across Europe, by providing Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) tools to support the implementation of 8 EU Green Deal policy areas, at the local and regional level.

Moving on to another project, “LIFE BEWARE” focuses on the achievement of a global strategy for climate adaptation to flooding risk, increasing water infiltration and storage in urban and rural areas, by actively involving local communities. 

Among the other projects, “NEVERMORE” is determined to support excellence in research on climate science and climate policy. It aims to develop an integrated common assessment framework, tailored to the needs of different stakeholders and end-users (public and private actors, decision-makers and citizens).

ALDA is active within the COP27 topics with many other projects and initiatives, all to be discovered. All of them are also directed to fulfil the objectives of the 2030 Agenda, each being focused on one or more SDGs, trying to turn them into concrete actions. 

Useful links related to ALDA & COP27: 

Active ALDA projects 

ClimateofChange ambassadors at COP27

NEVERMORE Project kick-off meeting

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The PIECE project: digitalizing and providing  e-platform tools to the community

 In the last couple of months, the project’s consortium has organized and implemented several initiatives to strengthen the dynamics of dissemination and, through the presentation of the Intellectual Outputs produced, reach more direct and indirect beneficiaries.

Right after the summer break, the partners met in Seville for the last Transnational Project Meeting where they discussed the development of the project’s activities and results, exchanged views on the situation in their respective home countries and talking together about the finalisation of intellectual outputs. Specifically, dissemination and communication issues were addressed. ALDA and the other partners created a plan for more efficient and effective dissemination of project outputs and management of the Facebook page.

Intellective outputs and interactive platforms for community workers

More recently, in the months of October and November, project’s partners have organized multiplier events in Italy (Lamezia Terme), UK (London) and Greece (Athens) to showcase the results produced. Moreover, the partners have hosted local pilot actions, with community workers, to test the effectiveness and the application of the Intellectual Outputs, in particular the e-Learning Platform for the Upskilling and Empowerment of the Target Group.

Lastly, on November 11th ALDA held an Interactive Webinar, with the collaboration of all partners, to present to a larger online audience the project itself and what has been produced in the last 2 years. The invite to the webinar was shared between ALDA’s and the other partners’ network. In this occasion the consortium was able to engage with associations working in similar fields and dealing with Erasmus+ projects. 

The exchange of information and interaction between the participants made these experiences unique and useful for gaining further feedback and to implement the latest changes to the digital education platform.

The project is indeed coming to its finish line but given the great interest in the project we are trying to create all the conditions for a possible follow up and continuation of the collaboration.

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The ReCAP project has officially started, and the Kick-off Meeting took place on 3&4 November 2022 in Porto (Portugal), where the hosting partner Rightchallenge welcomed the whole consortium in their headquarters.

The meeting has been a great opportunity for the ten partners to get to know each other in-person and work together to set the next steps of the project.

The ReCAP project has a valuable goal to reach: it aims at promoting social inclusion and civic engagement of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who faced a further marginalisation from the socialisation places due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the project addresses young people with fewer opportunities, such as NEETs, people with a migrant background, minorities, youths from the LGBTIAQ+ community, and pays special attention to girls.

To face this challenge, the ReCAP project promotes the role of art and creativity as tools to face social exclusion, thanks to the great expertise of the participating organisations operating in the fields of art, creativity, social inclusion and gender issues.

The Kick-off Meeting has been a great opportunity for the partners to get to know each other in-person and work together to set the next steps of ReCAP

During this two-day meeting, ALDA, as project leader, introduced and explained the organisational, management and financial aspects of the ReCAP project, as well as the communication and dissemination strategy to be implemented. The partner Solidaridad Sin Fronteras (SSF) presented the first achievements obtained and the next steps of the Project Result 1 “Local context and needs analysis”, while La Piccionaia and CESIE introduced the main aspects of the second and third Project Results of ReCAP, which have to be carried out during the second phase of the action: the creation of a toolbox for youth workers and a roadmap definition of the local paths.

This Kick-off meeting represented a valuable experience for the whole consortium to share their ideas and discuss the next project activities, but also an opportunity to enjoy the charming city of Porto.

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Green Skills for Cities upcoming online exchange

Do you want to expand your skill set in transdisciplinary teaching and training for students on sustainable development in cities?  Are you a head of studies, (inter-)national trainer and teacher in higher education or vocational education and interested in education for sustainable development?  

Then this event is for you to:  

  • Gain expertise (learn from innovative concepts in the field) 
  • Get inspired (join and learn from discussion on do’s and don’ts) 
  • Share your ideas (bring in new aspects to broaden our views)

« Green Skills – Embedding innovative teaching formats in higher education” takes place on the 13 December 2022

The « Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development » (RCE) at Vienna University of Economics and Business and the Erasmus+ Project “Green Skills for Cities” invite you to an online exchange on best practice case studies and teaching formats: “Green Skills – Embedding innovative teaching formats in higher education” which is taking place on the 13th of December, 2022  from 16:00-18:00 (CET) on Zoom. 

 Professionals working in the field and interested students are welcome to join.
Sign up here and you will receive the Zoom Link via email.

If you have any questions, feel free to email the project team here or check out the project website

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The E-panels project is designed to address the issue of bridging the gap between citizens and the European Union in an innovative way. As we know citizens panels, which are the groups of ordinary citizens who are not spontaneously involved in EU affairs, are frequently used solution to cooperate with citizens and to share the ideas about the future of the European Union with its outcomes on the citizens. The new method proposed by this project is to create electronic panels (“E-panels”) to increase the number of citizens from different ages, nationalities and backgrounds who could finally find an opportunity to express themselves on matters related to EU policies that affect their daily life by these online panels. The aim is to test this new dimension of the citizens’ panels’ methodology to see if it is a relevant instrument to foster citizen participation.

Bringing the EU closer to the citizens is one of the biggest challenges the EU is facing today. The project paid attention to the need to promote and explain the “European project” to citizens, but also to involve them in its definition itself.

OBJECTIVES

By the E-panels project we would like to develop a sense of European identity, based on common values, history and culture, to give to the citizens the opportunity to interact and participate in a broaden Europe through debates about how to improve citizens’ participation, with a focus on tools or processes such as ICT tools and the process of volunteering, to foster a sense of ownership of the European Union among its citizens, and to enhance tolerance and mutual understanding between European citizens, respect and promote cultural and linguistic diversity, while contributing to intercultural dialogue.

The E-panels project aims particularly at:

Consolidating the methodology of “citizens’ panels”, with a new dimension, i.e. the e-dimension, in line with the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009

Widening the number of participants in panels involved through the use of ICT and online forum

Generating discussion on a specific theme, i.e. citizen participation in Europe and what role volunteering can play in this regard

Including candidates countries (and potential one) in this process, in order to foster citizen participation about EU issues in the wider Europe, developing thus an inclusive mechanism

The E-panels project will permit to:

  • Collect the opinion of citizens on some key European challenges for the future: During the implementation process, the project will collect opinions of citizens from 6 countries, 3 EU members states and 3 pre-accession countries, enabling thus to also gather the opinions from future EU citizens on key issues such as how to improve citizens participation, with a focus on ICT and volunteering;
  • Create mechanisms that allow European citizens to develop civic competences to formulate their views and opinions on the European integration process in the form of recommendations for policy makers at European level;
  • Encourage the dialogue between European citizens and the institutions of the EU: During the final conference, the formulated recommendations will be submitted to the EU officials and this will give the opportunity to the citizens to interact directly with them.

ACTIVITIES

International launching conference, 3rd and 4th March 2010 in Skopje, Macedonia
The conference introduced the topics that will be developed by the e-panels, and will widely promote the project – it will gather all the partners of the projects and the panels’ activators.
E-panels launching conference took place in Skopje on 3rd and 4th March 2010, gathering 100 participants on the both days (locals and internationals). The conference was very successful and resulted with a lot of ideas and different directions for the project.

Trainings of citizens’ panels activators/partners and preparation of a Kit for e-Panels, 27th to 29th April in Brussels
The aims of this activity are to gather citizens’ panels activators and partners from the different partners’ countries to create a transnational group and train them on the topics of active citizenship in EU context, volunteering and the use of ICT, to visit EU institutions and meet EU officials, to bridge the gap between EU citizens and institutions and to produce a “KIT” on how to set-up an “e-panel”.

METHODOLOGY

Participatory approach : citizens at the centre of the process
The present proposal is based on participatory methods which aim at involving citizens in all the different steps of the project. The employed methodology will be characterised by an active interaction between all the actors involved (citizens, local authorities, EU Institutions…), in order to encourage and support the active participation of citizens and to promote the dialogue between them and the Institutions of the EU.

IT methods and tools will thus be extensively used to encourage and facilitate interaction and participation. The aim is to test this new dimension of the citizens’ panels’ methodology to see if it is a relevant instrument to foster citizen participation.

Citizens’ panels are groups of ordinary citizens who are not spontaneously involved in EU affairs. In order to create these flexible (since online) citizens’ panels, the partners will proceed as follow:

  • they will select 3 citizens’ panels activators, i.e. already active citizens (involved in the local life, in NGOs, LAs, as volunteers). Among these 3 citizens’ panels activators, one will be selected for its ICT knowledge and skills to facilitate the creation and management of the online panel (it can be one staff member of the partner organisation).
  • these citizens’ panels activators will then have to find around 10 participants each for the panel
  • finally, an open call will be launched in the media by the partner to find additional citizens for the panel.
    All the interested people will have the opportunity to get information about E-Panels, the project and the EU during the Info-Day to be organised locally on the 9th May.
    Citizens’ panels should involve about 40-50 people. But as a flexible tool, in particular when done though online workshops, the number of people can fluctuate from one workshop to another. The people may also change. However, the creation of a core team of about 15 -20 people, involved during the whole implementation, is expected in order to ensure continuity.
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AT A GLANCE

The project Capitalising Migrant Capacities in Algeria, intends to maximise the development impact of migration by addressing the problem of brain waste and de-skilling of prospective migrants and returnees in order to transform it in brain gain and to strengthen the links and the dialogue among Algerian migrants in Italy and France and migrant associations and local authorities in Algeria in the field of migration issues.
The project will achieve these goals by:

  • providing coherent pre-departure orientation;
  • encouraging highly skilled Algerian emigrants in France and Italy to contribute to the socio-economic development of Algeria;
  • facilitating the professional reintegration of returnees and prospective migrants.

OBJECTIVES

The overall objective is to strengthen local economic development in Algeria by avoiding brain waste and de-skilling of prospective migrants, returnees and Algerian emigrants. The project aims in particular at balancing the negative impact of brain drain by identifying the right human capital among migrants, by strenghtening the role of civil society and local authorities and fully capitalize on migrant capacities; developing strategies to channel the capacities of prospective migrants and returnees, by enhancing the potential development of returnees and of prospective migrants and their human capital.

ACTIVITIES

  • an international conference at the end of the project as an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and enhance cooperation in the field of migration.
  • two career days in two Algerian cities, each of them in form of a career fair (first day) and pre-departure orientation seminars (second day), which employs the above mentioned strategy. These activities will increase the capacities of prospective migrants to make well informed decision about migrating.
  • A seminar in Lecce addressed to local authorities and civil society organizations from Algeria, France and Italy with the objective to find ways (by multi-stakeholder approaches) to efficiently inform Algerian emigrants already living in France and Italy about job opportunities, the recognition of diploma and skills, migration laws, scholarship opportunities and further aspects which are important to avoid de-skilling. The seminar will also confront local authorities with the problems Algerian emigrants face and will encourage contacts among prospective migrants and returnees and Algerian emigrants.
  • Three training sessions in Algeria about project management and business start-ups (offering a certificate) will facilitate the integration of prospective migrants and returnees as well as strengthen the links with highly skilled Algerian emigrants which will be involved as experts.
  • The training sessions will be followed up by a re-granting scheme, which will award the 4 best business projects from the training sessions and other proposals.

The new small businesses will contribute directly and in a sustainable way to the local economic development in Algeria and the adequate utilization of capacities of prospective migrants and emigrants.

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AT A GLANCE

This two year project is designed as a set of activities involving local authorities and civil society organisations aiming:
a) to support good local intercultural governance through more effective participation of civil society and minority communities;
b) to support the networking among local NGO-s involved in minority rights protection and foster exchange of good local practice in managing multiethnic local communities in the region;
c) to help promote innovative local practices in support to intercultural dialogue and tolerance and raise public awareness on participation of minority communities at local level.

The project functions as a partnership between the LDA offices of the towns of Subotica, Mostar and Osijek and the municipalities of Subotica, Mostar and Osijek. Furthter ALDA, the Association of LDAs and the Lighthouse Media Centre of Wolverhampton in UK are supporting the project as partners with their experience and facilities. The five projects partners will stay in a close co-operation during the whole project.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the project is to support a diversity management in multiethnic communities such as are Mostar, Osijek and Subotica and to improve the participation and inclusion of ethnic minorities, as well as raise awareness for the richness of ethnical traditions and cultural events in the participating towns and regions.

The project is designed as a regional co-operation between NGOs and towns in order to allow the partners to share experiences and best practices about diversity management. The aim is that the partners increase their skills and knowledge on this topic by regular exchange.

ACTIVITIES

Project activities are divided in three main Components:

Component 1: Project management; project promotion/visibility actions
International Steering group meetings (4 meetings, hosted by the partners in Subotica, Osijek, and Mostar); overall project management and coordination will be organised in close co-operation with all the partners.
Project promotion/visibility actions.
Thematic Round Tables and study visits to the cities included (3 one-day meetings) on cultural heritage of minority communities held during specific cultural events in respective cities;
Final Publication, namely a collection of the written contributions on good local intercultural governance.

Component 2: Capacity Building includes a series of three training seminars (five day residential seminars and the four day final conference with international/regional participation) under the common title: School of local democracy, to be held in three cities included.
Training seminar 1: Cities for good intercultural governance; thematic modules include – European standards in human/minority rights protection; local self-government system and challenges of intercultural governance; diversity management skills and diversity reporting; citizen participation at local level – from legal norms to innovative practice.
Training seminar 2: Intercultural Youth Summer Camp: key thematic scope ranging from intercultural education and understanding; youth participation in policy making at local level; minority languages tuition, presentation of EU Youth in Action Programme; possibilities for follow-up youth co-operation initiatives.
Final project event: Regional conference on minorities and democratic participation at local level; presentation of the final project publication; thematic workshops include: From Multicultural coexistence to intercultural governance – challenges and perspectives; effective municipal performances/service delivery in multiethnic local communities; participation at local level and minorities; exchange of good local practice and follow-up initiatives.

Component 3: Intercultural exchange and BE-ME perspective
This component is designed as a set of activities consisting of preparation/pre-production and filming of the traditional cultural ethnic minorities customs in the cities included in the action but from a different perspective. It is aimed to help develop some new innovative communication concepts, tools/approaches versus traditional values and offer some innovative images, more understandable to younger generations and to a wider European audience.

Newsletters: CARDS project published 6 newsletters during its activity.

Newsletter 1; Newsletter 2; Newsletter 3; Newsletter 4; Newsletter 5; Newsletter 6.

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DOCUMENTS

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The city of Izmir, in Türkiye, hosted the annual meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) on 7-8 November 2022. Happening at the same time as the COP27, this year’s Plenary focused on climate action in the Mediterranean area, while emphasising the role of Local Authorities as key actors involved in the process. Hence, in order to achieve the target and meet the ambitious goal, every stakeholder needs to be taken into account.

From a general perspective, ARLEM fosters decentralised cooperation and local democracy; while promoting regional cohesion among the countries joining the Assembly. Considering the expertise on democracy promotion, as well as the strategic position played by ALDA both in Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Türkiye; Bartek Ostrowski – Vice President of ALDA together with Giulia Sostero – Middle East & Africa Coordinator, and Apolline Bonfils –  Project Manager & Head of Strasbourg Office were invited to join the meeting.

At ARLEM in Türkiye, to strengthening and improving the Mediterranean region

More in detail, inclusiveness and resilience of Mediterranean cities, sustainable urbanism were among the main topics discussed. Similarly, entrepreneurship represented one of the key issues tackled at the meeting. 

As demonstrated by the successful project “THE:PLACE” – Programme for Local Authorities and Civil Society Exchange – , for example, the Association laid the foundation for further collaboration with both several CSOs also attending the meeting; and the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality.

Overall, by joining the annual ARLEM meeting in Türkiye, ALDA further exchanged and interacted with other stakeholders, for the strengthening and improvement of the region.

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With the support of more than 100.000, the “Climate Of Change” project consortium claims Climate Justice at COP27. The latter, starting on 6 November 2022 in Egypt, represents the most important worldwide summit on climate change, green and environment. 

Representatives and delegates from more than 90 states gather in the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh, addressing the current climate crisis, while finding a common solution. Within this framework, the civil society is also mobilised and calls for fast and concrete actions: for example, more than 100.000 are taking part in the #ClimateOfChange movement to ask for climate justice!

More in detail, thousands of young people are actively calling for a better planet, thus participating in the COP27 in Egypt as Youth Ambassador Europe. Paloma, Fanni, Kamila, Penny and Ema (from Spain, Hungary, Poland, Greece and Bulgaria respectively), are the 5 ambassadors taking action as #ClimateOfChange activists on 11 th November at 11.30 EET in an official side event in Egypt!

This incredible result was only possible thanks to the help and support of a huge number of climate and social justice activists that joined the movement. Yet, what is the main request of  #ClimateOfChange? 

  • Keeping global warming under 1.5°by achieving EU climate neutrality by 2040. In fact, today the current objective is to keep global warming under 1.5° by attaining climate neutrality by 2050. However, regarding climate issues arising all over the globe including in Europe, the consortium urges governments to adopt measures for climate neutrality that will have an impact before 2050.
  • Using only renewable energies.
    Governments, even in times of crisis, cannot turn their face from clean renewable energies. They must keep up the objectives of using only renewable energies and stop relying on fossil fuels.
  • Helping low income households to transition from fossil fuels to renewable.
    The consortium is aware of the difficulties some households will face to transition to environmentally friendly heating solutions. It is important that the burden is shared fairly and that governments take such issues into account.
  • Shifting towards a socially and ecological just well-being economy.
    The interests and needs of society need to be above the interests and needs of big companies. There must be a change in people’s destructive behavior and destructive production oriented system.

Civil society and the “Climate Of Change” consortium in Sharm El-Sheikh for climate justice

  • Protecting climate change-induced migrants through a human rights- based migration policy.
    States should think and implement an international protection scheme for migrants that will encourage global justice. 
  • Enabling youth participation in political decision-making.
    Youth are most of the time excluded from decision making however, their future will be largely impacted by climate change. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure that their voice will be heard and that they will be able to participate in the decision making process. The objective is to avoid having climate action mechanisms that will exclude some people. 
  • Agreeing on a Climate Finance and a Loss and Damage mechanism.
    Governments must create a reparation system where richest countries will repay the poorest for the damages caused by their industries to those countries. Rich countries must acknowledge, recognise that they have a debt toward poorer countries. 
  • Ensuring that children’s and youth’s best interests and their rights are protected.
    It is an intergenerational debt linked to climate change because actions of older generations have important consequences on younger generations in the worst way. 
  • Defending the rights of women and girls and their participation into climate decision making processes.
    States should ensure women participate in climate change decisions because they tend to be more negatively affected by climate change than men. Every government including the European Union must lead strong action against the climate gender gap and must support third Countries where that gap is deeper. 

Readers can learn more about the position the consortium will hold at the COP27 by reading the “Policy Position of the Consortium of Climate of Change for COP27”

Overall, climate change impacts people both in terms of human rights; and in their own lifestyle behaviour. Governments need to put in place measures to ensure international human rights are respected. Hence, by joining the “Climate Of Change” project, ALDA further stresses its commitment for a sustainable lifestyle, while contributing to develop citizens’ awareness on climate induced migration.

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✍️ From now on it will not be possible to sign the petition on climateofchange.info website, but, for those who have not yet signed the petition and wish to make their voice heard, you can sign via change.org 

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On the 25th November, the  Regional Representation of the European Commission in Wroclaw and the College of Eastern Europe are organising a Conference in Wroclaw (Poland), entitled “Development Cooperation for Democracy: the role of local governments and civil society. A multistakeholder tool to support Ukraine”, in partnership with ALDA, Lower Silesia Region and Wroclaw Municipality. 

Already at the beginning of the year, the ALDA Member “City of Wroclaw” has been in the first line in providing help to civilians and people in Ukraine: the “emergency campaign” marked a clear example of it. As Wroclaw, ALDA supported a great number of activities, and initiatives to ease and mitigate the effects of this tremendous war.

Thus, since the Russian invasion, democracy and security are at stake in Ukraine and neighbouring countries; and it comes with no surprise that an endless commitment from various stakeholders is required in order to overcome this humanitarian crisis; and end the war.

In Wroclaw to develop a multi-stakeholder approach in support of Ukraine

After the event held in mid-June in Brussels to support Local Democracy Agencies in Mariupol and Dnipro;  the choice to hold the conference in Wroclaw carries a similar meaning. Hence, the location is relevant per se, as Poland is at the forefront, representing a critical place to discuss the Ukrainian cause. 

Representatives of institutions, civil society organisations and stakeholders will be among the active players at the Conference. The latter will also represent the occasion to stress the role of Local Democracy Agencies as a successful example of decentralised cooperation and key factor in the democracy development process. 

In addition, this event will provide the perfect setting to present and together reflect on the “Final Declaration” on the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach to democracy support. Based on the proven experience of ALDA, its members and partners, time has come to further concretise the commitment with a specific and formal document.

Overall, as history has taught, it is only by engaging civil society in close dialogue with Local Authorities and institutions that change can take place. There is the need to always support the bottom-up approach, providing long-lasting help and acting in concert with any relevant player.

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AT A GLANCE

« Reconciling for the future – European perspective for the Western Balkans » is a new project granted by the European Commission under the Instrument for Stability – Peace building Partnership support programme.

This new regional project for the Western Balkans is addressing the post-conflict reconciliation and EU integration process in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. This one year project will be composed of three country-based panel discussions and a regional Round Table that would gather representatives of government bodies, civil society, experts and media to help improve the dialogue at regional level on the need for effective reconciliation as one of the crucial preconditions for furthering the EU integration process.

The country-based thematic panels will take place in Nis (Serbia) scheduled for early December, Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Osijek (Croatia) scheduled for spring 2010, while the final Regional Round Table will be organised in Zagreb in June 2010.

Our partners in this action have already gained substantial experience working both locally and at regional level in support to the post-conflict dialogue and reconciliation with particular emphasis on consolidating inter-ethnic and inter-governmental cooperation:

  • Centre for regionalism, Novi Sad initiated the Igman initiative – a long-standing cooperation programme connecting people from the war affected zones in former Yugoslavia.
  • Center for peace and non-violence, Osijek, is known for its extensive research work and organisation of wide public debates on the war crimes.
  • Local Democracy Agencies in Nis (Serbia), Osijek (Croatia) and Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) are working locally to promote inter-ethnic dialogue and tolerance.

ACTIVITIES

Entire action is designed to help address the post-conflict reconciliation process between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia with particular emphasis on assessing the achieved level and quality of inter-state relations in view of the progress made toward EU integration. Based on participation of a wide range of key actors, activities also aim to address a number of challenges burdening the relations between Croat, Serb and Bosnian Muslim communities at different tiers of government within respective countries, at bilateral/cross-border and multilateral level. Through a comprehensive set of activities, the project intends both to build the capacity of non-state actors operating at local/regional level in facilitating post-conflict reconciliation, and to support their networking and coordination.

Objectives of the panel discussions and regional round table:

  • How to help consolidate an effective networking of civil society actors for reconciliation and inter-ethnic cooperation at inter-state and regional level
  • How to help build a shared awareness on causes and consequences of the recent conflict in the Western Balkans
  • How to enhance cooperation of both state and non-state actors at different tiers of government for effective reconciliation in the region
  • How to help raise awareness on reconciliation as being one of the main preconditions in the EU integration perspective
    Experts, researchers, analysts and NGO practitioners from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia will be invited to submit written contributions on the above-mentioned topics and to participate in the local and regional panels.
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AT A GLANCE

The Association of Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA), together with Lev Sapieha Foundation, NGO Belarusian Society of Consumers Protection (BOZP) and NGO Belarusian Organisation for Working Women (BOZTH) and the Municipality of Monfalcone, is leading a project called ReAct (Reinforcing Actions of capacity building for civil society) in Belarus since the beginning of the year 2009. The overall objective of this project is to strengthen the role of None State Actors and Local Authorities in the field of poverty reduction in the context of sustainable development, according, mainly, to the Millennium Development Goals.
Noting the difficult situation civil society is facing within the present governmental ruling, and powerlessness of local authorities, it is important to support and provide some capacity building to the local civil society in Belarus, which is very demanding of such projects.

ACTIVITIES

One of the main activities of this project, are the two training sessions, on local self-government and on civil society. The first one took place in Minsk, on 24th October 2009, titled « Local Self-government in Belarus as prerequisite for civil society development: present conditions and perspectives », and this report shall present the different parts of the day, and summarise the various and strong debates that occurred during the presentations.

By encouraging the development of local self-governance and building the capacity of civil society organisations, ALDA reasserts its commitment to support democracy and its belief that local self-governance and a strong civil society is the key to democracy.

DOCUMENTS

  • No documents available

AT A GLANCE

The present proposal – starting at the beginning of 2009 – aims at promoting town-twinning, focusing in particular on the multilateral decentralised cooperation approach, as a vehicle to foster European Integration and to promote, develop and strengthen twinning agreements relations amongst local authorities in the enlarged Europe.

OBJECTIVE

More specifically, the project will aim at:
a. promoting the concept of town twinning;
b. starting, revitalising, and developing town twinning relationships;
c. improving the quality of the activities within existing twinning relationships, especially by means of developing thematic cooperation;
d. developing new skills amongst those who are responsible for twinning activities at a local level.
The proposal seeks to reach a large number of municipalities (around 110 institutions directly involved in the events) and will therefore have an important multiplier effect.
The present action is structured in 7 different steps grouped in 3 main phases and a transversal action, as shown in the following chart:

ACTIVITIES

Training on town twinning in Shkodra, Albania, 8th-11th June 2009 – Capacity building for Local Authorities in the field of twinning, addressed to local authorities to develop their knowledge of the concept and practice of town-twinning. The training is addressed to Local Authorities representatives, especially to those in charge of twinning activities, and to other organisations having a specific knowledge and experience of the topic (i.e. twinning associations). The training seeks to provide new knowledge, skills and capacities, as well as to promote the creation of new and the revitalisation of already existing – town-twinning relationships

On-line advisory service – to support the preparation and the implementation of good quality projects.

International workshop « Building Europe through town-twinning », Croatia – mainly promoting the different forms and concept of town-twinning amongst local authorities and networking.

The variety of forms of the activities proposed seek to provide municipalities a « full » support, providing them:

  • new information and knowledge on the concept of town twinning, through all the activities foreseen;
  • capacity building, through the training addressed to those responsible for twinning activities;
  • consultancy, through the training and the On-line Advisory Service;
  • tools facilitating partner search and networking, especially through the international workshop;
  • the opportunity to exchange best practices and experiences, through the training, the international workshop and especially the final publication.
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DOCUMENTS

  • No documents available

AT A GLANCE

It’s difficult for EU to take into account the point of view of thousand of municipalities. European citizens feel closer to local authorities. In fact, they participate more in the local level than in another one. Democratic participation is weaker as we move further away: less in the national level and even less in the European level. At the same time, we will like to reinforce the importance of local administrations in Europe following the subsidiary principle. As the partnership of this project is formed by representatives of local authorities, we can assure more than another institution to attract into the project citizens in general.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of BANDIAR project is to raise awareness about participation of woman in political life in the local level. European Union needs also to be built from a bottom-up perspective, involving local authorities. We would like to stress this point as a way to make local civil servants, local politicians and public in general to feel part of the EU. BANDIAR project pretends to put a wide range of ideas, experiences and modalities about gender issues in common to stimulate their active participation in the processes of representative democracy at local, national and even international level. It works in a European perspective, rooted in the diversity of local realities.

ACTIVITIES

That is why BANDIAR project relies in an interactive dialogue through citizens panels in each region involved, a methodology that we will like to consolidate. Target group will be woman, making a balance between urbal and rural areas. Topic debate will be the participation of women in public life. Political woman at local level (the closest politicians for women) will encourage others to participate. For these which continue in silence we will use ICT (through e-participation) to allow them to express themselves. We want to give the floor to women. 
These citizens panels will converge in a final International seminar in Brussels, which aim is to transition into a European Level. This seminar will count on the participation of several political woman that collaborate in BANDIAR in order to adress directly the conclusions of the citizens panel. The objetive of this metodology is to provide decision-makers and researches with an opinion and a supplementary decision-making tool about gender equallity.
We will conclude BANDIAR project with a set of recommendations about gender equality in all levels of administration. Moreover, we will use the dissemination of Good Practices of Equal Opportunities and the conclusions in the International Seminar in Brussels as one of the main activities to produce a Change of Mentality in favour of the values promoted by the European Union. In this way, participants will receive a feed back of their contribution to the construction of the European Union: this material could be one of the best ways to arise-awareness of European citizenship.

The kick-off meeting of the BANDIAR project took place on the 2-3 March 2009 in Vicenza. The partners involved in the project presented their roles and analyzed all the apects of the implementation of the activities. Each partner will organize an event in its country related to the participation of women in political life at the local level using the « Citizen’s panels » methodology. The event has to be realized before the elections for the European Parliament.

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DOCUMENTS

AT A GLANCE

The need to build the future Europe with the full contribution of its citizens, by promoting their involvement from the local level, has become one of the main priorities of the European Union.

It is a common belief that Europe should promote the participative democracy as one of its characterising values and should offer its citizens and civil society instruments to exchange ideas on the future of the European Union. The promotion of trans-national projects and trainings can undoubtedly contribute to get Europe closer to its citizens.

ALL.4.EU is a project consisting in the setting-up of citizens’ panels (groups of ordinary citizens, not spontaneously involved in European issues) in 7 different places in Europe. This specific methodology is used to give the opportunity to people to be involved and play an active role in the construction of Europe.

OBJECTIVES

The main overall objectives of the project are:

  • to encourage the participation of European citizens in the construction of Europe and in the debate about the further integration of Europe;
  • to enhance the relation between European citizens and EU institutions;
  • to promote a « two-way process » (information and feedback) between EU Institutions and citizens;
  • to encourage a bottom up approach to allow citizens to express their views;
  • to develop innovative methods to enhance participation.

The specific objectives of the project are :

  • to create and support citizens’ panels to promote active European Citizenship at the local level;
  • to collect the opinion of citizens on some key European challenges for the future, focusing mainly on active European Citizenship and new institutional developments;
  • to consolidate and improve, starting from the pilot project developed by ALDA, a method for stimulating active interaction and discussion between citizens on their participation at the European level;
  • to create mechanisms that enable European citizens to develop civic competences, to formulate their views and opinions on the role of citizens and civil society in Europe in the form of recommendations for policy makers at European level;
  • to encourage the dialogue between European citizens and the institutions of the EU, empowering citizens as regards EU policies and their impact, and ensuring appropriate follow up of citizens’ opinions by the EU institutions.

TARGET GROUPS

Direct target groups:

  • Citizens, especially those who would not have spontaneously participated in projects of a European nature, paying attention to involve people of different demographic, social and professional background;
  • Specific target groups: young people;
  • Local authorities;
  • Civil Society

Indirect target groups:

  • The whole network of ALDA, to promote the creation of « citizens panels » in other countries;
  • Local communities in Europe belonging to networks or platforms which partners belong to;
  • National and Regional Governments.
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DOCUMENTS

  • No documents available

Joining the panel on the « Reconstruction of Ukraine »

Localisation and decentralised cooperation represent a key turning point and positive approach within the democratic process in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries. Yet, considering the ongoing invasion of Ukraine; the pressure that Moldova is facing also in terms of energy supply, or the war that Armenia had to face – just to mention a few – how would it be possible to overcome these challenges?

Starting a process of reconstruction, based on the resilience of Local Authorities, municipalities and citizens not only is a necessary condition but it also the path to follow when facing a crisis. Therefore, envisaging the role of each player involved in the reconstruction process firstly, and in the democratic one secondly, is essential to understand the current situation in the EaP region.

Right the day after the 11th annual meeting of the CORLEAP, the “Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic” organised an international conference aimed at building bridges and connecting municipalities from the EU with those in the Eastern Partnership countries.  As recalled by Petr Gandalovič, Director of Department of Development Aid, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Czech Republic, and moderator of the II Panel on the “Reconstruction of Ukraine”, “the four levels of the reconstruction have been represented: the international one; the national one; the one of the local municipalities and that of citizens”.

Reconstruction will take place locally, requiring a multistakeholder and multilevel approach

From a general perspective, the tremendous war and inhuman conditions that Ukraine is now facing, has to be understood in a broader context: “this is not only a regional war” – explained  Jaroslav Kurfürst, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for European Issues. Hence, what is now happening has a spillover effect, involving different actors, from the Eastern Partnership, to the European Union, and the entire global system.  

In addition, as recalled by Georg Ziegler, European Commission DG NEAR, the candidate status, as well as the financial stability have to be taken into account: Ukraine needs support so that to avoid inflation and any threat posed by an unstable financial situation.

If both at international and national levels authorities and governments are making a step forward, the local level has to be equally considered. “Ukraine made its choice” – stated Anatoliy Fedoruk, Bucha City Mayor, who together with Yana Litvinova, mayor of Starobilsk in the Luhansk Region, represented two municipalities of Ukraine. Exactly from the will of people, and the role that they play with municipalities that the reconstruction process has to begin. “I believe in our common, and I stress common, victory” concluded Mr. Fedoruk, emphasising the close involvement and support of the EU in this situation.

Finally, this vision was also shared by Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Secretary General, who, recalling Maidan, stressed the importance of citizens as “drivers of the story”. Moreover, based on the successful examples of the Local Democracy Agencies, starting from those established right at the end of the war in the Balkans, Ms. Valmorbida advocated that “reconstruction will take place locally, requiring a multistakeholder and multilevel approach; working together for a common effort”. 

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The Panel took place in Liberec, Czech Republic on 4 November 2022. See the full agenda here

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DOCUMENTS

AT A GLANCE

The TACEP project aims at providing capacity building to Croatian civil society organizations in order to promote their role as « active citizens » in the enlargement process and to provide them new information, knowledge and competencies in the field of active citizenship. The main idea is to train « multipliers » to be engaged at the local and regional level in the promotion of new and innovative actions in the field of active citizenship, taking into consideration the forthcoming status of EU Member State of Croatia.

METHODOLOGY

Within the project, at least 57 civil society organisations representatives and citizens, including 15 EU participants, will be trained through a training session lasting 7 days in each LDA (Sisak, Osijek, Verteneglio) between January and March 2009. Then, regional meetings of these « multipliers » will be held to foster their cooperation and invite them to elaborate projects for further action in the field of active citizenship. Finally, on the 9th May 2009, the « Day of Europe », information points on the programme ‘Europe for citizens’ will be open by each LDAs. The projects results will be gathered in a final publication and a CD-ROM.
Due to its large experience both in the Balkans and in the field of active citizenship, ALDA has been naturally willing to support and assist its LDAs in Croatia in applying for the first time to the European Commission programme « Europe for citizens », Croatia being fully eligible since November 2007.
Thanks to this first project within the ‘Europe for citizens’ programme in Croatia, ALDA intends to mobilise its past experience in the field and in the region and to share it with the LDAs and the Croatian citizens, to support them in their way to the EU. ALDA will also invite the Croatian civil society not only to learn from these trainings, but also to actively contribute to the reflection on the European active citizenship and the building of a European identity.

USEFUL RESOURCES

EACEA website : http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/citizenship/index_en.htm
Video of LDA Sisak on the Europe Day, watch HERE

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DOCUMENTS

AT A GLANCE

The Council of Europe has financed the ALDA project « Empowering the role of young people in Kosovo », that aims at empowering young people living in Kosovo in order to foster their capacities to play the role of « active citizens » in their local community
The main specific objectives of the project are the following:

  • To provide capacity building to young people and youth workers through trainings on project development and management and on active citizenship;
  • To develop and consolidate networks and partnerships, both at the local and at the international level, in order to strengthen cooperation in the field of youth
  • To create the basis for a long-lasting fruitful engagement of young people in the life of the local community through the « youth ambassadors » groups.

ACTIVITIES

  • Seminar on the participation of Youth in Local Life in Gjilan/Gnjilane: EN
  • European Local Democracy Week in Gjilan: EN , SQ, FR
  • Invitation to the Local Democracy week in Gjilan: EN
  • Seminar on the participation of Youth in Local Life in Gjilan: EN , FR
  • Bullettin – Association of Kosovo Municipalities n° 36, January – March 2008
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