Local Democracy Agencies - Activity Report 2017

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCIES

ACTIVITY REPORT 2017

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INDEX

ABOUT ALDA....................................................................................................................................................5

THE NETWORK OF LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCIES OUR RAISON D’ÊTRE: .....................................................7

DETAILED PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES OF LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCIES IN 2017...................................11

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY ARMENIA ....................................................................................................12

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SERBIA..............................................................27

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY DNIPROPETROVSK REGION.........................................................................36

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY GEORGIA.....................................................................................................40

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY KOSOVO ......................................................................................................56

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY MARIUPOL………………………………………………………………………………………………72

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY MOLDOVA……………………………………………………………………………………………….78

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY MONTENEGRO ...........................................................................................82

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY MOSTAR......................................................................................................93

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY PRIJEDOR...................................................................................................108

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY SUBOTICA..................................................................................................117

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY TUNISIA…………………………………………………………………………………………………126

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY ZAVIDOVIĆI................................................................................................129

LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY ALBANIA....................................................................................................142

ALDA OPERATIONAL PARTNERS...................................................................................................................143

ALDA OPERATIONAL PARTNER OSIJEK (LDA OSIJEK) ...............................................................................143

ALDA OPERATIONAL PARTNER SISAK (LDA SISAK) .................................................................................. 150

ALDA OPERATIONAL PARTNER VERTENEGLIO/BRTONIGLA (LDA VERTENEGLIO/BRTONIGLA)................161

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ABOUT ALDA

ALDA – The European Association for Local Democracy, is dedicated to the promotion of good governance and citizen participation at the local level. ALDA focuses on activities facilitating cooperation between local authorities and civil society.

ALDA was established in 1999 at the initiative of the Council of Europe to coordinate and support the network of Local Democracy Agencies, which are self-sustainable, locally registered CSOs (civil society organisations) acting as promoters of good governance and local self-government. Today, ALDA is a key stakeholder in the field of local democracy, active citizenship, and cooperation between local authorities and civil society.

ALDA is a membership based organisation gathering 300 members (including local authorities, associations of local authorities, and civil society organisations) from over 40 countries in the enlarged Europe. ALDA is funded through membership fees, as well as project funding from the European Commission, the Council of Europe, and other public and private donors.

Our unique features

Most of ALDA's work is based on the method of multilateral decentralised cooperation. This method involves a multi-stakeholder approach which focuses on strong partnerships between local authorities and non-governmental organisations. These partnerships create positive synergies and ensure that common goals are reached in a successful way.

What we do

In the framework of the promotion of good governance and citizen participation at the local level, ALDA focuses on various themes, such as European integration, decentralisation, civic initiatives and volunteering, human rights and sustainable economic development.

ALDA conducts its activities through different forms of action:

• Coordinating and supporting the 14 Local Democracy Agencies and 3 Operational Partners in their activities

• Conducting its own projects in the field of good governance and citizen participation at the local level

• Supporting other local stakeholders’ initiatives by providing expertise gained through ALDA’s knowledge and experience in the regions where ALDA and the Local Democracy Agencies are working

Where we work

ALDA works throughout the enlarged Europe. Activities in the European Union focus in particular on the promotion of Active European Citizenship. Activities in the Western Balkans and European 5

Neighbourhood focus on good governance, citizen participation, European integration, and decentralisation.

Most of the Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs) are located in the Western Balkans, which gives a natural focus on that area. But ALDA is also becoming more and more active in the European Neighbourhood. During the years, 5 LDAs have been established in various Eastern Partnership countries, while in 2017 the first one was established in the Southern Neighbouhood, in Kairouan (Tunisia). ALDA is also leading several other projects and developing partnerships in other European Neighbouring countries, such as Belarus, Morocco, Algeria, and Turkey.

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THE NETWORK OF LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCIES OUR RAISON D’ÊTRE:

ALDA at a glance

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Supporting good governance and citizen participation on the field

ALDA coordinates and supports the network of 14 Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs) and 3 Operational Partners (OPs) in their activities. ALDA works throughout the enlarged Europe. Most of the Local Democracy Agencies are located in the Western Balkans, but ALDA is more and more active in the European Neighbourhood with 5 LDAs in various Eastern Partnership countries and the first one in the Southern Neighbouhood, in Kairouan (Tunisia), established in 2017.

The LDAs and OPs are supported by more than 100 partners (local authorities and civil society organisations) all over Europe, providing financial and political support to fulfil their mandate and to accompany local democracy, civil society empowerment and participation in the decision-making process at local level.

Most of ALDA and LDA’s work is based on an innovative and successful method of multilateral decentralised cooperation, which involves a multi-stakeholder approach and focuses on partnerships between Local Authorities and Non-Governmental Organisations. These partnerships create synergy and ensure that common goals are reached in a successful way. It focuses on mutual benefit of the cooperation, on a participative and long term approach in order to strength the real effectiveness of the impact on both communities. The multilateral approach allows a better sustainability as well as a multicultural input to the initiatives.

The LDAs partnerships by means of multilateral decentralised co-operation have been developed through two main lines of action:

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Territorial based approach, involving all the actors of the communities concerned on a geographic base; 2.

Thematic networking focused on specific, commonly determined issues connecting different local communities.

Objectives of the activity of Local Democracy Agencies and Operational Partners are: • To promote good local governance and support initiatives aimed at improved citizen participation.

• To enhance institution and capacity building at local level through exchange of know-how and training of local elected representatives and administrators.

• To develop a Europe-wide network of citizens committed to respect for human and minority rights.

• To foster the development of a civil society in which all sections of the community participate.

• To support intercultural dialogue and diversity management capacities in multicultural local communities.

• To promote the respect for human / minority rights in local communities.

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Financial sustainability of the LDAs

A study carried out by ALDA in 2013 shows that the overall budget of the LDAs per year constantly increased since 2009 despite the economic context, guaranteeing a sufficient availability of resources for the implementation of the respective action plans. The available funds are managed by the LDAs themselves or by the members of the 7 partnership established for the implementation of a specific project. Following the implementation of projects and activities, financial reports are drawn up to ensure transparency and appropriate use of the funds.

There are three different types of funding sources: 1. Funds resulting from the LDA’s fundraising 2. ALDA’s support to the LDAs 3. Fees of the LDAs’ partners.

The funds resulting from the fundraising activity of the LDAs have steadily increased over the years, representing in 2012 a total of 87, 10% of the total available budget. These funds come from European, national and other international supporting programmes originating from the EU, the Council of Europe, national, regional and local authorities and other international organisations. At the same time, the other two sources, partners’ fees and ALDA’s support to LDAs, considerably decreased in terms of financial support.

ALDA pursues its coordination and supporting mission to the LDAs by providing them with adequate expertise at all stages of the implementation of projects (funding opportunities, establishment of new partnerships, project implementation, and exchange and sharing of good practices, technical support, joint projects etc.). ALDA has been involving in several projects and providing support of all kind to the Local Democracy Agencies in order to further the promotion of local democracy and citizen’s participation at local level.

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DETAILED PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES OF LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCIES IN 2017

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LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY ARMENIA

Delegate: •

Lusine Aleksandryan

Established:

• 2011

Partners:

• City of Gyumri, host city • Autonomous Region Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy, lead partner) • Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development (Armenia) • Journalists’ Club “Asparez” (Armenia) • “Shirak Centre” NGO (Armenia) • Community Finance Officers Association

Local Democracy Agency foundation in Armenia (LDA Armenia) has paved its way in the landscape of local democracy and good governance. Initiatives with local authorities on decision-making, deliberating and problem-solving based on the Kettering foundation methodology were of new approach for the community development and specific in line with the administrative reforms ongoing in Armenia.

Cooperation with “Paros” foundation and Gyumri city was unique resulting in the community problem solving namely renovation of a kindergarten floors ensuring future projects with the same beneficiaries.

The project “Government-CSO Dialogue for Developing Consensus-based Approach for Reduction of Plastic Bags” in cooperation with the local partner Urban Foundation was of success in the research and analysis phase, relations with different ministeries was challenging and the activities phase on tote-bags as an option is ongoing.

In 2017 LDA Armenia held a series of meetings and trainings with different local authorities, civil society organizations and Universities in the result of which Sarapat consolidated community and “Women for Development” NGO became ALDA members for strengthening members network in Amenia.

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Priorities:

• To establish LDA foundation Armenia as a convincing actor for enhancing Citizen Participation, good governance and local democracy

• To promote youth participation in decision-making processes and women’s integration into society

• To generate tourism and cultural development initiatives

• To foster cooperation with the French and Italian Embassies, Black Sea NGO forum, European Institutions and local authorities and enlarge network with other LDAs in particular with LDA Georgia and LDA Ukraine and to assist the realization of the main challenges of Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership Armenian National Platform together with relevant stakeholders

Our goals:

• The promotion of concrete initiatives to consolidate democracy at local level

• The development of institutions at the local level thanks to the exchange of knowhow, training of the local councillors and territorial local servants.

• The promotion of entrepreneurship initiatives through local democracy

• The promotion of respect of human rights especially women and children

• The promotion of regional & European cooperation, as well as EAP

Projects in 2017:

• Lusine Aleksandryan held meetings in Voskehask and Azatan communities applying the methodology of Kettering foundation on community and citizen's participation in decision-making processes. The approach was to name the problem and solutions to this issue from local resources. The meetings were very interactive and participants also youth were really concerned about their community future.

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The groups consisted of different stakeholders that brought more efficiency to the team work. The group really had trust towards the community leader and almost all suggested solutions considered the community contribution. Applicable and efficient methodology provided by the Kettering foundation.

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LDA foundation director Lusine Aleksandryan implemented 4-day trainings in June for the workers of the community libraries to promote their capacities on cooperating with educational institutions, within their networks and civil society organizations. The libraries come across a lot of problems and do not get any sufficient support from the state. They lack financial means and relevant premises in order to have the role of the libraries that really serve public and not to limit their functioning with book lending and borrowing. The workers also presented ideas to implement in future with small funds.

Second phase of trainings with the administrative staff of local libraries took place in LDA Armenia office from 25-29th of September. The topics covered the issue of participatory budgeting, regulations for the management of library budget, allocation of funds and 14

possible expenses for activities, communication. It is foreseen to implement a joint activity with the libraries for visibility and LDA Armenia will elaborate a reforms package to present to the municipality.

Capacity-building of LDA foundation staff

• Lusine Aleksandryan participated in a series of trainings from June until September in different trainings such as project drafting, logical framework, budget, Fundraising, issues on the capacities of a social entrepreneur, the concept of social entrepreneurship, the possibilities to run a business on a social base, social entrepreneurship as a means of fundraising. They were organized by the NGO center in the frame of the “intermediary service organizations for civil society development" project.

The trainings were well structured with interactive methods and practical work, providing deep and comprehensive knowledge. New and traditional ways and mechanisms of fundraising and strategy were presented.

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LDA Armenia accountant Lilit Grigoryan participated in the training on the “Procurement process” “organized by NGO center in the frame of a project "Intermediary service organizations for civil society development".

• “Open Space" format gathered representatives of civil society, business sector and government in Dilijan from 27-28th October to discuss inter-cooperation challenges and opportunities organized by NGO center in the frame of the project "The intermediary service organizations for civil society development" funded by USAID. Several discussions on various issues like children protection, citizens' participation, migration, international donors and funding took place resulting in the drafting and presentation of small projects. LDA delegate Lusine Aleksandryan was among the participants. It was an effective format for creating a new platform for inter-sectoral cooperation.

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International cooperation Kettering foundation

• Multinational symposium 2017 from 27-28 March in Dayton organized by Kettering foundation brought together about 70 participants from the whole world, including ALDA representatives. The symposium referred to community politics and local problem solving, with implications of democratic citizenship. The participants shared their experience, discussed issues with others facing similar problems and offering different solutions. Kettering foundation’s experience improved the mutual understanding of humans co-living in a community.

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Deliberative Democracy Institute trainings in the United States

Deliberative democracy Institute, organized by Kettering foundation, unites five continents with the participation of more than 200 activists in Dayton, Ohio, US from 11th to 14th July.

Kettering creates new mechanisms for cultivating democratic engagement, decision-making and problem naming and framing. ALDA EAP coordinator and Project Manager Nino Tvaltvadze and LDA Armenia director Lusine Aleksandryan were among the participants.

• General Assembly of ALDA

The picturesque town of Torun, Poland, hosted from 10th to 12th May one of ALDA’s most important events: the annual General Assembly. The Assembly was accompanied by different related events bringing together different stakeholders, members from EU, Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries. LDA Armenia delegate also contributed with a presentation on citizens' participation in one of the workshops. The Assembly created a space for communication, experience exchange, capacity-building and new opportunities. Thanks to ALDA and KujawskoPomorskie region of Poland for such excellent organisation and hosting.

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Partnership Support Scheme

A very important event for all local democracy agencies took place in Brussels, on 5th of December, with the participation of LDA delegates, their partners, representatives from the 18

European Commission, DG NEAR and the Committee of Regions. European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, sent a video message congratulating and thanking ALDA and the LDAs for their mission and achievements.

Secretary General Antonella Valmorbida presented the huge work and priorities of LDAs as well as a proposal for a Partnership Support Scheme for further sustainability and continuity of the unique role of LDAs in the countries of Eastern Partnership, Balkans, Med area. The participants were divided into working groups according to the regions for discussions of priorities of LDAs and future possible project visions.

• Black Sea NGO Forum

The 10th edition of the Black Sea NGO Forum took place during 4th-6th of December 2017 in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, and was organized by the Romania NGDO Platform with the financial support of the European Commission. 2017 year’s anniversary edition aimed at reassessing the strategic positioning of the Black Sea NGO Forum in the region and how it can adapt opportunities to enable sustainable regional cooperation.

The event gathered 152 participants from 13 countries, the majority from the Black Sea Region. The country representatives participated in four plenary sessions and were invited to discuss about their experience working in and for the non-profit sector in the region and the way in which they have identified and approached the common opportunities and challenges throughout the time. Esmarida Poghosyan representing Local Democracy Agency in the Forum participated in two parallel thematic workshops: Rise and Fall of Organizations: What can CSOs Learn from it and Youth Civic Engagement. The main purpose of workshops was to foster regional cooperation by focusing on horizontal cooperation in specific thematic issues of common interest.

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It covered the thematic priorities of youth, culture and educations, civic engagement, knowledge for development, sustainable development and networking and role of NGOs in civic society. The participants worked in their national groups also and developed mechanism proposals that could be successfully deployed in the further editions of the forum.

Meetings

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"Local Democracy Agency" foundation director Lusine Aleksandryan participated in the meetings and trainings organized by European Association for Local Democracy in the frame of the project by the National Endowment for Democracy from 11-13th of April in Vicenza, Italy. ALDA experienced’s staff provided knowledge on project drafting and implementation, communication, administrative and financial functioning. Also important meetings with Daniela Dal Zotto from ENAIP Veneto, Paolo Bellamoli (Fondazione CUOA) and Giovanni Giuliari (Fondazione Villa Fabris) took place for experience exchange and cooperation.

• "Local Democracy Agency" foundation director Lusine Aleksandryan participated in the forum "Development of rural communities" organized by Women For Develpment NGO. The forum aimed to present the results of the 4 communities projects, cooperation with other organizations and discuss the further development directions of

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the consolidated communities with Shirak regional administration representatives, Engagement Centre and other beneficiaries.

• On 23rd February, LDA Armenia delegate Lusine Aleksandryan participated in the Regional Development Conference "From challenges to opportunities" organized by partner organization Urban Foundation referring to the initiatives of the effective management of solid waste. Urban foundation presented their great work in this field resulting in discussions and inputs from the representatives of target communities, ministries and civil society. Presentations by other organizations were also made in the field of waste management and main priorities.

• On 24th March a meeting of the council board of the project "Government-CSO Dialogue for Developing Consensus-based Approach for Reduction of Plastic Bags" took place in Yerevan. The meeting aimed to present to the members the preliminary research implemented at the 1st stage of the project. There were different opinions and feedbacks from the representatives of the ministeries and Civil Society organizations.

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• LDA director Lusine Aleksandryan participated in the workshop on "Essentials of Project Development and Management" on 14th August at EU delegation premise in Yerevan.

In cooperation with the EU Delegation to Armenia, Jarek Zarychta, the "STRONG CSOs" project team leader, conducted a workshop on “Essentials of project development and management” for the representatives Armenian Civil Society Organisations and International Organisations. The purpose of the workshop was to increase the capacities of the participants in applying for grants and implementing projects funded by the EU and other donors. Mr. Zarychta presented the stages of project development in details and provided useful hints and tips on filling out the application form, as well as do’s and don’ts.

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LDA Armenia director Lusine Aleksandryan participated in the CORLEAP conference on “Innovative and regional development: Agents for growth in Eastern Partnership countries” that took place on 24th October 2017 in Yerevan, Armenia. The conference was attended by international and local government representatives, members of European Committee of the Regional and CORLEAP, local authorities. The conference was moderated by Mr. Vache Terteryan, First Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Development of the Republic of Armenia. Presentations on egovernance experience in EAP different countries were made by Jelizaveta Krenjova (Estonia), David Melua (Georgia) on online voting, the benefits of social networks, citizens online participation in councils’ meetings, project budgeting. According to Andris Jaunsleinis (Latvia), e-governance is a vey useful and easy way but it will not work without government support and citizens’ will.

The progress and implementation of Mayors for Economic Growth project was presented by Mrs. Viola Calabrese, Programme Manager from European Commission. She pointed out that the main problem faced by all the communities is the lack of economic development vision and plan. Mr. Terteryan concluded that all the discussed issues coincide with the priorities and strategic plan of the government to be implemented in 23

Armenia. “Development of a unique e-governance system is quite possible and necessary for Armenia. As CORLEAP is an effective tool for promotion of EAP priorities targeting local authorities I suggest to organize next meeting not in Yerevan, but in the regions”, with these words H.E. Piotr Antoni Switalski, Head of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Armenia closed the session.

• Conference on "Civic Participation, Data Visualization and Local Government" took place in Gyumri, Armenia, from 26th to 28th October organized by Compass Research, Training and Consultancy Center with support from the international Visegrad Fund and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the kingdom of the Netherlands. The long- term goal of the conference is to increase citizen participation as well as the transparency of local governments through effective community governance by improving information flows and applying innovative technologies. Experts from the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia shared their experiences during the conference. Their presentations explained the visual budget creation process, the challenges associated with using budget data, and how to use the main points of data visualization to better communicate how local money is spent.

The conference was accompanied by a practical thematic group work during which the participants were divided into three groups covering the issue “Local Democracy, how to engage citizens in decision-making processes”. Participants received relevant information about different aspects such as how to work with mayor for involving them in their organization, how to take data from them, how to involve citizens in the Local Democracy and how to increase employment and to explain the importance of their work. The results of the group working will be further reflected in the Guidelines.

LDA Armenia volunteer Armine Sahakyan brought her active involvement in the conference.

• On 9th November LDA Armenia hosted the president of the French Rural Mayors Association (AMRF) Mr. Vanik Berberyan, vice-president Mr. Billard John, Rouire Clea programs officer, responsible for the French-Armenian cooperation from the 24

Association of communities of Armenia Qnarik Manukyan. Lusine Aleksandryan presented LDA foundation activities, main priorities, ongoing projects, self-government system in Armenia, responsibilities of the mayors. Mr. Billard John shared French experience of the mayors liabilities pointing out that in France local authorities get no salary, but only expenses compensation, which results in more freedom, independence and strength in decision-making than in the case of Armenia, where the mayor and his administrative staff gets fixed salaries. Lusine Aleksandryan also proposed some ideas for the possible partnership with AMRF on the trainings with the mayors, French and Armenian experience sharing and capacity-building.

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On 1st and 2nd December the "Peace Education for Peace-building" conference organized by "Women for Development" NGO took place in Gyumri. LDA Armenia director Lusine Aleksandryan was among more than 150 international and local peacebuilders for experience exchange and presentation of international policy. Thanks to "Women for Development" NGO for its promotion of Peace in Armenia along more than 20 years!

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• Assisting Gyumri kindergartens

The renovation of floors in the “Bell” kindergarten located in the temporary containers was initiated by "Local Democracy Agency" foundation in Armenia and funded by "Paros" foundation.

The renovation process took place from June until October 2017, covering three sleeping/playing rooms, the corridor and entrance. The floors were destroyed as they have become dangerous and unsafe for children.

The opening took place on 8th December 2017 with the participation of the director Mr. Peter Abajyan and other representatives of "Paros" foundation, head of educational department Mr. Sultanyan of Gyumri municipality, director of LDA Armenia Mrs. Lusine Aleksandryan. The donors were pleased with the results emphasizing the fact that the project was unique as it proved their first cooperation among local foundation, municipality and "Paros" foundation. "The project not only solved the problem of the destroyed floors, but also proved the security of the kids" stated Mr. Sultanyan.

LDA foundation cooperation with “Paros” foundation will go on in future, targeting other vulnerable issues in the kindergartens.

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LDA CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SERBIA

Delegate:

• Sasa Marinkov

Established:

• 2001

Partners:

• Associazione Trentino con i Balcani, Italy (lead partners) • Municipality Knjaževac, Serbia; (host city) • Cooperativa Margherita, Italy; • Patrimoine Sans Frontiers, France; • E35 Foundation for international Projects, Reggio Emilia, Italy; • Municipality Vlasotince, Serbia; • Association ZAdrugarice, Niš, Serbia; • Association GAMA, Niš, Serbia; • Association Timočki klub, Knjazevac, Serbia; • Association Timočki omladinski centar, Zaječar, Serbia; • Association Centar za kreativni razvoj, Knjaževac, Serbia;

Priorities:

• Fostering democratic governance and citizen participation at local level • Youth empowerment • Supporting the process of Serbia’s EU integration

LDA Central and Southern Serbia was established in 2001 in the City of Niš, Serbia. In 2003 it was officially registered under the name “Centar lokalne demokratije LDA” under Serbian law. With the aim of spreading its program further onto the territories in need, in April 2014 the LDA has moved its headquarters to Knjaževac, a city in SouthEastern Serbia. The LDA covers wider region by 27

working in Niš, Knjaževac, Vlasotince and Kragujevac, aiming to contribute to the development of local democracy in the communities of Eastern, Southern and Central Serbia, through capacity building programs based on the principles of active citizenship and establishment of concrete mechanisms of citizens’ participation in development of their communities.

Projects in 2017:

• “Balkan Regional platform for youth participation and dialogue”

Project funded by European Union through Civil Society Facility Operating Grants to IPA CSO Associations Support to Regional Thematic Associations and Knjazevac Municipality Partners: European Association for Local Democracy ALDA - FRANCE, Local Democracy Agencies from Mostar, Prijedor, Zavidovici – BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, Niksic - MONTENEGRO, Peja – KOSOVO*, Subotica – SERBIA and ALDA Skopje – FYR MACEDONIA

Through the creation of Balkan Regional Network for Local Democracy and a series of locally and regionally implemented activities, this project aims to contribute to structuring regional thematic cooperation and coordination between CSOs and public authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo* and Serbia and help improve environment for youth activism and participation, in particular of young people with fewer opportunities from Mostar, Prijedor, Zavidovici, Niksic, Peja, Subotica, Knjaževac and Skopje.

During 2017, which represented the third year of project implementation, the main achievements at the local level in Knjaževac were the establishment of the Council of Youngsters, an informal youth advisory body to the local self-government for issues relevant for youth in Knjaževac Municipality and a practice of regular meetings of youngsters with representatives of local selfgovernment in order to coordinate youth related activities. Moreover, a series of trainings on youth activism has been conducted for the students of two high schools in Knjaževac and two youth initiatives have been supported: international photo exhibition ‘’Knjazevac – where the 28

friends are’’ and mini festival ‘’We share the Planet with…Brazil’’. As a recognition, in March, we won an award for the best project in 2016 for youth activism support through international cooperation by Serbian Umbrella Youth Organization KOMS.

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Establishing voluntary youth info service – Info point Knjazevac

Project funded by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Republic of Serbia Partners: Centar za kreativni razvoj Knjaževac – SERBIA

Project increased the availability of mobility programs to young people of Knjaževac and created incentive conditions for their activism and volunteerism through the establishment of the first local voluntary youth info service in the Municipality of Knjaževac.

The capacities of the service initiated within the project ‘’Balkan Regional platform for youth participation and dialogue’’ have been raised through the creation of a volunteers team (5 volunteers) and special promo tool box. Training program for the members of the volunteers team and other interested youngsters has been conducted and covered the following themes: team work and peer education; collecting and selecting information; public appearance and public relations; youth and volunteering. A total of 72 youngsters raised their knowledge and skills through aforementioned training program.

The service, organized by young people for young people, has been gathering, selecting and distributing information about programs and services that enable national and international mobility of young people from the Municipality of Knjaževac. Team of volunteers also provide support to youngsters when applying for participation in these programs. In addition, this service deals with the promotion of youth mobility not only among young people, but also among their parents and teachers, as well as promotion of voluntary work and youth activism through examples of good practices, particularly from the local community.

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‘’Our citizens for our municipality’’

Project funded by the European Union, Government of Switzerland, Government of Republic of Serbia through programme European Progress.

Partners: Municipality of Vlasotince – SERBIA

The aim of the project was to advance good governance in the Municipality of Vlasotince through: • Improvement of procedures for financing local citizens' associations from the municipal budget.

• Creation of conditions for active participation of citizens and local CSOs in decisionmaking and creation of strategic documents at the local level.

The key results achieved during implementation of the project are: • Implementation of a training program of five one-day trainings during which: o 11 representatives of 11 local CSOs and 4 representatives of local administrations or institutions and companies founded by local self-government were trained for the preparation of project proposals and reports according to the conditions of the call for CSOs’ project proposals by Vlasotince Municipality. o 9 representatives of local administration from Vlasotince municipality were trained for evaluating project proposals of the local CSOs. o 11 representatives of local administration from Vlasotince municipality were trained for the assessment of CSOs’ reports on the implementation of projects financed from the municipal budget. o 17 representatives of local CSOs and LS were trained on the topic of citizens’ participation in local budgeting process. o 21 representatives of local CSOs and LS were trained on the subject of the participation of local CSOs in strategic planning.

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• Development and adoption by local authorities of a complete package of documents for the implementation of a public call for financing CSOs’ projects from the budget of Vlasotince Municipality.

• Creation of a Manual for transparent financing of CSO projects from the municipal budgets with a model of local legal framework and model of project proposal templates and templates for their evaluation.

• For the first time, implementation of a public call for (exclusive) funding of projects of local CSOs from the municipal budget, in accordance with the Decision on the improved method of financing CSOs’ projects from the budget of Vlasotince municipality. A total of 35 projects from 35 local CSOs were granted with total amount of 4,000,000 dinars. o Formed Commission for the implementation of the public call that implemented newly adopted working procedures. o Local CSOs have applied to the open call following new guidelines and using a new package of project proposal forms.

• Two public debates held and attended by 71 people. Public debate on the draft decision on the municipal budget for 2017 was the first public debate on the local budget, which included, in addition to indirect budget users, citizens of Vlasotince Municipality.

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‘’NET Or NEET – multi-stakeholders NETwORks prevent early school leaving and reduce NEETs promoting innovative integrated education techniques’’

Project funded by the European Union through Erasmus+ Programme.

Partners: Cooperativa Margherita – ITALY, Kujawsko-Pomorska WK OHP – POLAND, Comune di Regio Emilia – ITALY, LDA Albania – ALBANIA, Drustvo za razvijanje prostovoljnega dela Novo mesto – SLOVENIA, Fundación Privada Indera – SPAIN, LDA Niksic – MONTENEGRO, European University of Tirana UET – ALBANIA, The European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) – FRANCE

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This Erasmus + project of Mobility for youth workers took place in Sandrigo (Vicenza – Italy). A five- day-long seminar has been organized by the lead partner - Cooperativa Margherita. The project builds up on the previous project “T-TRUST”, which allowed understanding of the causes of Early School Leaving (ESL), and enabled creation of new networks in support of children and youth between organizations active in the youth field and other stakeholders at different levels. It also focused on promotion and adoption of new methodologies in youth organizations and schools that took part in the project, as well as on spreading information about ESL and continue the research on this issue.

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‘’WE-NET – Working Towards Environmentally Educated Towns’’

Project funded by the European Union through Europe For Citizens Programme.

Partners: Comune di Thiene – ITALY, European Association for Local Democracy ALDA - FRANCE, Zwiazek Stowarzyszen Multikultura, Krakow – POLAND, Liga Ochrony Przyrody Zarzad Okregu Podkarpackiego, Rzeszow – POLAND, CNJ - Confederação Nacional de Jovens Agricultores e Desenvolv, Lisbon – PORTUGAL, Comune di Cervino – ITALY, Drustvo za razvijanje prostovoljnega dela Novo mesto, Novo mesto – SLOVENIA, Local Councils Association Malta, Marsa – MALTA, Fundación Obra Social y Monte de Piedad de Madrid, Madrid – SPAIN, RSN Ricerche e Studi Naturalistici Biosphaera s.c.s., San Vito di Leguzzano – ITALY, Istituto Scientifico Biomedico Euro Mediterraneo Scpa – ISBEM, Brindisi – ITALY, Municipality of Knjazevac – SERBIA

The project brings together people from eight countries coming from economically, historically and culturally different backgrounds representing a great opportunity to work together on issues of mutual concern and exchange ideas. The project seeks to initiate a discussion on the subject of environmental protection, recycling and sustainable development, as well as promoting active participation, providing a platform to voice citizens’ opinions. The biggest emphasis of the project is on young people who will contribute as protagonists to the discussion on the topics foreseen in 32

local activities. During 2017, final international event took place in Brindisi, Italy, where 12 delegations presented results from the local activities they implemented within the scope of the project and discussed about the strategies for involvement of citizens in circular economy at the local level. Within the scope of this project we are acting as local coordinator on behalf of Knjaževac Municipality.

• ‘’GREENist – The future and challenges of sustainable development of South Eastern Serbia’’ Project funded by Regional Environmental Centre Serbia and SIDA - Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

Partners: Timočki klub, Knjaževac; Entuzijasti Kučeva, Kučevo; Resurs centar, Majdanpek; Pirgos, Pirot; Ženska inicijativa, Knjaževac; Asocijacija za razvoj Kladova ARK, Kladovo – SERBIA

Main aim: the project aims at strengthening capacities of CSOs from South-eastern Serbia to actively participate in the implementation of EU regulations in the field of environmental protection at the local level in the region of South-eastern Serbia; at motivating and involving local authorities and stakeholders to coordinate and cooperate in the implementation and monitoring of the implementation of the acquis of Chapter 27 at the local level in the municipalities of Southeastern Serbia; at motivating the citizens of South-eastern Serbia to actively participate in decision-making processes in the field of environmental protection in their communities.

During 2017 the network of CSOs from South-eastern Serbia, GREENist has been created to work focusing on the following topics in Chapter 27 within the EU negotiation process of Serbia: • Horizontal legislation • Waste management GREENist network has conducted: 33

• • • • • •

a research on the implementation of the laws related to Chapter 27 at local level in 20 municipalities in the eastern Serbia; produced and distributed via social networks two animated films on citizen participation in environmental protection; raised capacities of 7 CSOs, members of GREENist network; created regional base of pollutants; involved citizens through 28 focus groups and 4 public forums on the topic of environmental protection; created and distributed over 20 recommendations for relevant decision makers at the national level.

• ‘’Ambassadors of Knowledge’’

Project funded by Municipality of Knjazevac.

The main aim of the project is to further strengthen volunteers service Info point Knjazevac with a group of peer educators.

During the implementation period, following a public call for participants, 20 youngsters from Knjazevac primary and secondary schools were trained to become peer educators. They receive additional training on techniques of educational theatre in order to enable them to create educational programmes attractive for their peers. Following this training a final group of peer educators has been created, consisting of 10 youngsters. By the end of the project they designed and conducted their own educational programme for their peers. This programme reached 56 youngsters and was focused on the topics of prevention of peer violence, peer mediation in resolving conflicts, tolerance, peaceful conflict resolution and non-violent communication.

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•

‘’Balkan Kaleidoscope’’

Project funded by EU through programme Europe for Citizens, European Remembrance Partners: LDA Subotica (SRB), ALDA (FR), LDA Mostar (BH), LDA Zavidovici (BH), LDA Prijedor, KulturLife (GER), Institute for national history of Macedonia (MK), Centre for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights (CRO), Municipality of Ravenna (IT), SPES - Centro di Servizio per il Volontariato del Lazio (IT), Sombor Education Centre (SRB), Znanstvenorazikovalni center Slovenske Akademije Znanosti in Umetnosti (SI).

The project brings attention to importance and value of oral history and multiperspectivity in historic narrative. The project aims at promoting among young people a deeper understanding of Europe’s shared history, common values and at developing respect, tolerance and appreciation of European diversity on the background of remembrance of Yugoslav Wars and their consequences for contemporary Europe and its society, as well as its importance as a milestone in European integration efforts.

During 2017 first international event took place in Osijek, Croatia - Training for teachers on multiperspectivity in History teaching. A total of 22 teachers were familiarised with the project, its objectives, time frame and applied methodology, participated in the training and enlarged their knowledge in the areas of: - Multiperspectivity in teaching history; - Importance of oral history, personal narratives; - Participative / interactive methods suitable for history classes.

These teachers also exchanged local teaching practices/methodologies and set base for cooperation. Following aforementioned training, 15 local pilot training modules were created and will be implemented during 2018 in project partners’ communities.

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LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY OF DNIPROPETROVSK REGION

Delegate:

• Anzhelika Pylypenko

Established:

• 2015

Partners:

• • • • • • • •

Lower Silesia Region, Poland (lead partner) Région Grand Est, France Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council, Ukraine NGO Merkury Foundation, Poland NGO East-West Mutual Understanding, Poland NGO Agency for Regional Development of the Dnipropetrovsk Region, Ukraine NGO Tamarisk, Ukraine NGO Public Initiative of the Lugansk Region, Ukraine

Priorities:

• • • •

Facilitate the participation of civil society in the decision-making process at the local level; Increase the interest, awareness and capacities of citizens to take part in the decisionmaking process at the local level; Increase the awareness and skills of the local communities and local authorities to address the needs of citizens; Increase the interest and sharing of information between Ukraine and other European countries and stakeholders to enable closer cooperation and an ongoing exchange of best practices.

Local Democracy Agency of Dnipropetrovsk Region was established on the 18th of May 2015. It became the first LDA in Ukraine. LDA is a platform of cooperation, dialogue and exchange of 36

experience and best practices across several aspects of regional development (cultural, social and economic) between local authorities and civil society in the EU and in Ukraine.

LDA fosters citizen participation at local level, it aims at mobilizing Civil Society Organizations, Local and Regional Authorities to develop joint initiatives.

Main partner of LDA is Lower Silesian Voivodship, also Region Alsace (now – Grand-Est, partnership incl. 2017) and Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council.

Projects in 2017:

18 project proposals have been drafted to calls of 17 donors. In some proposals LDA Dnipro was considered as the operational partner. 4 proposals had been supported: - Participatory Democracy Development in Territorial Communities (supported by NED (2016-2017); - UPDATE: Undercovering Potential of civil servants to Develop Amalgamated Territorial Communities (supported by Embassy of France (2017); - Joint efforts – for the future: informal ways of solving problems (supported by Dnipro City Council (2017); - IDPs SAVE: IDPs’ Social Adaptation as a Human Rehabilitation Vital Element (supported

by Chiesa Valdese, Italy), ALDA was the main applicant, and LDA Dnipro – main operational partner.

1. Participatory Democracy Development in Territorial Communities: National Endowment for Democracy (NED) supported LDA Dnipro with a USD 27 500 grant for implementation of the project aimed at promoting ideas of democratization of society, democracy of citizens' participation in processes of administrative reform and decision-making at the level of local self-government bodies based in Slobozhanska amalgamated community of Dnipropetrovsk region and the city of Pidgorodne, which has a perspective to amalgamate.

After a series of round tables and workshops held to increase the activity and awareness of the inhabitants, as well as representatives of local government, and a comprehensive analysis of the factors that have influenced the development of democracy in the amalgamated communities, under the new legislation, we have received such results: ◦ Analytics have created the proper update for Slobozhanske Statute and approached with it to local authorities; ◦ Analytics have totally reformed the old Statute and created a new one for Pidgorodne community that can now be used as the example of a true modern Statute of the territorial community (not amalgamated, but having an option for it).

Added value: as one of the project results, each community should produce at least 1 cartoon on “How to identify and solve the problems in the community”. And this activity became a real star of the project. Participants from Slobozhanska amalgamated community became so excited that have decided to establish their own Studio for cartoons producing. That could become a continuation of our project. Also, the synergy of project participants’ cooperation with LDA Dnipro resulted in a won proposal of the NGO called “Unity is the force” established by IDPs in Slobozhanske.

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2. UPDATE: Undercovering Potential of civil servants to Develop Amalgamated Territorial Communities Embassy of France supported LDA Dnipro with a EUR 5 650 grant for implementation of the project aimed at improving the quality of knowledge of the mid-level staff in councils-centers of the amalgamated territorial communities of Dnipropetrovsk region in the sphere of decentralization and citizens’ engagement, using regional experience and international practices (French approach).

Objectives: overcoming educational barriers among full-time middle-level specialists in councils-centers of the ATCs of the region; facilitating the reduction of knowledge gap between the Head of ATC and its specialists; promotion of democratic ideas of decentralization; increase the involvement of civil society in decision-making process in the community.

3. Joint efforts – for the future: informal ways of solving problems Dnipro City Council supported LDA Dnipro with a EUR 3 225 grant for implementation of the project aimed at increasing the activity of citizens in solving social problems of territorial community, as well as to involve various sections of the community population into joint initiatives implementation.

Objectives: to conduct activity studies for citizens to solve the problems of society, as well as identify methods and means that will be used to achieve public goals and determine their effectiveness; conduct training session, master classes on the creation of animated films on topic “Problems of society and means of their solution”, which reflect the vision of different segments of the population about ways of solving socially important problems.

4. IDPs SAVE: IDPs’ Social Adaptation as a Human Rehabilitation Vital Element

The overall objective of the project is to create favorable environment for adaptation and integration of IDPs into local communities, thus contributing to cohesion in society and stability in the region, minimizing possibility of conflicts and IDPs marginalization.

The specific objective of the project is to provide young IDP people with skills necessary to integrate into the hosting society environment and establish contact and cooperation with young people from the hosting society, while ensuring raising awareness and mobilization of local actors for action.

ALDA was the main applicant for this action, as well as the project beneficiaries are 40 young people among IDP population of three communities of Dnipropetrovsk region.

Additional results: Thanks to NED, we have developed our own LDA web page: www.lda-dp.com; also, we are constantly updating our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/groups/LDADnipro) with LDA news and events. There appeared lots of followers at this FB page and people from Dnipro an even from other Ukrainian cities are getting more interested in cooperation with LDA Dnipro.

We have established good partnership with local authorities: both the regional council and the city council. LAs representatives had a meeting with Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Secretary General, at which they have signed the Memorandum and exchanged thoughts on future cooperation.

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As the continuation of this good communication, the city of Dnipro became an ALDA Member since 2017.

Slobozhanska amalgamated community became interested in joining big ALDA family. LDA Dnipro is working on “building bridges” in this process, as well as with some other potential candidates.

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LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY GEORGIA

Delegate:

• Nino Khukhua

Established:

• 2006

Partners:

• City of Strasbourg, France (Lead Partner) • City of Kutaisi, Georgia (Host City) • Municipality of Monfalcone, Italy • Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region, Poland; • City of Tbilisi, Georgia • National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG), Georgia • Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA), Georgia • Partners-Georgia, Georgia

Priorities: • • • • •

Capacity building programs for local authorities and Non-Government Organizations Promoting active citizenship and good governance Promotion of human and minority rights Supporting and initiating cross-border and regional cooperation Promoting EU integration and European values at local level

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Projects in 2017:

LDA Georgia as the Regional Representative of the EAP CSF Georgian National Platform Beginning in April 2017, LDA Georgia continued working as the regional representative of the Georgian National Platform (GNP). We organized several informationalmeetings with local citizens, students, local authorities and NGOs, such as: Eastern Partnership Civil Society forum Georgian National Platform (EAP CSF GNP) coordinating council meeting in Kutaisi - The coordinatingcouncil meeting was focused on European integration and the general objectives and tasks of the National Platform. The meeting was attended by 37 people, including members of the National Platform Coordination Council, regional NGOs, and media outlets.

Speakers at the meeting included: Kakha Gogolashvili, Chairman of the National Platform, Lasha Tugushi, director of the project “Strengthening and Capacity Building of Georgian National Platform for the Eastern Partnership”; Archil Karaulashvili, First Deputy Minister of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Georgia; Givi Tchitchinadze, Governor of Imereti; as well as members of his administration; Nino Khukhua, LDA Georgia Executive Director;and Nino Tvaltvadze, Eastern Partnership Coordinator at the European Association of local democracy (ALDA).

LDA Georgia’s Executive Director, Nino Khukhua, presented on recent activities that the organization had implemented in its role as Regional Representative. During her presentation, she emphasized the importance of the partnership between LDA Georgia and the EaP National Platform, underlining how the partnership supports Georgia’s EU integration.

At the end of the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the Governor of Imereti and the Executive Director of LDA Georgia (also the Georgian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum representative). The purpose of the MOU is to ensure collaboration between the Governor of Imereti and civil society in the EU integration process.

Information sharing meeting with students - The purpose of the meeting was to share the changes brought by the Georgian-European visa liberalization which came into effect in March 2017. The meeting addressed current issues of Georgia's European and Euro-Atlanticintegration, as well as the rights and obligations of the citizens of Georgia under the new visa-free regime with the EU.

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The participants of the meeting were also provided information about the Georgian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, about the vision of the Regional Representative of the National Platform and its future planned activities, and about the work and mission of LDA Georgia.

Informational meeting with NGOs from Kutaisi Municipality and media organizations - The meeting participants were informed about the EaP CSF GNP. They showed stronginterest in joining the Platform, and participating in its thematic working groups.

Workshop with the LDA Georgia Youth Club members - The purpose of the meeting was to share our activities as the local representative of the Eastern EaPCSF Georgian National Platform.

A special guest speaker, Anna Ditta from ALDA (Association of Local Democracy Agencies), spoke about European youth programs and other youth opportunities.

LDA Georgia believes that the information from this meeting will help young people living in Kutaisi more actively engage in civic activities and take part in decision-making processes, as well as support Georgia's European integration process.

Over the summer, LDA Georgia led the meeting of the EaP CSFhttps://www.facebook.com/EaP.Civil.Society.Forum/?fref=me ntions's 4th Working Group. We discussed the working group's strategic action plan for 2017-2018 and a theme for the EaP conference.

Project “The Way Forward for Reforms in the Housing Sector: Empowering Grassroot Homeowners Associations in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine�

This project, with the support of the European Union (EU), was implemented in Georgia and four other EaP countries from January 2015 to January 2018.

The aim of the project was to strengthen civic engagement in the decision-making process in the housing sector and to support the development process of homeowners associations (HOAs). The partners of this project in Georgia were the NGOsLocal Democracy Agency Georgia (Kutaisi), Charity Humanitarian Center "Abkhazia" (Tbilisi), and Civil Society Institute (Batumi).The lead

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partner was the German NGOHousing Initiative for Eastern Europe (IWO e.V.) (Berlin). Legal and technical assistance centers for HOAs were established in three Georgian cities: Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Batumi and were managed by the Georgian NGOs EDEC, LAG, and Progress.

As part of the project, experts participated in a study visit in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Germany, Ukraine and Moldova where they were learned about each country’s experience and positive examples from homeowners associations. The results of this tour were shared with employees of the KutaisiCity Hall Housing Infrastructure Management and Development Service.

In July, LDA Georgia organized a roundtable meeting with the chairmen of homeowners associations and civil society representatives. At the meeting, the partner organizations (LDA Georgia, CHCA, CSI) and resource centers (EDEC, LAG, Progress) presented about the HOA situation in Georgia and their activities in Kutaisi, Tbilisi and Batumi.The Head of the Housing Infrastructure Management and Development Office of Kutaisi Municipality also presented on municipal programs for the development of Kutaisi HOAs. Additionally, Lado Vardosanidze, an invited expert, spoke about the state of housing policy in Georgia.

The Georgian partners also organized a conference titled "Housing Policy, Sustainable Management Practice, Energy Efficiency and Financing." At the event, NGOs and partner organizations discussed the following topics: housing management, opportunities for energy efficiency modernization of buildings, energy efficient sanitation and more. This project was implemented concurrently in five countries by governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. Nino Khukhua, a lawyer and the head of LDA Georgia, also met with the heads of HOAs to develop new regulations that will be connected to the housing sector and increase the effectiveness of their work.

Also as part of the project, three articles (in Georgian and English languages) were published on the following issues: 1. Improvement of the housing sector environment 2. Urban Housing Indicators - role, world practice and a proposal for implementation in Georgia 3. The role and significance of homeowners associations in Georgia.

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Project - “Gender Sensitive Socio-economic Empowerment of Vulnerable IDPs through cofunding of their Livelihood Opportunities and Promotion of their Social Mobilization”

The objective of the project was to strengthen the socio-economic status ofinternally displaced persons (IDPs). The project was funded by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Potential beneficiaries of the small grant program were contacted individually and asked to attend informational meetings, which were held inKutaisi, Samtredia, Bagdati, Vani, Terjola, Tskaltubo and Khoni Municipalities. A total of 290 people attended.

An LDA Georgia representative worked with individuals to edit and perfect their ideas and applications. A total of 108 applications were received from 6 municipalities (Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Baghdati, Khoni, Samtredia, Terjola, Vani, and Tkibuli) and they ranged from: ØPurchase of greenhouse covering– 2; ØPurchase of farm equipment – 7; ØBeehives- 47; ØGrass cutter – 1; ØLivestock – 36; ØGreenhouse construction – 6; ØCoffee machine -6; 44

ØBakery inventory -3

Of the applications submitted, 62 projects were financed.

Project: “Local Self-Government Index” LDA Georgia contributed research from the Imereti region to the first Local Self-Government Index report. The index measures the effectiveness of local government based on three thematic areas: proactive disclosure of public information by municipalities, electronic governance, and citizen participation and accountability. A total of 100 indicators were evaluated. The index evaluates executive as well as representative municipal bodies. The evaluation of the transparency and accountability of municipal bodies in Georgia was carried out from May 15 to July 15, 2017.The project was developed by the Center for Consultation and Training (CTC), Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) and the Management Systems Development Center (MSDC) and was funded by Open Society Georgia Foundation.

LDA Georgia collected data from ten municipalities in the Imereti region by monitoring municipalities’ official websites, analyzing public information requested from municipalities, and observing the practice of citizen participation on the ground.

Following the initial evaluation, representatives of municipal bodies were given the opportunity to view their preliminary results and leave comments. The project team took into consideration all substantiated comments in the final evaluation report. Municipalities that failed to provide the requested information were given the minimum evaluation for the relevant criteria.

The final index can be photo/LSGINDEX_Report_ENG.pdf.

reviewed

online:

https://idfi.ge/public/upload/news-

Project: "Increasing Awareness about the Association Agreement with the European Union in Imereti Region" In November, LDA Georgia began implementing this project to increase awareness about Georgia’s Association Agreement with the EU. The project is funded by the German development agency, GIZ, under "Cooperation Platform within the Association Agreement between Georgia and Moldova and Ukraine."

The goal of the project is to inform the citizens and raise their awareness on the 21st chapter of the Association Agreement, "Regional Development, Cooperation on Border and Regional Levels" in Imereti Region. It will be completed in May 2018.

The official launch of the project was held at Kutaisi City Hall. Participants included the Governor 45

of the Imereti Region and representatives from GIZ, local governments in the Imereti Region, civil society, and the media.

Project: “To Raise the Awareness of IDPs on Their Rights and Entitlements and Existing Local/Municipal and Livelihood Programs” The objective of thisproject was to support the integration of IDPs into local communities byproviding information aboutsustainable livelihoods and increasing the capabilities of municipalities.It was funded by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and US Department of State’s Population, Refugee and Migration Bureau.

Within the project LDA Georgia held 10 meetings in IDP compact Center (CC) located Kutaisi and conducteda focus group interview. The goalof the focus group meeting was to study the needs andproblems of IDPs and learn about which can be advocated for at the local self-government level.The IDP settlement in Kutaisi, also called CC, consists in three apartment complexes and three homeowners associations.The focus group meeting was attended by 120 IDPs. Focus group participants identified the following as the main problems that could be addressed with the local government: • Renovation of the roof drainage system • • • •

Determination of the legal rights and conditions of the settlementand its surroundings Lighting in the yard Roofing of the buildings Reconstruction of the road nearby 46

• Arrangement of an artesian well in the yard • Street names and numbering

LDA Georgia facilitated a training on how to conduct an effective advocacy campaign at the local level to solve the issues identified by the focus group. 120 members of the IDP community’s homeowners association attended.

Our organization also convenedaworkshop with representatives from the Kutaisi municipal government, Ministry of internally displaced persons from the occupied territories, accommodation and re3fugees of Georgia, territorial body of Imereti, Guria, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti and IDP population and finalized the an advocacy paper based on feedback from government agencies.

Project: “Strengthen the Capacity of People with Disabilities in Elections and Politics” The project covers the Imereti region. It aims to promote the realization of political and electoral rights of persons with disabilities and to increase the accountability of the public agencies responsible for fair and democratic conduct of elections by analyzing the electoral processes and bringing the applicable legislation in conformity with international standards and with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. LDA Georgia conducted comprehensive research on legislation and best practices for how to include persons with disabilities in the electoral and political process. As part of the project, were searched international standards that Georgia is obligated to comply with in order to ensure the protection of disabled people’selectoral rights.

During the project, LDA Georgia prepared research in three phases.The firstcontains an overview of international and national legislation that determines the political rights of persons with disabilities, as well as information on the difficulties and barriers that exist in practice and hinder the realization of these rights.

As part of the second phase, we conducted three focus group discussions with different stakeholders in three municipalities of Imereti – Kutaisi, Baghdati, and Zestaponi – and involved 30 persons with disabilities.

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At the end of the second and third parts of the study, we presented recommendations that will be developed with direct involvement of persons with disabilities, on the basis of the experience accumulated as a result of the implementation of the project and the best practice of various countries. This project was funded by USAID and GYLA. Project “Voice of More Women in Local Self-Government ” The goal of this project was to strengthen local self- government and to raise public awareness to increase citizens’ involvement in government decision-making processes through the “Participate in Management” project, funded by the USAID-EWMI-ACCESS Program. Municipalities learned to coordinate public meetings where the local population could discuss community problems. The first meeting discussed the local government code amendment. The project included research on domestic legislation and international best practices of civil engagement.LDA Georgia held open meetings with the newly elected members of Sakrebulos (like city councils) and members of the Gender Equality Councils in all 12 municipalities of the Imereti region in February 2018. These meetings weremeant to highlight the problems that LDA-administered focus groups identified for femalevoters in Imereti during pre-election period and also to facilitate dialogue and discussions around these issues. The interviews with various women and videos that visualized some of the femalevoters’ problems were also presented to the audience. LDA-Georgia facilitated the discussion with Sakrebulo- and Gender Equality Councilmembers and provided recommendations on addressing some of these issues. They also offered support in case the local government needed guidance and/or legal counselling.

The LDA project is part of EWMI ACCESS’s wider campaign aimed at empowering women voters to voice their problems and bring their concerns to the attention of politicians and decision-makers.

A questionnaire survey of more than 1,000 women was conducted in September 2017 by EWMI ACCESS-supported Network of Regional Civil Society Organizations. The survey findings were then presented to local government election candidates and political parties to get them acquainted with the specific needs that women face in their communities. EWMI ACCESS also supported other regional CSOs in holding educational, awareness-raising and women voter mobilization projects that engaged politicians in face-to-face and TV discussions on women issues.

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Project “Regional HUB in Imereti Region” Local Democracy Agency Georgia was selected to become a regional hub through the EUfunded project "Civil Society Development Initiative."

The main functions of the hub are: • Project support–Help organizations share information about their events and programs, and provide logistical support for organizing events • Communication with Local Actors – Consultation with local actors to ensure effective communication with civil society, local government, business, media, counseling, and advocacy groups • Public Relations Strategy – Involve civil societyin implementing a public relations strategy through media campaigns, regional forums, and other events • Skills Development – Increase the number of possibilities for civil society to developtheir capabilities and skills through different types of trainings, informational meetings, and consultations The project is implemented by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) and four Georgian NGOs: Civil Society Institute (CSI), Training and Consulting Center (CTC), Georgia Strategic, Development and Development Center (CSRDG) and the Education Development and Employment Center (KEDEC).

Youth Programs LDA Georgia, in partnership with Kutaisi City Hall, awarded our youth club members with certificates for their active participation in 2017. The 2017 youth club was called “Youth for Europe.” At the end of 2017, through a competitive application process, we selected 25 students to join the LDA Georgia Youth Club. Throughout 2018, the club members will participate in volunteer opportunities, trainings, an English Club, an anti-hate speech campaign, and other activities. LDA Georgia was actively involved in Erasmus+ mobility activities, has been a project partner several times, and has sent to EVS volunteers to France and five young people to participate in Erasmus+trainaings courses and youth exchanges.

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This year, LDA Georgia expanded its strategic partnership to include more European partners.In autumn 2017 we partnered with a German-based organization to apply for an Erasmus+ youth exchange, “Start-Up Green,” which will take place in May 2018 in Georgia.We will also send 20 young people to participate in the short-term projects in different EU counties.

“Youth for Europe” members follow up after their study visit in Strasbourg, France - March 2017 LDA Georgia and its Youth for Europe project members met with Pascal Meunier,Ambassador of the Republic of France to Georgia, and Kutaisi City Hall representatives. During the meeting, the Ambassador introduced the current and future activities of the FrenchEmbassy in Georgia; he also listened to a brief presentation about the"Youth For Europe" project.

LDA Georgia Youth Programs Coordinator attended EVS session in Armenia -July, 2017 LDA Georgia’s Youth Programs Coordinator, Maka Tsertsvadze, participated in a project sponsored by SALTO- YOUTH, a network of resource centres working on European priority areas within the youth field. The project was called Another Extraordinary Experience, The Color of Pomegranate and was held in Armenia, from July 10- 15, 2017.

The goal of the project was to create stronger ties between participating European Voluntary Service(EVS) coordinators, their EVS-accredited organizations, and to learn about how EVS functions in Armenia. Twenty-oneparticipants from Georgia, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Italy, France and Germany started their journey in Garni, Armenia on July 10th and finished in Yerevan on July 15th.

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For her job shadow session, Maka spent halfa day with local organization, Armenian Youth Progressive, where shelearned more about the Armenian local context for EVS projects, and what it might be like for a volunteer to live and work in the country.The project helped develop new strategic partnerships for our organization.

LDA Georgia Participates in Erasmus+ Training in Ukraine - July 2017 With the support of LDA Georgia, Nazi Leladze participated in an international training course, Youth Can Help, from July 17th to 24th in Sumy, Ukraine where she learned tools to help integrate refugee and forcedmigrant youth into local communities.

Nazi shared more about her experience with her own words:“In your home country or abroad, the most important thing is just to work and try to learn as many new things as possible. The international training course ‘Youth Can Help’ in Sumy, Ukraine gave me an opportunity to learn some methods on how youth can help young refugees or forced migrants get integrated into their new communities. It also gave me a chance to learn about how youth can be active on the local level to help with integration.

Participants of the training course were from nine different countries. I had the opportunity to learn more about their culture and share some of my own. I got to know some great new people and they got to know me too. From my point of view this training course was a huge boost for my mind, spirit and self-confidence. I think that it helped me to get new experience and gave me a chance to learn more about Ukraine’s culture and have adventures with new friends.”

LDA Georgia sends representatives toErasmus+ Project in Italy – June 2017 KonstantineSvanidze (psychologist) and Levan Katamadze (journalist) represented LDA Georgia during theErasmus+ training course in Italy called "S.H.O.W. Respect!” or Support and Help for Oppressed Women.

For ten days in June, this diverse group of students called thecity of Fiorenzuolad’Arda, in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region, home. The young professionals were invited to join a conversation, sponsored by the Erasmus+ program, to discuss how art can start a debate on the issue of gender-based violence; they also participated in workshops designed to help participants communicate about what is often a sensitive topic.SciaraProgetti, an Italian theater 51

company, helped participants prepare and rehearse a play which they performed as their final project.

LDA Georgia joined Erasmus+ youth exchange program on Social Entrepreneurship – Jan-Feb 2017 Shako Chkheidze, one of our Youth for Europe project participants, travelled to Armenia in late January 2017 to join anErasmus+ youth exchange program focusing onsocial entrepreneurship.

The main aim of this youth exchange was to create a platform and a process where young people experience empowerment and are equipped to empower others in their communities. They do this through the exchange of ideas, stories, attitudes, techniques and tools that promote social entrepreneurial spirit and skills of young people in general, and marginalized youth among refugees/asylum seekers and migrants in particular.

EVS Volunteer Shorena Khukhua completed service 2017 ShorenaKhukhuasuccessfully finished her EVS volunteering service in Strasbourg City Hall’sProtocol Department, which she started in 2016. While in Strasbourg, Shorenalearned about best practices for the reception of international delegations. Shealso helped the Protocol Officers answer questions related to intercultural practices and recorded the information in an"Intercultural Guide of Protocol." During her service, Shorena learned about French diplomatic protocol and had the opportunity to meet with many international delegations.

After Shorena’s return to Kutaisi, she shared her experiences with public servants and NGO representatives. Later, she was appointed as head of the Kutaisi City Hall International Affairs Department.

EVS Volunteers inBordeaux, France September 2017-August 2018 As an accredited sending and receiving organization for EVS, LDA Georgia sent two volunteers to France for one year.Shako Chkheidzeand MagdaPhurtskhvanidze are hosted by the organization Maison De l'Europe Bordeaux-Aquitaine.

Shako and Magda are working on visibility projects with their organization, including a Georgian culture night to share Georgian food, dance, literature, and the alphabet with attendees. Other activities include organizing games, debates, cultural activities, or sports. After their return in August 2018, Shako and Magda will be 52

ambassadors of European values.

Peace Corps Volunteer at LDA Georgia Erin McGown is serving a two year term (2017-2019) as an Individual and Organizational Development Peace Corps Volunteer. As part of her assignment, Ms. McGown works with youth to develop leadership, employability and English language skills.

In cooperation with her colleagues, she also works on grant writing, editing, project design, and designing and delivering trainings. Together, they have implemented projects like One Billion Rising to raise awareness about gender-based violence in Georgia, Erasmus+ youth exchanges, and an international Model United Nations conference. She has also consulted with staff on organizational development.

Ms. McGown brings a background in international affairs, administration, communications, and experience working with international donors.

Other Local Democracy Agency Georgia celebrated its 10 year anniversary in Kutaisi – May 2017 On May 3, LDA Georgia celebrated its ten year anniversary.

Local Democracy Agency Georgia started its activities in October 2006 with the support of European and local partners, and the Association of Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA).

Since then, LDA Georgia’s mission has been to strengthen local democracy and civil society, 53

support democratic reforms in Georgia, and develop new and innovative approaches to local and national challenges by cooperating with local and international stakeholders.

The anniversary event was attended by the ALDA Vice President Imislava Gorska, ALDA Easter Partnership program coordinator Nino Tvaltvadze, Kutaisi Mayor Shota Murgulia, and LDA Georgia board members and national and international partners. Nino Khukhua, the Executive Director of LDA Georgia, presented the main activities and approaches of the organization. During the second part of the celebration, the guests watched a short movie about LDA Georgia’s history and important moments.

Attending partners and board members spoke about the role of the organization and the importance of LDA Georgia’s mission and work in Georgia for local democracy development. They also expressed their readiness for future cooperation.

The10th year anniversary celebration was full of positive memories and best wishes for the future.LDA Georgia is eager to continue its mission in Georgia as successfully and productively in the past ten years.

Strasbourg Club Meeting - November 2017 Local Democracy Agency Georgia participated in the 15th annual meeting of the Strasbourg Club European Solidarity Network from November 7-10, 2017. Strasbourg Club unites local authorities and organizations working on local democracy development. Eighteen countries and 30 cities were represented and included delegates from a mix of European Union and non-EU countries.

The annual meeting was organized as part of the Strasbourg World Forum for Democracy, which is held each year at the Council of Europe and is attended by hundreds of youth delegates, NGOs, and government representatives.

This year marked the 6thWorld Forum for Democracy; the theme was the role of political parties and media in the context of rapidly expanding populism. LDA Georgia was actively involved in the 54

forum and club sessions and shared examples of successful cooperation with Strasbourg, including the partnership project "Youth for Europe" as well experience with other citizen participation projects. The delegation consisted of LDA Georgia staff, board members, and a former EVS volunteer.

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LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY KOSOVO

Delegate:

• Mr Elbert Krasniqi

Established:

• 2011

Partners:

• • • • • • • •

Association Trentino con i Balcani, Italy (Lead partner) Municipality of Peja/Pec, Kosovo (Host city) Amici dei bambini, Italy and Kosovo RTM Region Third World, Italy and Kosovo Only Equal Rights Association S.U.D, Italy ALFA Formation, France, Municipality of Yalova, Turkey Association of Municipalities of Kosovo AKM

Priorities:

• • • • • •

Promotion of the Local Democracy Agency of Kosovo Promotion of the local democracy and European integration Promotion of culture, youth and equal opportunities Promotion of dialogue among communities Promotion of local economic development Support logistics for the LDA's partners

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Projects in 2017:

•

“Balkan regional platform for youth participation and dialogue“

The project was funded by the European Union through the Civil Society Facility Operating Grants to IPA CSO Associations. The regional activities of the project entailed the following activities: •

Network coordination and management of activities

LDA Kosovo has achieved with good results some activities in time and as foreseen by the project, in more specific, to update the communication procedures among all LDAs, to create a working group, to specify different additional appointments of the project’s steering committee group member – one per co-applicant LDA and one per associate public authority.

This objective included these activities:

1.1 Steering Group Meetings - LDA Kosovo participated in this meeting during the Regional Coordination Network Meeting in Prijedor during the dates 22-25 February also in the Regional Youth Forum that was organized from LDA Kosovo during the dates: 18-21 October 2017.

1.2 Regional Youth Working Group meeting that was held during the Regional Coordination Network Meeting in Prijedor during the dates 22-25 February also Regional Youth Forum in Kosovo 18-21 October 2017.

As foreseen by the project and by the activity itself, at least four Skype meetings and two usual meetings (seizing the opportunity of the Regional Network Coordination Meeting, Regional Youth Forum for Local Democracy and thematic training) should have been needed per year to plan and evaluate the network strategy and activities on regional and local level.

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1.3 Skype Panels and Online Trainings LDA Kosovo participated on (6) RYWG meetings held and organised, 2 meetings which seizing the opportunity of Regional Network Coordination Meeting and Regional Youth Forum for Local Democracy, and 4 Skype meetings.

1.4. Teams of Youth Engagement Workers At the LDA Kosovo – Youth Info Point Peja, Linda Çavdarbasha, Dorentina Berisha, are members of the Regional Youth Working Group and YEW - Youth Engagement Workers that continued to provide support to Local Youth Advisory Groups and other young people involved in planned regional and local activities. These teams have participated in selection processes; provide local trainings, mentorship, evaluations and logistics and run Info points. LDA Kosovo’s YEWs were and still are in charge to maintain the activities with youth on local level, involved in planning and implementation of the actions regarding the youth, visibility actions and contribution to the local and regional web update.

•

Network capacity building which includes the following activities:

2.1 Info points regular activities, strengthened with teams of youth correspondents; 2.2 Trainings; 2.3 Continuation of Local Funds for Youth Initiatives supported by Local authorities co-funding 30%, that has been already implemented by LDA Kosovo.

LDA Kosovo has been very active in terms of supporting and sharing each information or/and communication from the other Info Points and by supporting also the program for further strengthening and upgrading of Info points:

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Creation of common communication strategy for the network of Info points, the Creation of teams of Youth Correspondents - with 2 youngsters active in our Regional/ Local Youth Correspondent Network.

•

Trainings

This part consisted in capacity building component were YEWs and YC were trained on topic Internet awareness raising campaign and advocacy. Three online trainings were organized for YEWs and YC within the Regional coordination meeting of the Network with the aim to further develop their communication skills and intercultural competencies, use of Internet and social media to express their main concerns and common interests. These gained knowledge was used from YEWs and YC to produce a video campaign on cultural participation and International Youth Day Celebration.

•

The Local Fund of Youth Initiative

The local fund foreseen from the project “Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue” has been realized on time.

The evaluation committee selected and contributed to two local initiatives: -Anibar: The organization aims at encouraging young people and especially young artists to experiment and work with computer arts (especially animation), in order to express their ideas and worldview through them, discussing important social subject pertinent to youth in Kosovo.

-Into the Park- is a non-governmental organization based in Peja, which is specialized in social inclusion through art made for the environment, with a main focus on inter-ethnic dialogue between the communities in Kosovo and the region.

Anibar with the project proposal called “Breaking civic apathy through cultural youth initiatives“ aimed to: - Introduce animation with young audiences, a form of art and entertainment; - Through animation and other activities, the organization aimed to bring youth to be activated in the public sphere, therefore making their voices heard, through animation and other cultural activities in the festival and all around the year.

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-Within the festival aims to give an opportunity to children and youth to network and learn from their peers from outside Kosovo, as well as a host of artists and animation professionals who are visitors to the animation festival.

- Held festival workshops and presentation tended to teach youth animation skills, which then will equip them with strong and diverse skills in graphic design, 3D design, storytelling, which will drastically improve their chances of successful artistic and professional life later on.

Anibar- Workshops (Animation Film Festival 2017) Into The Park in the framework of their project proposal “Panel for Culture� aimed to raise awareness and to bring attention of the political scene in Peja by gathering representatives from Municipality of Peja that were also candidates for the local elections. With the support of Local Democracy Agency of Kosovo, they organized the Panel for Culture in order to engage local authorities to sign and support a draft strategy created from local non organizations for the development of culture.

The whole idea of the project proposal was to advocate regarding culture as a very important tool for the human development.

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“Panel For Culture” / City Theater “Istref Begolli/ 13.10.2017

•

Awareness raising and visibility actions included following activities:

-Regional Internet Awareness Campaign: the campaign included preparatory trainings for young people in communication skills and intercultural competencies; use of Internet and social media skills development; development of awareness raising campaign and advocacy actions on issues relevant for youth groups; coaching mentoring by the LDA team members and youth correspondents; effective use of the Internet to speak-up about their issues.

Outputs: LDA Kosovo participated on 3 Online Trainings organized for YEWs, YC and other youth people interested and produced a video of awareness raising campaign foreseen based on the description of the framework.

-Youth Taking Over Day : this activity was considered as a channel between young people and local authorities as one of the most efficient local tools/mechanisms for youth participation. LDA Kosovo has realized successfully two events foreseen: •

The first activity was realized on the topic "Active Youth Participation in culture" which has tackling one of the most important topic, such as “cultural participation” of the youngsters of Peja and Kosovo in general. Two guest speakers were invited: Professor Hysen Nimani, representing the Faculty of Arts of the Univeristy of Peja “Haxhi Zeka” and the director of Anibar, Mr. Vullnet Sanaja, representing Anibar and the Cinema “Isuf Gërvalla”, and the youngsters who were actively participating during the discussion.

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1st Youth Taking Over Day “Active Youth Participation in Culture”/ City Theater “Istref Begolli” / 29th of April 2017

LDA Kosovo has realized also the second activity Youth Taking Over Day on "Youth participation in effective environmental protection".

This activity has been realized in Bogë/Rugovë with High School's students regarding environmental education, where these youngsters were able through good practises to create a new relationship with the environment and nature.

The purpose of this activity was to educate the young generation to the environmental awareness, because nature is considered a cultural value and this determines the type of society.

2 Youth Taking Over Day on "Youth participation in effective environmental protection"/ Bogë (Rugovë) / 30th of May 2017 nd

-My City- Intercultural City: this activity foresees a research by a group of 10 youngsters in each participating community about the elements of other cultures presented in their community (from names of streets entitled to prominent historical and cultural persons of different nationalities belonging to the culture of other WB countries to cultural monuments and historical sites connected to other cultures). On 29th and 30th November 2017, LDA Kosovo has realized two 62

days workshop with an expert of culture and tourism promotion, Virtyt Morina, and gathered 10 youngsters who participated in contribution of the identification of the streets and monuments with cultural content. The second phase of workshop consisted in taking photos in the cultural places of the city of Peja.

Outputs: Creation and the publication of Cultural Trail Map Peja http://www.alda-balkanyouth.eu/Portals/0/InterCultural%20Map%20for%20web.compressed.pdf?ver=2017-12-22110627-283 The cultural trail map “Peja- Inter Cultural City” describes streets, cultural monuments, useful information and things to do in Peja that characterized this beautiful city and help you to experience unforgettable memories.

LDA Kosovo achieved the objective of the activity by raising cultural awareness in the local communities and improving the general perception about cultural practices among youngsters in the region.

Workshop “My City-Intercultural City” in the LDA premises, 29th of November 2017

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In addition to the "My City-Intercultural City" workshop, LDA Kosovo sponsored the initiative of the Youth Sector and the Youth Center Peja for the realization of educational mural near the Youth Center Peja, realized by high school students of Arts "Odhise Paskali".

Through similar initiatives like "Street Art", the young artists of the city of Peja will be promoted and the city will preserve the cultural identity as well

Street Art in Peja, students of High School of Arts “Odhise Paskali�

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Youth Exchange, Knjazevac 8-12 of July.

- Video campaign on cultural participation/ Exchange of Youth Correspondents: During the dates 8- 12 of July the team of youth correspondents of Peja Granit Karagjyzi and Endrit Temaj have visited Knjazevac regarding Youth Exchange. The purpose of this activity was to make interviews, explore attitudes, cultural values patterns of cultural behaviour and opinions among young people in other local communities in different countries of Western Balkan about the relevance of cultural participation and access to culture of young people in order to improve the knowledge of youngsters about the topic.

Outputs- A video reportage and an article was created and published.

- A video awareness on cultural participation produced and published on the Balkan Regional Platform website.

- Youth Exchange in Kosovo- LDA Kosovo hosted the team of youth correspondent from Niksic (Montenegro) from 15th to 17th of August in the city of Peja. They had the opportunity to visit many cultural places and institutions, also to interview some of the representatives for the culture development in Peja: Mrs Jeta Nushi, the Director of Sector of Youth in Peja, Mr. Vullnet Gusia, the Cordinator of Inovation Center of Youth in Peja and Mr.Vullnet Sanaja, Director of Anibar.

Youth Exchange Niksic/Peja, August 65

- International Youth Day celebration. LDA Kosovo within the framework of the project Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue, in cooperation with the Directorate of Culture, Youth and Sports, Local Youth Action Council (LYAC) and Youth Center of Peja, have realized several daily activities in the honor of the International Youth Day. On 11th August, a discussion with the youngster was held on the situation of Youth in Peja, the future projects related to youth participation and some recreational activities were organized in the Park of Adventures in the city of Peja.

LDA Kosovo participated in a Skype panel on the topic "Culture of Cinematography", where youngsters contributed actively in the discussion on the aforementioned topic. In the movie night, two short feature films produced by two Balkan countries were promoted.

Results: youth people had the opportunity to gain knowledge from the culture of cinematography of the regional countries.

International Youth Day Celebration

•

Exchange of good practice among the region countries included the following activities:

-

Regional Youth Forum for Local Democracy Agency, held on 18-21 October 2017 in Kosovo, organized by LDA Kosovo. The first gathering took place at the Municipality Hall, where around 70 participants participated from different Balkan Countries: Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Representatives of the 66

Municipality welcomed the young participants and delegates from 7 LDAs in the Balkans and ALDA Skopje. In the official opening, the discussion was on youth participation with a special focus on youth activism in culture.

In the same day, at the Cinema ”Jusuf Gërvalla” in Peja, the first public discussion has been organized, among the group, NGOs representatives and Faik Zekaj, representative from local authority Directorate of Culture, Youth and Sports. The two NGOs as guest speakers have been youth organizations in Peja: Vullnet Sanaja, Director of Anibar (an animated film festival) and Granit Gashi, Director of Into the Park (Music Festival and sustainability promoters). It was a peer-to-peer exchange dialogue, focused on cultural participation of youth. At the end of the productive day, at the cinema, the participants had the chance to watch some of the winner animated movies from the film festival of 2017.

The second day of the forum started at the Youth Centre of Peja. An interesting workshop entitled “Cultural participation in my local community” was organized for the participants of the Forum, for which the Youth Engagement Workers of each LDA took the role of facilitators and they discussed for the problems that preoccupy regarding youth participation in culture. Part of the workshop has been a field visit at cultural sites in Peja such as The Patriarchate of Peja, mill of Haxhi Zeka, Old Pazar in Peja.

The day ended in Pristina, at Termokiss with an interactive debate for cultural participation and activism. The guest speakers of the panel were representatives of Termokiss (Njomza Dragusha) and Lulzim Hoti from organization 7 Arte, Sadri Shehu, a representative from Kosovar Youth Council, and Pavle Pavlovic researcher of the project, presented the key findings of the research study about cultural activism and participation from youngsters in the Balkans.

This year, the Forum was organized in a different way, because part of the Forum had been also EUROMED Training TOOL Fair. The Tool Fair, a well-known training concept among the youth in the Balkans, was for the first time organized in Pristina. In this Tool Fair the 12 youth workers from 7 LDAs, presented workshops with different topics in a parallel session.

On 20th October, the 3rd Balkan Youth Forum ended and this event considered as a better way to understand and respect cultural diversity.

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rd

Photos from the 3 Balkan Youth Forum in Kosovo

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Other projects and activities implemented during 2017:

Name: “Balcanimazione” Funded by: Associazione Trentino con il Balcani onlus Implemented by: Associazione Trentino con il Balcani onlus in cooporation with Trentino con il Kossovo and Nisma për Paqe dhe unitet.

Duration: Two weeks

During 2017, from 24th July, the summer camp Balcanimazioni started, organized by Associazione Trentino con i Balcani onlus in cooperation with Trentino con il Kosovo and Nisma për Paqe dhe Unitet. Summer Camp Balcanimazioni took place in the school of “Xhemajl Kada”, which in continuity collect many enthusiastic children from different ages and communities.

This summer camp lasted for two weeks and had a lot of activities organized with the help of the animators from Italy and Peja. During these two weeks in the school many educational activities and entertainment were held, in which the children were very actively involved. Every year Balcanimazioni gives to the kids a chance to practice their talents and spend wonderful time with other children of their age.

It was a special year for Balcanimazioni, because it celebrated its 10th anniversary by giving to the animators certificates of their good and voluntary work during the summer camp. All children, volunteers and organizers during these wonderful days of Balcanimazioni experienced a place designed to create happy memories.

Name: “Tales to be together” Funded by: Associazione Trentino con il Balcani onlus Implemented by: Associazione Trentino con il Balcani onlus, Trentino con il Kossovo, Association Docenti Senza Frontiere in cooporation with Municipality of Peja and “Xhemajl Kada” school.

Duration: 3 years This project was realized during the 3 years of cooperation between Associazione Trentino con il Balcani onlus, Trentino con il Kossovo, Association Docenti Senza Frontiere, Municipality of Peja and “Xhemajl Kada” school. During this three years in the school were organized a lot of activities with children and teachers and on 20th November during the Universal Children’s Day, at “Xhemajl Kada” school the booklet “Tales to be together” was presented, which is a collection of 4 tales from 4 different cultures in 4 different languages, but all linked by a common central idea.

The tales were written and illustrated with drawings from the children of the school. The tales are wrote in 4 languages: Albanian, Bosnian, Egyptian and Italian language.

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Name: International Youth Day Celebration Funded by: LDAK and Directorate of Culture, Youth and Sport Implemented by: LDAK, Directorate of Culture, Youth and Sports, Local Youth Action Council (LYAC) and Youth Center of Peja.

LDA Kosovo within the framework of the project Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue, in cooperation with the Directorate of Culture, Youth and Sports, Local Youth Action Council (LYAC) and Youth Center of Peja, have realized several daily activities in the honor of the International Youth Day. On 11th August, a discussion was held with the youngsters on the situation of Youth in Peja, the future projects related to youth participation and some recreational activities were organized in the Park of Adventures in the city of Peja.

LDA Kosovo participated in a Skype panel on the topic "Culture of Cinematography", in which activity youngsters contributed actively in the discussion on the aforementioned topic. In the movie night were promoted two short feature films produced by two Balkan countries.

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Name: “Educative campaign for cancer and tumors“ Funded by: Associazione Trentino con il Balcani onlus Implemented by: Associazione Trentino con il Balcani onlus, LKLT- Kosovan League Against Tumors, Trentino con il Kossovo in cooporation with Ministry of Health of Kosovo, Clinic of Oncology and the Office for Good Governance.

Duration: The aim of this project was to improve the services of the oncological sector within the Kosovo health system. Also to assist the opening and activation of services of the first League against cancer of Kosovo. This project is still continuing and in this year it will have many trainings like: cancer in adults and children; the psychological aspects of the disease; prevention and healthy life style; the way how to communicate with partners and how to communicate prevention. All these lectures will be held by LILT- Sezione Provinciale di Trento and other medical experts from Trento Health Authority. Besides this an awareness-raising campaign will be held in Peja and Prishtina.

Creation of some info materials targeted for schools (elementary and high schools) and meeting with students to raise awareness on cancer prevention.

LDA Kosovo, will be directly involved in the campaign for prevention activities and lection in the schools all around Kosovo, and will be a key partner in the coordination of activities with the youth world.

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LDA MARIUPOL, Ukraine

Delegate:

• Tetiana LOMAKINA

Established:

• 2017

Partners:

Mariupol City Council NGO “Mariupol Development Fund” City of Gdansk Akmene District Municipality AKmene Municipality-TBC

NGO "Center for Civic Initiatives" SHIDNA BRAMA”

Priorities:

• Human rights and Democracy • Citizens’ participation • Empowerment of Civil society and support of pluralistic democratic reforms • Strengthening the capacities of local authorities • Education and culture • European and Regional cooperation

Our goals - promotion of concrete initiatives to consolidate democracy at the local level; - Development of practices of citizen’s participation at the local level such as participatory budgets, citizens’ initiative and other instruments which are including cooperation between citizens and local authorities for better and inclusive policies;

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- development of institutions at the local level thanks to the exchange of know-how, training of the local councilors and territorial civil servants; - development of a pluralist civil society and the participation of all the components of society; - promotion of intercultural and interethnic dialogue; - promotion of decentralized cooperation engaging communities from the partners; - support local development in inclusive and peaceful participation of Mariupol communities and other communities; - promotion and respect of Human Rights and freedoms in communities.

Planned draft activities for 2018:

• Institutional set up of organization

- Inauguration of organization 9th of December, 2018 - Organizing the work of LDA Mariupol in the frames of Mariupol development Fund - January 2018 - Recruitment of the delegate - January 2018

• Setting-up channels of cooperation with LRAs, CSOs and other relevant stakeholders

- Strengthen relations with LRAs and CSOs. Preparation of common activities in the frame of the Memorandum of Understanding.

- Organize bilateral and multilateral meetings with stakeholders (roundtables on the platform of LDA Mariupol).

• Raising self-awareness of local community about local democracy

- A series of programs on the theme of democratic society at local TV stations - Workshops with active citizens of different age categories on the issues of popular, affordable and comfortable instruments of democracy.

- Promote the draft of the participatory budget.

- Training trainings explaining the work of the participatory budget.

- Trainings for public sector employees (teachers, doctors, employees of communal enterprises, culture and sports workers) and for STS, explaining the types of instruments, the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing democracy tools.

- Trainings for active citizens to enhance civic education.

- Training for librarians in order to increase transparency and participation in democratic processes.

- Training courses on building a sense of ownership with the participation of active citizens, representatives of micro-business and small business.

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Local cooperation

Mariupol city council – participatory budget, “Days of Europe” NGO Mariupol development fund – Project for U-LEAD “School of active citizens” (LDA Mariupol is a partner of the project in providing organizational support, conducting of Skypecalls with municipality of Gdansk) NGO "Center for Civic Initiatives" SHIDNA BRAMA» - Project for UCBI “Bridges of trust” NGO Mariupol Youth Union – local project initiatives (project proposal for British Council – Creation of the Library Multicenter “Clever” for children and youth)

International cooperation

USAID – Project “Bridges of trust”, Municipality of Gdansk – Project U-LEAD, Celebration of “Days of Europe”

Planned activities for 2018:

For systematic and successful implemented activities, LDA Mariupol team has been preparing an Action Plan for 2018 year. It includes the goals, priorities, tasks and main activities, which were developed together with partners of LDA Mariupol: ALDA, NGO Mariupol development fund, representatives of the structural units of Mariupol city council.

Planned projects:

1) UCBI (“Ukrainian Confidence Building Initiative” from USAID).

Project for UCBI named “Bridges – building an open dialogue between representatives of the civic society of Mariupol and Mariupol city council”. According to the project, it is planned to implement the project during 6 months (from March till August 2018).

An information campaign will be conducted involving until 40 active citizens, which will be key figures in building a dialogue with local authorities, i.e. through the trainings on effective communication, moderation processes as well as blogging.

2) EU-LEAD (British Council) – the project “School of active citizens”. The lead partner is NGO Mariupol development fund, LDA Mariupol is a project’s partner.

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There will be providing such resources as equipment, office for trainings, involved experts, also support of the partners from Gdansk (organization and coordination of Skype-calls between Gdansk and Mariupol according to project activities).

Meetings and conferences

1) 09.12.2017 – opening of Local democracy agency in Mariupol.

2) 20.12.2017 – participation in the conference “Cities Changemakers Congress” in Kyiv alongside with LDA Dnipro

3) 24.01.2018 - The first meeting with representatives of education, culture and public concerning “Development of the civic education in Ukraine”. The result of the discussion is a developing of Recommendations to the Ministry of education and science in Ukraine. Link to news about event

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Website of NGO Mariupol development fund

4) 09.02.2018 – participation in the training “Effective communication for representatives of public” on the platform of NGO Mariupol development fund.

5) 19.02.20018 – participation in the training “How can civic society influence the authorities using the public budget?”

6) 22.02.2018 – participation in the meeting with students from Uzhhorod city in the Creative center “Art Puzzle” in Mariupol. LDA Mariupol and NGO Mariupol development fund presented their activities as well as get acquainted students and active youth with projects and initiatives implemented successfully in Mariupol. The aim of the visit is to break the barrier between two parts of the country, to share culture and traditions.

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Website of NGO Mariupol development fund

7) 27.02 - 28.02. – two-day training “Cultural platform of the Strategy of Mariupol till 2021 year” for representatives of culture. There have been discussed a lot of issues concerning cultural challenges for Mariupol, i.e. building of a vision of Cultural Strategy till 2021 and further years, preparation of a draft of celebration of “Days of Europe” in Mariupol forming a roadmap of needs and creative ideas.

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LDA MOLDOVA IN CIMIȘLIA

Delegate:

• Nicolae Hristov

Established:

• 2017

Partners:

• • • • • •

Solidarité Eau Europe, France (lead partner) City of Cimişlia, host city CALM - Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova IASCI – International Agency for Source Country Information (Representative Office Moldova) - NEXUS Moldova Institute of Administrative Sciences of the Republic of Moldova IASI Municipality, Romania (TBC)

Priorities:

• • • •

•

Facilitate the participation of civil society in the decision-making process at the local level, Increase the interest, awareness and capacities of citizen to take part in the decisionmaking process at the local level.

Increase the awareness and skills of the local communities and local authorities to address the needs of citizens.

Increase the interest and sharing of information between Moldova and other European Countries and stakeholders to enable closer cooperation and ongoing exchange of the practices.

Raise the awareness of the importance of migration with regards of local development

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Projects in 2017:

PANEL DISCUSSION Nr. 1 CIVIL SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT IN LOCAL DECISION-MAKING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL 23rd of June 2017, Conference Room of Cimislia Town Hall Partnership between authorities and organizations of society civilian is essential for local government. Leaders of associations believe that the formation of partnerships effective with public administrations is the key to success in implementing the projects. There are 3 types of common relations between the associative sector and authorities: initiating projects of mutual interest (57.2%), offering specialized consultancy (57.9%), offering policy advice (47.9%). The most common sector Associative uses techniques and tools to influence governmental decisions and policies by: debates, conferences, meetings at national level (89.2%); to publicize information about acute problems in society (78.5%); development of studies, strategies, projects of laws (66.9%); conducting local campaigns (57.7%) and national (52.3%) together with other NGOs. The reduced public participation rate is due not to the lack of interest in the quality of services or to the issues discussed on the local authorities' agenda, but rather to the insolvency of how municipalities communicate with their citizens. In order to change the current ballast of lack of interest (84.8% do not attend consultations announced by local authorities at all), LPA needs to innovate and seek new forms of interaction with their citizens, accountable to them. It requires a complete rethink of how national authorities communicate in the national information area, where foreign media dominate with about 80% foreign content of national broadcasting stations.

PANEL DISCUSSION Nr. 2 YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS OF CONSOLIDATING LOCAL DEMOCRACY 6th of October, 2017, Conference Room of Cimislia Town Hall th On October 6 , LDA Moldova organized a public “Youth participation in the process of consolidating local democracy”, in frame of NED project “Fostering Local Reforms in Ukraine and Moldova”, in partnership with National Youth Council of Moldova, Cimislia City Hall and ALDA. The public event took place in the Meeting Room of the Cimislia City Hall. At the public event, 30 young people were invited from two high schools from Cimislia, the specialists for youth issues from Cimislia City Hall and Cimislia District Council, the President of the local District Council and representatives of local civil society.

The discussion started with the Delegate of LDA Moldova and his Assistant presenting the agency and its activities. After, Mihail Olarescu – the president of Cimislia District Council, talked about 79

importance of creation of Youth Council. The main difficulty is to find an active and initiative representative of local Youth Council. By the end of his speech, Mr. Mihail Olarescu launched the idea to create a local Youth Council with the help of LDA Moldova and creation a strong relationship between volunteers and local authorities.

The discussion was structured in two parts: the first was theoretical and the second more practical. The first part was moderated by Loghin Nicolai, member of Executive Bureau of “National Youth Council of Moldova”. He spoke about the main youth problems in Republic of Moldova, the situation of the NGOs in youth domain and the importance of being a part of NGOs for youth people. The speaker created dialogue with audience. He came to the conclusion that young people from Cimislia have a big desire to change the present situation.

The second part was moderated by Liviu Moraru – president of NGO “Peace Service”. He spoken about the forms of implication of Youth at the local level, the advantages of creation a Youth Council in Cimislia and what are the expectations for young people. At the end, all participants received feedback forms. The feedback forms were full of positive comments.

The event had an advisory character. The main goal of LDA Moldova was to identify the desire of young people and local authorities to create a Youth Council in Cimislia.

Young people from Cimislia want to participate in organizations like Youth Council and public authorities are able to help them.

PANEL DISCUSSION Nr. 3 MIGRATION AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT 29th of November, 2017, Nexus Center from Ungheni Municipality th On November 29 , LDA Moldova organized a public “Migration and Local Development”, in frame of NED project “Fostering Local Reforms in Ukraine and Moldova”, in partnership with NEXUS Center Ungheni and ALDA. The public event took place in the Meeting Room of the NEXUS Center Ungheni. At the public event was invited representative of local authorities, youth people from two high schools of Ungheni, local entrepreneurs, migrants who come back and representatives of local civil society.

The discussion starts by the representative of NEXUS Ungheni. After, Nicoale Hristov, delegate of LDA Moldova presented ALDA and LDA Moldova to the audience. Besides it, Mr. Gheorghe Raileanu presented his experience with LDA Moldova, but most of all about the situation of migration in Cimislia. The Deputy of Ungheni City Hall, Eduard Balan talked about their collaboration with NEXUS Ungheni and the importance of migration issue for Republic of Moldova.

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The discussion was structured in four parts, the first two were introductive and the last ones more practical. The first part was moderated by Andrian Cheptonar – director of NEXUS Ungheni. He talked about circular migration and impact on local development and the portrait of needs of the circular migrant. He presented statistical information about migration from Republic of Moldova.

The second part was moderated by Ghenadie Virtos – expert of „Integrated Migration and Local Development Project (IMLDP)” financed by UNDP Moldova. He talked about the effects of migration on local development with some practical exercise about identifying the negative and positive effects of migration. In this part the audience had possibility to express their opinion about effects of the migration on the society and economical part of the country.

Ghenadie Virtos, consultatnt PNUD Moldova, IMLDP, talked about instruments for integrating migrants into local development. Migrants can consolidate their activities in associations, micro projects, crowdfunding, communication and social involvement. Local public authorities should understand the importance of diaspora to consolidate and develop at local level, it is crucial to be transparent and finally the creation of synergies between local authorities and migrants is needed.

The main possibility of involvement of migrants at local level is to create associations of migrants, this association works like a NGO. Also, good practices of migrant involvement in local development were presented, as well as a case study from municipality of Ungheni. Ghenadie offered possibility to express the migrant’s experiences and success in local involvement.

Last but not least, Adrian Cheptonar presented successful cases of circular migration. After an interactive discussion, Andrian Cheptonar conclude the event collecting the main ideas.

The impact of the events is intensification of main causes of migration in Moldova, its effects and ways of being successful at local level for migrants who come back. Migration is an issues with benefits and risks, therefore it is important to know all the aspects of this phenomenon.

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LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY MONTENEGRO

Delegate:

• Kerim Medjedovic

Established:

• 2011

Partners:

• • • • • • • •

Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region, Italy (Lead partner) Municipality of Niksic, Montenegro (Host city) Municipality of Kotor, Montenegro Municipality of Rozaje, Montenegro Union of Municipalities of Montenegro Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Montenegro Association Betton-Montenegro, France City of Neuchatel, Switzerland

Priorities:

• • • • •

Local administration capacity development Human rights and peace building Youth participation Local economical development European Union integration processes

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Projects in 2017:

• Balkan regional platform for youth participation and dialogue

LEAD PARTNER: European Association for Local Democracy - ALDA; OTHER PARTNERS: Local Democracy Agency Mostar, Local Democracy Agency Zavidovici, Local Democracy Agency Prijedor, Local Democracy Agency Subotica, LDA Central and Southern Serbia, Local Democracy Agency Kosovo, European Association for Local Democracy – ALDA SKOPJE DONNOR: European Commission; Program: Civil Society Facility Operating Grants to IPA CSO Associations; Cofounded by Ministry of finance Montenegro TIMING: January 2015 - ongoing

PURPOSES: to contribute in structuring regional thematic cooperation and coordination between CSO and public authorities from targeted countries to improve environment for youth activism and participation, in particular of young people with fewer opportunities.

ACTIVITIES: - Network coordination and management of activities; - Network capacity building; - Awareness raising and visibility actions; - Exchange of good practice among the region countries; - Research and analysis;

SUCCESS STORIES: Within this project a Regional platform for dialogue between public authorities and civil society was created. This platform works on analysis, monitoring, capacity building, practicing and promotion of youth participation and social inclusion of young people. It was strengthened capacities of youth from targeted countries for active citizenship and participation at policy and decision making processes. Inclusion of youth with fewer opportunities was increased in local and regional activities of promoting good practices of youth participation and a focus of public authorities in targeted countries on the needs of youth in policy-making according to the EU standards was increased. In year 2017 the work topic was cultural participation of youth in targeted countries.

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Initiative for establishing Youth Centre in Niksic

LEAD PARTNER: Local Democracy Agency Montenegro OTHER PARTNERS: / ASSOCIATE PARTNERS: / DONNOR: fAKT – Fund for active citizenship TIMING: 01/06/2017 – 31/03/2018

PURPOSES: the overall goal of this project is to improve the quality of life of young people in Niksic through creation of conditions for youth activism.

Specific objectives: - Influence on local authorities to take into account the needs of young people in the process of urban development planning; - More efficient and sustainable management of public spaces; - Improving the quality of the free time of youth in Niksic

ACTIVITIES:

- Awareness raising campaign on the need to open a Youth Center in Niksic - Consultative meetings with representatives of CSOs and youth in Niksic - Introducing a petition for opening a Youth Center - Meetings with representatives of local and national authorities - Internet campaign - Flash - mob and accompanying events

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SUCCESSES STORIES:

As the idea itself is created by young people, our desire is to help articulate the clearly expressed interests of young people for adequate space for them.

This is the initiative for establishment of the youth center in Niksic, as a place to provide young people with the opportunity to spend free time, to adopt new knowledge and to develop skills, and providing young people with access to relevant information in line with their interests and requirements.

• Greeters Montenegro

LEAD PARTNER: CRAMARS Società Cooperativa Sociale OTHER PARTNERS: Carniagreeters L'Associazione, LDA Montenegro, Drustvo mladih ekologa Niksic (DMEN), Obavezna komponenta (OK) ASSOCIATE PARTNERS: / DONNOR: REGIONE AUTONOMA FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA TIMING: July 2017 – July 2018

PURPOSES: this project aims to strengthen the network of volunteers and greeters in rural areas, which at the same time represent places of high rural / naturalistic values unique in the world. It also aims to further strengthen Global Greeters Network in the Balkans, along with a method related to the improvement of the environment through the participation of numerous volunteers, with the aim of strengthening the democratic quality of services offered by local institutions.

ACTIVITIES: - Preparing, organizing and managing a study visit to the Carnia-Greeters in the FVG region - Organization and management of local workshops for the preparation of greeters in Serbia and Montenegro - Education and awareness raising campaign

SUCCESSES STORIES: The project is in preparation phase. It will deliver a training sessions for at least 4 new mentors for training greeters through targeted training in the FVG region at the Carnia-Greeters; also it will be organized 5 workshops in the field (Montenegro and Vojvodina) for training of at least 16 greeters; In plan is to create of innovative promotional materials (video clips, photos, storytelling), tours 85

and presentations of draft statute for new association; and created and managed the Balkan greeters website for attracting new tourists.

• Welfare youth development

LEAD PARTNER: Monfalcone Municipality OTHER PARTNERS: Comunita Nazionale ltaliana del Montenegro (MNE), LDA Montenegro (MNE), Municipality of Subotica (SRB), LDA Zavidovici (BiH), Opera don Orione Elbasan (ALB) DONNOR: Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region TIMING: October 2016 to October 2018

PURPOSES: establishment of innovative actions of social inclusion to improve the living conditions of the child population and supporting reform processes; enabling and supporting new aggregative services; introducing social education initiatives in schools; institutional strengthening and development of the equity instruments; to encourage new ties and contacts with the Friuli Venezia Giulia through awareness-raising and exchange of good practice; to enhance the capacity of local authorities and social services to intervene on behalf of disabled, children at risk and abandoned.

ACTIVITIES:

- General organizational, managerial and administrative activities aimed at successful implementation of the project and its management - Innovative actions of social integration. Strengthening of social and educational services aimed at young people with public-private social involvement - Development and access to services for youth residing in rural areas and who live in a situation of marginalization and lack of resources - Training organized for youth, at risk and in a state of abandonment (school dropouts and disabled) kept still closed within families without possibility of socialization and educational insertion - Pilot action - Strengthening of intercultural relations. Support for the programs of integration of the Community of Italians and intercultural dialogue between the entities of Montenegro - Dissemination and awareness activities

SUCCESSES STORIES: youth participation and voluntarism support through strengthening the Center - services, social cohesion of marginalized groups and intercultural relations.

Implementation of multifunctional workshops for teenagers; introducing activity of counseling given to juvenile; opportunities for exchange of methodologies and in / training with operators; service development "Ludobus" in rural and remote areas; vocational training activities and support for the disabled; cross-cultural entertainment activities.

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Net or neet

LEAD PARTNER: Margherita Società Cooperativa Sociale a r.l. ONLUS – Italy OTHER PARTNERS: LDA Montenegro; Agjencia e Demokracise Vendore ne Shqiperi (Local Democracy Agency) – ALBANIA; Centar lokalne demokratije (Local Democracy Agency) – SERBIA; Comune di Regio Emilia – ITALY; Drustvo za razvijanje prostovoljnega dela Novo mesto – SLOVENIA; European University of Tirana UET – ALBANIA; Fundación Privada Indera –SPAIN; Kujawsko-Pomorska WK OHP – POLAND; The European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) – FRANCE DONNOR: Erasmus + Programme of the European Union

TIMING: August 2016 – July 2017

PURPOSES: - To foster the exchange of good practices in the field of ESL prevention, which rely on the use of local/international networks.

- To foster the creation of new collaborations and networks working to prevent ESL, which include organizations active in the youth field, schools and local services/institutions.

- To promote the adoption of new methodologies in youth organizations and schools, which integrate non-formal education instruments.

- To promote the professional development of those working in the fields of education, training and youth.

ACTIVITIES: - Preparation phase - Seminar preparation - International Seminar realization - Local activities to exploit seminar learnings - Communication and dissemination - Monitoring and evaluation

SUCCESSES STORIES: The project allowed the realization of a 5 day- seminar. It involved 30 participants and supported their professional development while promoting the creation of new collaborations and the exchange of good practices. The methodology tried to value the contribution of each participant and the learning through the analysis of real cases.

The main result we achieved is that the competences acquired by participants translated in the creation of local and international networks of stakeholders and institutions working to prevent ESL through the integration of formal education with non-formal education techniques and methodologies. This putting the basis for further projects aimed at developing and testing new working methodologies connecting organizations and institutions at different levels.

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ALDA partnership support: LDA Montenegro strengthening partnerships with local authorities in Montenegro

LEAD PARTNER: Local Democracy Agency Montenegro OTHER PARTNERS: / ASSOCIATE PARTNERS: / DONNOR: ALDA – European Association for Local Democracy TIMING: April, 2017

PURPOSES: - To strengthen co-operation between Montenegrin ALDA members and ALDA and LDA. - To strengthen Montenegrin LAs’ capacities to cooperate and work strategically for IPA taking advantage of ALDA network.

- Partnership building activities and knowledge/expertise share on ALDA decentralized cooperation programs and IPA 2 programming

ACTIVITIES:

1. Training and strategies development for IPA 2016-2020 Preparatory work: - Communication with Montenegrin ALDA members–on going activities, capacities, strategies, needs; - Cooperation with Ministry of foreign affairs of Montenegro–IPA department: framework, deadlines, calls, support - ALDA programing for next 3 calls–related to Montenegro

SUCCESS STORIES: Through this project it was strengthened LDA partnership and capacities for creation of projects for IPA and other calls and also it was improved visibility and promotion of ALDA and LDA MNE in Montenegro.

LDA Montenegro helped in designing project for Open Call for Norway Embassy, Europe for Citizens, then through Interreg CBC program ITA-ALB-MNE program mediated between the partners from Italy and Albania and partners in Montenegro, such as the municipality Herceg Novi, Bar, Ulcinj, Kotor and Bijelo Polje, where they have offered somewhat of 28 projects and all 88

municipalities and other institutions/organizations have the opportunity to join, either as partners or as lead applicant.

In this way, the LDA Montenegro provides systematic support to municipalities and other stakeholders from the public and civil sector for more organized performance and more efficient use of funds to improve the quality of life of citizens.

• Empower zone ahead

LEAD PARTNER: Open Doors, Albania OTHER PARTNERS: Qendra Mesdheu ( Mediterranean University of Albania), Council for Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency – ( Macedonia) FYROM; Kecioren Municipality – (Turkey ); Local Democracy Agency Montenegro –( Montenegro); Youth Activism Center – ( Kosovo); Club for Youth Empowerment 018 – ( Serbia); Horizont, Poland; ’Youth Volunteers’- BiH; Industry Chamber of Commerce- ( Albania); ICSE- (Italy); HE University of Ankara- (Turkey); Eesti People to People- ( Estonia) DONNOR: Erasmus + Programme of the European Union TIMING: 2016 - 2017

PURPOSES: - To promote sharing of best practices, challenges, ideas, obstacles and policies related with youth employability in Europe among participants - To update knowledge of youth workers with new online resources (map portals, platforms) and strategies for European job opportunities and the ways to use them encourage active job search of young people - To enhance youth workers' capacities on finding new creative ways to raise the employability competencies of young people with fewer opportunities.

- To emphasize the importance of the Key-Competences within Youth pass for finding a job and to support young people in the process of acknowledging of these competences 89

- To create a network of youth workers and multipliers for future collaborations in the field of youth employment - To promote the role of the Erasmus+YiA & Non Formal Education as tools to boost the employability and labour market awareness of young people in the Western Balkans countries and EU.

ACTIVITIES: Through this project, training and exercises were implemented that strengthened some of the employment competences by using non formal and active working methods like: team building, brainstorming, role play, debate, panel of experts, on site visits, round table, facilitation, world cafe, ice breaking, etc.

They will visit local NGOs, Mediterranean University of Albania, meeting with Local government officers, informal meeting with local young people, etc.

Also, in this project, we stressed intercultural learning and cultural awareness.

SUCCESSES STORIES: Within this project it was delivered to participants new tools and competences, to understand European opportunities for their professional development; developed their spirit of initiative and entrepreneurship (KC7), improved self-esteem, communication skills, capacity to undertake new initiatives to support youth with fewer opportunities; created new contacts that can create new opportunities.

• Making Europe Work

LEAD PARTNER: European Academy of Otzenhausen OTHER PARTNERS: / DONNOR: Junge Europäische Föderalisten - JEF Deutschland TIMING: 2016 - 2019

PURPOSES: young people as disseminators of progressive ideas play a key role in this respect. The project therefore aims to bring together young people from these regions, who are committed to active 90

citizenship. The goal is to encourage them and to develop their skills further, to promote the coordination of existing initiatives and to launch the implementation of joint transnational projects. The main objectives are empowerment, networking and coordination and project development.

ACTIVITIES: this long-term project "Making Europe work" brings together young motivated Europeans from the Balkans, France and Germany and focused on ways to enhance the civil society in Eastern Europe. During the year the group is staying in contact via frequently organized online meetings. This gives the opportunity to develop project ideas together with the other participants. Furthermore, experts were invited to join the online discussions and provide it with knowledge about project management, political debates or funding opportunities. Organized networking event will also be organized in different project countries. Once a year, a seminar takes place in Otzenhausen, where the group can meet in person.

SUCCESSES STORIES: this project brings together 22 students from 10 organizations from Germany, France and the Western Balkans. The seminar organized in Otzenhausen was focused on empowering, networking, coordination, developing skills for intellectual work, as well as developing ideas and writing a project. At the seminar, the participants were able to learn something more about populism in Europe, skills of intercultural communication, financial management, also to discuss the current political situation as well as problems in civil society.

During the seminar, the participants visited Luxembourg, Trier, Saarbrucken, where they talked with representatives of European institutions, universities, local and regional authorities.

• Youth's Advocate

LEAD PARTNER: Local Democracy Agency Montenegro OTHER PARTNERS: Local democracy agency Mostar, Local democracy agency Prijedor, Local democracy agency Zavidovici, Local democracy agency Central and South Serbia, Local democracy agency Subotica, Local democracy agency Brtonigla/Verteneglio, Open Doors Centre Tirana, System & Generation Ankara, ALDA Skopje, Local democracy agency Kosovo.

DONNOR: Erasmus + Programme of the European Union TIMING: October 2017 – August 2018

PURPOSES: aim of this project is empowering young people for articulation of their interests and needs by using different models, mechanisms and techniques.

General objective is that improved capacities of youth workers, so that they can create and manage serious advocacy and lobbing campaigns for the youth polices on local and regional level.

Specific objectives:

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- Education and empowerment of 35 youth workers from WB countries, Croatia and Turkey, in creation and management of advocacy campaigns for polices that concern youth throughout activities carried out in a period of 10 months.

- Exchange of experience among representatives of eight countries, and identifying its key aspects with regards to participation of young people in the policy making.

- Raised awareness of youth in the WB countries and the EU about the EU standards of youth participation and active citizenship.

ACTIVITIES: - Project steering committee as one of the project activities will be established, with role to coordinate all preparation activities with project partners, as well to create methods and modes project activities implementation regarding all aspects cultural, economic and social, and as well will be in charge for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation.

- Training seminar on youth policy advocacy and lobbying campaigns - Creation of the “patch-book� brochure with materials form the training (consisted of brainstorming ideas of the participants, advices of experts and that will represent informal guide for youth advocacy campaigns).

- Dissemination of project results. Steering committee will be responsible for the dissemination of the project results, according to the dissemination plan adopted by the committee.

- Facebook page of the project: for the purpose of project results dissemination, a Facebook page of the project will be created, which will be updated in a timely manner and where will be possible to find all the details about the project.

SUCCESSES STORIES: the project is in the first phase of the implementations. At first, it will be organized project steering committee meeting. Meeting will be held with the aim to establish communication procedures among partners, to sign defined partnership agreement, work on creation of action plan for implementing project activities, propose the public call for the experts conducting the training and to propose development of dissemination and follow up actions.

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LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY MOSTAR

Delegate:

• Dženana Dedić

Established:

• 2004

Partners:

• • • • • • •

Apulia Region, Italy (Lead Partner) City of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Host Partner) Municipality of Vejle, Denmark City of Monfalcone, Italy Province of Brindisi, Italy NGO IPSIA, Italy City of Kragujevac, Serbia

Priorities:

• • • •

Creating active citizenship by involving citizens in decision-making processes Building the capacities of local authorities for better local self government Supporting youth activism and the position of women Strengthening partnership networks (national and international) to develop strong national and regional cooperation programmes

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Projects in 2017:

• Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue

Timespan: 01/01/2017 – 31/12/2017 Donor: European Commission (Civil Society Facility, Operating Grants to IPA CSO Associations, Support to Regional Thematic Associations) Applicant: European Association for Local Democracy - ALDA Partners: Local Democracy Agencies Mostar, Zavidovići and Prijedor (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Local Democracy Agencies Subotica and Knjaževac (Serbia), Local Democracy Agency Nikšić (Montenegro), Local Democracy Agency Peć-Peja (Kosovo) Associated partner: ALDA Skopje (FYRM) Overall objective: to contribute in structuring regional thematic cooperation and coordination between civil society and public authorities from targeted countries; to improve environment for youth activism and participation, in particular of young people with fewer opportunities

Specific objective(s): to create Regional Network for Local Democracy composed of CSOs and public authorities, with active participation of youngsters, from targeted countries committed to promote and practice youth participation at the local level; to strengthen regional capacities of youth from targeted countries for active citizenship and participation at policy and decision making processes; to facilitate a greater focus of public authorities in targeted countries on the needs of youth in policy-making according to the EU standards; to help raise awareness of policy and decision makers, CSOs and youth leaders in targeted countries on EU standards and practices of youth participation and regional impact of EU programmes 2014-2020, in particular programmes for youth.

Target group: Local Democracy Agencies in Western Balkan, public authorities, youth workers, youth leaders, informal youth groups, young people with fewer opportunities from eight communities in five Balkan countries.

Final beneficiaries: young people with less opportunities, aged 15-30, public at large in five Western Balkan countries.

Activities: During 2017, the third year of the project implementation, LDA Mostar initiated and implemented several local mechanisms for youth participation such as Local Youth Advisory Group, Youth Taking Over Day, My City – Intercultural City, Local Youth Initiatives, Exchange of the Youth Correspondents, International Youth Day Celebration in the form of the Movie Night and Online Discussion.

Along with our project partners we also participated in several regional project activities during 2017: 4th Regional Network Meeting and Regional Youth working group in Prijedor, Skopje Summer University, 3rd Balkan Youth Forum for Local Democracy in Kosovo.

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Added Value:

the City of Mostar has no functional City Council since 2012 and local elections have not been held since 2008 so the Youth Taking Over Day activities have a different function and a special character for Mostar youth.

As a part of Youth Taking Over Day mechanism, the meeting between the representatives of the informal initiative Elect Mostar and the representatives of the Council of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe was held on 26th May. The topic was the situation in Mostar and the action of the initiative Elect Mostar. The initiative Elect Mostar was formed in 2016 as an idea during one of the Local Youth Advisory Meetings in the frame of Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue and later served as a youth activism platform with the purpose of putting situation in the City of Mostar into the spotlight. The first Youth Taking Over Day established the further communication between the Council of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

The representatives of the Elect Mostar initiative were then invited by the Council of the Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe to join 33rd session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe – “Round Table – the situation in Mostar” on 19th October. During the Round Table session, two representatives of Elect Mostar presented the Elect Mostar initiative and the crucial issues, when it comes to the lack of local elections in Mostar and non-existent city council. They’ve stressed the repercussions these issues have for the citizens of Mostar, especially for younger population.

As the result of this presentation, there was the proposal of Mr. Piero Fassino to create a Reflection Group in relation with other European partners. The proposal was discussed at the next meeting of the Congress Bureau held in Paris on the 4th December 2017, and the possibility of a further discussion at the next high-level meeting between the Congress and the EU Committee of the Regions, to be held on 16h January 2018 in Brussels, was planned in Brussels. This is the example on how the grass root civil action can reach the high-level EU institutions to be involved and to support local initiatives.

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International Youth Day Celebration - Movie Night and Online Discussion

My City - Intercultural City Workshop

Exchange of the YC's

Street Arts Festival Mostar (Street Artura Urban Interventions) - Local Youth Initiatives

Local Youth Advisory Group Meeting

Street Arts Festival Mostar (Street Artura Urban Interventions) - Local Youth Initiatives

Meeting with the representatives of the Council of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe - Youth Taking Over Day

Asik Mostar performance - Local Youth Initiatives

33rd session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe - Round Table – the situation in Mostar – Youth Taking Over Day

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Urban Re-Generation - The European network of cities – URGENT

Timespan: 01/09/2016 – 31/08/2018 Donor: European Commission (Europe for Citizens) Applicant: European Association for Local Democracy - ALDA Partners: Università IUAV di Venezia (Italy); Local Democracy Agency Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina); Association of Albanian Municipalities (Albania); SPES – Associazione Promozione e Solidarietà (Italy); Local Councils' Association (Malta); Fundacion Privada Indera (Spain); Municipality of Kumanovo (FYROM); European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation Amphictyony (Greece); Kallipolis (Italy); Rede DLBC Lisboa (Portugal); City of Strasbourg (France); Municipality of Novo Mesto (Slovenia).

Objectives: • • • •

to create spaces of discussion and mutual learning among citizens from different sociocultural backgrounds and from different countries of Europe; to foster active citizenship and co-creation of policies and services in local societies, particularly for citizens who are often excluded from the decision-making processes; to enhance the capacity of local institutions to be “multipliers” in their own communities in order to engage a wide range of stakeholders; to provide a new impetus to the EU enlargement process, contributing to the establishment of a long-lasting thematic network of cities that are strongly active and committed as key players in Europe.

Activities: During 2017, as a part of project Local Path Phase I: Territorial Analysis we created the Mostar Central Zone Analyzes which gave us an insight and important data on the migration of the population. Along with our project partners, we participated in the 2nd International project Event “Reframing urban cohesion in European cities” in Venice, Italy, where we presented the findings of the local Analyzes.

In the Local Path Phase II, Focus Group Meeting was organized to evaluate the impact of migration to the culture and tradition of the city and all its inhabitants. The main task given to the Focus Group was to think about and to give the ideas on how to preserve the culture and tradition of the city and all its citizens.

LDA Mostar was the host of the projects’ 3rd International Event - International Conference “Reconstructing bridges within European cities: civic participation against socio-spatial stigmatisation and boundaries’’ which gathered all the partners representatives as well as numerous expert speakers and other participants. Conference was held within the framework of the two-day international program of the project. The event took place in Mostar from 28 – 29 November, 2017.

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3rd International Event - International Conference “Reconstructing bridges within European cities: civic participation against socio-spatial stigmatisation and boundaries’’ in Mostar

3rd International Event - International Conference “Reconstructing bridges within European cities: civic participation against socio-spatial stigmatisation and boundaries’’ in Mostar

3rd International Event - International Conference “Reconstructing bridges within European cities: civic participation against socio-spatial stigmatisation and boundaries’’ in Mostar

3rd International Event - International Conference “Reconstructing bridges within European cities: civic participation against socio-spatial stigmatisation and boundaries’’ in Mostar

3rd International Event - International Conference “Reconstructing bridges within European cities: civic participation against socio-spatial stigmatisation and boundaries’’

3rd International Event - International Conference “Reconstructing bridges within European cities: civic participation against socio-spatial stigmatisation and boundaries’’ in Mostar

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CARAVAN NEXT. Feed the Future: Art moving cities

Timespan: 2015-2018 Donor: European Commission - (Creative Europe - Supporting Europe's cultural and creative sectors) Applicant: Odin Theatre (Denmark) Partners: Omma Studio Theater (Greece); Farm in the Cave (Czech Republic); OGR-CRT (Italy); Kibble (Slovenia); Technical University of Crete (Greece); Bürgerstiftung Rohrmeisterei Schwerte (Germany); TNT Atalaya (Spain); UNITO SCT CENTER (Italy); Theater Station (Slovakia); Theater Brahma (Poland); Wall Theater (Netherlands); European Association for Local Democracy - ALDA 98

Objectives: The main objective of the event is MICRO cultural empowerment of every community, through the development of intensive experiences with the audience by promoting an increase in the quality and quantity participation in a cultural event / event - long-term social and cultural transformation. About 30 micro events will be held in the partner countries and are intended as a traveling symbol events "on the move". Events will be held with the support of the local association partners in Europe, at 30 sites across Europe. On this occasion, the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) organizes and coordinates the organization of three international events.

Activities: In 2017, one of the Caravan Next international micro events took place in Mostar. It was the community theatre festival - The New Hopes. Over the course of five festival days, 17 shows and performances were displayed and three thematic workshops were held at 16 city locations, while the crown of the festival was a parade of all the participants who went through the streets of Mostar attracting positive reactions from citizens and tourists. Over 100 theater artists attended the festival, both from domestic and international theater houses. Performances caused a great interest of the audience, and numerous workshop participants actively contributed to their work.

New Hopes festival in Mostar

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INnovatingCOworking Methods through Exchange – INCOME

Timespan: 01/03/2017 – 28/02/2019 Donator: Erasmus+ programme of the European Union Applicant: Stiftelsen Fargfabriken, Stockholm (Sweeden) Partners: Clube Intercultural Europeu, Lisbon (Portugal); Consorzio ARCA, Italy; Development Centre Novo Mesto, Novo Mesto (Slovenia); the European Association for Local Democracy – ALDA, Strasbourg (France); LDA Mostar, Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina); Megahug, Schio (Italy); Municipality of Larissa, Larissa (Greece).

Description: The INCOME-project, acting at the intersection of culture and economy through the co-working space format, will perhaps become one way to answer these questions and to find new opportunities within the concept co-working spaces. With an eclectic mix of members from around Europe, it is an opportunity to explore new ways of how to achieve greater job sustainability and opportunities across traditional formats, borders and methods. But in order to get there a crucial starting point is a of course a critical overview of where and why we are at this situation, including an analysis of how we talk about these issues and what our conceptual understanding is.

Objectives: the project targets the people who coordinate the co-working spaces in the involved countries, in order to improve their practices, skills and capacities concerning the good management of coworking spaces. They will act as multipliers, sharing the lessons learned with their peers and colleagues. The project also wants to raise awareness on methods for supporting youth entrepreneurship and employability among a wider audience, addressing namely youth associations, business organizations, culture organisations and public authorities. Putting together different co-working spaces from all over Europe, while also discussing and investigating the concept of co-working in itself, the project wants to raise a discussion on the alternative ways of promoting youth employment and empowerment. Different examples will serve for defining the concept of co-working, looking at comparative perspective on the practices existing in different countries, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses and opportunities.

Activities: in 2017, LDA Mostar representatives participated in the Launching event and first transnational meeting in Stockholm (Sweden) where the first steps of the project implementation have been defined.

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Launching event and first transnational meeting in Stockholm

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Balkan Kaleidoscope

Timespan: 01/08/2017 – 01/31/2019 Donor: European Commission (Europe for Citizens - Strand 1: European Remembrance) Applicant: LDA Subotica (Serbia) Partners: ALDA – European Association for Local Democracy, France; LDA Knjazevac, Serbia; LDA Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina; LDA Zavidovići, Bosnia and Herzegovina; LDA Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina; KulturLife, Germany; Institute for National History of Macedonia, Macedonia; Centre for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights, Croatia; Municipality of Ravenna, Italy; SPES – Centro di Servizio per il Volontariato del Lazio, Italy; Sombor Education Centre, Serbia; Znanstvenorazikovalni Center Slovenske Akademije Znanosti in Umetnosti, Slovenia.

Description: Balkan Kaleidoscope is a project that involves students and teachers on the importance of multiperspectivity in learning history and indicates the knowledge of Yugoslav Wars as fundamental tool to understand the present. 13 partners, from 8 different countries of Europe and Balkans areas, lead the project.

Overall objective: The project draws attention to the importance and value of oral tradition and overview images from multiple angles in the historical narrative. The project aims to promote, among young people, a deeper understanding of the common European history, common values, and to develop respect, tolerance and appreciation of European diversity based on memories of the Yugoslav wars and their consequences for modern Europe and its society and the importance of the foundation of EU integration.

Specific objective(s): the project aims to help young people across Europe to better understand the complexity and delicacy of the intercultural dialogue, while developing education capacity to 101

use a methodology different perspective as a tool easy to use, personal testimony and narrative that nurtures critical thinking and impartially. Through these values project fosters reflection on the importance of peace in Europe as well as an understanding of the goals and commitments they have made in the area of the Balkan countries towards democratic reforms and progress towards EU integration.

Activities: In November 2017, two representatives of LDA Mostar participated in the projects’ first international activity in Osijek, Croatia - a training for the history teachers and youth workers on how to incorporate multiperspective approach into class-work and extra-curricular activities with youth groups in local communities. The training was setting ground for the upcoming local activities in 2018. Ten partners from six countries organize workshops with youth which should enable them to present their own visions and understandings of the different aspects of the dissolution of Yugoslavia. The creation of a web platform is foreseen to serve as learning tool and best practice exchange platform for the teachers engaged but also for the young people to be encouraged to explore and seek common historic language.

Training in Osijek

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Women's Communication for Solidarity - WomCom

Timespan: 01/09/2017 – 03/01/2019 Donor: European Commission (Erasmus + program - KA2 - Western Balkans Youth Window) Applicant: Cultural Center Grocka (Belgrade, Serbia) Partners: GEA Coop Sociale (Padua,Italy); Association of women Sandglass - women's Association Hourglass (Krusevac, Serbia), the Association of Local Democracy Agencies - ALDA (Strasbourg, France), LDA Mostar (Mostar, BiH) Trim Vrboska - Association for the promotion of sustainable development on the island (Stari Grad - Hvar, Croatia)

Description: Young women in rural areas of the Western Balkans are facing multiple forms of discrimination. In rural areas, often dominated by strong patriarchal values and gender inequality, the possibilities of communication, exchange and solidarity between young women from these areas and women from urban areas of the EU are very few. Improving specific communication skills and the opportunity to meet and exchange experiences, difficulties and good practices among women from different countries and regions can strengthen self-confidence and self-representation of women in rural areas of the Western Balkans.

Overall objective: increasing the capacity of young women in rural areas of the Western Balkans in order to achieve progress in equal opportunities.

Specific objective(s): • building international solidarity between young women from rural communities of the Western Balkans and European urban communities through connecting and networking; • improving the capacity of young workers who facilitate and support the social communication of young women; • developing the skills of assertive communication and artistic young women to express their opinion and create an active influence in their communities; • increase interest and knowledge among young women in rural areas of the Western Balkans on European policies on gender equality and inclusion; • justify the celebration of the International Day of Rural Women in the communities involved in the project.

Target group: young women from rural areas of the Western Balkans with diminished opportunities, women of the Roma population, migrant women.

Activity: 103

In October 2017, 6 of LDA Mostar representatives participated in the projects’ first international activity “Mobility of youth workers training ‘’Communication (assertive communication)’’ in Grocka, Belgrade. The youth workers learned and discussed about assertive communication, EU solidarity and gender policies. After training, their task is to work on the production of a video guide for assertive communication for young women.

Training in Grocka

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Snapshot from the Borders - Small towns facing the global challenges of Agenda 2030

Timespan: 21/10/2017 – 21/10/2020 Donor: European Commission, directorate - General for International Cooperation and Development Applicant: Comune Di Lampedusa e Linosa, Italy

Partners: Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol; Comune di Pesaro; Regione Puglia; Amref Health Africa; Associazione Africa e Mediterraneo; Cabildo Insular De Tenerife; Fundacion Africana Para La Medicina Y La Investigacion Amref Flying Doctors; Ville de Grande-Synthe; Eine Welt Netzwerk Thüringen e. V., Insamlingsstiftelsen Harald Edelstam, Marktgemeinde Straß in Steiermark, Stadtgemeinde Traiskirchen Südwind – Verein für Entwicklungspolitik und globale Gerechtigkeit, Municipality of Maribor; Municipality of Črnomelj; ISCOMET Institute for Ethnic and Regional Studies, Syklonagysfalu Onkormaniza, Cromo Közhasznú Alapítvány Foundation, Teritorial Administrative Unit Constanta Municipality; Novapolis Association - Center of Analysis and Initiatives for Development; Burgas Municipality; Balkan Institute for Labour and Social Policy; North Aegean Region; Municipality of Rhodes; Agios Athanasios Municipality; Marsa Local Council; Koperazzjoni Internazzjonali; Local Democracy Agency Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Overall Objective: Improving the critical understanding of European, national and local authorities’ policy/decision makers and public opinion about global interdependencies behind migration flows towards European borders, in the perspective of reaching SDG 1 and SDG10 targets.

Specific Objective(s): Strengthening a new horizontal active networking among those cities directly facing migration flows at EU borders, as starting point for more effective policy coherence at all levels (European, national, local).

Target groups: 260 decision/law makers at town level, 390 civil servants, 45.000 European citizens reached by the transnational activities, 2.000.000 citizens reached by web/social campaign.

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Volunteer Management in Europe's Youth sector - VOLS EUROPE

Timespan: 01/12/2017 – 30/11/2018.

Donor: European Commission (Erasmus + program - Capacity Building Youth - Western Balkans) Applicant: Local Democracy Agency Mostar (LDA Mostar) Partners: Local Democracy Agency Zavidovici (Bosnia and Herzegovina), LDA (Knjaževac, Serbia), the Agency of Local Democracy (Niksic, Montenegro), ALDA Skopje (Macedonia), United Societies of Balkans Astik Etairia (Thessaloniki, Greece), Genista Research Foundation (Rabat, Malta), Association for the development of voluntary work Novo Mesto (Novo Mesto, Slovenia), Rede Portuguesa de Jovens para Igualdade de Oportunidades entre Mulheres e Homens (Lisbon, Portugal), Local Democracy Agency of Kosovo (Peja, Kosovo) Fundacion Privada Indera (Barcelona, Spain), Consorzio Comunita 'Solidale Societa' Cooperativa Consortile (Padova, Italy).

Description: The project aims to promote volunteering among young people and organizations dealing with youth issues in order to promote the Erasmus + program as a stimulus for volunteering, and especially the European voluntary service to strengthen counsellors for young people in their aspirations towards active participation (social / civil) young people how to European and local level.

• Youth’s Advocate

Timespan: 01/10/2017 – 01/08/2018 Donator: EACEA – Erasmus +, KA2 – Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices -Capacity Building in the field of Youth Lead applicant: Local democracy agency Montenegro Partners: Local Democracy Agency of Kosovo, Kosovo; Local Democracy Agency Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina; ALDA-Skopje, FYRM; Association of young ecologists of Niksic, Montenegro; Local Democracy Agency Brtonigla, Croatia; Centar lokalne demokratije LDA, Serbia; Local Democracy Agency Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Local Democracy Agency Subotica, Serbia; Associazione per l’ambasciata della democrazia locale a Zavidovici, Bosnia and Herzegovina; “Open Doors” Center, System and Generation.

Description: This program wants to help strengthening capacities for participation in policy making process of youth workers in the Balkans and Turkey, and that young people learn more about the possibilities and ways of participation and involvement in the creation of local policies and action. This approach is an innovation in the Balkans because it has young people as its target group for this kind of topic and it is dealing with enhancing opportunities for the young people.

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Transnational Cooperation in Bekes County

Timespan: 01/11/2017 – 31/10/2019 Applicant: Balance AA Association, Bekescsaba, Hungary Partners: Association for developing voluntary work, Novo Mesto, Slovenia; Udruga za promicanje aktivnog građanstva – Zagreb, Croatia; Institute for youth initiatives and innovations, Varna, Bulgaria; Local Democracy Agency Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Main topics: • Youth exchange programs • How the experience of voluntary work can help the job placement • Expanding professional knowledge

Objectives: • Strengthening youth cooperation • Improving network on the social field

Other Activities:

„Diversity of the minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the preservation of their culture” - Film project Timespan: October 2017 Description: Project developed by students from Germany and supported by the STEP travel grant.

LDA Mostar was local partner to students who visited BiH in October 2017 and made the documentary.

Link to the documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk5n-Hpcj2s&list=UU2eYU3v9V3OMBIu6JUET2xg&index=3 Budget: NO cost

"Sur le pas d’Albert Londres" (In the footsteps of Albert Londres) - Travelling Seminar Timespan: 31/07/2017 – 14/08/2017 Description: Association "Sur le pas d’Albert Londres" in 2017, for the sixth time, organized and conducted the travelling seminar for young journalists in one of the Balkan countries. This time they visited Bosnia and Herzegovina and reported on it.

The project is dedicated to Albert Londres, the French father of modern journalism, and its goal is to repeat the experience during several trips to the Balkans. Every year, young reporters have been selected to travel in one Balkan country and produce reports on the places they visit.

The group of reporters that make up the 2017 “In the Footsteps of Albert Londres: Young Reporters in Bosnia and Herzegovina” consists of young French students, guided by professional journalists and photographers. So far, they have produced numerous articles on the topic of Bosnian media and have reported about important challenges that Bosnian journalists and independent media are facing.

“In the footsteps of Albert Londres” won the European Citizen’s Prize 2016 for its engagement in youth work and awareness raising towards the use of multimedia. Last year, ALDA was partner in 106

the realization of the project “Young reporters in Romania”, through the France-Balkans decentralized cooperation programme.

LDA Mostar was in charge for the logistical support during the stay of young journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Touristic-Educational Program of LDA Mostar Timespan: March – September, 2017 Description: In 2017, as a part of LDA Mostar standard Touristic – Educational program we hosted 7 groups of tourists who visited Mostar, mainly students from Singapore, Hong Kong and Italy.

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LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY PRIJEDOR

Delegate:

• Dragan Dosen

Established:

• 2000

Partners:

• • • • •

Association Project Prijedor, Italy (Lead partner) Municipality of Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Host city) ALDA Office in Vicenza, Italy Association Tavolo Trentino con Kraljevo, Serbia Association Tavolo Trentino con il Kosovo, Kosovo

Priorities:

• • • • •

Supporting citizen participation Supporting the democratic process at the local level Fostering the social network between citizens, organizations and institutions Supporting social inclusion and local economic development Contribution to the work on memory

Projects in 2017:

Note: the activities below are realized within the projects implemented by the Association Progetto Prijedor, Partner leader of LDA Prijedor. In this document we highlight the most important activities: 108

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"Theater workshop" project

LEAD PARTNER: Associazione Progetto Prijedor, Trento, Italy OTHER PARTNERS: Cultural association “Portland” from Trento, the Theater from Prijedor DONNOR: Autonomous Province of Trento TIMING: April 2017- December 2017

PURPOSES: The Association progetto Prijedor of Trento and the LDA Prijedor for the second year implemented the project "Theater workshop for young people", addressed to young people aged between 15 and 25. The goal of the workshop is the creative expression of young people through acting as a tool to know themselves and others and to express their feelings and needs.

ACTIVITIES: In the period from 24 to 30 July, a youth theater show named "Ocean" was staged in Prijedor.

Participants: 6 young people from Trentino and 10 young from Prijedor conducted by director of Trento.

After that, the trip to Trento followed in the period from 25th to 30th August, where it continued with the finalization of the show already started in Prijedor. The show was presented in three locations in Trentino: Trento, Matarello and Lavis.

Finally, on November 27th the show was also presented to the public of Prijedor at a elementary school located in the rural area and at the municipal theater in the presence of numerous spectators and in the presence of the Mayor of Prijedor.

SUCCESS STORIES: - The youth people from Prijedor and Trento, despite the linguistic barriers, managed to do a good job together - The youth people become more aware of their abilities - The project helped the youth to express themselves - The citizens of Prijedor and Trento are more appreciating the youth project

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Participation in Trento Youth film festival

LEAD PARTNER: Associazione Progetto Prijedor, Trento, Italy OTHER PARTNERS: High schools and youth associations from Prijedor, cultural association MAE from Trento DONNOR: Autonomous Province of Trento TIMING: February 2017 – May 2017

PURPOSES: The Association Progetto Prijedor and the LDA Prijedor for the 7th time encouraged the high schools and youth associations of Prijedor to participate in the youth short film festival of Trento, held on 6th and 7th April 2017 in Trento at the Cuminetti Theater and organized by the MAE association (Montagna Ambiente Energia).

The theme of this 11th edition of the festival was Wellness in nature, the preservation of the environment, the promotion of mountains and nature, renewable energy and the promotion of culture and tradition of the area in harmony with nature.

ACTIVITIES: - Promotion of the public announcement in the high schools and youth associations of Prijedor - Presentation in the competition of one of Prijedor’s High School (Gymnasium) and the three youth associations and realization of short movies - Participation in the festival

SUCCESS STORIES: Strengthening of the relations between Prijedor and Trento schools and associations Strengthening of the creativity of young people Strengthening of competitiveness Award winning for the best social message

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Prijedor – city of mural

LEAD PARTNER: Associazione Progetto Prijedor, Trento, Italy PARTNER: Association of Artists of Prijedor, family of Paola de Manincor, Association Andromeda, City of Lavis DONNOR: Autonomous Province of Trento

PURPOSES: In continuity with the 5th edition of the international prize named Paola de Manincor (artist from Trentino who in 1998 painted, with the support of the City of Trento, the first mural in Prijedor), in 2017 the invitation to participate in the competition was issued for the 5th time. Through the competition, the best proposals were selected. After that, the selected work was carried out on the facade of a building in the city of Prijedor.

The initiative was adequately promoted through the production and dissemination of communication material that was published on the website and on the multimedia platform of this project and implementation of promotional events took place.

ACTIVITIES: - Writing and publishing the competition on the website of the Association and social networks – 1st of June 2017.

- Closing of the competition and sorting and publication of submitted proposals – 30th June 2017 - Judging and selection of winners - July 2016 - Realization of the winning mural – 10 of September - 25 of September 2017 - Inauguration of 5th mural in Prijedor – 28th September 2017

SUCCESS STORIES: Contribution for development of culture and tourism of the city of Prijedor, improving the branding of Prijedor on the cultural and tourist map of Europe.

Contribution to the improvement of the offer of cultural and tourist experiences in Prijedor.

Promotion of tourism in Prijedor as a city of art and artists.

Improving the appearance of the space of the city through the rehabilitation and beautification of surfaces that need technical and aesthetic interventions.

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Improvement of the visibility of artists from Prijedor.

Increase of the motivation of people to look after them aware of the art of cultural and artistic themes.

To train and spread a positive view on art and culture.

Provide more information to citizens about the past artistic and cultural city.

To encourage an increased sensitivity of policy makers towards art and culture in general.

• Study visit in Trentino for students from agricultural school

LEAD PARTNER: Associazione progetto Prijedor, Trento, Italy OTHER PARTNERS: Agricultural Institute San Michele all’Adige, Trentino, DONNOR: Province of Trento TIMING: June–July 2017

PURPOSES: A group consisting of four students and two professors of the Agricultural and Food School of Prijedor was on a study visit to the Agricultural Institute of San Michele all'Adige in the period from 26th to 30th June 2017. The theme of the visit was the production and processing of meat, as well as its marketing and sales channels.

ACTIVITIES: During the stay in Trentino, Prijedor's guests were able to learn about the whole meat processing cycle, starting from production to sale through visits to the laboratory and research center, as well as through visits to small family businesses in the sector.

SUCCESSES STORIES: Strengthening the knowledge of young people on the subject of meat processing.

Motivation on improving practical teaching in Prijedor's agrarian and food school.

Strengthening relations between two institutions.

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“Participatory territorial planning of local development” with the aim of realizing an analysis of the situation and the needs of one of the marginalized rural areas of Prijedor

LEAD PARTNER: Associazione Progetto Prijedor, Trento, Italy PARTNER: Municipality of Prijedor, Agency for local economic development Prijedor DONNOR: Autonomus Province of Trento

PURPOSES: It is a project of analyzing the situation and needs with the involvement of all public and private actors working in one of the most marginal area of Prijedor.

The project offers specific training that will contribute to the development of professional competences for territorial planning, which would later extend to other areas of the City of Prijedor, such as the practice of city administrations, including the administration of Prijedor.

As a methodological model, international experiences of territorial analysis of the situation, as well as examples of territorial agreement with additional extensions (within specific local communities) will be used.

Due to the well known social and economic problems, it was decided that the pilot area should have been a rural and marginal area.

ACTIVITIES: • PHASE A: Training course for "territorial promoters" from Prijedor that will later analyze the situation and needs, ie the participatory territorial planning of the Ljubija area • PHASE B: Participatory territorial planning of Ljubija

SUCCESS STORIES:

• Analysis of the situation and needs of the Ljubija area, realized in agreement with all actors operating in the area • Systematization of priority proposals for projects related to Ljubija from the analysis • Elaboration of project proposals for the development of Ljubija area 113

• Launch of territorial agreement for Ljubija • Determining the monitoring system and monitoring the development of the situation by the actors themselves operating in the area of Ljubija

• Become an entrepreneur

LEAD PARTNER: Associazione Progetto Prijedor, Trento, Italy PARTNER: Municipality of Prijedor, Agency for local economic development Prijedor DONNOR: Municipality of Trento

PURPOSES: The goal of the second year project is to sensitize young people about the fact that the labor market is profoundly changing with a shift from employment towards self-employment and therefore the importance of entrepreneurship for the development of the territory, understand the possibilities that the business offers for an individual or associated groups of young people or cooperatives, and provide specific knowledge about the planning, start-up (start) and the management of its business. Through this project, young people research the market, identify a product or service to offer, build a marketing plan, organization management, financial management, and finally gather all together in a business planning.

ACTIVITIES: - Study visit to Trento for Prijedor professors on the topic of cooperative education - Organisation of a competition for best cooperative project for the schools - Selection of the best cooperative project for the schools - Delivery of incentives for startup activities - Organisation of stages in local companies for high school’s students

SUCCESS STORIES: - Improvement of knowledge and skills of entrepreneurship according to the needs of young entrepreneurs and unemployed youth, who plan to start their own business activity - Promotion of entrepreneurial culture in the Municipality of Prijedor - Promotion of self employment as one model of alternative work 114

- Promotion of the formation of business associations and cooperatives - Contribution to decrease the number of unemployed people by promoting self-employment - Promotion of relations between the territories of Trento and Prijedor for entrepreneurship

• Daily center with public kitchen for elder people in Ljubija

LEAD PARTNER: Associazione Progetto Prijedor OTHER PARTNERS: Prijedor Municipal Administration, Social Service Centre Prijedor, Municipality of Trento, City of Levico, elderly day center Ljubija, Ljubija Social Council DONNOR: Autonomous Province of Trento, City of Trento TIMING: January 2017 – December 2017

PURPOSES: a particularly problematic aspect of Prijedor is the presence of a large group of elderly without family support. Seniors over sixty, especially from private single-family, often have to take care of their daily needs by themselves, which makes them much more vulnerable to possible events typical of this age. The daily life of the elderly is more unstructured and characterized by various forms of isolation. For these factors, a large number of old people is at risk of extreme poverty. In addition, also because of poor accumulation of economic resources in the public funds, health care is inadequate and is not fully assured. This situation is particularly acute in the constituency of Ljubija, 14 km from Prijedor, which has a socio-economic situation even more critical than in the capital.

To address these issues, the APP in recent years has proposed to expand the services offered by the Day Centre Ljubija, opened in 2001, and is intended for seniors and elderly members of this community. The Centre provides an opportunity for the elderly to spend their days on the activities of socialization and creation of products made by hand.

The activities of 2013 led to the restructuring of the House of Health made available by the Municipality of Prijedor to expand the spaces of the Day Centre. To date, the House of Health has become the first Polo Social Prijedor hosting, as well as outpatient services, a registry office, a canteen service that meets the needs of disadvantaged people, a service to the person (showers) and one space of socialization and socio-cultural animation.

ACTIVITIES: Continue to support social centre Ljubija, specifically with the financing of the coordinator of the centre and the coordinator of the elderly day center Support for another year the cost of the public kitchen in Ljubija

SUCCESS STORIES: Supporting working spaces for social inclusion through the opening of spaces and services improved the quality of responses to the needs of the most vulnerable groups of the population and the well-being of the community in general.

• Remote adoption

LEAD PARTNER: Associazione Progetto Prijedor OTHER PARTNERS: Committee entrusts Prijedor, Social Services Centre, Prijedor municipality DONNOR: Private donors TIMING: January 2017 – December 2017 115

PURPOSES: Since 1997 the PROJECT DISTANCE ADOPTIONS (entrusts) is up and running. It involved so far 811 families in Prijedor and as many Trentine (for most). These are still outstanding 281 reports.

This activity goes beyond economic aid: among many families it has created a stable relationship, made of meetings in Prijedor, exchanges in Trentino, reciprocity.

ACTIVITIES: Distribution of material assistance in the amount of 120 euros every four months Visiting the families of the donors once a month The exchange of letters or e-mails between donors and families in donations

SUCCESS STORIES: The economic aid, while important, becomes an instrument through which to create relationships that go beyond this dimension, and help to feed the population of Prijedor with greater hope for the future and to combat the apathy that is currently one of the major problems of the area. The recipients of this aid are especially families in economic distress, lonely elderly and students of secondary schools and universities, who need support in order to continue their studies and to become in this way a resource for the future of their community.

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LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY SUBOTICA

Delegate:

• Silvija Patarcic

Established:

• 1993

Partners:

• Wolverhampton City Council, UK (Lead Partner)

Priorities:

• Fostering democratic governance and citizen participation at local level • Strengthening socio-economic development • Promoting youth volunteering • Supporting the European Union integration

Projects in 2017:

• Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue – European Commission Civil Society Facility Operating Grants to IPA CSO Associations - Support to Regional Thematic Associations

LEAD PARTNER: ALDA PARTNERS: 7 Balkan LDAs and ALDA Skopje DURATION: January 2017 – December 2017

Overall objective of the project is to contribute in structuring regional thematic cooperation and coordination between civil society and public authorities from targeted countries to improve

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environment for youth activism and participation, in particular of young people with fewer opportunities.

Activities: Through the course of the project a series of conferences, trainings, exchanges, workshops and meetings were held in five targeted countries from the region, through the following main components of activities: 1.) network coordination and management of activities; 2) network capacity building; 3) awareness raising and visibility actions; 4) exchange of good practice among the region countries; and 5) research and analysis.

This year the My City – Intercultural City was one of the most successful local activities, which included participation of young local artists who presented their artistic works of famous and important local figures of Subotica. This artistic performance was implemented under the slogan “Serbia and EU: Culture that connects us” within the Europe Day celebration. The aim of the activity was to strengthen the cultural participation of young people, through the promotion of intercultural dialogue.

• Balkan Kaleidoscope – Europe for Citizens Programme, European Remembrance LEAD PARTNER: LDA Subotica PARTNERS: ALDA and 12 organisations/institutions/municipalities from 6 WB countries and 2 EU MS countries.

DURATION: August 2017 – January 2019

Balkan Kaleidoscope is a project that involves students and teachers on the importance of multiperspectivity in learning history and indicates the knowledge of Yugoslav Wars as fundamental tool to understand the present. Consortium includes 13 partners, from 8 different countries.

The main objectives of this project are: -Bring attention to importance and value of oral history and multiperspectivity in historic narrative.

-Develop teachers’ capacities for using multiperspective methodology, personal narratives and oral history, participative and interactive methods starting from Western Balkans most recent history.

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-Promote among young people a deeper understanding of Europe’s shared history and common values, develop respect, tolerance and appreciation of European diversity on the background of remembrance of Yugoslav Wars and efforts for European integration. Help them to better understand the complex and sensitive issues of intercultural and interethnic dialogue.

-Reflect of importance of peace in Europe and of furthering the EU integration Activities: 1) International event in Osijek, Croatia - Training for teachers on multiperspectivity in History teaching Main objective: preparation of pilot training modules to be applied in respective local communities.

2) Local activities in partner countries: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Students learning and reflecting on the Yugoslav Wars in history classes/training workshops/non-formal education workshops moderated by the History teachers trained in Osijek.

3) International conference in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Experts, teachers, and students involved in the project will present on the multiperspective approach to history, and share the personal testimonies, narratives, and methodological approaches in formal/non - formal education collected in the course of the project.

4) Online platform presenting outcomes of students’ research projects

• Ministry of Youth and Sport – Youth Resource center for North/Eastern Vojvodina region December 2016 – June 2017 LEAD PARTNER: LDA Subotica PARTNERS: Sombor Education Centre, Youth Offices Subotica and Kikinda, ZORO Association DURATION: December 2016 – May 2017

LDA Subotica was the Resource center of Ministry of Youth and Sport in charge of promoting, coordinating and supporting the small grants programme for youth initiatives in local communities. LDA offered administrative, expert and financial support to selected youth groups for the implementation of their small projects. The projects promoted youth activism, volunteering and greater participation of youth in the development of local communities.

The results of the project were: increased number of young people who are empowered and encouraged to implement their ideas into action, raised awareness among young people and other citizens about the importance of youth activism in local communities, networking and creation of a group of young people with the aim of future cooperation.

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Youth groups supported through the programme will continue to initiate different types of actions and become a resource for change in local communities. The programme is assisting small organizations and informal groups to kick-start their ideas, gather young local volunteers and guide youth activists.

Activities: 1) Publication, dissemination and promotion of the Call for proposals for Youth initiatives in local communities 2) Organisation of the training for writing and implementation of the project and project cycle management (development of project ideas into proposals, implementation and reporting) for selected youth NGOs and youth groups; 3) Selection of youth groups and NGOs whose Youth volunteer initiatives will be financed and supported 4) Financial, technical and advisory support to selected youth groups in the implementation of youth volunteer initiatives and work camp.

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Local Civic Monitor - European Policy Center Belgrade, WeBER project subgranting programme

LEAD PARTNER: LDA Subotica PARTNERS: E-portal local media associate DURATION: June 2017 – February 2018

The project is aimed at monitoring the effects of public administration reform at the local level. Its objective is to contribute to the improvement of the principles of accountability in the field of exercising the right to access information of public importance. Project activities include educational seminars, research work, publication of analytical texts and promotion of good practice and preparation of publications on local practice in five municipalities in Vojvodina region: Subotica, Backa Topola, Ruma, Sombor and Kanjiza.

Project is designed as a consistent and inter-related set of activities jointly implemented by the applicant and local media outlet, comprising: awareness raising, survey and report making of local practice in implementation of the right to access to public information, reporting and evidence based advocacy activities in order to achieve the following results: 1) Enhanced CSOs skills and competencies in monitoring and advocacy actions for consistent enactment and application of the right to access to public information; 2) Established co-operation platform between grass-root CSOs and local investigative media in monitoring performances of LSGUs;3) Reinforced role of CSOs awareness raising and information activities in support to promotion of public participation and consultation with stakeholders; 4) Increased number of collaborative CSOs and local media actions in promoting the role of local self-government in EU accession process.

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• Vojvodina Initiative for EU - Open Society Fund

LEAD PARTNER: Centre for Regionalism PARTNERS: LDA Subotica and 7 NGOs from Vojvodina region DURATION: August 2016 – August 2017, continuation project August 2017 – July 2018

LDA Subotica is the founding member of CSO platform Vojvodina Initiative for EU. Its general aim is strengthening and increasing the role of civil society and citizens in the negotiation process for the accession of Serbia to the EU. With the support of the Open Society Foundation and TACSO Program for Civil Society, Vojvodina Initiative for EU is implementing its first concrete activities in accordance with the main goals and mission of the network.

The activities in 2016 and 2017 are: 1) empowering civil society organizations at the provincial level to actively participate in decision-making processes in relation to the reforms needed in the process of Serbia's EU accession; 2) establishing a mechanism for the exchange of information with stakeholders in relation to section 10, 11, 12, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 Chapters; 3) timely informing citizens about the accession process and the benefits and obligations that derive from it; 4) establishing a mechanism for continuous dialogue and exchange of information with government institutions in the context of the negotiation process; 5) civil monitoring and evaluation of policies and reforms carried out by the provincial authorities in the process of Serbia's accession to EU. LDA Subotica is the coordinator of the working groups for Chapter 19 – Social policy and employment, 20 – Industrial policy and entrepreneurship and 22 – Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments.

The network has over 30 NGO members while the number of interested organizations for membership is continuously increasing, bearing in mind the need for greater involvement of civil society in the process of public consultation in the preparation, development and implementation of action plans for chapters.

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• Every Button Counts - Europe for Citizens Programme, European Remembrance

LEAD PARTNER: 6 million + Charitable Trust, UK PARTNERS: LDA Subotica with partners from Italy and Poland DURATION: January 2017 – March 2018

Every Button Counts is an EU funded project that invites partners from England, Poland, Serbia and Italy to come together to look at the connections between the stories of the Holocaust and those of contemporary refugees in four cities.

Over an eighteen month period, the project is challenging participants and audiences to consider whether we do enough to prevent genocide, nationally and internationally. It is encouraging creative, collaborative responses to the refugee crisis in Europe, which are being shared at public events. At the conclusion of the project, reflections and outcomes will be shared with a wider European audience in the form of an online resource “Every person counts”.

The project’s four partner organizations are working together to research and reflect on the histories and stories of people persecuted during the Holocaust and in subsequent genocides.

Participants are encouraged to make a direct connection with events worldwide and to examine responses to the current refugee crisis. Groups are invited to promote compassion and understanding for refugees in EU countries, dispel myths, challenge prejudices and increase understanding and respect for one another as EU citizens.

The aims of the project are to develop: • a deeper understanding of the refugee crisis in Europe and its connection to the past • a willingness to show compassion to the ostracised and take action to help them • increased understanding and fellowship between four European cities • friendship between cultural groups within and outside of their own cities • a heightened sense of confidence and enthusiasm from participants to engage in decision making processes, nationally and internationally The ultimate aim is to share past and present stories from individuals in each country and share experiences with a wider audience using theatre, writing, music, art and film.

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Subotica – European Intercultural City - Provincial Secretariat for Inter-regional Cooperation and Local-Self Government, Government of Vojvodina

LEAD PARTNER: LDA Subotica PARTNERS: City of Subotica DURATION: December 2017 – March 2018

The overall objective of the project is to promote the role of local governments and civil society organizations in AP Vojvodina as key actors in the EU integration process and the effective implementation of the reform measures envisaged in most negotiation chapters.

The project is designed as a set of combined activities aimed at encouraging proactive engagement of local authorities and City administration Subotica in the European Network of Intercultural Cities (https://www.coe.int/en/web/interculturalcities ) as well as to encourage communication and cooperation between local self-government and civil society organizations to strengthen cross-sectoral partnerships aimed at improving public consultation practices in defining local sectoral public policies, including the culture development strategy. The proposed activities are focused on strengthening the capacities of the local government for the preparation of EU projects, especially in the field of culture, exchange of experiences with members of the European Network of Intercultural Cities, with the aim of increased active participation of Subotica in the preparation and realization of numerous project activities of this network, which from the initial 10 founder cities (including Subotica), today has over 90 members active in the preparation of joint projects of the Council of Europe and the European Commission.

The project contributes to the promotion and enhanced visibility of the achieved results of the City of Subotica in the implementation of EU projects, but at the same time encourages the effective functioning of the mechanism for cooperation and dialogue (Network for Development).

In the long term, the project aims to promote the concept of the "Good Local Government Community" in cooperation and partnerships within the European network of Intercultural Cities, as well as the promotion of the city of Subotica and AP Vojvodina in the institutions of the European Union.

• Marking the Day of Europe in Subotica LEAD PARTNER: LDA Subotica PARTNERS: City of Subotica, Delegation of EU in Serbia DURATION: April - May 2017

Marking the Day of Europe, with the aim of raising awareness of citizens, in particular youth about the EU values and possibilities that the EU promotes. The programme included an information campaign and activity on the main square in Subotica.

Informative promotional publications of the EU Information Centre of the EU Delegation in Serbia, were disseminated at the exhibition, with the purpose to increase the awareness of citizens about the EU, its member states and institutions.

Through this traditional event in which the main objective is sharing the knowledge about Europe and European values among the citizens, LDA Subotica, Delegation of the EU in Serbia, and the City administration had the opportunity to once again work together for a common goal.

Furthermore, the exhibition gathered interested citizens, motivated to discover something new about the EU during this Europe Day promotional activity.

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Practice solidarity and shape Europe - Europe for Citizens Programme, Civil Society Projects LEAD PARTNER: European House, Budapest PARTNERS: LDA Subotica and 9 partner organisations from EU MS countries DURATION: August 2017 - January 2019

The aim of the project is to bring relevant EU related issues closer to the citizens, discussing proposals that foster European citizenship, solidarity and dialogue.

Topics to be tackled are European Solidarity Corps, Commission's White Paper on the future of Europe, 2017 European Citizenship Report, 2019 European Parliamentary elections and others related to civil dialogue and EU policy making.

• Local governments, civil society organizations and media for accountable public finances – Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence

LEAD PARTNER: Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence PARTNERS: LDA Subotica as local partner associate together with 15 NGOs from Serbia 124

DURATION: January 2017 - December 2017

The project activities focused on encouraging greater involvement of citizens in the planning, execution and control of the local budget, through the cooperation of local civil society organizations and the media, and through learning from examples of good practices in this field.

LDA Subotica was working with the Municipality of Ruma, in analyzing and promoting their existing mechanism of participatory budgeting as an excellent local practice of citizen participation in decision making processes.

One of the results of the project is a study “Roadmap through Serbia – towards more responsible public finances through the involvement of citizens”. This publication provides a brief overview of the experiences gained from the project, but it also provides a guidance to encourage the involvement of citizens and civil society in public finance processes at the local level. The authors highlight the steps and the most important phases of this process, each of which is illustrated by examples of good practice from 15 cities and municipalities in Serbia. As such, this “Roadmap” is intended for all local governments that want to consider strategies for improving public finances in cooperation with the civil sector.

• Public Administration Reform – Membership in National Working Groups PARTNERS: Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self Government, Serbian Government Office for Cooperation with Civil Society, European Policy Centre

Since 2017 LDA Subotica is member of: *Special Working Group for the preparation of the Action Plan for the implementation of the Public Administration Reform Strategy for the period 2018-2020 which is coordinated by the Office for Cooperation with Civil Society, in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government. *National working group for Public Administration Reform within the WeBER Platform

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LDA TUNISIA

Delegate:

• Afaf ZADDEM

Established:

• 2017

The Kairouan Local Democracy agency was founded on the 19th October 2017. It is the first agency that was inaugurated in the Mediterranean region and, more specifically, in the Arab world. It has been establish in the historical city of Kairouan, centre of Tunisia.

The Kairouan LDA has been registered locally as a non-profit and non-governmental organisation according to the Tunisian legislation.

Its mission consists in promoting the local governance in order to sensitize the citizens on the participative democracy and on the importance of the civil society within the political decisionmaking process.

Partners:

• • • • •

City of Kairouan (Tunisia) City of Strasbourg (France) Region of Sardinia (Italy) Fons Mallorquí de Solidaritat i Cooperació (Spain) Auxilia (Italy)

Priorities: •

•

Support the participative processes within the decision making process at local level, help the local authorities to operate in an open manner and encourage them to take into account the needs of citizens; Expand the opportunities, improve the skills and capacities of civil society to engage the dialogue, encourage the communication with local authorities; 126

•

•

Strengthen the knowledge and the capacity of citizens in their level of involvement within the decision process, encourage citizens to have the will to exercise their rights and the capacity of taking their grievances to local authorities; Reinforce the existing twinning collaborations or promote new connections between municipalities and others local and regional authorities in Tunisi

Projects in 2017:

• Support to the Kairouan city urban mobility project:

Thanks to a partnership between ALDA, the city of Strasbourg and CODATU, a project was set up, entitled “Sustainable and shared urban mobility in Kairouan 2016-2017, programming mission of a development ‘Ephemeral and/or transitory’”.

Within this framework, the Kairouan DLA, with its project partners, has organized citizens workshops that led to applicable ideas in the Kairouan urban landscape (ex: to reopen the Aghlabides basin park in order to create a link pedestrians / bicycles Nord-South, to place bicycle paths in the city, etc.).

• Support to the PARFAIT project (Participation of Women in the Progress and Innovation of Tunisia):

The DLA makes the liaison with the beneficiaries of the PARFAIT project and ensures that the communication is fluid and clear between the project partners. It acts as a focal point between the PARFAIT project and ALDA.

The conduct of the PARFAIT project, in partnership with the Coalition and ALDA – 4 sessions of formations have already undertaken in order to form the women targeted by the project.

(To be part of the steering committee, to support logistically the formations in Kairouan, followed of the women presence and their engagement during the formations).

• Networking ativities:

Job Shadowing in the Subotica LDA, Serbia, at the end of December 2017 Participation organized by the LADDER project for a knowledge and experience exchange on the work and the development of a LDA. 127

The Kairouan DLA, being the youngest agency created, has been enriched by the expertise of a former LDA, such as Subotica.

• Local network development:

To build links with local actors who work in education, youth or cultural areas, in order to promote the importance of the young citizens participation and engagement within the society. Meetings and potential partnerships with the following institutions:

- ISET of Kairouan, the Higher Institute of Technological Studies - The Dramaturgy Centre of Kairouan - To make the LDA known by students of the Master in Mediterranean Studies at the International Centre of European Formation.

• Meetings with Technical and Financial partners: Meetings in order to make the LDA mission known and to identify the avenues for collaboration with the PTF linked to these ones

- Meeting with some representatives of the French Development Agency as part of a call for projects to which the LDA is associated.

- Participation to an information day organized by USAID on a grant program (TADAEEM), intended to the civil society in the region. Meeting with the USAID representatives and possibility to apply for the call for projects with TADAEEM/USAID.

The LDA, in the framework of its support mission to the local governance is presently focused on the electoral process and the municipal elections that will take place in May 2018. The PARFAIT project, as being a starting point in the development of the candidates’ capacities, targets the consolidation of a core of engaged citizens women, playing an effective role in their municipalities, and who can be vectors of change within their communities.

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LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY ZAVIDOVIĆI

Delegate: Slađan Ilić

Established: in 1997

Partners: Associazione per l'Ambasciata della Democrazia Locale a Zavidovici Onlus – Impresa Sociale (Lead partner), Municipality of Zavidovici (Host city), Comune di Alba - Uffico Pace, Comune di Roncadelle, Coordinamento enti locali per la pace Provincia di Cremona, Associazione “Strani Vari” Alba, UISP Brescia/Cremona

Priorities: § Strengthening its activities in the key sectors Youth policies, Social Welfare and Sustainable Economic Development § Increasing the net of local actors involved, promoting their role, animating and supporting them through LDA’s partner network § Enlarging the relationship with local and international NGOs, institutions and authorities § Supporting local NGOs, active in the social and educative field to become more sustainable

v Projects in 2017

• Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue

LEAD PARTNER: ALDA - European Association for Local Democracy PARTNERS: LDA Montenegro, LDA Mostar, LDA Zavidovici, LDA Prijedor, LDA Central Serbia, LDA Subotica, LDA Kosovo, ALDA Skopje

DONOR: European Commission, Civil Society Facility, Operating Grants to IPA CSO Associations - Support to regional thematic associations DURATION: Multiannual project, since January 2015

PURPOSES: From January 2015 ALDA and the Balkan LDAs started the implementation of the Operational grant – Balkan regional platform for youth participation and dialogue, a platform through which the Balkan network for local democracy was established. It is composed by organisations and local governments that will contribute in structuring regional thematic 129

cooperation and coordination between civil society and public authorities from the targeted countries. The aim is to improve environment for youth activism and participation, in particular of young people with fewer opportunities.

ACTIVITIES: Through the progress of the project a series of conferences, trainings, exchanges, workshops and meetings were held in five targeted countries from the region, through the following main components of activities: - Network coordination and management of activities - Network capacity building - Awareness raising and visibility actions - Exchange of good practice among the region countries - Research and analysis

•

Sigurno Mjesto: Services and Activities for Women

LEAD PARTNER: LDA Zavidovici PARTNERS: Association “Sigurno mjesto” Zavidovici

DONORS: Municipality of Alba (Italy) DURATION: Multiannual project, since 2011

PURPOSES: The main purpose of this initiative is to strengthening the local Association “Sigurno mjesto” Zavidovici, which has grown from a local network for the prevention of domestic violence, and the provision of direct services to support victims of domestic violence, continued training of local subjects on specific forms of assistance, promotion of local protocol on the procedure in cases of domestic violence and exchange of experiences between the Italian and Bosnian entities.

In 2016 the Association worked on the empowerment of women trough different services and activities for women.

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ACTIVITIES: - Workshops for pregnant women; - Workshops on domestic violence with high school students; - Workshops on domestic violence with women in rural area; - Public debate on domestic violence; - Meeting and support groups for economical empowering of women; - Support desk, reception and tutoring; - Promotional activities and marking of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

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Strani Vari – summer centres for children

LEAD PARTNER:LDA Zavidovici PARTNERS: Associazione Strani Vari (Italy), elementary schools from Zavidovici, Association Sigurno Mjesto

DONORS: Associazione Strani Vari (Italy) DURATION: Multiannual, since 2003 PURPOSES: To support creative expression and imagination of children; Awareness raising of children on different themes; Indirect involvement of family and citizens; To support the joint efforts of Bosnian and Italian animators; Expanding the form of participation of civil society organizations, strengthen joint activities of social significance; Promotion of the Association and voluntarism, and creating useful relations between the actors involved.

ACTIVITIES: This year edition of Strani Vari Project was carried out from 24th July to 4th August 2017 in the Municipality of Zavidovici. In the summer activities, educative workshops and leisure time for children, participated some 300 kids from two primary schools (first and second elementary school Zavidovici) and in five schools in rural areas (Gostović, Hajderovići, Kovaci, Brezik). Around 30 Bosnian youth from Zavidovici and 20 young Italians from Alba were included as animators.

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Ludobus - Activities for children in rural areas

LEAD PARTNER: LDA Zavidovici PARTNERS: Association Ceker, schools from Zavidovici area DONORS: Ass. ADL Zavidovici, Associazione Mimi DURATION: Continuous, since 2006 PURPOSES: “Ludobus" is a service that offers recreational, cultural, educational, sport and creative activities for children in parks, schools, streets and green areas of the city and villages. Activities are implemented by young people with the assistance of teachers.“Ludobus” is a mobile playroom that has a great ability to gather, attracts and animate children through the game as a basis to socialize and acquire new experiences. “Ludobus” with its simplicity can be involved in various programs (school and extracurricular) and events in the city and beyond. LDA Zavidovici is actively involved in the development of non-formal education and creativity for children through fun and educational workshops with “Ludobus”. In the previous period, “Ludobus" visited almost all schools in rural Zavidovici and the activities involved a large number of children.

ACTIVITIES: Activities involved some 350 children from schools in rural area, by giving them an opportunity to play and learn with educators. Also our volunteers realized some workshops during the cultural and entertainment events in the city as during manifestation "Summer in the City" and "Festival of Children's Theatre".

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Welfare Youth Development

LEAD PARTNER: Comune di Monfalocne PARTNERS: LDA Zavidovici, LDA Montengro, Municipality of Subotica, Comunità Nazionale Italiana del Montenegro, Opera don Orione Elbasan DONORS: FVG DURATION: 2017-2018

The project aims to intervene in the field of social and educational inclusion of young people in the area of Balkans in order to build up a network of experiences that can represent a reference to be disseminated in the entire area involved in the ongoing reform processes from both a legislative and an organizational point of view. LDA Zavidovici is part of activities regarding development and access to aggregation services for children residing in peripheral, rural areas and living a situation of marginalization and lack of resources trough enhancement of aggregation services and development of the "Ludobus" initiative for children and teenagers residing in rural areas.

•

Zavidovići town in the XX century. Past and modern transition

LEAD PARTNER: LDA Zavidovici DURATION: 2017 PURPOSES: Realize a cycle of activities and meetings about Zavidovici town in the XX century

ACTIVITIES: - Workshops on local history with students - Web site to collect articles about local history - Witnesses to the small town history – video interviews implemented by young people.

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Twining Zavidovici - Roncadelle

LEAD PARTNER: LDA Zavidovici PARTNERS: Municipality of Zavidovici, Female volleyball club Zavidovići, Municipality of Roncadelle, Centro sportive commune di Roncadelle DONORS: Comune di Roncadelle 134

DURATION: Multiannual, since 2008

PURPOSES: To improve cooperation between Italian and BiH subjects, in the frame of the twinning agreement between municipalities Zavidovici and Roncadelle (Italy)

ACTIVITIES:

Celebration 10 years of twining

Ten years have passed since the twinning of the Zavidovići municipality with the municipality of Roncadelle. On this occasion Zavidovici visited a delegation from the Italian city represented by the municipal administration, institutions, associations and volunteer groups.

The twinning agreement with the Italian municipality of Roncadelle from the Province of Brescia was signed in Zavidovići on April 21, 2007, with the intention to increase ties and cooperation between communities in the cultural, social, economic, recreational and sports field promoting the culture of peace and international cooperation as a means of achieving concrete solidarity between communities.

On October 6, 2017, in the Zavidovići Cultural Center, two mayors, Hašim Mujanović and Damiano Spada, with their signatures confirmed a twinning agreement aimed at strengthening friendship and cooperation between citizens from Roncadelle and Zavidovići.

Donation of ambulance vehicle to Zavidovici

In order to improve health services to population of Zavidovici, voluntary organization from Italy, Soccorso ambulanza Roncadelle-Castelmella, donated ambulance vehicle to Dom Zdravlja Zavidovići

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Sport exchanges

LDA Zavidovici organised and supported the participation of Women’s Volleyball Club “Zavidovici” in a volleyball tournament "Memorial Alessandra Navoni 2017" in Roncadelle in December 2017. Delegation from Zavidovici met with local authorities of Roncadelle and Cremona in order to confirm long term friendship established between our towns.

• Vivicittá – sport events for peace and solidarity

LEAD PARTNER: LDA Zavidovici PARTNERS: UISP Cremona, Municipality of Zavidovici, Association of Zavidovici sport teachers, Basketball Club “Krivaja”, Female Volleyball Club from Zavidovici, I.I.S. “Torriani” Cremona, Association Sigurno Mjesto

DONORS: UISP, LDA Zavidovici DURATION: Multiannual, since 1998

PURPOSES: The international sport event, whose general sponsor is the UISP - Unione Italiana Sport per tutti, takes place in many cities around the world, and also in Zavidovići since 1998. The aim is to promote peace, solidarity and friendship.

ACTIVITIES: “Vivicitta’ 2017” was held in Zavidovici on April 16th 2017. The sports event was organized by Association of Zavidovici sport teachers, in collaboration with the Municipality of Zavidovići and UISP Brescia and Cremona. Hundreds of athletes from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy participated in the race. As a part of this sports event, there were also, traditionally, a female volleyball tournament and male basketball tournament.

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• Stand Art For Your Rights LEAD PARTNER: Associazione Strani Vari Alba PARTNERS: LDA Zavidovici

DONORS: Ersmus+ DURATION: 2017

The project aims is to support the creativity of the young people, to promote exchange between different culture, make participants reflect on their responsibilities as citizens, and to stimulate the local and international volunteering, to promote the knowledge about the role of Europe Union and to support a process of long term commitment. The project wants also to raise awareness about active citizenship and to spread a culture of peace, in order to develop a positive effect in the country participants are from.

The activities offered during the exchange are diversified and include animation workshops with children in schools, activities of reflection on the theme of Human Rights, equality and peaceful coexistence, and the possibility for participants to experiment and learn forms of artistic expression including theater, juggling, writing, photography and video-maker.

The exchange represent therefore a path of growth and an opportunity to learn new branch of knowledge that can be usefull also in finding a job, and to make them aware about the youth mobility projects in Europe, which offers important opportunities for training and develop personal and working skills.

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Development of family gardens in the Municipality of Zavidovići in Bosnia Herzegovina

LEAD PARTNER: LDA Zavidovici PARTNERS: Association Sigurno mjesto DONORS: Fondazione Intesa Sanpaolo DURATION: 2017 PURPOSES: Assistance to women engaged in agriculture on a small scale in order to increase production and product quality covering own needs for food.

ACTIVITIES: - Training – educational lectures with agronomist: a) meetings on specific themes organized in four sessions: - Cultivation and conservation of red fruits; - Fruit tree cultivation; - Cultivation of seasonal vegetables; - Wheat and cultivation of corn for self-consumption b) visits of the participant’s gardens for a shared "fieldwork" - Creation of information materials related to the work of the gardens to be undertaken during the year.

- Purchase of seeds, small tools, fertilizers, according to the specific needs of each participant.

- Support to farmers for greenhouse production

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“Culture of Peace” - Coalition of associations in Zavidovici

LEAD PARTNER: Coalition”Kultura mira” PARTNERS: Several local associations

DONORS: OSCE DURATION: continuous

PURPOSES: Prevention of incidents motivated by prejudices ACTIVITIES: LDA Zavidovici is a member of the Coalition for prevention of incidents motivated by prejudices „KULTURA MIRA – CULTURE OF PEACE“, that was formed at the beginning of 2014 in Zavidovici. The local Coalition is part of wider national network SuperCitizens with participation of representatives of civil society, local communities and individuals working on the prevention of incidents and crimes of hate and contributing to the process of reconciliation.

SuperCitizens come together in a coalition to combat hate, basing its unique work on the premise that real change begins at the local level.

In 2017 we organized: - Marking the International Day of Monuments and sites - Marking the International Day of Remembrance to the Roma Holocaust victims - Round table "Sport, Inclusion, Integration and Tolerance" on the occasion of the International Day of Tolerance - Condemnation of incidents motivated by hate and prejudice

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• Balkan Kaleidoscope

LEAD PARTNER: LDA Subotica PARTNERS: LDA Subotica, Serbia - Leading partner; ALDA – European Association for Local Democracy, France; LDA Knjazevac, Serbia; LDA Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina; LDA Zavidovici, Bosnia and Herzegovina; LDA Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina; KulturLife, Germany; Institute for National History of Macedonia, Macedonia, Centre for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights, Croatia; Municipality of Ravenna, Italy; SPES – Centro di Servizio per il Volontariato del Lazio, Italy; Sombor Education Centre, Serbia; Znanstvenorazikovalni Center Slovenske Akademije Znanosti in Umetnosti, Slovenia

DONORS: Europe for Citizens Programme, European Remembrance strand DURATION: 2017-2018 PURPOSES: The project brings attention to importance and value of oral history and multiperspectivity in historic narrative. The project aims at promoting among young people a deeper understanding of Europe’s shared history, common values and at developing respect, tolerance and appreciation of European diversity on the background of remembrance of Yugoslav Wars and their consequences for contemporary Europe and its society, as well as its importance as a milestone in European integration efforts.

During 2017 first international event took place in Osijek, Croatia - Training for teachers on multiperspectivity in History teaching. Total of 22 teachers were familiarised about the project, its objectives, time frame and methodology applied, participated in the training and enlarged their knowledge in the areas of: Multiperspectivity in teaching history; Importance of oral history, personal narratives; Participative / interactive methods suitable for history classes.

These teachers also exchanged local teaching practices/methodologies, and set base for cooperation. Following aforementioned training, 15 local pilot training modules were created and will be implemented during 2018. in project partners’ communities.

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LDA Zavidovici celebrated its 20th anniversary

In June 2017, the Local Democracy Agency Zavidovići in Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrated its 20th anniversary by gathering local authorities, citizens, as well as partners and friends from Italy. Over the past twenty years, mutual relations have been intertwined and long-term cooperation between our territories has been established, numerous projects, exchanges and activities of various types have been realized in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy and other European countries.

On this occasion, several events were organized in Zavidovići such as Conference "Cooperation and Migration", presentation of the activity "Zavidovići XX century" - Thinking about the industrial past of the city in order to understand the transformation and the present, thematic workshops on reflections on needs and problems, proposals and strategies for the future.

A Memorandum of Understanding renewing the cooperation among the city of Zavidovići, the LDA Zavidovići, and the Embassy for LDA in Zavidovići was signed, thus marking a particularly rooted cooperation, and designing its future.

Projects in 2017:

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LDA ALBANIA, Vlora

Lead partner: Metropolitan City of Bari, Italy

The Local Democracy Agency Albania was established in 2008 in Shkodra, and its work ended in 2014. The LDA is now back in action after being relocated and re-established in Vlora, in the south of the country, in 2015. The LDA intends to be a cornerstone to strengthen the local democracy and to accelerate Albania’s path towards the European Union.

The LDA’s thematic priorities are:

• Strengthening cross-border and regional cooperation • Supporting capacity building for local authorities and civil society associations • Supporting citizens’ participation • Supporting European Union integration.

The LDA was suspended in 2017, and work is in progress to make it operational in 2018.

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ALDA OPERATIONAL PARTNERS

ALDA OPERATIONAL PARTNER OSIJEK (LDA OSIJEK)

Delegate:

• Miljenko Turniski

Established:

• 1993

Partners:

• • • •

City of Lausanne, Switzerland (Lead partner) City of Osijek,Croatia (Host city) Erdut Municipality, Croatia Municipality Montenero Di Bisaccia, Italy

Priorities:

• • •

Democratic governance and active European citizenship Social inclusion and intercultural dialogue Local Sustainable Development

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Projects in 2017:

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A.R.C.-ACTIVATE! RECYCLE! CREATE!

Donor: City of Osijek, Vodovod- Osijek d.o.o (Osijek Water Supply Company) Duration of the project: May 2017 – October 2017 Main objective: - to sensitize young people for the environment.

- to raise awareness of children and young people about the importance of recycling and practical ways of implementing it.

- to encourage creativity of children and young people.

- to encourage entrepreneurial learning through practical work.

Activities: • • • •

creative module of recycling of textile creative module of recycling of wood/rubber creative module of recycling of plastic cultivating and creating of public outdoor space for young people in the local community of Tenja • fair and exhibition of works • evaluation • reporting Achievements: this project has contributed to raising of children’s and young people’s awareness of awareness about the importance of recycling and practical possibilities of implementing it, contributing so to stimulation of their creativity, entrepreneurial skills and diversity of free time activities.

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WORK ON PERMCULTURE FARM

Donor: French – German Youth Office Duration: January – October 2017 Main objective: -to sensitize young people to other European cultures, enable them to live and understand those cultures -to enable young people to learn to cooperate -to foster linguistic learning -to enable young people to contribute to work on permaculture farm and meet biodiversity Activities: - consultations with project partners and youth exchange leaders -publishing of call for participation for young people from Croatia -selection of participants -preparation meeting of youth exchange leaders, Osijek, Croatia, France, 8 -organisation of the interpreting in Croatian language -preparation of linguistic animations -preparation of the travel th rd -international youth exchange, Permahof, Germany, 13 -23 July 2017 -evaluation

th

– 11

th

April 2017

-reporting Main achievements: 8 young persons from Croatia spent 10 days on permaculture farm “Permahof” in Germany and contributed to developing of the infrastructure for eco-tourism and learned to be eco-friendly.

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Dignity World

Donor: EC, Erasmus + Programme, Strategic Partnership Duration: May 2017 – June 2018 Role: Partner Other partners: Other partners: With the Power of Humanity, Pecs, Hungary – beneficiary Attiva Mente, Modica, Italy – partner Cazalla, Lorca, Spain – partner Seiklejate Vennaskond, Estonia – partner.

ACTIVITIES: -kick off conference, Pecs, June 2017 -seminar on game developing, Pecs, September 2017 -needs analysis among young people in Croatia, Hungary, Spain, Italy and Estonia

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YOUTH INFORMATION CENTRE INFO FORA

Donor: Ministry for Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy, Croatia City of Osijek, Croatia Duration: November 2016 – October 2018 146

Activities: -equipping of the Youth Information Centre in Tenja -employment of a young person as the Youth Information Centre leader -Creation of visual identity of the Youth information Centre INFO FORA -Launching of the youth information news portal www.icm-fora.info -Providing of informative material for the Youth Information Centre INFO FORA -Establishing of contacts with project associates (school in Tenja, Municipalities of Antunovac and Šodolovci, Town of Osijek (city districts of Tenja, Klisa, Sarvaš). Activities in 2017: • promotion of the youth information centre among young people

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INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Donor: National Foundation for Development of Civil Society Duration: January – December 2017

OTHER ACTIVITIES IN 2017 •

Peacebuilding School Award

During 2017 the association cooperated with the Centre for Peace, Non-Violence and Human Right and Mediation Centre MWorld from Osijek in implementation of a study visit which was awarded as a recognition for their peacebuilding activities to the Primary School Ivana Gorana Kovačića from Vrbosko, Croatia. It was the second time that the award was given to a category of peacebuilding school.

This award recognizes and supports schools that contribute to society through non-violent methods of making progress toward solidarity, fair, peaceful and peacebuilding community. In 147

addition to the general and specific vocational training, the schools nominated implement the elements of peace and civic education, and develop procedures and structures for the prevention of violence and peaceful conflict resolution and encourage and support the engagement of their students to the needs of the school and the local community.

Part of the study visit organized for the school from Vrbosko was also the seminar titled “Peace is in our Hands” which gathered also other nominated schools from the city of Osijek and the region.

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The Osijek Days of Bioethics

th th On 7 and 8 November 2017, Josip Juraj Strossmayer's Integrative Bioethics Center in Osijek and the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer and its Department of Philosophy and History - in collaboration with the Scientific Centre for Excellence for Integrative Bioethics, Croatian Bioethics Society - this year organized the Osijek Days Bioethics, with the intention of becoming a regular annual gathering of scientists and of scientists, journalists and journalists, and activists and activists dealing with bioethical issues, primarily from Croatia and neighbouring countries as well as from other European and world countries.

The specificity of this event was the linkage of bioethics to environmental issues, agriculture, economics and politics, education and media. For 2 days, 28 papers were presented by more than 30 scientists, journalists and activists dealing with bioethical issues from Canada, India, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. The emphasis of the first day of bioethics in Osijek was on GMOs and the CETA trade agreement, which was ratified in June in the Croatian Parliament. Miljenko Turniški, director of Local Democracy Agency, as one of the speakers at this event talked about the importance of civic activism in Europe and Croatia in the context of international trade agreements.

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European Voluntary Service (EVS) accreditation

During 2017 Local Democracy Agency got accreditation for coordination, hosting and sending of young people to volunteer in other countries and participate in the European Voluntary Service Programme. This is a unique opportunity for young people under 30 to gain intercultural competences by working and living in another country for some time. This is the second time that the association holds the accreditation and we hope it will create new opportunities for both young people from Croatia who wold like to work and live abroad and for the local communities which would like to host young Europeans.

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International partner meeting, Penestin, France

th th This years’ partners’ meeting took place in Penestin (Brittany) in France from 14 to 17 October and gathered partners from Germany, France, Algeria, Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Belorussia, 148

Croatia, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Purpose of this event is to assemble and link different actors from the field of international and intercultural education, to evaluate projects funded by the German-French Youth Office and European funding programs and to create new ideas and projects for 2018. Branka Paškuljević Turniški participated at this event, presented Local Democracy Agency, evaluated last years’ projects and established some new international relations.

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ALDA OPERATIONAL PARTNER SISAK (LDA SISAK)

Delegate:

• Paula Raužan

Established:

• 1996

Partners:

• • • • • • • •

ALDA (Lead partner) Municipality of Sisak,Croatia (Host city) Municipality of Hrvatska Kostajnica, Croatia Municipality of Petrinja, Croatia Municipality of Kutina, Croatia Municipality of Dvor, Croatia NGO "Going to Europe", Modena, Italy International School for Peace Studies, Northern Ireland

Priorities:

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Fostering voluntarism and active citizenship Contribution to the local economic development Fostering local democracy and twinning Raising awareness about Human rights, gender issues

Projects in 2017:

• SPREAD II: Sustainable Partnership for REinforcement of Active Development

Lead partner: ALDA 150

Other partners: LDA Sisak, LDA Osijek, Lev Sapieha Foundation, Vitebsk Civic Association “SelfGovernment and Society”, Shegomedconsult, Mahiliou Youth Center Donor: European Commission, ENPI Program Timing: 1 July 2014-30 June 2017

Purpose: SPREAD II aims at contributing to the promotion of an inclusive and empowered society in Belarus, by strengthening civil society’s capacities to promote national reform and increase public accountability, and by supporting local authorities to reinforce governance and improve citizen’s access to public services. More specifically, SPREAD II seeks to improve the capacity of NSA (particularly those representing the poorest sections of the population, including marginalized and vulnerable groups that have limited access to social services) to effectively participate in enhancement of living standards in Belarus notably through development strategies and programmes.

Activities: The role of the LDA Sisak is transfer of Croatian experience, both national and local level, in self-government reform, rights on information and association, civil society work and support system to the civil society organisations. Moreover, to support local Belarusian partners during local activities implementation by counselling, informing and mentorship.

• Volunteer Centre Sisak

Lead partner: LDA Sisak Donor: Town of Sisak, Sisak-Moslavina County, own resources Timing: 1 January- 31 December 2017 Volunteers' Centre Sisak (VCS) is a local volunteer' centar operating within the LDA Sisak, intended for volunteers' programmes in Sisak area. VCS is working on community developing throughout volunteering, connecting people want to volunteer with institutions and organisations that need volunteers.

Moreover VCS: •

In cooperation with public institutions and non-governmental organisations creates and implements quality local programmes based on identify needs of the local community and potential programmes' users.

•

Recruits volunteers and keeping data in the database, provides their preparation if needed, organise education, supervision, monitoring, programme implementation evaluation, and secure legal volunteers' engagement.

•

Raises capacities of public institutions and nongovernmental organisations in order to set up unique quality and effective volunteers' management.

•

Promotes and develops volunteering as such, in cooperation with public institutions and non-governmental organisations and works on local volunteer' policy development and monitoring together with local authorities.

Dedicated web page of the Volunteer’ Centre Sisak offering all information regarding local volunteering, recruiting volunteers, legal framework and tools for efficient volunteer’ management.

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LDA Sisak coordinates the Town of Sisak Committee for Development of Volunteering that has following tasks:

• fosters volunteering in Sisak area by monitoring the local volunteering policy and recommending its changes • prepares annual report on voluntary programs’ implementation to Town of Sisak • specially dedicated to promotion of voluntarism and improvement of conditions for its acknowledgment and rewarding by recommending concrete measures to organisers of volunteering and the Town of Sisak • conducts process of the Annual volunteer’ prize awards • In charge for the Town of Sisak Strategy for volunteering development and the Action Plan and for monitoring its implementation and recommends its further changes and addendums

Poster of photo exhibition of Sisak voluntary programs 2017

Session of the Town of Sisak Committee for Development of Volunteering

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Voluntary activities’ organisers local network coordination meeting

• Sisak Volunteer' Network

Lead partner: LDA Sisak Other partners: Town of Sisak, Centre for Social Welfare Sisak Associates: Sisak Tourist Board, House of Culture "Cristal cube of serenity" Sisak Town Theatre Donor: Croatian Ministry of social policy and youth, Town of Sisak Timing: 1 August 2017 – 31 July 2017

The project is contributing to the development of volunteering and its impact to socio-economic development and social cohesion of Sisak by informing and providing opportunities for involvement into high quality community volunteer' programs to a wide range of citizens.

It will increase number of highly qualified people capable for quality volunteer' management, increase social recognition and awareness of volunteering as an instrument for socio-economical community development and number of citizens interested in volunteering and number of voluntary programs designed for vulnerable and marginalised groups.

The results will be accomplished throughout group of activities: 1. Development and capacity building of existing and future volunteering' organisers in Sisak area, 2. Institutional recognition of volunteering and citizens' awareness raising on benefits of volunteering and 3. Development and implementation of voluntary programs in Sisak area.

Success: 24 new certificated volunteer coordinators; awarded annual prizes for volunteers and for the first time, for coordinators of volunteers; opened the first photo exhibition of Sisak voluntary programs.

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Workshops in high school on volunteering

Awarded volunteers and volunteer’ coordinators in 2017

CSOs thematic platform “Forum for Equality”

Sisak Fair of CSOs and public institutions

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Coordinator: Croatian Legal Centre Members: LDA Sisak, Centre for civil initiatives Zagreb, Centre for peace, non-violence and human rights Osijek, Centre for Peace, Legal Advice and Psychosocial Assistance Vukovar, CESI – Centre for Education, Counselling and Research Zagreb, Society for Sustainable Development Design Zagreb, Muscular dystrophy society of Istria, HOMO-Association for protection of human rights and civil freedoms Pula, Croatian Anti-poverty network, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, LORI-Lesbian organisation Rijeka, Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia, Association for promoting inclusion Donor: Croatian National Foundation for Civil Society Development

Forum for Equality is one of the platforms established by the end of 2015 with intention for longlasting work, gathering 14 CSOs throughout Croatia. The platforms are new form of cooperation with civil society organisations, aiming to involve as diverse partnerships based on particular themes.

Forum for Equality grounds on the vision of society established on equality as a fundamental value of constitutional order of the Republic of Croatia. Every member of this society can use ones full potentials and contributes to joint wellbeing, a society in which diversity is strength, people are free to express their identities and every person refers with respect and appreciation. It is the vision of society that supports and protect individual and group rights, and joint interests defines by dialog and consensus.

Through its activities, Forum for Equality aims to influence processes related to achieving this society vision, primarily on making public aware of equality principle importance and its integration in public policies and legislative.

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Active youth for local development

Lead partner: LDA Sisak

Partners: Town of Sisak, Municipality of Lekenik, Municipality of Martinska Ves Associate: Radio Sisak Donor: Croatian Ministry of demography, family, youth and social policy Timing: 1 November 2016 – 31 December 2017

The project is contributing strengthening local communities for enabling active youth participation and raising youth life quality in Sisak, Lekenik and Martinska Ves.

Target groups: youth without previous experience in the topic, participants of a long-term education on activism and involved in self-organised local activities.

Expected results:

• Increased number of young people taking role of active citizens, with gained new competences for employment and

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• •

creating conditions for satisfying youth needs in their own communities, Increased number of young people capable for local planning and implementing activities that leads to solving local community problems, Increased local knowledge and information level regarding youth needs, potentials, opportunities and activities.

Youth active citizenship training

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RAISE – Raising the Advantages of Youth through Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship

Lead partner: Beyond Barriers Association (Albania) Partners: LDA Sisak (Croatia), Cet Platform (Serbia), Asociata D.G.T (Romania), Lens (Kosovo), Youth Communication Center (BIH), Youth Cultural Center Bitola (FYROM), Citizens in Action (Greece) Donor: EU, Erasmus + Program Timing: 1 August 2016 – 31 May 2018

The main aim of the project is to improve the employability and competences of young people in partner organization through youth work and non-formal educational methods. Project aims to develop youth workers entrepreneurship initiatives and innovation skills as well as foster a sense of responsibility and initiative in young people. Through the project, participants will build a network of organizations and projects developing innovation and social entrepreneurship.

Project activities: - Training of Trainers in entrepreneurship education and innovative tools - Youth exchange for young people to experience entrepreneurship education - Seminar for youth workers and entrepreneurship educators

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A Moment With Me – I am in because I am informed

Lead partner: Centre for Civic Initiatives Partners: LDA Sisak, Fair Society Alliance Donor: Croatian Ministry for demography, family, youth and social policy and Centre for Civic Initiatives Timing: 1 November 2016 - 31 October 2017

During 12 months in 4 Croatian towns, lead partner, Centre for Civil Initiatives and partners, Local Democracy Agency Sisak and Fair Society Alliance, will create and print legal guide for legal protection of elderly; organize 8 lectures on prevention and legal protection of elderly; organize 8 public forums on topics important for legal protection and integration of elderly in community life; organize 4 mini conferences for professional community on active ageing with examples of good practice in Croatia and abroad; film one educational and promotional movie for implementation of the media campaign throughout Croatia; start one voluntary program in every participating town and gather 40 long-term volunteers; organize 8 voluntary activities in 4 participating town aiming to integrate elderly in the community life, gathering a few hundred elderly people and their fellow citizens; organise monthly educational and creative workshops in which elderly will acquire new knowledge and skills with aim to prevent domestic and other violence; increase life quality of elderly who live in their own homes and prevent them from leaving the same.

By forming local 60+ Clubs, lead partner and other partners in this project will show that civil society organisations are able to successfully initiate and sustain protection and care program for their older citizens as a form of non-institutional service.

• Citizens’ Initiative in Upper and Lower Posavina

Lead partner: Citizens Initiative “Sisak My Town” Partner: LDA Sisak Donor: Croatian Ministry for demography, family, youth and social policy and Centre for Civic Initiatives Timing: 1 December 2016 – 30 June 2017

The project is dedicated to providing social services to elderly people in rural area near Sisak, alongside river Sava area (Posavina) by including citizens in voluntary programs.

• Edugaming Lead partner: The Youth Dialogue Program Partner: LDA Sisak Donor: EU, Erasmus + Program Timing: 1 January – 30 June 2017 157

The main goal of the project is to build capacities of youth organisation to contribute to a cohesive and active society, through developing specific competencies in designing educational games addressing social and global issues.

• What's the issue?, supported by the EU, Erasmus + Program

Lead partner: Croatian Employment Office, Regional Office Sisak Partners: LDA Sisak, PRONI Centre for social education, Sisak-Moslavina County, Osijek-Baranja County, Vukovar-Srijem County, Croatian Employment Office, Regional office Osijek and Local office Vukovar Donor: EU, Erasmus + Program Timing: 1 February 2017 - 31 January 2018

The project aims to motivate active youth participation in democratic life and labour market, addressing specifically: - increasing knowledge and skills of young people relevant to policy development processes by conducting training in youth policy development issues - enhancing dialogue between young people and decision-makers in the area of youth work and working with youth

• Life Experience – My Youth for an Active Ageing

Lead partner: Centre for Civic Initiatives Partners: LDA Sisak, Fair Society Alliance Donor: European Social Fund (Office for NGOs of the Republic of Croatia and National Foundation for Civil Society Development) Timing: 1 June 2017 - 31 May 2019

The project partners will contribute to the social and democratic reform in Croatia implementing innovative forms of youth volunteering and inter-generation solidarity in local communities by volunteering in health and social public institutions. We are planning to increase number of the volunteer' activity organisers - civil society organisations and educational facilities (6), children and youth, high school pupils in three Croatian towns and number of volunteers in project local communities (total 120 volunteers) which will gather 600 final beneficiaries in health and social public institutions. Training of the project leader, partners and public institutions' employees on voluntary management is part of the project, which will ensure multiplying the project results, considering that 12 employees will continue to develop voluntary programs in the future as well.

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Q25 – Strengthening Volunteering’ System in Rural Communities of the Central Croatia

Lead partner: Local Action Group (LAG) Vallis Colapis Partners: LDA Sisak, Association Carpe Diem, Red Cross Duga Resa, Home for elderly and dependence people "Sveti Antun" Donor: European Social Fund (Office for NGOs of the Republic of Croatia and National Foundation for Civil Society Development) Timing: 1 June 2017 - 31 May 2018

Contributing to socio-economic and democratic development in Karlovac, Zagreb and Sisak-Moslavina county area by improving social services volunteering system.

Specific objectives: Improving health and social services in Karlovac, Zagreb and SisakMoslavina county by CSOs and public institutions capacity building in efficient voluntary management.

Increasing number of quality and sustainable voluntary programs by developing voluntary support system in the field of health and social services in Karlovac, Zagreb and Sisak-Moslavina county.

The project will impact target groups in the long-term developing and/or improving existing volunteer' management systems at organisational level but at community level as well. Each involved CSOs/institution will build its own capacity considering that at least 20 of them will have trained staff for managing and coordinating volunteers. Overall, it contributes to local community social capacity fostering in two ways; increasing knowledge of the whole community members on values of volunteering for socio-economic local development and building the target groups' organisational capacities for volunteer' management by intensive mentorship support of the involved local volunteer' centres. Target groups' organisations will increase number of volunteers, while some of them will develop the whole volunteering internal system from the scratch. This will influence on number of people directly involved in their own local community development by volunteering in CSOs and health and social public institutions. It is very important for health and social public institutions that do not have system of including volunteers in their work, which this project is aiming to change.

• Volunteer’ School

Lead partner: Association Carpe Diem Partners: LDA Sisak, LAG Vallis Colapis, Slobodna škola- association for promoting democratic education, Primary school Grabrik, Gymnasium Karlovac Donor: European Social Fund (Office for NGOs of the Republic of Croatia and National Foundation for Civil Society Development) Timing: 1 June 2017 - 31 May 2019

Overall project objective: contribute to increasing social and economic growth and democratic development in Karlovac and 159

Sisak-Moslavina County by strengthening partnership of civil society organisations and educational facilities in the field of volunteering.

Specific project objective: Include quality volunteer' programs in school curriculum and stimulating volunteer education development in the area of Karlovac and Sisak-Moslavina County.

Project summary: Four civil society organisations will be educated for designing and implementing school volunteering programs and transfer new knowledge to representatives of nine schools within the project. Upon the training, schoolteachers will be mentored by the civil society organisations and develop volunteer' programs which will be integrated in the school' curriculums. Volunteer club will be organised in the each of the nine schools, a manual on school volunteering produced and system of volunteers' validation developed. Moreover, several public events will be organised, such as dedication of the International Volunteer' Day, Festival of Volunteering and voluntary actions within the national manifestation "Volunteer Croatia".

• On volunteering waves – an infrastructure for strong and connected communities

Lead partner: Volunteer Centre Zagreb Partners: LDA Sisak, Association IKS, ACT Group, Network of organisations Zagor, Home for elderly people ''Centre'' and the Croatian centre for volunteering development Donor: European Social Fund (Office for NGOs of the Republic of Croatia and National Foundation for Civil Society Development) Timing: 1 September 2017 – 30 November 2018

Overall objective: contribute to building society in which volunteerism is a moving strength of an active, responsible and human communities and that strongly contributes to social and economic development.

Specific objectives: 1) Ensure quality and sustainable support system to the volunteering organisers and to volunteers by strengthening volunteer centres in central Croatia region.

2) Increase number of public institutions and civil society organisations implementing qualityvolunteering programs aiming to improve services in the area of healthcare, welfare and other common interests’ area.

3) Contribute strengthening public awareness on benefits and values which volunteering gives to each individual, community and society in whole.

Project summary: Volunteer centres in Zagreb, Petrinja, Sisak, Zabok and Čakovec jointly ensure quality and sustainable support system to the volunteering organisers and volunteers in the central Croatia.

The project improves capacities of public institutions and civil society organisations for qualityvolunteering programs aiming to improve services in common interests’ area

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ALDA OPERATIONAL PARTNER VERTENEGLIO/BRTONIGLA (LDA VERTENEGLIO/BRTONIGLA)

Delegate:

• Umberto Ademollo

Established:

• 1996

Partners:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Municipality of Bellinzona, Switzerland (Lead partner) Municipality of Verteneglio/Brtonigla (Host city) Istria Region, Croatia Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region , Italy Province of Florence, Italy Municipality of Portogruaro, Italy Municipality of Ravenna, Italy Municipality of Greve in Chianti, Italy Municipality of Russi, Italy Municipality of Duino-Aurisina, Italy Province of Florence, Italy Association "Marevivo", Italy Association Circle of Culture Istria, Italy Association Causes Communes Switzerland

Priorities: • • • •

Supporting the development of local democracy Supporting the European integration of the Region Fostering cross-border cooperation Raising awareness on human rights, minority rights and youth active participation 161

Projects in 2017:

• Project Y.I.E.L.D. in Europe - Youth Ideas Empower Local Democracy in Europe (founded

by Erasmus + programme)

The long term volunteer project Youth Ideas Empower Local Democracy in Europe aims to add a set of new skills and knowledge to the participants’ profiles and improve the overall competitiveness of four young people from four different European countries. The project will introduce them to the local culture and traditions in the small northwest Croatian village of Brtonigla, where they will explore the theme of how the youth ideas empowering the local democratic process, how to raise their understanding and involvement in the process, how to promote encouraging public attitudes toward youth involvement in order to strengthen the quality of the local democratic process, the local social trust and develop sense of belonging, so important for developing an environment for long tern perspectives of the youth.

The traditional low youth interest and attention to the local politics and institutions as a tool to improve the local social environment, the higher regional unemployment, lack of development perspectives and planning of moving to larger urban centers is characteristic of many European regions and is a vicious circle of interdependent and persistent issues resulting in low trust, understanding and desire to get involved and try to influence through the system. The project aims to bring new perspective, more focus and knowledge on the topic from the youth perspective, discuss way to influence the environment, voice and address ideas and good practices from different countries.

The project will involve 4 volunteers from Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.M.) aged between 18 and 30.

During their service period, the four volunteers will gain new skills in the local languages, participate and collaborate with the local youth, community organizations and partners of LDA and will spread the values and culture of the Erasmus plus programme among their peers in Istria, as well in their home countries.

The period of eleven months will allow the local people to get to know better and learn more from and for other European cultures and their good practices in the topic field, while the volunteers will learn through engaging in various activities, learning new and strengthening various useful skills and enriching their knowledge that will make them more self-aware, competitive and motivated to continue their professional or educational path and play active role as young European citizens.

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Project „A.C.T.I.O.N! Acquisition of Competences to Improve Opportunities Now!“

The project “A.C.T.I.O.N! – Acquisition of Competences to Improve Opportunities Now!” aims to improve young people's entry into the labour market through integrated action such as improve their key competences and skills, with particular regard to their contribution to a cohesive society.

By taking part in the project activities volunteers will promote the participation in democratic life in Europe, active citizenship, intercultural dialogue, social inclusion and solidarity, in particular through the implementation of activities on local level.

Special moments during the project implementation will be dedicated to increase foreign language competences of the volunteers and to the promotion of the European Voluntary Service and the Erasmus+ programme among Croatian youth, especially those living and acting in rural/isolated areas. Furthermore, activities will be organised in order to promote multilingualism (as main characteristic of the Istria region, where LDA is located) and the learning of different foreign languages as is one of the cornerstones of the European project and a powerful symbol of the EU's aspiration to be united in diversity.

Through the implementation of the project, volunteers will be able to choose their activities, based on their interests and needs. They will be able to work in the LDA office and assist in the project preparation and organization, do general administrative work, prepare and organize activities for the promotion of Erasmus + programs and EVS. They will also have the opportunity to cooperate with local bodies and institutions such as the Municipality in Novigrad/Buje, the Italian and Croatian Elementary schools, High Schools, The Italian Communities in Buje, Brtonigla or Umag etc., and organize events for the promotion of EVS and Erasmus+ programs. The activities will take place during the week, not more than six hours per day.

By the end of the project the volunteers will have gained new language and professional skills, increased their intercultural knowledge, created international contacts and networks etc. This project is also targeted at the local youth in Istria as well as the general public, and it is expected that by its completion it will contribute greatly to the spreading of the awareness on European issues, programs and opportunities. It is also expected to develop the local capacities, develop international cooperation, thus assisting in the development at a local, national and international level.

• PROJECTS IN WHICH LDA WAS PARTNER, EVS „Bridge Over the Borders“

Description: The Social Cooperative Studio Progetto manages many interventions in favour of children and youngsters on various fields: information, education, social inclusion and active participation. It manages Youth Information Centres that works in the fields of youth information 163

and youngsters involvement in an active citizenship. It deals in particular with counselling on education, training and job, mobility abroad and youth participation in the activities. At the moment we manage four YICs: in Valdagno, Cornedo, Trissino and Arzignano. Since 2001 the Youth Information Office in Valdagno is part of the Eurodesk network.

Tasks: The volunteer will serve and do his/her activities mainly in the Youth Centre of Valdagno (Progetto Giovani Valdagno), but he/she will be involved also in activities of the other centres.

He/she will be involved in the following activities:

- Work with young people, public relation - front office - Work with students in high schools (meetings, infodesk during schooltime...) giving basic information about EVS and other opportunities (job, voluntarism, youth participation, etc.)

- Events organization - Improvement of participation and active citizenship projects - Updating of databases and statistics instruments - Supporting in the carring out of european project - to take part in the language conversation group - to open and keep a blog about EVS (in cooperation with the other EVS volunteers) - to participate in the meetings on the abroad mobility

• New Forms of European Citizenship in Migration Era

Project NECME aims at stimulating among civil society, in synergy with institutions involved in integration process, a more active role in promoting active citizenship of migrants, starting from the analysis of inclusion difficulties and of the role of human beings trafficking and its links with international organized crime.

Participants from 16 different countries will implement activities aimed to overcome xenophobic, intolerant and discriminating behaviours, by raising awareness on fundamental rights and difficulties faced by migrant citizens. This will be accompanied by a study on human beings trafficking led by criminal organizations.

6 activities are foreseen: 1. Analysis of different aspect of inclusion and of intercultural dimension of local citizenship; 2. Meetings with stakeholders dealing with intercultural inclusion policies and with countering human being trafficking; 3. a meeting at FRA Agency in Wien on human rights, intercultural citizenship, integration and on EU policies related to the subject; 4. Local dissemination in each involved country; 5. Evaluation phase with international meeting.

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Through the involvement of different stakeholders (teachers, representatives of associations and European agencies, administrators of public institutions, journalists, law enforcement, ...) and the adoption of different methodologies (meetings, debates, reflections, workshop), participants will be stimulated to act, as single citizens or as organised civil society, to facilitate migrant inclusion in European society.

Project will create synergies between civil society and public bodies, also by promoting the role of volunteering.

• HumanitYouth Campaign

The overall aim of the training course is to fight against xenophobia and arising racism towards immigrants, to change the negative feelings regarding to migration into positive approach based on understanding of the backgrounds of immigrants and the political and cultural based roots of fears and ignorance of the societies. To train youth workers, youth leaders how to invent offline and online campaigns with, for and by young people in order to support the integration of young people with immigrants’ background and fight for humanity and European values.

Learning objectives of the training course are: - To raise awareness on the reasons of ignoring, generating fears from immigrants, and becoming racists connected to immigration in the EU; - To gain experiences on developing and improving methods, tools and techniques in order to discover and accept cultural and religious diversity; - To clarify and define the meaning of stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination based on human rights education related with migration; - To enable young people, youth workers, teachers, social workers, psychologists, for recognising prejudgements, prejudices towards immigrants; - To identify and define the roots and origins of xenophobia and racism; - To develop critical way of thinking; - To ensure different ways of active participation of young people within local and international youth campaign against xenophobia and racism; - To raise awareness on universal human rights of immigrants; to fight against xenophobia and racism towards immigrants and to develop intercultural sensitiveness through web 2.0 as social media tools and through offline tools as street campaigning by street theatre, peer education, posters, flyers, humanitarian aid actions as supporting immigrants, etc.

• Lord of volunteers

The TC "Lord of volunteers" will focus mainly on the work with volunteers involved in organisations. We would like to support the development of volunteering, to emphasise the 165

quality of working with volunteers and to provide a space for sharing skills and knowledge in this field. The aims of this project are following: to motivate the volunteers to the high quality work with volunteers and to increase the competences of the participants in the field of work with volunteers. Participants of this project will have the opportunity to increase their competencies in the areas of motivating volunteers, selecting and coordinating volunteers' activities, and will gain insight into various types of volunteering. Last but not least we would like to promote the sharing of experiences and to create a space for networking in the international level in the field of volunteering.

• European Training in agriculture sector

The Lucca, Pisa, Pistoia, Livorno and Massa Carrara C.I.P.A. has been working in the last four years to renew and expand the number of new young members in order to promote generational change and fasten the access of young graduates into the world of work.

As the counseling profession carried out by young graduates agricultural technicians enrolled to Professions Registers allows to perform many activities as set out in Article 2 of Law 21 February 1991, n.

54. They promote that the skills acquired through ECVET will be recognized and identified in these three areas: -The management, administration and management of farms and livestock and companies processing and marketing of agricultural and livestock; -the estimates of field crops and trees and their products and the assessment of plant protection; -the design and the management and maintenance of parks and management and maintenance of gardens, also located in urban areas.

Each of these areas is linked, through the signing of the MOU and LA, a Professional Figure and reference Competence Units (CU) taken from the Tuscan professional figures Repertoire that through the National Memorandum of Understanding finally will be validated as an equivalent of practical training in the country and valid for professional practice. The objectives are to enhance participants’s understanding of the interconnections in the labor market and promote the modernization and international spread in future planning of their work.

Enhance the sense of initiative and entrepreneurship.

Strengthen the network of local and international partnership developing and capitalizing on experiences and results of the consolidated reports, including the local dissemination and promotion platform; strengthen the synergistic mechanism with partners to create innovative international training in line with European directive

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#Medialogue

The general aim is to initiate and strengthen personal and social processes of dealing with the past, which we see as necessary prerequisites for building sustainable peace and stability in these societies, i.e. Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Macedonia, Germany and Ukraine.

The specific goal of the project is to promote (mainly among young generations) the knowledge and awareness of the events that changed the map of Europe in 1990/1991 and their impact on today’s society. The selected countries were all deeply but different involved in the social, economic and political changes occurred in 1990/91. Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia were part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia till 1991 the year in which they proclaimed the independence from the Federation marked the beginning of a bloody war.

Each Country after the collapse of the Federation faced different social, economical and political challenges. For Slovenia it meant a quick disengagement from the Yugoslav crisis and a successful involvement in the European integration processes; for Croatia it was the begin of a long war that ended in 1995, leaving deep wounds in the society of the new independent country; for Macedonia it meant the beginning of a long political, social and economical transition which is still on-going. In the case of Ukraine it meant the proclamation of independence from the Soviet Union and the beginning of a period in which Kiev had to find a difficult balance between the political influences of Brussels and Moscow. In the case of Germany and Italy it meant a direct involvement in the unsuccessful attempts to find a peaceful solution to the Yugoslav crisis. For Italy there were at a local level in the eastern border regions hopes about a possible renegotiation of the ItalianYugoslav border, which was established with the “Osimo Agreement” in 1975. The ItalianSlovenian-Croatian border is a nationally mixed area. In fact, people belonging to these nationalities are living respectively in these States.

Thus, a great attention will be paid on the national minorities that played important roles in those period of transitions. At the same time, Germany was dealing with the process of formal reunification of the country. The process deeply influenced the EU politic, in fact there was a lot of “fears” from the other European partners about the role that the new reunited Germany will play in Europe. Thanks to the implementation of this project young people will have the chance to discuss the social, economic and political changes occurred in 1991. The transnational approach give them a larger perspective, overcome the national narrations and stereotypes with the aim to understand the importance of dealing with the past in order to have achieve a long term peaceful and sustainable society. In addition, thanks to dissemination of the project’s activities and results such importance values, in particular the need of reconciliation among different national/ethnic groups and states, will be spread among a wider audience.

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PROMOTION ON TERRITORY

Promotion of Erasmus+ in italian highschool SMSI Leonardo da Vinci Buje

On the 7th of December 2016, the EVS volunteers went to the SMSI "Leonardo da Vinc" in Buje to promote the opportunities for the youth that are provided by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ programme. The main topics covered were the EVS and the Youth exchanges in which the students were particularly interested in. Our volunteers also invited them to participate to the free language courses of basic / advanced English, German and Italian which will start in 2017. The experience of the volunteers was great; the students were focused and seemed interested in Erasmus+ programme, the aim of the presentation was fulfilled.

This was the second time the volunteers had the chance to promote the Erasmus+ in schools, but in the near future there will be more chances to encourage the youth of Istria to go abroad and participate in various opportunities that the EU provides.

Partecipation in Christmas market Brtonigla

On 10th and 11th December 2016, in Brtonigla / Verteneglio was organized the annual Christmas Market in the center of the town by the local Touristic Agency.

Our Evs Volunteers took the chance to help in the organization process of the event and during its implementation. The volunteer Kimberly Klapproth (Germany), on behalf of the Center of Inclusion of Buje / Buie, was managing the stand reserved to them where she was “selling” through donations the aprons, bags and necklaces that were made by the users of the Center to rise founds and to improve the social awareness of the community. The local Croatian television Nova TV was present at the event and during the recording of their report for the newscast, our volunteers: Simona Vaseva (Macedonia.) and Mattia Giubilei (Italy) were interviewed to know more about their background, the agency where they’re taking service: LDA of Brtonigla and their work in the Christmas Market.

The volunteers experienced the Christmas vibes in Brtonigla by offering their help to the local community and of course, by enjoying the days with a glass of hot homemade red wine.

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Promotion of Erasmus+ in italian highschool SMSI Dante Alighieri Pula

On 29th March 2017, the LDA volunteers went to the Italian high school Dante Alighieri in Pula to promote the opportunities of youth mobility given by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ program. The main topics covered ranged from the meanings to the aims of the European Voluntary Service and the Youth Exchange in which the students showed high degree of interest. Furthermore, the volunteers shared with the participants their current professional and life experience, background and future objectives. Overall, the presentation caught the attention of the students as they were attentive and involved the volunteers in a dynamic “Question and Answer� session concerning further information and hints about how to participate in a European sponsored program.

Celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Circolo Istria

On 18/05/2017, the LDA Brtonigla attended the event in the Italian community of Buje celebrating the 35th anniversary since the foundation of Il Circolo di Cultura istro-veneta "Istria" which was chaired by the President Livio Dorigo and one of its most eminent members Walter Macovaz. The event commemorated and promoted the glorious past and present literary and cultural activities developed by this association. In fact, it represents the previous and contemporary willingness to reunite the Istrian culture and traditions in the face of the cultural and geographical diaspora started in the region since the mid-50s. To this extent, the LDA, which is involved in the promotion of democracy at local level, could not miss the chance to witness the achievements awarded by this society over time, especially if the Yugoslavian political ideology oriented to make uniform the diverse identity of its territories is taken into consideration. Overall, the event represented the chance to gain an overview of the work and prospects of Il Circolo. In this regard, it was largely appreciated as the opportunity to acquire some book samples which were kindly offered by the Istrian Circle itself.

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Beyond The Borders / Traveling, mobility, art evening

On the 01/06/2017, LDA team was warmly invited and pleasantly attended the event “Beyond The Borders / Traveling, mobility, art evening” organised and presented by the Infocentar za mlade ZUM volunteers Zaiga Zirnīte and Ksenia Dubova.

This occasion represented not only a further opportunity to extend the organisation networking connections and build bridges between different international volunteers located through Croatia, but also to share the experience gained through Erasmus+ program, ranging from Y.E. to EVS and studying abroad.

Lizzie Parker British EVS volunteer from Rojc center, Theo Millet Ursin and Felix Cognar EVS French volunteers from Centar Za Mlade Grabrik, Simona Vaseva Macedonian EVS volunteer from LDA and former Erasmus student Darko Legin from the sponsor Glavani Park gave an outlook of their previous and current experience abroad highlighting the challenges and achievements gained as active and European citizens. The event also hosted a unique photography competition where pictures from all over the world were exhibited and judged by the participants who also participated in a lottery awarding fantastic prizes. Overall, the occasion confirmed the hard-work, creativity and proactivity of Info-centar za mlade ZUM volunteers which has always been inspiring for the LDA itself.

LDA stands with the Center for Social Inclusion in Buje for “Autism 12000”

On 31/03/2017, the LDA team attended the event “Autism 12000” held in Buje which promoted the spreading of awareness about this condition. Autism influences social interaction, communication, interests and behaviour making those who are affected experience a diverse pattern in the socialization process. Nowadays, approximately 12000 in Croatia are suffering this disorder and without the existence of facilities such as the Center of Social Inclusion in Buje, they would not have the chance to interact with other than their own family, to develop their skills in community services and to tie friendship in a stimulating and secure learning environment. Those who commit their life in fostering differently able people are an immense resource for the society and the LDA could not stand aside without augmenting public awareness about this peculiar condition. The volunteers did not only enjoy the company of the people present, but also gained new insights about the aforementioned social condition and experienced unforgettable moments.

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