On Monday 14^th March 2022, ALDA officially signed the declaration of Strasbourg for the Conference on the Future of Europe: Appel de Strasbourg.

During few months, ALDA worked alongside others local organisations on this specific declaration that aim to demonstrate the European commitment of the territory, by setting up concrete recommendations allowing to make the city of Alsace the emblematic place of the democracy and the European citizenship.

ALDA officially signed the declaration of Strasbourg for the Conference on the Future of Europe: Appel de Strasbourg

The official restitution took place in Strasbourg City Hall where the document was presented to the press and signed by the Mayor and the members involved into the writing process.

For the occasion, Guy Verhofstadt (Co-Chair of the CoFoe Executive Committee) was present, delivered an inspiring speech on Europe links with Strasbourg and how the CoFoe marks a turning point in the institutions history. Then, he received the document.

To read and sign the Appel de Strasbourg, please click here

On March 4th, the city of Trieste will host the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ALDA – the European Association of Local Democracy – and CEI – the Central European Initiative.

President of ALDA, Mr Oriano Otocan, together with Secretary General of the CEI, Mr Roberto Antonione, and Secretary General of ALDA, Ms Antonella Valmorbida will attend the ceremony. Moreover, Mr Massimiliano Fedriga, President of the “Friuli Venezia Giulia” Autonomous Region will also be among the keynote speakers at the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding.

ALDA is looking forward to this signing ceremony, testifying the fruitful collaboration with CEI

Thus, the capital city of the “Friuli Venezia Giulia” Autonomous Region will be the scenario of this institutional moment, which marks the formalization of this long-lasting collaboration between these two actors. Particularly focusing on the the work of the two organizations in the Balkans region, the Memorandum will further spur the harmony among the two organizations, as already happened within the “WELCOMING project”, aimed at discussing the issues related to migrations and to exchange the best practices and experiences in this field.

ALDA is looking forward to this signing ceremony, testifying the fruitful collaboration with CEI.

ALDA+ , the benefit corporation owned by ALDA, represents, since 2017, the capitalization of the experience of ALDA, the Association Association for Local Democracy, offering specialized services and support in the field of local democracy, participatory processes, project-cycle management, and more.

The mission of the benefit corporation is to provide valuable support to public authorities, civil society organizations, educational institutions, small and medium enterprises when it comes to scouting funding opportunities; developing and implementing projects in a successful way; creating networks and partnerships; providing training and capacity building.

 Based on a tailor-made approach, through these 5 years ALDA+ managed to support more than 60 local authorities in developing and implementing successful projects in their communities, whilst fostering intercultural and transnational cooperation.

ALDA+ has contributed to fostering the skills and capacities of more than 1.000 representatives of local authorities, civil society and SMEs from 20 different countries

Moreover, ALDA+ has contributed to fostering the skills and capacities of more than 1.000 representatives of local authorities, civil society and SMEs from 20 different countries.

 There are many significant “events” which have characterized our first 5 years, such as:

• The coordination of the inter-municipal European Office in Italy (SEI, Servizio Europa Intercomunale) 
• The coordination of the innovation Hub, gathering 12 municipalities to promote new digital tools to improve public services
• The consultancy on Education provided to UNICEF in Tunisia
• The structured relationship with many local authorities and networks of civil society all over Europe which have entrusted ALDA+ with the task of managing their European Office in outsourcing
• The support to communication plans within funded projects, guaranteed both to local authorities and civil society organizations
• Last but not least, ALDA+ has served as an organizer of several networking events, bridging together partners among them or/and with institutions, providing experts and building partnerships

Do not miss any initiatives from ALDA+ , and register to the newsletter (both in Italian and English)

ALDA+ blows out its candles celebrating this anniversary… to 5 more years of success!

The project DESIRE is happy to share with you its new website! Thanks to this new website, everyone can find information about the project and the 10 partners involved in the project. 

Through this website, you can discover more about the activities implemented by the partners, for example the Serbian partner, Danube 1245, organized a walk in a park and invited the citizens to join in to exchange about the Schuman Declaration, European values. If you want to know more about this action, click here and here.

Discover the DESIRE website, find out more on its partners and the Schuman Declaration

→ About the DESIRE project

DEclaration of Schuman: Initiative for Revitalizing Europe (DESIRE) is a Europe for Citizens funded project. The project aims to raise people and especially youth’s awareness on the historical importance and the meaning of the Declaration of Schuman for the EU. The objective is to actively involve youth in approaching history in a proactive way. Through the co-creation of artistic tools, as videos, theater, games, audio narratives, partners will accompany groups of youth citizens in re-discovering history and in debating on EU values as intercultural dialogue, peace and solidarity. The consortium is leading by Comune di Lavarone (Italy) and composed by Fondazione Belvedere-Gschwent (Italy), Union of bulgarian black sea local authorities (Bulgaria), Municipio de Valongo (Portugal), Danube 1245 (Serbia), Zdruzenie Institut za razvoj na zaednicata (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Administration Communale de Grez-Doiceau (Belgium), Fundacio de la Comunitat Valencia de Patrimoni Insdustrial i (Spain), Kulturni centar Osijek (Croatia), ALDA (France).

Greece welcomed the fifth and last Capacity Building Workshop (CBW) on the 7th and 8th of February.  During the two day online event, participants listened enthusiastically to the Greek approach to safeguard the rights of mobile women, illustrated by Vasiliki Tsekoura, on behalf of CYCLISIS. 

The CBW focused on the inclusion of women in decision-making processes and on the co-creation of services and empowerment. Starting from the good practises and actions implemented in Greece, the BRIGHT partners had the chance to discuss and compare ideas on:

• The project’s approach for the empowerment of female exploited in the agricultural sector and the formation of leadership, as ActionAid reminded us;
• The useful tool of the collaboration pacts, as explained by LABSUS.

Participants were thrilled to find out the results of the BRIGHT project in the target countries and listen to the approaches used in Greece

BRIGHT’s stakeholders explained how they managed to create, alongside with the municipality of Schiavonea, a public service to orient women through administrative and bureaucratic services, while CYCLISIS (partner from Greece) focused on the role of the NGOs and municipalities to help women victims of illegal trafficking. The event was a practical and handy way to share ideas and ways on how to tackle problems these women had, and still have, to face, such as the initial reluctance of the local community to integrate them or the possibility to work while caring for their children.

Even though the Capacity Building Workshops came to an end, ALDA invites everyone to join the hybrid final conference of the BRIGHT project on the 23rd of February 2022 in Rome, Italy. 

During the event, institutions, stakeholders of the project and female workers will intervene and present the Manifesto of Women in Agriculture for access to European citizenship rights through 6 priorities for change. The conference will be organised around 3 thematic axes: 

1. Mobile EU women agricultural workers: obstacles to participation and full enjoyment of European citizenship rights
2. the role of public services to contrast the invisibility of women agricultural workers: the leadership, empowerment, and co-programming of services programme
3. the European framework for EUMC rights: how to ensure the full participation of mobile European women citizens in the democratic life in the EU Member States.

There will be simultaneous translation Italian – English and vice versa for all the speakers.

To stay updated on the progress and on the final conference of BRIGHT, follow the project on social media!

🟡 After this great workshop focusing on Greece, do not miss the final conference 🟡

Register here ✍️

Check the agenda of the final conference 📔

Two months of interesting and challenging work were dedicated to the implementation of the project “Advocacy at the local level-Shirak”, within the framework of “Local Democracy School”. More specifically, in cooperation with Communities’ Finance Officers Association (CFOA), and in the form of sub-granting scheme, the “Local Democracy Agency Armenia” foundation implemented a series of meetings in several consolidated communities in the Shirak region with the participation of administrative leaders, council members, municipalities’ staff and active citizens.

Two months of interesting and challenging work were dedicated to the implementation of the project “Advocacy at the local level-Shirak”

Hence, four meetings were held in Artik, Ani, Ashotsk enlarged communities to face and discuss community issues, accordingly to the advanced proposed topics, while getting suggestions to solve problem. The latter have been presented to the local authorities for further consideration via advocacy.

The above-mentioned meetings were of great importance: in fact, simple discussions and conversations with the locals can help in understanding the reality from grass root perspective, reflecting communities’ needs and problems.

From a general perspective, the action is a part of larger project that implements similar actions throughout Armenia, both at the local and regional level.

Finally, the package of suggestions received from each region will be elaborated by the CFOA experts and sent to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.

***
“School of Local Democracy” is established by Communities’ Finance Officers Association (CFOA); Eurasia foundation; Information systems Development and Training Centre in the frames of The Civic Engagement in Local Governance (CELoG) Program financed USAID.

On 31 January and 1 February 2022, the SHERPA project organized the second edition of the Annual Conference. This online conference was the occasion to present the work done during the past year, especially the work undertaken by the 20 SHERPA Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs). Indeed in 2021, the MAPs worked on three relevant topics: 

• Alternative rural futures (foresight), 
• Change in production and diversification of the rural economy, 
• Climate change and environmental sustainability. 

These reflections had supported the implementation of the rural vision. Over 100 participants joined the virtual event to listen, exchange and share knowledge and experience with over 30 guest and keynote speakers as well as several Horizon 2020 projects which share their views and results.

This online conference was the occasion to present the work done, especially the 20 SHERPA Multi-Actor Platforms

On 2 February, the SHERPA project organized a training for the Facilitators and Monitors of the Multi-Actor Platforms. This online training was the occasion to gather in the morning the facilitators and the Monitors of the new MAPs. Then the afternoon session was dedicated to exchange and share best practices, advice between the new MAPs and already experienced MAPs. For this new year, the 40 MAPs will focused on and provide their views and inputs one of the 4 topics: 

• Social dimension in rural areas
• Digitalisation, smart ruralities, including rural-urban relations
• Land-use management in the context of climate change
• Entrepreneurship and social economy, just transition, including sustainable value chains

About the project SHERPA: 

Sustainable Hub to Engage into Rural Policies with Actors (SHERPA) is a four-year project (2019-2023) with 17 partners funded by the Horizon 2020 programme. It aims to gather knowledge that contributes to the formulation of recommendations for future policies relevant to EU rural areas, by creating a science-society-policy interface which provides a hub for knowledge and policy.

For more information: Website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram , Youtube

ALDA’s Middle East and Africa Department core team attended this week  [February 7-8 2022] in Marseille the Forum des Mondes Méditerranéens (Mediterranean Worlds Forum), organized by initiative of the French President to follow up the engagements of the Sommet des Deux Rives in 2019. The Forum was organized in coordination with the Délégation Interministérielle pour la Méditerranée, the Provence-Alpes-Côtes d’Azur Région, Marseille Municipality, the Union for the Mediterranean and with the presence of both the President and Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Foundation.

Our Middle East and Africa Department participated in the forum in a plurality of ways, reflecting the multifaceted engagement ALDA has in the region.

First of all, projects: ALDA team (Giulia Sostero, Apolline Bonfils and Abdelaziz Bouslah), together with Younes Aggoun, the Project Coordinator from CODATU, managed a stand in the Project Village to present the AUTREMENT project. This EU-funded project, led by the Municipality of Strasbourg in partnership with the Municipalities of Kairouan and Mahdia, ALDA, CODATU and CEREMA, aims to implement sustainable urban planning solutions through participatory processes to enhance active mobility in the two Tunisian cities. This decentralised cooperation project between France and Tunisia raised a great interest among the public, especially towards the organisation of the Forum Inter-régional sur les Mobilités Actives, which will take place in Sousse, Tunisia, in September 2022.

The Middle East and Africa Department participated in the  Forum des Mondes Méditerranéens in a plurality of ways, reflecting the multifaceted engagement ALDA has in the region

ALDA is also part of two key French networks for what concerns euro-Mediterranean relations. Together with Les Tetes de l’Art, ALDA co-leads the French Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation. In this framework, ALDA and Les Têtes de l’Art participated in the Forum to represent the French Network and promote its interest and activities with ALDA has also assisted to the workshop organised by Her Majesty Rim Ali, Princess of Jordan, who has recently been appointed President of the Foundation, on the topic of media coverage and communication around the phenomenon of migration.

Moreover, ALDA is an active member of Réseau Euromed France, in particular for what concerns the programme “Jeunesses Méditerranéennes” (Med Youth). Our colleague Abdelaziz Bouslah intervened in a workshop to present the programme and highlight the impact it has had on young activists from all over the Mediterranean. 

With around 4000 registered participants and 500 speakers, the Forum has been a great opportunity to connect, reconnect and share projects and ideas among the many organisations and institutions who were present during the event. With major investments from the French State and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we all hope to construct sustainable ways to face the several issues affecting this area of the world and to see a concrete follow-up to the engagements taken in the Forum. ALDA, in her role as co-head of the French Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation, also seeks to stimulate better coordination between the many networks that are already active in the region, in order to join efforts towards common goals.

The works of Imereti Regional Hub are run by Local Democracy Agency Georgia (LDA Georgia) within the framework of the European Union (EU) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) funded project “Civil Society STAR initiative: CSOs as Sustainable, Transparent, Accountable and Resilient Development Actors in Georgia” (2021-2025). The project aims to strengthen civil society as an independent, sustainable, transparent, and accountable development actor across Georgia; while the Hub is targeted to support the sharing of information, experience and opportunities.

Specifically, it spreads information about the project activities in the region, communicates with the local actors via consultation, networking, advocacy and monitoring, strengthens local CSOs, CBOs, civil activists and increases public awareness on their role and works.

The aim of the Imereti Regional Hub is to support the sharing of information, experience and opportunities

Beyond supporting main activities under the “Civil Society STAR Initiative “, the Hub implements following activities:

• LDA Georgia conducts trainings for CSOs / CBOs from Imereti region on the following topics: advocacy; fundraising; project writing; financial management of projects.
• In the framework of the project will be held study visits of CSO’s / CBO’s representatives of Imereti region to successful civil society organizations in the regions of Western Georgia.
• CSO’s and CBO’s representatives can get consultation on management issues of the organization in order to strengthen them, the information about the grant competitions announced in Imereti region.
• The SMS platfrom was created to proactively provide information to CSO and CBO representatives in the region about various activities.
• During the project formed several youth clubs to change the attitudes of young people / students towards civil society and community- based organizations; Each course of seminars continues for three months.
• The public consultations will be provided at the regional level to discuss important issues at the regional level with the involvement of relevant actors.
• The Meetings are held with the persons responsible for relations with the non-governmental organizations of the municipalities. The aim of the activity is to promote the role of civil society in public policy.
• Imereti regional hub offers hotline service any interested persons who will be able to receive information remotely on a legal issue of interest to them/not only;
• Newly established CSO and CBO organizations will be selected to support their development with whom the organization will work on refining its structure, developing internal management documents.
• Regional Civil Society Forums will be held to increase the accountability of civil society and improve public attitudes. Connect with potential sponsors and funding seekers.
• Imereti regional hub supports to strengthen youth club in Baghdati municipality. During the project will be created a model of mayor’s order, model of provision, will be held trainings and youth conferences, will be funded youth initiatives.

The project “Civil Society STAR initiative: CSOs as Sustainable, Transparent, Accountable and Resilient Development Actors in Georgia” (2021-2025).  is implemented by the Consortium led by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and composed of the following CSOs: Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG), Civil Society Institute (CSI), Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC), and Institute for European Politics (IEP).

For several years now, ALDA has been one of the beneficiaries of the operating grant of the “Europe for Citizens” programme of the EACEA – Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Union.

Thus, we are thrilled to announce that, again this year, ALDA has been confirmed beneficiary of the operating grant of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) of the European Union!

The CERV stems from the fusion of the previous programmes “Europe for Citizens” and “Rights, Equality and Citizens Programme”, and aims to protect and promote rights and values as layed down in the EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights in particular by supporting civil society organisations active at local, regional, national and transnational level.

This grant proves the effectiveness of ALDA’s actions for the promotion of democracy and citizens participation in Europe and beyond

More specifically, the operating grant just awarded is dedicated to networks, organisations or think tanks contributing to the implementation of programme objectives, including training and capacity building activities, conferences, mutual learning, cooperation, awareness-raising, communication and dissemination activities.

The whole ALDA is honoured to be again among the few beneficiaries, proving the effectiveness of ALDA’s actions for the promotion of democracy and citizens participation in Europe.

A great opportunity and an important responsibility: ALDA is ready to act more than ever as a driver of participation, democracy and European values, giving a strong input towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Agenda 2030.

ALDA – The European Association for Local Democracy, is proud to be recognised by the European Commission as one of the 59 most active organisations that work to protect and promote Union values.

Indeed, ALDA has been recognised in the Framework Partnership Agreement of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) of the European Union for the period 2022-2025.

Such framework partnership is of great importance for ALDA, being both a confirmation of the effectiveness of ALDA’s work in supporting good governance and citizen participation in Europe; as well as evidence of the confidence that the European Commission has in ALDA as a strategic partner in the implementation of the new EU priorities for the next 4 years.

ALDA is proud to be recognised by the European Commission as one of the 59 most active organisations that work to protect and promote Union values

More in depth, the agreement consists in a long-term cooperation between the Commission and the selected partners with the aim to contribute to the objectives of the Union policy in the following areas:

• promoting and protecting Union values;
• promoting equality, preventing and combating discrimination;
• promoting gender equality;
• combating racism, xenophobia and all forms of intolerance;
• protecting and promoting the rights of the child;
• promoting European remembrance;
• promoting citizen engagement;
• preventing and combating gender-based violence;
• preventing and combating violence against children.

Visit the dedicated web page of the European Commission to learn more and click HERE to have a glance of ALDA’s main activities for the 4-year period, titled “Local democracy: shaping the future together”