The Association of Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA) has decided to set up an annual scholarship in memory of its Honorary President, Gianfranco Martini, who passed away in October 2012. Gianfranco Martini was among the initiators of the concept of Local Democracy Agencies and became the first President of ALDA when it was founded in 1999.

Throughout his active life Gianfranco Martini remained passionate about the promotion of local democracy, the engagement of civil society and the encouragement of interethnic dialogue in Europe with a particular focus on the Western Balkans.

Following a widely disseminated call for applications within Europe, ALDA will once a year award a scholarship to a student or researcher proposing a study or work project dealing with the topics local democracy, engagement of civil society and/or interethnic dialogue.

The objective is to receive high-quality academic research and analysis for ALDA’s fields of activity in order to develop strategies on how to further promote local democracy, engage civil society and strengthen interethnic dialogue.

To know more about the scholarship please see the document at the following LINK .

On 29 January, ALDA held a meeting at the Committee of the Regions together with the Region of Lower Silesia (PL) and the Region of Dnipropetrovsk (UA) to discuss the opening of a Local Democracy Agency (LDA) in Ukraine. An LDA in Ukraine would operate as a locally registered NGO and would function as a coordinating and stimulating agency for the local society with the support of civil society and local authorities from Europe.

The meeting opened with presentations from all three sides. Lower Silesia is one of the richest regions of Poland and has a twinning arrangement with among others the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in Ukraine. Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is also one of the most developed, industrialised regions in Ukraine and is very interested in establishing an LDA in their region as this would fit to other initiatives they have taken to promote the development of local government and citizen participation in the region.

ALDA presented best practice examples of other Local Democracy Agencies and details of how an LDA operates. The Dnipropetrovsk region was identified as a good place to set up an LDA in order to boost the development of local communities, local democracy and citizen participation in the region.

All partners showed a very strong interest in the project and agreed to work further on it in order to aim at opening an LDA in Dnipropetrovsk before the end of 2013. Lower Silesia offered to be the lead partner of the LDA. Furthermore, the NGO Eastern Europe Foundation was identified as a good local partner.

A working group with ALDA, Lower Silesia and Dnipropetrovsk was set up to move on with the project and as a first step the group will be to actively search for more partners to ensure further support. The following meeting is expected to take place in April in Dnipropetrovsk.

On December 13, 2012 ALDA together with the Congress of the Council of Europe organised a hearing on Local democracy in Azerbaijan, held at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels. It was a follow-up to the monitoring report on local and regional democracy in Azerbaijan that was adopted by the Congress of the Council of Europe on October 17, 2012.

Key experts such as representatives from the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the Committee of the Regions and BINA – NGO Alliance for municipality development in Azerbaijan as well as one of the Rapporteurs of the Congress monitoring report contributed to the event together with Brussels based stakeholders.

At the hearing the main problems that limit the development of local democracy in Azerbaijan were identified as well as general recommendations and specific suggestions to the European institutions on how to develop local democracy in the country were given. The conclusions and a description of the follow-up after the hearing can be found here.

M. Danny Sriskandarajah, new Secretary General of CIVICUS – The world Alliance for Citizens’ Participation – visited the office of ALDA in Brussels on the 31th of January and met the Director of ALDA, Antonella Valmorbida, and the Policy officer, Peter Sondergaard.

Danny was accompanied by Mark Mark Nowottny, working in Civicus for the Board members. The visit of Civicus representatives was important to identify a common approach towards the European Institutions in terms of lobbying and funding. For ALDA, member of the Board of Civicus since 2012 with the participation of Antonella Valmorbida, the focus is to raise the issue of local governance and local democracy within the priorities of Civicus, which is operating around the globe. As for Civicus, they could find in our organisation a reliable and strong part in Europe and the Neighbouring countries. The meeting paved the way for a good cooperation.
Recently, Alfonso Aliberti, staff member of ALDA, has been appointed in the Youth Advisory Council of Civicus.

The international conference “Migration and politics”, first international event of the project « My EU: young, equal, inclusive », will be held in Brescia (Italy) from 1 to 3 February 2013.
This three-days event aims to analyse and develop the relation between migrants and politics in Italy.

A set of activities is foreseen: meeting with groups of refugees and asylum seekers, watching documentary on Italian national politics about migrants and borders and their repercussions at European level, meeting with local associations dealing with the defence of migrants rights, etc.
This event is organised by the LDA Zavidovici as partner of the project gathering 14 Civil Society Organisations and Local Authorities coming from Albania, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Macedonia and Malta. The project led by Local Council Association of Malta and in which ALDA is partner, aims at providing a well structured dialogue among twinned or keen-to-cooperate towns, with specific reference to active participation in political life of specific target groups: women, youngsters and immigrants.

Furthermore, an open conference will be organised on Saturday 2 February in the palace of Università Cattolica di Brescia. It will gather professors from different realities working with migrants, such as Pietro Cingiolani from Centro Fieri of Torino, Maddalena Colombo from CIRMIB, Franco Valenti from Foundation for Human Rights Guido Piccini, Maria Perino from University of Piemonte Orientale, Lorenzo Trucco from ASGI (Association of juridical Studies about Migrations), Camillo Boano from University of London. Discussions will start with an overview about migration flows and at national level and continue with an analysis of the relation between migrants and urban spaces and the rights of migrants in work field, with a specific focus on women and new generations. During the afternoon there will be the contribution from different migrants associations active at local and national level such as Yalla Italia, Forum Marocchino and Association of Malians in Italy.

The last dinner will see the participation of 16 students from the University College of London, who will share the results of their study realised in Brescia and analysing 4 different cases where the presence of migrants affects somehow the urban space.

For more information and for registering, please contact Maddalena Alberti, LDA Zavidovici, maddalena.alberti@lda-zavidovici.org

The local event VIT in Vicenza took place on the 18th and 19th of January 2013. It was, for the whole community, full and intense days on the topics of twinning and cooperation between communities and cities.
“The twinnings between cities in Europe were an essential part of the Development of Europe, based on the commitment of local authorities and citizens.

Today, this instrument is a strong element to build the European citizenship and city to city cooperation”, said the Director of ALDA, Mrs Antonella Valmorbida. The participants to the international conference that took place in the Council Room of Vicenza on the 19th of January, brought the best practices and difficulties. In particular, were introduced the experiences of the city of Vicenza (Councillor Mr Federico Formisano), hosting the event, and the twinned cities, like Pforzheim – with the Mayor Gert Hager – and Annecy – with the Deputy Mayor, Mr Jean Claude Fabbian. Vicenza has also a friendship with Osijek (Croatia) but they could not participate.

Mr Roger Lawrence, Leader of Wolverhampton City Council and member of ALDA Bureau, represented ALDA.

The recommendations issued by the conference were very concrete. In particular, it was agreed to write a common letter to the Italian authorities to make sure that the costs for twinning are not considered as public relations costs but cultural investments (and therefore not easily cut). A committee for the support of twinning will be soon set up soon, within the umbrella of ALDA and its office in Vicenza.

For the general recommendations that will be presented in the final international event of VIT (on the 18th and 19th of April in Pula), will also include the need a) to support the twinning committees b) to create a link between twinning and communities of foreigners in our own countries c) to identify the possibility to support twinnings with oversees municipalities.

The work started on the 18th on very practical basis with the training for local authorities and Association at the Association of Craftsmen, where the Development officer of ALDA, Mr Boaria presented all the opportunities offered by the programme Europe for Citizens. The training gathered more than 30 participants and many from the area.

The Governing Board that took place in Vicenza (Italy) on the 17th and 18th of January 2013 was of particular importance for ALDA since it adopted the Strategic Paper 2013/2016. In particular, the strategy is confirming the role of ALDA as a membership based organisation, focusing on local governance and citizens participation in Europe and in the Neighbourhood.

It addresses the role of the Local Democracy Agencies in South Eastern Europe and in the Eastern Partnership. Following the Statute, the LDAs could be opened also in other areas, in particular in the Mediterranean area, when useful and when the conditions are met.
As for the LDAs are concerned, the future step will be towards East with activities in Azerbaijan and in Ukraine.

The programme of 2013 was also adopted with an ambitious list of activities. “In the present times, it is difficult for all the local authorities and associations to find the necessary resources to be engaged, but we confirm that ALDA and the Local Democracy Agencies represent a resources for the communities that needs support rather than a cost”, states the President of ALDA, Oriano Otočan. “We could secure our members a list of services that will help them to be better informed on all the policies and opportunities. We are also a very big source of networking and contacts”.

On January 15, During a meeting which occurred in Belgrade at the Palace of  the Government Mr Alessandro Perelli, representing ALDA Governing Board, introduced to the Serbian Prime Minister, Mr Ivica Dadic, the activities of the association in the European project planning for the promotion of democratic rights and, in this framework, the important role of the two Serbian LDAs of Subotica and Niš.

Mr Perelli also urged that also the other Serbian local authorities join ALDA and its network.

The Prime Minister Dadic underlined his approval for ALDA’s action, in order to ensure more effective local governance and the support to decentralisation processes and local development.

The Organisations and Associations of the Italian Civil Society, joining the Italian Alliance for the European Year of Citizens 2013, met in Rome, in the “Sala Natali”, by the Permanent Delegation of the European Commission in Italy (19 December 2012)
About 50 representatives of the Organisations, which have joined the Italian Alliance attended the meeting, leaded by ALDA and CIME.

The event represented the third official meeting of the Alliance and it was the occasion to establish important decisions:
an operative subdivision in seven Working Groups, (the role of Young People, Gender equality, Volunteering, Inclusive Society, Proximity and Subsidiarity, and, finally, Culture) headed by different Organisations.- Although these Working Groups represent the specificity of the Italian reality, they reflect perfectly the European macro-subdivision in three Working Groups;

A Memorandum of Understanding between the Italian Alliance and the organisation of local authorities TECLA.
A detailed list of activities was agreed and in particular a first meeting in January 2013 to meet the future political groups that will run for the elections on the 24th of February to ask for their support for the cause of a more democratic and inclusive Europe.

The training seminar „Partnership building for EU integration“ for civil society organisations and local governments, within the project « The European and Our Affairs“, was held in Zavidovici on the 12 December 2012.
One day training in Zavidovici was organised by the LDA Zavidovici in close collaboration with Stanka Parać from ALDA as senior trainer.

The interest for this training was quite high, over 30 representatives of local NGOs and public institutions from Zavidovići and Žepče attended the seminar.
During the training there was presented Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) followed by interactive workshop related with developing an idea into a project proposal, project cycle management and its objectives (clear and realistic project objectives and consistency with and contribution to general policy objectives), project cycle management stages (programming, identification, assessment, financing, implementation and evaluation), general project objective and specific project objectives.
During the training through interactive and simulation exercise participants worked on producing of a concept note for EU projects.
In the closing of the workshop, the participants presented their group work, and the trainers have also provided their comments and practical advice for improvements, while the communication and the group dynamics will be maintained through information share and including the participants into the mailing list for project beneficiaries.
As a follow-up coaching and mentoring process, the participants group was advised not to hesitate to seek advice from trainers on any topic they may not understand, and encouraged to continue good work.
The project « The European and Our Affairs » is funded by the European Union from IPA 2011 Information and Communication Programme. Project is implemented by Association of Local Democracy Agencies – ALDA in partnership with LDA Zavidovići and Municipality of Zavidovići and Development Agency Žepče as associated organisations.
Activities include capacity building, public promotion campaigns, and knowledge share involving diverse sections of local society, while the local policy/decision makers, business sector, NGO-s, local media and young people are among priority target groups. The proposed contents and expertise engaged serve both as a learning opportunity for the actors involved, but also to help bust some myths and stereotypes related with the EU integration.

This project is funded by the European Union.
“This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of ALDA and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.”

On 11th November 2012 in the premises of Evangelic Theological Seminary in Osijek the Opening Conference of the project „Support for networking and twinning at European level“ was held. The project is being implemented within the IPA Cross Border Cooperation Programme Croatia – Serbia 2007-2013. It is financially supported by the European Union and will be implemented over the period of 18 months.

The aim of this project is to contribute to capacity building of municipalities and towns in the border region of Croatia and Serbia for more effective cooperation at both regional and European level and to contribute to fostering of active citizenship in local communities of Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar Syrmium counties in Croatia and Bač and Srem districts in Serbia.
The introductory speaches at the Opening conference were conducted by the Vice Prefect of Osijek – Baranja County, Jovan Jelić and the Rector of Evangelic Theological Seminary, Peter Kuzmič. After the introductory speaches expert presentations on the topic of local self-government in Croatia and Serbia were held by Tunjica Petrašević, docent at the Department for Constitutional Law and Political Science of the Law Faculty in Osijek, Croatia and by Slobodan Martinović from Centre for Policy research from Serbia.
« The goals of the corss border cooperation today are to link population along two or more borders in order to cooperate and solve their everyday problems, and which can not be solved within their own national borders. Emphasis is on the economic and social problems, but also on economic interests. But we should not forget that the first reason for inception of cross border cooperation was the establishment of peace and good neighborly relations between the warring parties. Given the fact that Croatia in 90-ies was dragged into a war with Serbia, it is necessary to specifically refer to the importance of cross-border cooperation as a contribution to peace and stability in the region,  » emphasized Tunjica Petrasevic.
On twinning strategies talked Zoltan Pamer, consultant for EU programmes of international and interregional cooperation, and Paula Raužan, president of the Local Democracy Agency Sisak.
Zoltan Pamer presented the community-led local development (CLLD), a specific tool that will be introduced to us in the next programming period of the EU (2014-2020), and which may mobilise and involve local communities and organisations to contribute to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and which may foster territorial cohesion and implementation of public Europen policies . „This tool is focused on sub-regional levels (towns and their surroundings) and it envisages also the cross border cooperation“, explained Pamer.
Paula Raužan presented modern concept of town twinning, its pre-requisites and active citizenship. She explained that the concept of active citizenship means to actively involve citizens into life of their community and therefore into democracy as well – especially into action and participation. However, she also explained that the concept is much more than giving into charity or for humanitarian purposes and much more than voting at elections or volunteering.
Project „Support for networking and twinning at European level –SNET.EU“ will be implemented in the towns of Osijek, Vukovar and Beli Manastir and in municipalities of Erdut Nijemci, Drenovci in Croatia and in the towns of Novi Sad and Subotica and municipalities of Apatin, Bac, Ruma, Stara Pazova, Beocin i Indija.
Main project activities are capacity building activities on European policies and EU integration process (conferences, seminars and training), establishing of the Resource centres in support of networking of local authorities in border regions of Croatia and Serbia (promotional workshops and exchange of good practice) and thematic workshops in municipalities and towns in border region.
By April 2013th the training on the twinning program in Novi Sad will be held, the Resource Centers in Subotica Osijek to support networking of local authorities in border regions of Croatia and Serbia will be opened and seminars on European policies will be held in Vukovar and Apatin.

The European Federal Movement of Vicenza is now hosted by the Office of Vicenza of ALDA. This cooperation is a concrete step for an intense cooperation that takes place locally between the Italian office of ALDA and the citizens’ belonging to the local section of the MFE.

Last year, the two organisations organised together training activities for young people and citizens on the future of Europe and better understanding of the current situation. For 2013, a wide spectrum of initiatives are already in place and fitting into the European Year for Citizens, which is the priority for 2013. A first meeting will be on the 18th of January where the Vicenza section will be involved in the local event of the VIT – Very Important Twinning, supported by Europe for Citizens.

At the invitation of ALDA’s main Tunisian partner, Lam Echaml , Mr Oriano Otocan and Mr Alessandro Perelli have visited Jendouba for a one-day seminar on “Regional Development, Local Democracy and the New Constitution” that took place on 1st and 2nd December 2012 in Aïn Draham and Jendouba in Western Tunisia.
Together with Ms Aleksandra Jerkov, member of the Serbian Parliament and Mrs Biljana Zasova, Programme Coordinator in ALDA, they presented a diverse picture of the systems of decentralisation and local economic development in Europe.

The cases of Italy, Serbia, Croatia and Macedonia have been presented, along with an overview of the different decentralisation systems in Europe. The experts had also the opportunity to learn more about the current practices in matters of local economic and regional development in Tunisia by representatives of local initiatives
Thanks to the project of Citizens’ Workshops on Writing of the Constitution (ATECC), Lam Echaml has aimed at contributing to the writing of different chapters of the new Tunisian Constitution, with the aim to discuss with ordinary citizens and activists about the dynamic in establishing a new order in Tunisia. The ATECC project puts into practice participative democracy in Tunisia as they offer to organisations, associations and citizens the opportunity to make largely known their ideas, reflexions and requests about the future Tunisian Constitution.

ALDA, in cooperation with PLATFORMA, is organising a regional consultation for the Eastern Partnership countries and the Pre-Accession countries (Western Balkans and Turkey).
The Consultation will take place in Paris (11 December 2012, 167 boulevard de la Villette, 75010),
And will be carried out on the basis of an « Issue Paper », prepared by the European Commission services, which analyses the situation and the challenges of LAs in development and proposes several themes to articulate the debate around.

The consultation is taking place within the programme WTD – Working Together for Development, which is focusing on strengthening the capacities of its partners, both ALAs and CSOs Networks, to be engaged in development cooperation actions.
The European Commission is preparing a Communication on the role Local Authorities (LAs) have in development cooperation. The communication is expected to be released early 2013 and will guide future EU development programs and the role given to LAs in these programs.
The Issue Paper states that the complex challenges to reach sustainable development goals and poverty reduction cannot be addressed exclusively by central governments. Actors at the local level must be involved to promote and achieve good governance, sustainable development and inclusive growth.
Through the consultation process, the European Commission will seek to integrate consultation feedbacks in the drafting of the Communication, which will be addressed to the European Parliament and Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.