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Empowered Civil Society for Increased Social Accountability in Moldova

AT A GLANCE

EU4Accountability empowers Moldovan civil society organisations to better perform their role as actors of governance to improve social accountability of the local and central government of Moldova. It does so by strengthening the capacity of more than 50 grassroot organisations from 10 districts to participate, monitor and advocate for greater public accountability and to take part in policy dialogue with the Local Public Authorities (LPAs) and the central government. Through a series of capacity development activities, joint monitoring, advocacy actions, and networking workshops, civil society and public authorities will be empowered to co-design local public policies in the wide social sphere through consultations throughout the budget cycle. A learning-by-doing approach will allow the capacitated CSOs to establish meaningful local partnerships and alliances with LPAs that will result in change-making coalitions to close the accountability gap and respond to the needs of communities. Taking stock of the evidence and lessons gathered throughout the project, a nationwide, participatory policy dialogue will bring together CSOs and Government officials to design a Participatory Policy Assessment and develop a consensual Roadmap for Reforms as to address the challenges to effective social accountability and participation of all in local Expected results: – Moldovan CSOs’ competencies to participate, monitor and advocate for greater public accountability with a focus on budget related social accountability mechanisms are strengthened. – Budget related social accountability mechanisms are employed in 10 districts. – Local CSOs are engaged in policy dialogue at local and national levels to improve social accountability

Objectives:

The main focus of the “EU4Accountability” is enabling civil society (including local action groups) to be an active pillar in democracy, community building and policy dialogue.
The objective of the project is to improve social accountability of the local and central government of Moldova by strengthening the capacity of local, grassroot Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to participate in, monitor, and advocate for greater public accountability and to participate in the policy dialogue with the Local Public Authorities (LPAs) and the central government.

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Recovering inclusion through Creativity After Pandemic

AT A GLANCE

In the last two years, the Covid-19 pandemic had a deep impact on social and community life by isolating people from each other, provoking social isolation in particular for young people, whose personal growth builds on social relations.
The ReCAP project aims to support the active involvement and civic participation of youth, through non-formal learning activities and the use of specific artistic and cultural tools, with a special emphasis on young people with fewer opportunities (NEETs, people with a migrant background, minorities, youths from the LGBTIAQ+ community, girls). With the pandemic, they have been further marginalised from the socialisation places, so it is necessary to allow young people to express their feelings and challenges in the public space.

Objectives:

  • IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUTH WORK, by providing youth workers with specific tools belonging to the universe of art and culture, to improve the efficacy of their work and respond to specific social needs.
  • ENGAGE, CONNECT AND EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE, by guiding youths along a path of self-awareness using their creativity.

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The entire ALDA team and Governing Board express their deepest condolences and support to the country of Morocco and its population, who were affected by the terrible earthquake that struck the nation with deadly consequences.

While too many have lost their lives and are injured, many others who are still alive have lost their homes and find themselves with no shelter. The number of victims is increasing every minute.

We have been contacting our partners to receive news about their safety and health, and we express all our support to associations and local authorities who will be directly involved in managing the rescue and crisis response.

We call on all our members, our network and community to stand in solidarity with the Moroccan people in these critical times, as well as on foundations and donors to direct their actions in response to the needs. We are currently evaluating the ways ALDA can be of assistance, in particular through our active partnerships.

ALDA stands with the people of Morocco during these difficult times

Numerous initiatives are underway in the affected territories and our partners are already highly mobilised to support the emergency aid action on the ground. You will find listed below some initiatives launched by the members of the Reseau Euromed France, to which also ALDA belongs, which you can support:

1️⃣ Association des Marocains de France has launched a communication and fundraising initiative accessible here.

2️⃣ Association Migrations & Développement has launched a communication and fundraising initiative accessible here, together with Solidarité Laïque, accessible here.

3️⃣  In addition, you can re-share this information to give visibility and bring more people to provide support!

A few days after the event and while new victims are still being recorded every day, let’s not let this tragedy already fall into oblivion. The more you communicate about it, the more it contributes to keep raising awareness amongst people at the international level and thus mobilising resources and aid in the long term to help the affected populations.


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This article will be updated as we receive recommendations from our contacts in the field.

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On 6 September 2023, Civil Society Europe launched its Civil Society State of the Union report (CS SOTEU). The CS SOTEU comprises the visions and recommendations of 43 civil society organisations for a more democratic and just EU, both socially and environmentally.

The report comes after months of collaboration among a broad coalition of civil society organisations active at EU level, among which ALDA; and it is addressed to the EU and its Member States.

In early February 2023, CSE launched a new working group dedicated to following up on the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE). This Working Group (WG) is dedicated to supporting civil society and citizens’ participation in EU democracy. In doing so, the WG is continuing the collaborative and ambitious work accomplished within the Civil Society Convention for the Conference on the Future of Europe (CSOCoFoE) in 2021-2022.

The WG has been divided in thematic subgroups, chaired by one or two CSOs, and they developed the different chapters of the report, covering topics such as democracy, fundamental rights, civic space, EU’s external policies, migration and asylum, freedom of movement, social rights and justice, climate change and other environmental challenges, digital transformation, and human security.

Our coalition calls for EU decision makers to make civic space and civil dialogue central topics in the 2024 European elections, and demands that the future European Parliament and European Commission take real, meaningful steps during the next five years to better recognise, protect and engage civil society at all levels.

ALDA co-chaired with the European Civic Forum (ECF) the chapter I on EU democracy, rule of law, values, and EU in the world

Overview of the chapters of the report: 

  1. Strengthening democracy, fundamental rights & civic space in the EU and the world
  2. Enhancing freedom of movement and solidarity for a more inclusive European society
  3. A socially just EU
  4. Fighting against climate change’s impacts and addressing (global) environmental challenges
  5. A digital transformation that leaves no one behind in the EU
  6. Shielding the future of European society through human-centred security policies

ALDA co-chaired with the European Civic Forum (ECF) the chapter I on EU democracy, rule of law, values, and EU in the world. 

ALDA and the coalition of CSOs have a vision for the European Union as a vibrant democracy, where citizens actively participate in decision-making processes and have trust in their institutions. We envision an EU that upholds the rule of law, protects fundamental rights, and promotes equality and social cohesion.

Since the CoFoE, there have been significant developments that have shaped the landscape of EU democracy and values. The Civil Society Convention (CSOCoFoE)’s report, citizens’ panels, and a preliminary evaluation of the Commission’s post-CoFoE proposals have provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities we face. However, it is equally important to address non-developments, areas where progress has been stagnant or insufficient, to identify areas that require urgent attention and action; and this is what this Report attempts to do. 

During the public launch event for the Report, not only involved CSOs were present, but the agenda also welcomed a panel discussion with remarks by Professor Maria do Céu Patrão Neves, Vice-Chair of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies, Mr. Giacomo Filibeck, Executive Secretary General of the Party of European Socialists, and Ms. Ingrid Bellander Todino, Head of Unit, Fundamental Rights, DG JUST; all of them provided different perspectives to the same issues at stake, shedding light on new inputs for discussion with the audience. 

Read the full Report in digital format here. 

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AT A GLANCE

The project aims to increase the active participation of young people, with a focus on those belonging to disadvantaged groups, in the co-production of local policies for the achievement of SDGs.

Objectives:

  1. Improve the capacities of young people to participate actively in the co-production of local policies, including the design of the participation process.
  2. Promote knowledge, skills and awareness of young people about the 2030 Agenda and SDGs with a stronger link to local
    policies: SDGs 5 “Gender equality”, 8 “Decent work and economic growth”, 10 “Reduced inequalities” and 11 “Inclusive and
    sustainable cities”.
  3. Provide tools to youth workers and local agents to support the inclusion of youth in local strategic planning processes.
  4. Raise local agents’ awareness on the importance of SDG policy co-production with the involvement of young people.
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AT A GLANCE

EU 24 – Engage for the planet will implement gender-balanced blended exchange events between domestic and mobile union citizens in the fields of climate justice, climate change and sustainability – in 5 European countries (Sweden, Poland, Germany, Netherlands and France) over a period of 20 month. The project aims to decrease the democratic participation gap of young citizens, citizens of diverse backgrounds, mobile union citizens in a gender balanced way by showing them their voices matter.
While the turnout in the last EU election was the largest in 25 years, citizens of diverse backgrounds and mobile union
citizens remain underrepresented among active EU voters as well as democratic engagement. As a central topic climate change is the biggest threat to humanity today and it needs transnational and multinational solutions. We therefore contribute in this field to the creation of a strong European political community which is (inter-)active, diverse and able to form and express opinions in political debate.

Objectives:

a. are framed by an innovative E-Democracy platform
b. bridge the language barrier between participants between & within countries
c. bring together citizens from diverse backgrounds in debate
d. utilise wide reach & playful content for facilitating political debate & engagement for the EU 24 Election
e. enable participants to link local issues of climate change, climate justice & sustainability to EU policies & policy
recommendations
f. stimulate gender-balanced & diversity-oriented participation of young (16-25) & younger citizens (26-39), citizens
with migrant background, mobile union citizens.

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Beyond discriminations, promoting inclusion of Roma, Sinti and Travellers communities in Europe through sport

AT A GLANCE

The project aims at promoting equality, inclusion and participation of Roma, Sinti and Travelers youth in sport and through sport, ensuring gender equality. Enhancing positive storytelling against anti-gypsyism and strategies of inclusion at local, national and EU levels, through:
– promoting equal access to sports and preventing discriminaon;
– increase grassroots sports organisation capacity to promote inclusion;
– promote positive storytelling;
– promote awareness of sport as a tool for inclusion.

Objectives:

The goal is to monitor the participation of young people as part of the RST community in sports life and to remove existing barriers to their participation, creating trust and support among the communities. Implement EU policies having a meaningful impact on EU strategies, improving its policy framework in RST sports inclusion, health and education.

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AT A GLANCE

TALE aims to reach and engage a greater number of voters, reduce the gap of voters turnout among the various EU member states, and, through participatory processes, activate and empower them to play an active role and thus vote in the next European parliamentary elections in 2024.
The project goals are : I. to train a selected number of (mostly) young people, chosen through a specific selection process, that will come from youth associations or from the formal education sector (schools and universities). The training will be related to EU values, institutions, EU Parliament elections and the importance of clear and transparent news; II. to create a communication campaign that will be supported by the change-makers and will allow citizens to get reliable information, debate about the next EU Parliament elections and get closer to the every-day life of the European institutions.

Objectives:

The principal objective of the TALE project is to encourage and facilitate the active engagement of European young citizens with the construction of a vibrant European democracy. ALDA, together with the project partners, will include a series of bottom-up, participatory workshops, events and training, aimed at raising awareness of the importance of the upcoming elections and increasing voter turnout.

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AT A GLANCE

This project is dedicated to the improvement of media and journalism standards in the Republic of North Macedonia. It is notable that while the Republic of North Macedonia’s legislation allows for free expression and speech as well as public access to information and other protections, particularly for groups such as journalists and the media, press freedom still remains an issue due to external pressures. Journalists, publishers, etc. are constantly faced with challenges such as frivolous lawsuits and other intimidation tactics that commonly force them into states of self-censorship. Self-censorship for private interests can lead to declining of journalistic standards, and thus negatively affects policy, civil society, and the lives of citizens.
The Europeanisation process requires an open, honest, and inclusive media that reports the facts transparently so that the citizens can make more informed decisions. The media landscape of North Macedonia is also notably rife with rapidly spreading disinformation, fear, and uncertainty. This project aims to fill the democratic and media quality gaps that have recently been left by rising Euroscepticism in society. Digital and media literacy as well as training in journalism skills and techniques will go a long way in helping to ensure improved quality of public debate in society and a more democratically inclined population.
In North Macedonia, the journalism profession is gradually declining in quality and popularity. For this project, a series of events and activities are planned to help with North Macedonia’s struggling journalism sector and to help ease the slowing of the Europeanisation process. This includes training sessions and workshops, a facilitation of exchanges between more and less experienced journalists, and a series of researches including public opinion surveys and analyses.

Objectives:

The objectives of this project include helping to improve the quality of journalism in North Macedonia in a volatile time in which Euroscepticism is rising and journalistic standards are declining, which in turn can help to strengthen civil society and bring about a more aware and responsible constituency.
The ways in which more quality journalistic standards can be achieved with the project include directly working with journalists, helping to enhance the skills of young journalists, facilitating exchanges of expertise between more and less experienced journalists, including those from EU countries, and considering modern European media quality standards. A problem to consider is the fact that youth are less represented in the journalism profession today due to a lack of trust, and as such, this project seeks to engage in activities that can help to encourage greater participation, such as training courses, workshops on tools such as Eurostat, teaching about analytical and scientific skills, and other practical activities.
Another major goal is to improve the general information environment in the country. Not only will that lead to better information being disseminated by the media, but also contribute to healthier public debate and thus a better policy-making environment. It is important to consider that fighting Euroscepticism and helping to increase the standards of journalism have a double effect in that national institutions are closer to the public and the European integration process is improved.
In the process of this project, the target groups that will benefit from it are journalists of all experiences, civil society organizations, representatives of public institutions, and of course, the citizens of North Macedonia.

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AT A GLANCE

The project aims at increasing the level of engagement of young Europeans with sustainability and development issues, at creating better ways of living and at providing a meaningful voice to the European youth in setting the EU policy agenda on sustainable development through advocacy on the 2030 Agenda at local and European level.

Objectives:

  • Building the capacities of 9 organisations on advocacy, campaigning and the SDGs
  • Training and empowering 45 young people to advocate for action on the SDGs at local and European level
  • Engaging 30000 young people across Europe around Agenda2030 and building sustainable ways of living through online and street campaigns

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AT A GLANCE

The purpose of this activity is to contribute to capacity-building efforts in CEI member states in local governance, as well as to encourage active citizenship in the pursuit of EU enlargement. This activity features representatives from EU and non-EU CEI member states, including third countries, convening and exchanging practices to support local governance, as well as helping to establish dialogue for good governance and European integration. Improving local democracy has benefits for local governance, which ALDA plans to achieve by emphasizing the importance of inclusive communities, decentralization, civic initiatives and volunteering, sustainable development, human rights, and gender equality in participation. It recognizes that strengthening participatory mechanisms on the local level feed into greater benefits on higher levels, as well as allowing for better local quality of life for the constituents. The project is a continuation of previous joint efforts between ALDA Skopje and the network of LDAs across the Western Balkans and the European neighbourhood to engage in international cooperation and exchanges regarding local governance.

Objectives:

An important aspect of this project is making sure that the actions contribute to the facilitation of the EU integration process of the candidate countries in the Western Balkans as well as Ukraine and Moldova. Another goal is to strengthen the thematic network of CSOs and local authorities that have the goal of strengthening the EU integration process, allowing them to be key players in it. All of these actions together will also contribute to the strengthening of capacities of partners in the field of good governance and multi-stakeholder cooperation, including with CSOs, local authorities, and others.

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AT A GLANCE

In line with the objectives of the Green Deal, BUILDSPACE combines terrestrial data from buildings (collected by IoT platforms and BIM solutions) with aerial imagery from drones equipped with thermal cameras and location annotated data from satellite services (e.g. EGNSS and Copernicus). It will provide innovative services to stakeholders and support them in making informed decisions towards energy-efficient buildings and climate-resilient cities.
The platform will provide decision support services for energy demand forecasting, urban heat, and urban flooding analysis to reduce the likelihood of natural disasters. ALDA will engage key stakeholders in the use of this platform based on their needs by raising awareness of the benefits of the project services. Based on four European cities with different climate profiles, the project will provide a set of replication guidelines and blueprints for the adoption of the proposed applications in building resilient cities at large.

Objectives:

Engaging Buildings Value Chain (BVC) stakeholders in a co-creation process for the design of innovative applications to support sustainable, resilient buildings in urban environments.

Building a baseline infrastructure and an interoperable framework providing access to heterogeneous data sources to enable the development of location-based and remote sensing applications.

Develop novel services (using Digital Twins) to support building construction, renovation, and monitoring and link them with city-scale services enabling urban environment analysis, forecast, and climate resilience.

Testing and evaluating the services with the relevant stakeholders in 4 pilots across the EU and paving the way for their exploitation and sustainability plans

Delivering an open and transparent promotion of BUILDSPACE results through a comprehensive dissemination, communication, and exploitation strategy

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AT A GLANCE

The Youth Participation in Public Affairs program of the EU, Women and Youth in Democracy initiativE Civic Engagement (WYDE Civic Engagement), is funded by the European Union. It aims to improve the enfranchisement, empowerment, and inclusion of youth in all levels of democratic participation at the national, regional, and global scales. WYDE Youth’s three-pronged approach is informed by the need for youth engagement and inclusion not only at national level, but beyond and above it. With half of the world’s population being under 30, the continued survival of democracy is highly dependent on buy-in and support among its youth.
The project will also implement 5 different projects called “Clusters”, coordinated by the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)’s members, and aimed at engaging young people active in public affairs, from civil society activists to politicians in an effort to empower them to advocate for more youth inclusion in society.
Cluster 1, named “Generate Democracy: involving youth CSOs in democracy support” is dedicated to providing youth CSOs with the chance to put into practice the lessons learnt in the other clusters and undertake responsibilities over concrete actions promoting civic engagement and democracy. This cluster is therefore cross – cutting and strongly interlinked with the other four. Under the leadership of the European Association of Local Democracy (ALDA) and in partnership with Elbarlament & People In Need this cross-cutting cluster will consist of a funding mechanism that will function on a rolling basis, reviewing applications in three subsequent rounds, across the four – year project duration.

Objectives:

  • Empower organisations working in the field of youth to play a relevant role in supporting the democratic participation of youth;
  • Support peer to peer learning among youth organisations;
  • Reinforce an international network of youth organisations and youth leaders;
  • Improve the cooperation between the youth civil society and public policy makers, at local, national, and international level;
  • Advocate for the establishment or improvement of representative youth structures (such as youth councils or youth parliaments).
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Are you passionate about creating a world where conflicts are managed effectively, and peace is cherished? Do you firmly believe in the potential of collaboration, volunteering, and open dialogue as catalysts for ushering in positive change?

The International Peace Academy is a groundbreaking initiative hosted within the framework of the Erasmus+ project “PAVE – Peace Awareness through Volunteering and Education“. This inspiring endeavor will take place in the beautiful city of Zagreb, Croatia, from October 22nd to October 28th.

The project will focus on conflict management and raising awareness about the importance of peace. This extraordinary opportunity is extended to 60 young Europeans, aged 18 to 30, hailing from Bosnia, Croatia, Poland, France, Ireland, and Spain.

During this intensive 7-day program, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the history, root causes, as well as the social, economic, and cultural implications associated with three significant conflict scenarios: the Russian war against Ukraine, the Northern Ireland Conflict, and the conflict in the Balkans.

You now can apply for the PAVE International Peace Academy!

The overarching goal is to equip young individuals with the skills, knowledge, and tools required to address conflicts constructively and champion a culture of peace within their respective communities. Through dynamic and interactive workshops, engaging discussions, and hands-on activities, participants will delve into topics like conflict resolution, the historical context of conflicts in the pan-European region, fostering cultural understanding, and the vital role of peacebuilding.

The International Peace Academy is a cost-free endeavor for all participants. Not only is the PAVE staff going to arrange transportation and accommodation expenses, but will also provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Participants will enjoy accommodation at the Hotel Laguna in Zagreb from October 22, 2023, to October 28, 2023. The activities of the International Peace Academy will be held at the hotel or in its immediate vicinity.

Please take note of the application deadline, which is October 1st, 2023, for submitting your online application. The announcement of selected participants will be made on October 3rd, 2023.

This project is open to individuals aged 18 to 30 from Bosnia, Croatia, Poland, France, Ireland, and Spain. It’s important to note that the project will be conducted in English, so a strong command of the language is essential.

We eagerly await your applications and anticipate embarking on this transformative journey together!

The registration is mandatory and can be accessed here.

More details here.

DOCUMENTS

Factory Cities of Europe – United in Partnership

AT A GLANCE

Company towns are an important part of local heritage in many European regions. The partners’ network would like to explore common roots in order to reflect about positive/negative aspects of their history identifying best practices, create a path of historic, economic and social awareness fostering the participation of citizens in different countries, realise good practices that develop from a common heritage and promote European values creating a solid platform of cooperation among countries and their citizens. The project focuses on general citizens, aiming at enriching their competences and knowledge about the industrial history and the European common past, promoting better awareness, mostly among young people, about this “side” of the European heritage.

Objectives:

  • Foster entrepreneurial attitudes and initiatives, mostly among young people and women;
  • Empower the cultural and historical heritage of the areas involved;
  • Strengthen the attractiveness of the territories involved, for citizens, tourists and the industrial sector;
  • Contribute to the debate on the future of Europe by exploiting lessons learnt from history and contribute to the shaping of an economy at the service of people that values inclusion and social cohesion.

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Up-Skilling Researchers For Sustainable Entrepreneurship Based On Innovation Process Management

AT A GLANCE

Public academic institutions are recognized as an actor capable of energising entrepreneurship ecosystems to transform the territory and strengthen the general welfare through sustainable entrepreneurship. Since sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation has been getting more and more attention, the USE IPM project’s activities are directed towards encouraging entrepreneurship focused on sustainability and innovations that respect three norms framework – doing good, avoiding harm, and protecting people and planet. The improvement of the relation between academic and non-academic sector in widening countries, via implementing practices for gaining benefits with sustainability justification, is considered valuable for improving their competitive posture and making them more welcome EU members. The USE IPM project assumes multiple secondments of talents from academic institutions in widening countries, to partner organisations in developed countries, for enhancing their knowledge and skills in the field of research and innovation (R&I) and, consequently, for raising capabilities of academic institutions for becoming valuable partner in sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Objectives:

The USE IPM will enhance career prospects for future talents and boost entrepreneurial and innovation process management skills of business representatives by transferring knowledge and skills via trainings and workshops implemented in the established centres for entrepreneurship and innovation (EI centres).
The main project results will be: 28 seconded talents to 8 partners from developed countries (4 non-academic partners and 4 EI centres), 4 established and improved EI centres in 4 widening countries, 200 future talents educated and 80 trained business representatives in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation, 40 innovative solutions.
Besides reverting brain drain via increasing youth employability, the USE IPM will strive to improve gender balance in, male-dominated entrepreneurship.

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In a world where the very concept of democracy faces challenges, the 12th Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) Annual Meeting shed light on a crucial and timely topic. Held on September 7 & 8, 2023, in the charming city of Batumi, Georgia, this highly anticipated event delved into the intricate and essential dialogue between local authorities and citizens within the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries.

Within the rich landscape of democratic principles, local democracy serves as a cornerstone, ensuring the broader democratic fabric remains resilient and vibrant. As global discourse sometimes casts doubts on the effectiveness of different governance models, it becomes ever more evident that the core strength of democracy lies in the active participation of its citizens.

The CORLEAP Annual Meeting underscored the imperative for a better democracy achieved through active engagement. The event was aimed at strengthening the involvement of local and regional authorities in promoting decentralisation in the countries of the Eastern Partnership (EaP), promoting local democracy and exploring new ways of cooperation between the local and regional authorities in the EU Member States and those in the EaP countries, with the support of partner organisations.

The meeting was aimed at strengthening the involvement of local and regional authorities in promoting decentralisation in the countries of the EaP

Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Secretary General, took part in the event within the session “Local authorities’ dialogue with citizens in EaP countries” and shared her insights and expertise, casting a spotlight on the theme of local democracy and citizen engagement in the EaP. Mrs. Valmorbida brought to the forefront the practical experiences and success stories from ALDA’s extensive work in strengthening local democracy across Europe and beyond, and she presented the good practices of members and partners of the Association in the EaP concerning citizen participation and democracy promotion. 

The strategic collaboration between ALDA and CORLEAP exemplified the power of unity and shared objectives. Having the same priorities and being based on the same core values, these entities significantly contributed to enhance political work and developmental progress within the EaP region.

The 12th CORLEAP Annual Meeting provided an invaluable avenue for renewed dedication to the principles of local democracy and citizen engagement. The event contributed to foster collaboration among organisations, share experiences, and envision a future where the power of local democracy and citizen participation becomes a transformative force in shaping societies.

The meeting was an exceptional platform for participants to explore and solidify the role of local democracy in the broader democratic fabric. It reinforced the idea that active citizen engagement is not merely a call to action; it is a catalyst for lasting, positive change.

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AT A GLANCE

The project aims at educating on the uses and possibilities of new digital technologies in the field of virtual reality, augmented reality and the metaverse. It will support the development of digital skills in the public sector contributing to its ongoing digital transition, meanwhile fostering innovation and accessibility to public services. The involved municipalities are called to think about how to use new digital technologies to further improve their services, exploring new ways to address societal issues and enhancing citizens’ engagement in policy-making.
Focusing on technologies that could take centre stage in the coming years, the project foresees training activities that will provide public officers with tools to both understand a digital context that keeps growing and changing and to improve the level of digitalisation of their working environment.

Objectives:

The objective of the project is not only to set the basis for innovative public services that are partially or entirely provided through digital tools and immersive technologies, but also to experiment new ways to engage citizens in policy-making. This way, citizens can directly interact with local authorities through digital spaces that offer opportunities to provide feedback, ask questions and directly reach elected and non-elected officers.

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