Next 27th and 28th September ALDA will organize in Pula, Croatia, the third and last part of the training on EU funds, foreseen in the frame of the THINK.EU project, funded by Europe for Citizens programme.
The Foundation Istria, lead applicant of the project, will host the event.

Addressed to officials in the region of Istria, representatives of NGOs and the business community, this training will focus on indirect funding of the European Union, also known as Structural Funds. Croatia will officially become a member of the European Union on the 1st July 2013. It will benefit, starting from this date, of 687.5 million euro (for the solely 2013) of which a large part will be Structural Funds.
This training is therefore of crucial importance in such a particular historical moment.
In order to provide a high – quality training, ALDA will valorise the long-term experience in the structural funds of the Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and will involve officials with solid experience in various aspects, i.e. planning, financial management, territorial cooperation.
The officers involved will be: Roberto Piccini, 1st level controls on structural funds, Simonetta Micheli, regional service for Communitarian programmes, Raffaella Viviani, Brussels office.
ALDA will participate with its staff from the Resource and Development unit: the coordinator Marco Boaria, and Anna Ditta, project officer.
The training will represent a fundamental opportunity for all the target groups involved to learn on how to use the conspicuous funds that Croatia will receive soon. On the other side, it will also be the occasion for exchange and partnership between Italian and Croatian institutions and CSOs, with a view to future cooperation and mutual growth, thanks to new and greater financial opportunities provided by the European Union to its new Member State.
In this frame is therefore interesting to mention that Oriano Otocan, director of the International Relations Department of the Istria Region, is the new President of ALDA since June 2012.
A new impetus for ALDA’s activities and the opportunity for Croatian region to be actively involved in a really European network.

ALDA, in cooperation with LDA Zavidovici, is starting a realisation of a new project, titled „The European and Our Affairs“. The project is funded by the Delegation of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a part of IPA 2011 – Information and Communication Programme.
The activites will be located at municipalities Zavidovici and Zepce, and the subject who will benefit from his project include the local civil society, citizen groups, local community members, local media and public at large.

Some of the project objectives would be helping to raise awareness on EU enlargement process and pre-accession assistance aimed to support the reform process at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina; to improve public understanding of the benefits of EU integration; to promote tangible results of EU pre-accession assistance; to help reinforce the role of civil society in the public dialogue on EU accession agenda and to strenghten the local ownership over the reform and EU integration process.
The main activities of the project include an opening conference on the topic „EU integration – a dialogue for the future“ in Zavidovići, two training seminars for CSO-s and local authorities on EU integration and pre-accession assistance; a training seminar for local media titled „EU Integration: prejudices and myth-buster“, and a Youth for EU campaign including a EU quiz in secondary schools and EU Ambassadors’ visits.
Through these activities, it is expected to achieve improved public awareness and knowledge of actual benefits of EU integration, increased information provision about the effects of EU funded projects, improved outreach and information dissemination on EU integration issues, increased number of cross-sectoral partnerships and issue based networking for underpinning reform process, and improved public dialogue for common understanding of EU values.
The first scheduled activity of the project is the opening conference which will be held on October 10th 2012 in Zavidovici.

Officially started on 17th September a common project between LDA Osijek, LDA Subotica, ALDA and other local partners.
The project named “Support for Networking at EU Level – SNET.EU” is a part of the programme IPA CBC Croatia – Serbia and will last for 18 months.

The applicant in Croatia is Local Democracy Agency in Osijek with partners the Croatian Institute for Self-Government (HILS) and Evangelic Theological Seminary (EVS) both from Osijek.
The applicant in Serbia is Local Democracy Agency in Subotica with partners ALDA as well as Open University Subotica.
The main objectives of the project are: to build capacities of local institutions and local authorities for understanding regional EU policy and European integration process; to promote town twinning as a tool for development of European active citizenship; to contribute to twin town/municipality partner search for LA from Croatia and Serbia at European level and to contribute to networking and cooperation between LA from Croatia and Serbia.
Its aim is also to contribute to capacity building of human resources for supporting and developing of town twinning involving local authorities in rural areas of Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Sermium Counties in Croatia and Bačka District in Serbia through establishing of resource centers for town twining.
Besides being a great opportunity for capacity building of small municipalities both in Croatia and Serbia this project is a great contribution for involvement of experts and partners from LDAs and ALDA regional and European network as well as for further cooperation.

On 11th and 12th October, the Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities (UBBSLA) will organise, in Varna (Bulgaria) a workshop on “How citizens trough volunteering may contribute to the enhancement of the communities’ governance”. This workshop will be the 9th local event organised within the framework of the project VIT, Very Important Twinning, Volunteering in Town, in which ALDA is the lead partner.

The workshop will focus on the Interaction between the generations and the potential opportunities for the elderly people, also on the Public health care for the longevity of the elderly people.
The project VIT focuses on volunteering and democracy in an enlarged Europe. It aims at promoting volunteering in towns, addressing this issue from a participatory perspective.
In particular, the project wishes to create a platform involving different types of stakeholders (see partnership below) for debate, action and reflection on how citizens may enhance governance in Europe. At the same time, the project aims at revitalising existing town-twinning relations of the partner towns and initiate new twinning.
If you are interested in attending this event, please contact Mrs Mariana Ivanova (office@ubbsla.org ).

For more information on travel and accommodation costs of international participants, please contact Mrs. Polina Antonova from UBBSLA (coordinator@ubbsla.org).

The Director of ALDA, Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, represents the Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership, in her capacity of Coordinator of the Subgroup on Local Governance and Public Administration Reform at the annual meeting of the CORLEAP (Chişinău, Moldova, 17 September 2012).
The Subgroup LGPAR is presenting in Chişinău a report on the state of fiscal decentralisation in the EaP Countries. Connected to it, a specific proposal on Fiscal Decentralisation is addressed to the Corleap members.

The State of Fiscal Decentralisation in the six countries highlights some good progresses but also some stagnation or even drawbacks – unfortunately – in some countries, like in Belarus and Azerbaijan. Certainly, Fiscal Decentralisation should be part of a vast and complex process of affirmation of Local Authorities, which have to be considered not only as subdivision of the State power but as more autonomous entities that could respond to the needs of citizens, at the local level.
The Assessment here provided is drafting specific recommendations country by country and with a related timeframe that could be certainly considered for policy making, together with the expertise provided also by the Corleap members. The role of civil society in supporting fiscal decentralisation is also mentioned as a promoter of debate and awareness, collector of information and data, implementor of programmes and monitoring of the standards to be achieved, expertise and capacity building provider.
The Subgroup for Local Government and Public Administration Reform of the Civil Society Forum proposes to the CORLEAP to launch a common initiative on a single strong priority, such is Fiscal Decentralisation. Aware of the difficulty ahead of us, it is proposed to identify it as a common priority and strongly lobby for a flagship initiative or programme/project proposal, within the framework of the Eastern Partnership.
Fiscal decentralisation remains a difficult and political target, which might be perceived as a long term objective. Some of the EU representatives within the CORLEAP may also think that Fiscal Decentralisation remains not completed within their own country yet. We consider then this possible joint project as an opportunity of working together, between EU and EaP countries. Fiscal decentralisation is not only a technical step. It is a substantial element for strengthening a real autonomy of local government and local democracy, which we consider essential for peace, sustainable development and prosperity of our communities.
The Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership is a permanent observer of the Corleap and takes part – since last year – in all the 4 official Platforms of the Partnership.
The Subgroup on Local Government and Public Administration Reform is composed of 28 NGOs (from EaP and EU) of the Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership, with a specific expertise in these fields. ALDA is coordinator of the Subgroup since the meeting in Poznan (Nov 2011).

The Mayor of the Municipality of Yverdon-Les-Bains, Mr Daniel von Siebenthal, Partner of the LDA Albania, is leading the mission of the Swiss Delegation to Shkoder. The aim of the mission is to see the project implemented by the LDA Albania, plan together new activities and meet relevant stakeholders interested in working with the Swiss Municipality.

Moreover, an institutional meeting with the Mayor of Shkoder, Mr Lorenc Luka, led to the decision of having a conference in Yverdon-Les-Bains to promote the Albanian culture to the Swiss community and the member of the Albanian Diaspora living there.
With this mission, the Swiss Delegation confirms its willingness to continue supporting the activities of LDA Albania in the future.

“The European project is at a crossroads: we need its values and its overall vision to keep on going it” affirmed Mr. Ruggiero Mennea, ALDA’s Governing Board member, and Apulia Regional Councillor, in his speech at the final session of the International Seminar that took place in Ventotene from the 2nd of September until the 7th of September promoted by Istituto Spinelli, MFE, JEF.

During the week different issues dealing with the Federalist Movement as a whole were faced.
The Seminar focused on three main themes: World Federalist issues, European Federalist issues and Sustainable Development issues. These three main topics have been always interconnected and the debate was incredibly fascinating and enriched with several contributes from spokesmen and participants themselves.
World Federalist issues are connected with the Global Democracy having as main goal the integration of all the areas of the world to obtain the Kant universalism. In other words reach the peace will be possible just strengthening the connections among all the States, for example through the cooperation among regional institutions. During the seminar were presented in particular MERCOSUR and ASEAN but also other ones, with all their limits and strengths.
Sustainable development is another cogent issue for the European and World Federalist Movement, the crisis began also because our lifestyle is not anymore feasible with the nature, and the energetic supply is the next challenge in future. In order to be more sustainable European Union offers some propositions as the “carbon tax”, but this field of action should engage all the civil society.
“Our duty is to bring forth the ideas and the vision of Europe, that was born as a project to achieve peace and stability in Europe so European Union shouldn’t be just a bureaucracy machine but the bureaucratic apparatus should be just a part of it otherwise it would die” Mr Mennea concluded.
The connections created by ALDA and the Federalist Movement would be really valuable for both organisations hoping that this meeting will make grow up even more European conscience and awareness.

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TESTIMONIALS

“It was a wonderful experience that enriched me a lot and that I suggest to everyone to make.
I am Croatian so I had a lot of difficulties to arrive in Ventotene but definitely it worth it.
I could go in depths with some kind of issues very interesting, as economic issues and the role of the ICC for the democratic process, even with their problems and challenges and in regards of European issues it is a good message to bring home, considering the access of Croatia to European Union, that is means that European project still fundamental to realise the European purpose of peace, stability and prosperity”.

Daniela Proia and Tomislav Nedic‘s participation was supported by ALDA

From 1 to 5 September 2012 ALDA participated to the international workshop in Hammamet organised in the framework of the project YOUTH GLOCAL SCENARIOS – l’Euromed que nous souhaitons. Lead partner of the project is the organisation JID – Jeunes Indipendants Democrates, organizer of the event and very active in supporting citizens participation and defend human rights at local level in Tunis. To know more on this association, visit its page on FB or its website.

The workshop was addressed to young and local administrators with a focus on NGOs role and challenges in the near future in the Mediterranean area and it saw the adhesion of young people from Tunisia, Italy, Spain, Lebanon and Palestine,
This initiative is one of the action of a project aiming to increase and reinforce the youth participation at local level and the participatory processes in the Med Area, promote an actual inter-institutional dialogue and support the local amelioration of the institutional capacities.
This event gave also the opportunity to involve one of the volunteers that already joined the Volunteers for Democracy (V4D) Programme, Joana Ricart Sala from Barcelona, Spain.
If you’re interested in joining the Programme find here all the information and don’t hesitate to contact Cinzia Spinazzè, cinzia.spinazze@aldaintranet.org for any additional information !

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VOLUNTEERS FOR DEMOCRACY DIARY

I applied for the ALDA Volunteers for Democracy project in Tunisia because I thought it could be a great opportunity to know the state of affairs of the civil organisations in this country after the 2010 revolution. The association JID – “Jeunes Indépendents Démocrats” lead the project which gathered Tunisian, Lebanese, Italian and Palestinian associations and NGOs and young people of several Mediterranean countries. During the workshop sessions we discussed civil society organisations issues such as its role in politics and in the society, its link with the governmental institutions, its role as regional development actors, its funding and its activities. The last workshop was devoted to suggest new projects and partnerships between the present organisations. I found this experience a very enriching opportunity, apart from the great hospitality of the organisers, all the event was very well organised and we had the opportunity to learn a lot through all the participants’ personal experiences and to widen our knowledge on the Tunisian civil society situation and reality. Definitely, I would gladly repeat the experience with ALDA Volunteers for Democracy programme!

Joana Ricart Sala from Barcelona, Spain, V4D in Tunisia

ALDA is organising an event included, by the European Commission, in the official programme of the next European Development Days. It will be a WTD project creative laboratory, conceived as a learning café session, aiming at brainstorming and proposing recommendations integrating the contributions of experts and practitioners on the advantages of creating real synergies between LAs and CSOs in development cooperation.

The activity of the event will be structured in a dynamic and creative way, which allows not only experts but also practitioners to have a tangible contribution to the formulations of recommendations.
WTD learning café wants to formulate recommendations responding to 6 key themes identified as the main features characterising the joint involvement of LAs and CSOs in development cooperation processes.
Will participate at the event as experts Murat Daoudov, Director of International Cooperation, Union of Municipalities of Marmara (Turkey), Tanja Hafner-Ademi, Executive Director, Balkan Civil Society Development Network (Macedonia), Chuck Hirt, Director, Central Eastern and European Citizens Network (Slovakia), Giovanni Camilleri, International Coordinator, ART Programme UNDP (Switzerland), Klavdija Cernilogar, Head of Policy, CONCORD (Belgium) and Antonella Valmorbida, Director, ALDA. Moderator will be Peter Sondergaard, Policy officer, ALDA.
The seventh edition of the European Development Days (EDD) will take place in Brussels, Belgium on 16 and 17 October 2012.
This year’s headline theme will be sustainable and inclusive growth for human development and the forum will take place over two important dates: the World Food Day (16 October) and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (17 October).
Throughout 22 High-Level Panels (HLP), almost 30 Project Labs (P-Labs), and a number of side events, EDD 2012 will focus especially on three major sub-themes under the umbrella of the headline theme: sustainable agriculture, food security and resilience; engaging the private sector for development; and empowering people for inclusive growth.
Almost one year after the adoption of the ‘Agenda for Change’ the EU will take the opportunity to open the floor to a wide range of private and public stakeholders in order to discuss how all parties can work together more closely towards the common objective of achieving inclusive and sustainable growth in partner countries.
European Development Days was launched in 2006 as an opportunity for key partners to come together to in and inclusive and open environment and talk about how to make aid more effective. The six previous editions have featured Heads of State, Heads of Government or Ministers, and Nobel Prize laureates. The last edition in 2011, in Warsaw, Poland attracted more than 2 000 committed development stakeholders from over 139 countries.
Organised by the European Commission, EDD has global reach and provides a collaborative platform bringing together thousands of development advocates, decision-makers, and practitioners.

“We give a special value to the work of ALDA and to the LDAs and we want to continue to support their activities“, confirmed the President of the Congress, Mr.Keith Whitmore, during a meeting that took place in Strasbourg at the Council of Europe, with ALDA President, Mr. Oriano Otočan. The meeting was the first possibility of the Presidents to exchanges views on the present situation of ALDA and the future cooperation with the Congress, which remains the institutional reference for the organisation.

It was strongly reconfirmed the interest to be involved in common activities, especially in the work of the Local Democracy Agencies so to support local governance and citizens’ participation.
The Congress would also have an important role in discussing the future strategic programme of ALDA, that will be discussed and approved in the next Governing Board at the Council of Europe on the 17th of October.
The President of ALDA, M. Otočan, presented shortly the first steps undertaken since his election in June and stressed once again the importance of the join cooperation with the Congress and the Council of Europe.
“I have been involved in the establishment of the Adriatic EuroRegion with the Congress some years ago. I am sure that such a fruitful cooperation will also be visible here in my new capacity of President of ALDA”.
The meeting was attended also by the Secretary General of the Congress, Mr. Andreas Kiefer, by Mrs. Antonella Cagnolati, Director of the Congress, and by the Director of ALDA, Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida.

At the World Assembly, more 600 civil society organisations from all over World are exchanging views on their role and participation at the local and national level. It is here time for networking, exchanging ideas and innovative approach to participative democracy and active citizenship. The topics of the World Assembly this year is the possible new social contract between citizens and the political decision makers.
In the picture, from the left: Antonella Valmorbida, Director of ALDA, David Bonbright, Chair of the Civicus Board, Oriano Otočan, President of ALDA, Katsuji Imata, Acting Secretary General Civicus, at the Civicus World Assembly, 6th of September 2012 Montréal – Canada

Civil Society and human right defenders are still very much in danger in many countries of the world and they are fighting for their place and role in the community.
The Association of the Local Democracy Agencies is participating actively in the World Assembly. The Director of ALDA, Antonella VALMORBIDA, took part in a workshop on local governance, bringing the examples of the LDAs and projects implemented in Europe and neighbouring areas. Mrs. Valmorbida has been recently included in the Board of Civicus in particular for bringing an added value with her experience and the knowledge of ALDA in the European policies and projects but also for bringing the experience of local authorities engagement.
The President of ALDA, Mr. Oriano Otočan, participated also to some of the activities, and a specific meeting with the President of Civicus, David Bonbright, and the Acting Secretary General of Civicus, Katsuji Imata took place. Common grounds of mutual cooperation were identified like a support to Civicus in Europe and in local governance aspect.

Oriano Otocan, ALDA President, and Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Director and member of CIVICUS International Board, will be participating in the 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly (3 – 7 September 2012) in Montreal, Canada.
In particular Mrs. Valmorbida will present ALDAs experiences on participatory governance at the workshop on “Good governance through citizen action” that will take place on 5 September (11.00-13.00), after the opening ceremony of the Assembly (9.00-9.30) and the first plenary session (9.30 – 10.45).
In the panel also Mrs. Carmen Malena, Canada, Mehr Latif, Programme Manager, Asia Foundation, Pakistan and Mrs. Paola Margarita Q. Deles, Coordinator, People Power Volunteers for Reform, Philippines.

This session will share good practices and lessons in participatory governance from around the world and challenge participants to think beyond traditional forms of protest and activism to less familiar but potentially more impactful practices of ‘critical collaboration’ and participatory governance.
As citizens, publicly denouncing injustices in society is an important first step towards seeking change, but it is not enough. Real change comes when citizens not only cry out in the streets, but claim their rightful place as active participants in processes of public governance and decision-making. In recent years, a wide and exciting array of ‘participatory governance’ approaches have been tried and tested around the world. From citizens’ juries, multi-stakeholder dialogues and integrity pacts to participatory budgeting, social audits and community scorecards, citizens and CSOs are creating a multitude of innovative ways to engage in ‘critical collaboration’ with government counterparts.
The 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly will focus on defining a new social contract, through discussions on three key themes: changing nations through citizens, building partnerships for social innovation and redefining global governance.
The 2012 Assembly will see the launch of a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder process, led by CIVICUS, on defining a new social contract, that will culminate in the presentation of recommendations to the United Nations in 2015. The World Assembly comes at a pivotal moment for citizens to redefine the relationships and conditions we want for a sustainable future in a changing world.
Having a role in CIVICUS International Board, for ALDA means taking a further step to bring internationally the cause of its work: to improve citizens’ and civil society’s participation at the local level, working closely with local authorities, for development, democracy and respect of human rights.

The Mayor of Mostar, Mr. Ljubo Beslic, presented the experience of the City of Mostar on reconciliation and post conflict situation management and the role of the Local Democracy Agency of Mostar in this process still continuing.
His speech, at the seminar on “Local Authorities in the prevention of conflict, peace building and reconciliation” organised in Geneva, Switzerland, on 30th and 31st August, by the International association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), was very appreciated by all participants, who see in Mostar a very good example of reconciliation. Ms Marine Henry, project manager in ALDA, was also attending this meeting.

The 2 days seminar in Geneva gathered around 50 Mayors and Representative of Association of Local Authorities coming from France, Belgium, Switzerland, African countries, Lebanon, Bosnia Herzegovina, etc.
The first part was dedicated to a dialogue between European Commission and Local Authorities Representatives concerning the future communication of the European Commission on Local Authorities. This text will define the future strategy of intervention of the European Commission towards Local Authorities. Simon Compaoré, Mayor of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and General Secretary of AIMF started by reminding the context of the progressive recognition by EU of the role of Local Authorities in cooperation and development. Then Mrs Elena ASCUITTI from Europaid Department presented the new guidelines for the partnership between European Commission and Local Authorities. She invited all Local Authorities Representatives to participate to the consultation by answering to 27 questions dealing with 8 main issues. The deadline for submitting comments and suggestions is November 2012.
The second part consisted on the seminar on “Local Authorities in the prevention of conflict, peace building and reconciliation”.
The event was concluded by the presentation of a first version of a toolkit designed on the initiative of AIMF on the role of local elected people in the prevention of conflicts and diversity management on their territories. This tool divided in 5 pillars aims at giving tips on the ways for local authorities to prevent conflict in the prism of the integration of all part of population living on their territories. A more final version will be presented in the General Assembly of AIMF, which will be held in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) next November.

The Metamorphosis Foundation, Macedonian partner of the programme for decentralised cooperation between the Region Lower Normandy (France) and North Macedonia, produced a short animated film entitled “Bully” which addresses the topic of cyberbullying.
The film is translated into five languages (French, English, Albanian, Turkish and Romani) in order to reach a broader audience. The translated versions are available at http://goo.gl/Q3O2z

The language versions have been made as part of the project for decentralised cooperation between Macedonia and the Lower Normandy Region.
The purpose of the film is to raise awareness among young people of this phenomenon and the consequences it can have both for the harassed individual and for the bully.
Through the initiative to raise awareness of online privacy protection, 13 short films and 10 online games and quizzes were made and translated into French, Albanian, Turkish and Romani. The addressed topics are: cyber-bullying, protection of passwords, video games and chat addiction, online shopping, plagiarism…

ALDA will attend the 29th International Seminar for young people on “Federalism in Europe and in the world”, taking place in Ventotene (Italy) from the 2nd to the 7th September 2012.
Almost 150 young people from across the continent will participate at the event, to form the federalist thinking and develop proposals for action.

The seminar is promoted by the Institute for Federalist Studies “Spinelli”, in collaboration with the GFE and the MFE, with the support of Lazio Region, Province of Latina and Ventotene.
The main aims of the Seminar is to spread throughout the World Federalist Movement ideas and their applications in a global context among the participants and several experts that will participate to this seminar.
The seminar deals with several issues related to international economics, migration, peace-building and peace-maintenance and with the integration processes in the European and in the global context.
During this week there will be different moments to share experiences and knowledge about these matters, there will be working groups and roundtables in order to get in depth in these fields and to promote a better understanding of Federalist Movement. ALDA will also actively participate at the seminar, in particular with its representative Mr. Ruggiero Mennea, Governing Board member, that in the last round of the discussion will present the Association, its fields of action and the connections between ALDA and the Federalist Movement.
The European Federalist Movement from 1982 yearly purposes the International seminar in Ventotene Island with a tight program concerning federalism in Europe and in the world.
Ventotene, an island off the Italian coast, was the place where Altiero Spinelli, author of the Federalist Ventotene Manifesto, was imprisoned during the Second World War. Each year, young Federalists gather here to discuss with leading experts from the European and World Federalist Movement federalist ideas European and global issues. The seminar is a unique and intensive experience on European and Federalist studies.

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Close to one thousand representatives of civil society organisations from around the world will be coming to Montréal’s Palais des Congrès from September 3 to 7.
These ‘super citizens’, activists working for democracy and the rights of millions of people all over the planet, will be taking part in the 11th World Assembly of global civil society network CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, organised in collaboration with the Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM).

CIVICUS is an international alliance of members and partners working to strengthen people’s participation and democracy. Its network encompasses social activists, protest movements, trade unions, religious networks, professional associations, NGOs, training and research organisations, representatives of the business world and philanthropic foundations and funding agencies.
Here in Canada, there is a new feeling of urgency about the ways in which power is exercised, which reflects people’s concerns elsewhere in the world. The Occupy movement and the casserole movement, the Arab and Maple Springs are all recent citizen actions that reflect a crisis of legitimacy for national governments and a questioning of our current models of governance. More and more people, especially young people, are demonstrating political dissent and demanding to be heard in their efforts to make their societies fairer and more just.
The CIVICUS World Assembly, whose theme this year is Defining a new social contract—making the future together, will bring delegates from a hundred countries from around the world to Montreal to lay the foundations for a new, inclusive social contract to bolster the rights of citizens to exist, express themselves, and interact collectively.
The CIVICUS World Assembly will bring together organisations that are world leaders in the promotion of social progress, along with government and local authorities, traditional and social media, multilateral institutions, and academics and young innovators. Among the organisations represented will be Amnesty International, World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, Rockefeller Foundation, International Association for Public Participation, ActionAid, Greenpeace International, and many others. Among Canadian organisations represented will be Canada World Youth, Confederation of National Trade Unions, Coalition pour la souveraineté alimentaire, Équiterre, and others.
Speakers include Marina Silva, environmental activist and former Minister of Environment (Brazil), Caroline Anstey, World Bank (United Kingdom), Kumi Naidoo, head of Greenpeace International, Ana-Maria Garzón, Sustainable Agriculture Network, Rainforest Alliance (Colombia), Dr Zuhang Ming, Participation Center (China), Daniel Ben-Horin, TechSoup (United States), Kamal Lahbib, Forum des Alternatives (Morocco), Léo Bureau-Blouin, former president of the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (Canada), Lakshmi Puri, UN Women (India), Olav Kjørven, United Nations Development Programme (Norway), Frances Westley, J.W. McConnell Chair in Social Innovation, University of Waterloo (Canada), Reza Eslami-Somea, Shahid Beheshti University (Iran), Yuyun Wahyuningrum, Human Rights Working Group (Indonesia), Éric H. Pelletier, International Organisation of La Francophonie (Canada), Roberto Bissio, Third World Institute (Uruguay), and Auret Van Heerden, Fair Labor Association (South Africa).
According to INM Executive Director Michel Venne, this international event in Montreal will provide an opportunity for all of civil society in Quebec and the rest of Canada to meet face-to-face with close to a thousand delegates from the most important citizen action organisations from around the world. “The CIVICUS World Assembly furthers our objective of contributing to the development of civic competence, especially among young Quebecers, who will benefit from exposure to a rich international perspective early in their lives as citizens,” he observes.
The World Assembly’s programme is divided into three tracks: Changing Nations Through Citizens, Building Partnerships for Social Innovation, and Redefining Global Governance. Some of the topics under discussion at the World Assembly will be:
• New models of consumption and production
• Business and human rights
• Youth leadership at the global level and in institutions
• Boosting women’s participation and voice in governance
• Online activism and offline action
• A new global financial architecture
• Entrepreneurial solutions to social problems
• South-South cooperation
• From food security to food sovereignty
• Desperately seeking sustainability: a post Rio+20 discussion
• Funding trends, innovation and partnership
“The world is facing multiple crises and it is essential that all social actors broaden their dialogue,” explains Henri Valot, Outreach Director at CIVICUS. “Governments alone have neither the capacity nor the reach to fulfill their mandate and to meet contemporary challenges. In response to this crisis of legitimacy, citizens are challenging the governance structures currently in place and questioning their respective roles and responsibilities. We must strengthen ways of acting together, and this international summit on citizen action in Montreal is a key opportunity to mobilise citizens and civil society organisations around the world.”
Registration for the World Assembly is currently under way. Places are filling up fast but organisations and individuals can still register online at: www.civicusassembly.org
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is an international alliance of members and partners in over 100 countries. CIVICUS works to promote the emergence, growth and protection of citizen action, especially in areas where participatory democracy and citizens’ freedom of association are threatened.
The Institut du Nouveau Monde is a non-partisan organisation with the mission of promoting citizen participation and the renewal of ideas in Quebec. The INM’s aim is to encourage citizen participation, to contribute to the development of civic competence and to strengthen social cohesion and democratic institutions.

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The International association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF) will organise a seminar in Geneva on 30th and 31st August, which will gather more than 50 high level participants.
The Mayor of the City of Mostar, Mr. Ljubo Beslic, will be one of speakers during the seminar on “Local Authorities in the prevention of conflict, peace building and reconciliation” and will present the experience of his City and the role of the Local Democracy Agency, and ALDA, in Mostar.

Ms Marine Henry, project manager in ALDA, will also attend this meeting.
This event, organised with the support of the City of Geneva and two departments of the European Commission, will be structured around three pillars.
A dialogue with the European Commission to facilitate exchange between the European Commission and elected people in order to define the guidelines of the cooperation between the European Commission and Local Authorities for the forthcoming years;
A seminar on “Local Authorities in the prevention of conflict, peace building and reconciliation” organised in the framework of the Permanent Commission “Intercultural dialogue and peace” presided by the City of Kinshasa.
A first workshop on the strategic programme planning of AIMF for the definition of the programme 2014-2020.

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