The Regional Cooperation Magazine - Issue 4

Regional Cooperation Magazine

Credits: Project 1361 - Inclusion through sport for children with developmental disabilities

Director’s Editorial

A Human Rights Approach To Democratic Governance And Development: The wide chasm between expectation and delivery

Climate change mitigation through the Circular Economy model

Beekeeping economics in light of Climate change

Your contribution to lower heat bills (and mitigating climate change) - an interview with User4GeoEnergy project representatives

Hardanger's cider adventure

Radicalisation prevention: Cost-effective training for prison and probation services

Collection of data related to the consumption of Single-Use Plastics and the behaviour of guests has been completed for the pilot sample of tourist establishments in Cyprus, Malta and Greece

The 2nd press online event of the project SUPMed in Cyprus, organised by Cyprus Hotel Association, has been successfully implemented

Special Olympics Montenegro - Inclusion in European Football Week. Together on the pitch for the victory.

Special Olympics in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Importance of Sports Activities and Safeguard Regulation for the Development and Protection of Children with Disabilities.

International scientific cooperation can heal health and economics - How science can make safer a mountain walk

Vital component of a knowledge-based and balanced society – fair and gender-neutral career. Selection and promotion of judges is not an exception.

Director’s Editorial

Dear Friends,

We left you, in August, talking about a new arrival becoming part of our big Family, about fragile categories into our societies and their role, the European Week of Regions and Cities, and other interesting themes and questions. I hope you had the chance to read our reflections and to realise that, at the end, cooperation is at the heart of our daily activities, in any way we decide to define it. The important is to make your voice heard. This is valid if we consider any of the most mentioned “themes” of the year: cohesion, digital transition, digital transition and citizens engagement. I am of the opinion that any change we want to realise or to see as a concrete result, has to start from a solid and strong base and, as you can imagine, I believe that our Fund for Regional Cooperation can be a valid base.

I was having a look at our RC website, before drafting this editorial, and realised this idea: everything starts from our commitment. If you have a look, we can see radicalisation prevention, climate change mitigation, different agricultural productions, migrations, gender issues, etc. And I invite you to read our friend Tom an interesting reflection about human rights, since they are – or should be – part of any future action. I am happy to see, through your contributions and reflections, that you are dealing with those topics as they were “touchable” into your daily work, even if sometimes they appear as abstract or too far from our societies. That is why I believe that we, being part of this big group, feel as “transnational citizens”, meaning that we are all part, and we fell as a part, of a worldwide changing society.

I believe that our Family is feeling part of this change, a world which is different than some years ago, but real. And it is the more tangible the more it is perceived as part of us.

Who are, therefore, “transnational citizens”? This concept could refer to individual backgrounds, considering the extent to which their interactions and practices go beyond national borders to find common solutions in terms of good practices. Is this so different from how we should feel as part of the Fund for Regional Cooperation?

Unfortunately, when people do not participate in politics, one of the explanations is that they perceive institutions as too distant and technocratic. Our luck, within the Family we have built, is that we do have a chance. Or better, you have it and you keep demonstrating it naturally. I have used the adverb “naturally” since each of the activities we tried to organise for you has something to do with “natural”. Natural, for our Fund, is to be a Family; natural is the spontaneity that our Projects – together with our YE brother – have in clustering, identifying themselves into the Fund itself.

Therefore, and as demonstrated by your daily activities, cross-border actions become interconnections, and transnational exchange is an avenue for our expected goals to be perceived as supranational. This is the practical explanation of transnationalism and cross-border cooperation: the extent to which individuals (or Projects supported by singular individuals) are involved into interaction and mobility actions. And this doesn’t mean “politicisation” of our Fund; this is simply turning objectives into real actions. This is, in my opinion, the only way to see our activities as really engaged into glocal decision-making processes.

This has not to do only with communication and showcasing. It has to do with the spirit laying at the heart of the Fund. And it is for that reason that we have always tried to give you the right space to your natural commitment through collaboration and cooperation. This is why we officially leave “the ball” to our RC Projects, as we say in Italy. This ball is intended to be a chance for you to explain to our public what being a Regional Cooperation Project means, including, of course, the relationship and the exchange existing with the Fund for Youth Employment.

We are organising a virtual meeting and space for debate the next December, an opportunity to turn into concrete examples your good practices involving your audiences. We have been forced to think virtually, so let’s take advantage of it. I believe that this will be the opportunity to turn into real practice your natural tendency to union, cohesion and cooperation, in one-word clusterisation, a term I like to use when thinking to the typical propensities of our Family.

Gian Luca Bombarda The Fund Director

A Human Rights Approach To Democratic Governance And Development: The wide chasm between expectation and delivery

concerned not just with civil and political rights (e.g., free speech, freedom of assembly, the right to a fair trial, the right not to be tortured), but also with economic, social and cultural rights (access to adequate food, health, education, housing, jobs). In addition to realising specific human rights, a rights-based approach to development emphasises accountability, empowerment, participation and non-discrimination.

Good governance is the process whereby public institutions conduct public affairs, manage public resources and guarantee the realisation of human rights in a manner essentially free of abuse and corruption, and with due regard for the rule of law.

A synopsis of the United Nations human rights approach to development starts from the basic premise that the achievement of human rights is the objective of any process aimed at improving the human condition. It uses the various concepts associated with human rights, understood in their broadest sense as the mainstay of development policy. It invokes the international apparatus of human rights in support of development action. This approach is

Human rights guarantee free and fair elections under conditions of political equality; ensure open communication and a free process of opinion formation; secure the implementation of democratic decisions and thereby help democratic government to become effective.

The Human Rights Based Approach is underpinned by five key human rights principles: Participation, Accountability, Nondiscrimination and Equality, Empowerment and Legality.

The EU is a firm promoter and defender of human rights and democracy across the world, as well as within its own borders. Human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent. Respect for human rights and democracy is essential for addressing global challenges. Human rights regulate our day-to-day life. They structure how we live together within a society and aim to protect human dignity at all times. They are universal, indivisible and interdependent. Each individual is entitled to human rights. They are always and everywhere applicable, including at times of conflict or crisis. All human rights are equally important to ensure human dignity, whether civil, political, economic, social or cultural rights.

Human rights are at the core of both EU internal and external action and policy. The Lisbon Treaty (article 2 and article 21) stipulates that the Union's action on the international scene shall be guided by the values that have inspired its own foundation.

Human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights are the values on which the European Union is founded. Embedded in the Treaty on European Union, they have been reinforced by the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Countries seeking to join the EU must respect human rights and the rule of law; so must countries which have concluded trade and other agreements with it.

Today’s global challenges demand from the EU and its Member States a redoubling of efforts and a renewal of their firm commitment to upholding human rights and supporting democratic values, in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Thus, the international context, as well as the theoretical and aspirational approach. The global landscape is littered with declarations, charters, treaties, conventions, protocols politicians‘ promises, concerning human rights, the rule of law, democracy and good governance. Universities’ humanities curricula are inflated with a dizzying array of courses on the above

However, between the rhetoric and the reality of the situation lies a wide chasm of human rights suffering and abuse. The Human Rights Index for fundamental human rights - a broad measure of 76 indicators that encompasses personal, civil, and economic freedoms - reports on serious and widespread abuses in more than 100 of the 176 countries reviewed. The Freedom House annual report of 2020 is starker in addressing the truths.

“As a lethal pandemic, economic and physical insecurity, and violent conflict ravaged the world in 2020, democracy’s defenders sustained heavy new losses in their struggle against authoritarian foes, shifting the international balance in favour of tyranny. Incumbent leaders increasingly used force to crush opponents and settle scores, sometimes in the name of public health, while beleaguered activists—lacking effective international support—faced heavy jail sentences, torture, or murder in many settings. These marked the 15th consecutive year of decline in global freedom. The countries experiencing deterioration outnumbered those with improvements by the largest margin recorded since the negative trend began in 2006. The impact of the long-term democratic decline has become increasingly global in nature, broad enough to be felt by those living under the cruellest dictatorships, as well as by citizens of long-standing democracies. Nearly 75 percent of the world’s population lived in a country that

faced deterioration last year. The ongoing decline has given rise to claims of democracy’s inherent inferiority. “

The above excerpt from the report underlines that the long democratic recession is deepening, a charge that defies the more positive pronouncements of international organisations that champion a human rights approach to democratic governance and development. Amnesty International, Global Rights, UN Watch, International Federation for Human Rights and many other gatekeepers of good governance, democracy, dignity and human rights all are in tune with the findings above. There is a wide chasm between expectation and delivery, between the rhetoric and reality of the international organisations.

There is a belated, dawning realisation that the EU cannot face these challenges alone, and democratic transitions cannot succeed unless they are rooted in local realities. The new Action Plan on Human Rights focuses on empowering local actors and civil society organisations. The renewed policy will be based on a strong partnership with local institutions, including parliaments, and local Human Rights mechanisms and dialogues with all concerned parties. The last words from Freedom House offer a wake-up call to all champions of human rights and good governance:

“The enemies of freedom have pushed the false narrative that democracy is in decline because it is incapable of addressing people’s needs. In fact, democracy is in decline because its most prominent exemplars are not doing enough to protect it. Global leadership and solidarity from democratic states are urgently needed. Governments that understand the value of democracy have a responsibility to band together to deliver on its benefits, counter its adversaries, and support its defenders. They must also put their own houses in order to shore up their credibility and fortify their institutions against politicians and other actors who are willing to trample democratic principles in the pursuit of power. If free societies fail to take these basic steps, the world will become ever more hostile to the values they hold dear, and no country will be safe from the destructive effects of dictatorship.”

Tom Mc Grath

Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy

Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms

Justice and Home Affairs

Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness

Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Povery Reduction

Climate change mitigation through the Circular Economy model

It is now widely known that greenhouse gas emissions produced by human activities have influenced weather and climate conditions across the globe. This is observed in extreme conditions such as heat waves, heavy rains, droughts and tropical cyclones.

As the COP26 Climate Change Conference takes place in Scotland this year from October 31 to November 12, the world’s attention is drawn on an issue that affects the globe as a whole.

A Linear Economy contributing to climate change

Since the industrial revolution, the use of materials has kept increasing at an accelerated rate. It has more than tripled since 1970 leading to currently 100 billion tonnes of materials entering the global economy every year. According to the UN International Resource Panel, this could once more double by 2050 if nothing is done.

The way in which humans have been extracting, transforming, manufacturing, using and discarding resources has been to a great extent, the same: a linear approach of Take-Make-Waste.

Global Environment Facility. The rest of the 38 % are emitted during transport and use of products and services

The Circular Economy as a means to fight climate change

In tackling climate change and to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Action, governments worldwide have focused on renewable energy, energy efficiency and avoiding deforestation.

The findings of the Circle Economy study suggest that a combination of climate mitigation action and a circular economy enacted globally can prevent the worst effects of climate breakdown. Currently, our economy is 8.6% circular. This means that just 8.6% of 100 billion tons of mineral, metals, biomass and fossil fuels that enter the economy are re-used every year. The rest, leave us with what is termed as the “Circularity Gap”. The report finds that just by doubling our current circularity percentage, we can achieve the goals to fight climate change. At the same time however, we are warned that the circularity trend is decreasing. In 2018 it was 9.1%. It is therefore crucial that efforts are placed on transforming the current outdated ‘take-make-waste’ model to a circular one.

The road to a Circular Economy

Achieving a truly circular economy is a broad issue that requires participation by many actors from consumers to industry trough to policy makers and governments.

Greenhouse gases released while extracting, processing and manufacturing goods, amount to 62% according to a report (Link to: https:// www.circularity-gap.world/2021) by Circle Economy (Link to: https:// www.circle-economy.com/), a group supported by UN Environment and the

Dependence on new raw materials and generation of waste need to be reduced. Consumers can contribute through conscious sorting of waste so that materials recovered are received in an as clean and pure form as possible to reduce processing, all while demanding change.

Re-engineering of supply chains all the way to mining of resources and production of materials so that fewer raw materials are used is also a key factor. Designing such processes with the reduction of emissions in mind would help make economies more efficient. Innovation that focuses on satisfying society’s material needs by doing more with less through intelligent resource management would further contribute to achieving a truly circular economy.

In line with the above, the Circular Based Waste Management (Link to: http://circular-waste.eu/) project, funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation, aims to play a role in implementing circular economy practices in three municipalities in Lithuania, Estonia and Ukraine. The approach taken is a collaborative one, through knowledge and best practice exchange among the project partners with a long term vision aligned with reaching EU targets on waste management.

Project Circular Based Waste Management

Beekeeping economics in light of Climate change

unreliable. Frequent spring frosts decimate the early forages like oilseed rape, acacia, and even later sources, like linden or maple. Spans of »unnatural« periods with warm and sunny weather in January and February prompt honeybees to start big and develop brood using their food reserves just to be clenched two weeks later when the temperatures turn to subzero. After a few days of such temperatures, honeybees abandon brood, but the colony often starves to death due to the consumption of reserve food just before the beginning of the real season. Such changes prompt additional attention, work, and costs from the beekeeper; things need to be done that were not required in the past according to the memory of the oldest living beekeeper. Take for example season 2021: in Slovenia, we had to feed colonies in months that previously never required longer spans of feeding: May and June. Beekeepers simply must be ready and adopt new tactics and, of course, costs.

On average, we humans are critters of habit. It is relatively difficult for an average person to get out of the well-trodden ways and adopt new approaches to something that she or he was dealing with for some time in the past. This is also true for the beekeepers. The economy of beekeeping operations is brutal. The production price of honey depends on kilograms of harvested honey, which means that varies hugely between seasons. In recent years, the honey harvest - which is still the most important source of beekeepers' income in Central Europe, became unpredictable - even

From what I have written above one could assume that the quality of forage is dependent entirely on external conditions, e.g. blooming plants, insects that produce honey dew etc. ... and that abundance of it could at least partially salvage the beekeepers' season. But it is not so simple. The efficiency of collecting available resources is determined also by the strength of the colony, which is again regulated by the in-flow of food and the potency of the queen bee. Poor early forages may slow down colony development to fall behind the normal strength in periods when forage is abundant. Again, an example is the year 2021: when linden and chestnut flowers were in abundance, there was a lack of workforce in many of the colonies. Consequently, the honey yield per colony was lower than it could be.

As I mentioned above, the queen bee is also an important factor in keeping the colony strong. In the contrast with farm animals (note that honeybees aren't domesticated!), the queen bee is the only vector of genetic material in the colony: mating only in the early days of her life carrying male's genes with her in specialized organ until her demise and replacement. If the mating partners did not provide suitable genes allowing survival of the colony, there is no error correction possible. Best possible queens are therefore required, bred, and selected in the local environment, not imported from other regions selected on another set of conditions. An important moto in beekeeping is therefore to think locally, act locally. Except for knowledge, how to get there, naturally. The best possible knowledge is required to get the best possible queens. Within our project "Joint Effort for Honey Bee Selection and Conservation" we have decided to provide means for the queen breeders to achieve their desired - or by environmental changes required - goals. Through the popularization of local subspecies, we wish to reduce the burden imposed on beekeepers by climate changes.

Dr Janez Pre

Project Joint Effort for Honey Bee Conservation and SelectionBeeConSel

Your contribution to lower heat bills (and mitigating climate change) an interview

with User4GeoEnergy project representatives

1. Why should municipalities and residents be interested in using geothermal energy in their homes?

To get the full picture I will divide my answer into two parts. Part one will be more environmen-oriented and part two more technical. Readers can choose what appeals to them more. Both parts are true and equally relevant. Geothermal energy, especially when exploited in a closed circuit, for example using so-called geothermal doubles, which involves injecting cooled geothermal fluid back into the geothermal reservoir, is a renewable and emission-free source of energy. Recent years have been a period of violent weather phenomena. This draws our attention to the fact that the use of renewable energy sources is not a matter of fashion, but rather priority to fight climate change and economic opportunity, in countries where that is possible. The warming climate, not least due to rising CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, is a clear fact, which can unfortunately be seen in many ways, like rising temperatures, more weather extremes like storms, rain, droughts, forest fires, etc. around the globe. The question is: will it still be possible to reverse the processes that are taking place to stay within the 1.5°C temperature increase? Renewable energy, e.g. geothermal, is a powerful tool to fight against global warming and also economic opportunity for savings by harnessisng local resources and a way to improve quality of life.

2. Can heat from combined heat and power plants (CHP) be used more efficintly?

Technically speaking, the User4GeoEnergy project could just as well be

called User4EffectiveHeatUtilisation. Why? The answer to this question is quite simple. The proposed solutions aim at improving the efficiency of energy use, regardless of its origin. Energy and its efficient use are subject to the same laws of nature, regardless of its origin. Renewable energy has only a moderate or zero environmental impact when it is transformed from its original form into a form that can be managed by the user. As the User4GeoEnergy project focuses on the use of geothermal energy for heating purposes, my discussion will focus on this topic.

Conventional power plants, using water as a working medium in the evaporator (boiler) - turbine - condenser system, work the more effectively the greater the pressure difference between the turbine inlet and outlet. The condensation of steam at the turbine outlet takes place in special exchangers called condensers. Water is transformed therem from vapour to liquid, accompanied by a significant drop in pressure. For condensation to take place, a constant source of cooling is needed. The temperature at which condensation usually occurs in condensers is in the order of 50-60°C. This allows the condensation of water vapour at a pressure lower than 0.2 atm, i.e. there is negative pressure in the condenser compared to atmospheric pressure. If the pressure in the condenser was 1 atm, the water vapour would condense there at 100°C. When talking about use of waste heat from condensation, we would have to be able to handle energy resources with temperatures below 60°C. Only then could we talk about waste energy –otherwise not. Why?

Using energy with temperatures above 60°C for heating purposes means depleting electricity production and using very valuable energy, not waste energy. Why?

Because we can still produce electricity from steam, which has a temperature typical for the supply temperature of district heating systems, i.e. around 110°C, by cooling it down to around 60°C. This is therefore not a waste of energy. This is where the User4GeoEnergy project ties in with conventional energy. With geothermal energy, it is the same. We also want to use the lowest possible temperatures that characterise the energy resources used. This allows them to be used efficiently and in clean way. In addition, the power of a single geothermal borehole increases as we can obtain more energy from each m3 of extracted water. One can therefore say that a consumer good for geothermal energy will also be an ideal consumer of waste energy from conventional installations. Reducing the requirements for the supply and return temperature of the energy carrier makes it possible to obtain geothermal heat without the need for additional, so-called peak energy sources. This, in turn, significantly increases the availability of geothermal resources. The availability of low-temperature geothermal resources is wider than that of high-temperature. It is therefore difficult to speak of a conflict of interests, but one can safely speak of the common interest of both geothermal resources and conventional energy carriers. Interestingly, this conclusion also applies to solar energy, biomass and, in particular, heat pumps and condensing boilers.

Of course, many smaller towns do not have combined heat and power (CHP) plants, so local heating plants fired by fossil fuels have been and continue to be built, polluting the environment. At the same time, many of these places have geothermal resources with temperatures of 60-90°C. Reducing the supply temperature in district heating systems makes it possible to use not only geothermal energy but any other energy carrier efficiently.

3. What solutions do you propose in the User4GeoEnergy project?

Please keep in mind that if you want to maintain the so-called thermal comfort conditions, i.e. approx. 20-22°C, in residential or commercial spaces, heat carrier temperatures of approx. 30°C are quite feasible.

4. Why is it so important to lower the requirements for the heat source and the distribution system?

There are many reasons. Lower temperature requirements for the source by the heating system means lower energy losses in transmission pipelines and no or a significant reduction in the need for peak boilers. If we decide to use a peak source anyway, lowering the temperature requirements will increase the efficiency of its operation. This is of paramount importance, especially in the case of heat pumps and condensing boilers. The Le Chatelier’s principle, well known in physics, perfectly explains why it is important to lower the requirements for a heat source. It explains the fact that any deviation from the equilibrium, as described by the ambient conditions, costs more the bigger the deviation you want to achieve. This principle can also be applied to a situation in which the higher the temperature of the heat carrier we want, the more it will cost us. This cost is the consumption of the energy carrier. For those readers who have a broader knowledge of physics, this formulation may resemble the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

The most efficient way, from an energy point of view, is therefore to heat with as low a temperature as possible. Of course, in addition to technical effects, the laws of economics are equally important in everyday life. Contrary to the laws of nature, however, economics can change. After all, concept of profitability depends on a reference point that is not constant over time. It is worth paying attention to the recent rapid increase in the prices of energy carriers. What was not profitable three years ago, may become quite attractive in the future.

In the User4GeoEnergy project, we want to popularize the use of lowtemperature heating systems, for which the required supply and return temperatures of the energy carrier are as low as possible. In practice, this means supply temperatures of 40°C and return temperatures of 30°C. This imposes the use of large-area heating, supported for example by air heating.

5. What technical changes to buildings does this involve?

The changes the project focuses on generally aim to increase the heat transfer surface area of heating installations.

An increase in the heat transfer surface area means that the temperature of the energy carrier can be lowered. These changes do not in any way mean giving up on the thermal comfort. On the contrary, the proposed solutions can significantly improve these conditions. It is a well-known fact that the temperature profile when using floor heating is closer to the so-called ideal profile.

6. Is it worthwhile? Who is already using such solutions?

The profitability of the proposed solutions can be considered in at least three areas: economic, energy and environmental. As far as energy is concerned, of course, such solutions are profitable, as they make it possible to reduce energy losses and lower the consumption of conventional energy carriers while maintaining the comfort of buildings. The energy effects are easily followed by environmental effects. Lower consumption of fossil fuels means lower emissions.

Economic profitability can arouse the most emotions. This is always a question of individual solutions and the benchmark used. It is also extremely important to indicate what we will gain. If even the economic assessment will show a loss? Perhaps at that cost, we will achieve something worth paying for, such as comfort and a clean environment. Does everything we do always have to pay off? In everyday life we do many things that do not bring an economic return, e.g. comparing the cost of buying a car with the cost of using public transport would probably encourage people to take the bus or tram to work. Why do some of us drive? It is not worth it!

The proposed solutions are widely used by individual consumers who use heat pumps daily. These solutions bring beneficial effects and are willingly used by consumers using condensing boilers.

7. How can district heating companies encourage onsumers to make such changes?

requirements of consumers. The use of discounts, associated with deep cooling of the energy carrier, can foster the development and dissemination of the solutions proposed here.

8. If all this seems so obvious, why are these solutions not yet widely used?

There are many answers to this question, and in my opinion, the three most feasible are following:

• For a district heating company, installing a peak source which matches the heat source to the customer's installation, is much easier than encouraging the customer to match his installation to the capabilities of the source,

• The installation of a peak source is an eligible cost, allowing it to be included in the price of the energy sold to the customer. After all, the energy supplied by the heating company is ultimately paid by the consumer anyway. A technically easier and quicker solution, transferring the final cost of covering heat needs to the consumer, causes a lack of motivation for this type of action.

• Controlling power in a system where the temperature of the energy carrier exceeds the needs of the consumer is much easier.

9. What experience can partners from Iceland and Norway provide in this area?

The choice of partner countries is not accidental. Both countries have long and rich experience directly or indirectly related to use of geothermal energy and energy efficiency.

District heating companies can encourage consumers to apply certain solutions, e.g. by making the price of the heat sold dependent on temperature

Iceland is the European leader in the use of geothermal energy. Of course, its resources are unique in terms of parameters. Although not all of Iceland's experience can be easily transposed to other European countries, including Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, it is nevertheless worth taking advantage of what can certainly be transposed.

I think the broader approach to geothermal resources as something more than just a source of energy is worth following. Geothermal fluid can be used in many ways. Its properties can drive other business sectors, such as organic plants and animal husbandry, the cosmetics industry, tourism, algae cultivation, innovation, resources parks etc. Some of these applications of geothermal energy can also be found in other European countries. Iceland uses it on a large scale in many places.

It is also beyond dispute that the economic savings from using geothermal instead of oil, are substantial in Iceland and have had positive impact on the currency account and contributed significantly to Iceland’s prosperity, especially in times of need. The annual savings have been on average of 2,9% of GDP 1970-2018, which is on average equivalent to annual military spending in average military nations.

As for Norway, it is the world leader in energy-saving and energy efficiency. Many innovative solutions related to energy-efficiency are widely used there in the construction sector. Also noteworthy is the experience in developing heat pump technology. Most of the Norwegian experience is therefore focused on the use of low-temperature heating systems, which is directly related to main objectives of the User4GeoEnergy project.

10. To what extent does the use of geothermal energy for district heating contribute to mitigating climate change?

With its negligible CO2 emissions, renewable energy, like geothermal, is a great tool to fight against global warming while other forms of energy, e.g. oil and gas, have significant CO2 missions. In Iceland, yearly CO2 savings using geothermal heat were equivalent to 0.4 kg/kWh in 2018, compared to if oil would be used.

Convincing anyone to use geothermal energy seems unnecessary from the utility point of view. Geothermal energy, despite its disadvantages, has undoubted advantages over other RES sources, not to mention conventional sources. Its resources are not dependent on weather conditions. The temperature and capacity are almost invariable over time. This makes it a reliable and clean energy carrier.

11. Where to find more information on these solutions?

I encourage you to visit the project website http://user4geoenergy.net/ and to study literature and websites dedicated to low-temperature heating or heat pumps. Many of the technological solutions proposed there fit perfectly to the framework of our project and energy efficiency in a broader sense. Please remember that the suggested solutions will also work perfectly with conventional energy carriers, without exception.

Below Prof. Leszek Pająk – the manager of the User4GeoEnergy project who answered most of questions above.

Project Improving the energy efficiency of geothermal energy utilisation by adjusting the user characteristics

Prof. Leszek Paj k, Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences

Hardanger's cider adventure

another important reason why young people are happy to return home. One of them is Eirik Naa Aga.

He produces the cider 57/2 on his farm, Store Naa, in Ullensvang. It is the farm and cadastral numbers that are the source of the name of the renowned cider.

"This is what I would like to invest in as a farmer. Without the opportunity to produce cider as I wish and sell it to a restaurant and especially from a farm, it is doubtful that I would have considered taking over the farm. This gives me a real challenge and I can work with what I am passionate about" says Eirik Naa Aga.

The green apples are about to ripen on the apple trees that stand in neat steep rows almost down to the edge of the fjord. Further up the side of the valley, where the apple trees end, the conifers take over and then the mountains. This is the view from the hybrid boat on the Cider Safari on Hardanger Fjord.

There are now 21 cider farms in Hardanger, and 8–9 of these derive their main income from cider production. In other words, there has been a large increase in both the number of cider producers and cider products over the past decade. The “Cider from Hardanger” brand is strong. The level of ambition is high among the cider producers, or in the words of Olav Bleie from Alde Sider:

"The goal is that when you hear the word Hardanger, you don't think first about the prince, the fjord or the mountain, but you think about the cider.

Longing for home

The nature in Hardanger must be among the best nature that Norway has to offer. It means that many people want to return here after their studies or after spending a few years working elsewhere in the country. Building up an expert environment around both apple cultivation and cider production is

Terroir, or the taste of Hardanger

Nature, or more accurate the soil, terrain and climate, has a lot to do with the taste of the apples and thus the cider. In Hardanger, the climate is mild, spring comes early and the apple trees are usually located on steep sunny slopes, where the soil is good and warm. The terroir term is used as a collective term for how these nature-given conditions affect taste and other sensory properties. Terroir is mostly used to characterize wine from different districts. But now the term is taking the serious step into the world of Hardanger Cider.

The goal of the Cider Culture project is to find the answer to whether and how the nature-given conditions in Hardanger characterize cider from here. In order to succeed, a close collaboration has already been established between the cluster of cider producers, the Hardanger Council and researchers from Nibio and Nofima.

Characteristics of Cider from Hardanger

Researchers and taste judges at Nofima are at the beginning of the process of developing a taste chart, where the cider varieties in Hardanger will be positioned based on their flavours and aroma. The work performed on the taste chart has several steps. First, Nofima's trained taste judges agree on relevant characteristics that describe the ciders. Then they practice calibrating the taste experiences as the judges' analyses of the various characteristics coincide. The next step is to analyse a selection of cider samples, and to judge the intensity of the relevant characteristics for each sample.

The taste chart will show variations in aroma for Norwegian cider and it will be possible to investigate how cultivation conditions, apple variety, yeast type and processing and production conditions affect the flavour properties.

Nibio's professionals have started work on characterizing key chemical components, and are in the process of establishing a tasting panel in close cooperation with Nofima. The tasting panel will be led by Marianne Hotle at NIBIO Ullensvang.

NIBIO is also in the process of quality assuring the methods currently used in the analysis laboratory. The goal is to provide analysis services for the assessment of chemical properties in accordance with international standards.

Expertise is needed to develop the district

It is said that apples were first brought to Hardanger by monks about 800 years ago. Cider has been produced on farms here since the 19th century. Cider production has long traditions in Hardanger. It is produced and based on the knowledge and experience that exists locally. This is combined with newly developed insights about sensory and chemical factors, among other things.

In 2009, "Cider from Hardanger" received a protected geographical designation, just like champagne, Parmesan cheese and Tjukkmjølk from Rørosmeieriet. The cider is characterized by a slightly acidic and aromatic apple flavour. Now the producers want to develop both the drink and the districts. Knowledge and research are key factors here. A research and development centre for cider is currently being established at NIBIO Ullensvang. The cider tasting panel will meet here, and a digital knowledge platform will be established.

Project Uncorking rural heritage: indigenous production of fermented beverages for local cultural and environmental sustainability

Radicalisation prevention: Cost-effective training for prison and probation services

Learning programmes, resulting in the exponential growth of online tools and platforms at a speed that would probably not have happened otherwise. E-Learning quickly became popular due to its various advantages – mainly its capacity to reach a much larger audience with a lower investment. Moreover, it has proved flexible as it can be accessed from anywhere at any time. This kind of advantages forecast a permanent change in training provision in several areas, such as adult education (Al-Fraihat et al. 2020; Kimiloglu et al., 2017). Nevertheless, e-Learning had already conquered its space in institutions and fields chronically plagued with logistic and financial issues, such as criminal justice systems.

Education has suffered an increase in complexity, diversification and decentralisation with the advent of globalisation and technological advances. Similarly, there was a growing need to reduce training costs, primarily due to a lack of financing in various fields and organisations. This new context has impacted how training is delivered as it must now accommodate different target groups and learning styles, be easier to apply, and be more direct, interactive and cost-effective.

The COVID-19 pandemic exponentially enhanced these needs due to its direct consequences in in-person gatherings and the severe financial effort demanded from governments, institutions, and organisations. Indeed, training has had to adapt and find solutions to continue to promote necessary training but at a lesser financial cost. As such, we witnessed a move towards e-

Thus, as part of its aim to provide radicalisation prevention training to professionals in the prison, probation and community contexts, the HOPE project selected the blended learning (b-Learning) approach. This is a teaching and learning approach based on the combination of conventional instructor-led training, using classroom-based methods in face-to-face environments, with online formats to create an optimum training programme for its specific audience (Bersin, 2004; Olelewe & Agomuo 2016; Slayer, 2012).

The technique was opted considering the advantages of online and distance learning. Indeed, e-Learning is more economically advantaging than traditional learning, especially considering it reduces travel and infrastructure expenses or the need to recruit trainers (Peres et al., 2013). These are vital points for correctional facilities once they are usually located in remote sites and understaffed, requiring professionals to leave their workplace to receive training or bring an outside trainer to conduct it. Besides, e-Learning allows trainees to access the content at any time or location, promoting training in a broader geographical and linguistic scope and allowing self-paced training (Trout, 2016: Oliver & Herrington, 2001). This is crucial for participants with low availability – as with the criminal justice professionals due to understaffing resulting from low-budgeting –, and leads to training harmonisation across countries and regions, such as the EU.

Additionally, studies suggest that e-Learning allows trainers to better meet the trainees’ needs by targeting particular training to specific individuals (Trout, 2016). On the other hand, it can be a way to fight outdated information by allowing a quick and easy update of content, thus following the developments of the literature and practice (Costa et al., 2020). As such, the materials produced for the e-Learning training course can be reused and adapted by trainers in classroom sessions and workshops. Consequently, its potential for tailor-making and continued updating makes it more effective.

However, it’s true that e-Learning could have some disadvantages, such as the lack of personal interaction between trainer and trainee and among trainees, the lack of opportunities for clarification, its dependence on technological proficiency, and vulnerability to technical difficulties. Having this in mind, the HOPE project opted for the aforementioned b-Learning approach, so the classroom-based sessions or synchronous online sessions bring the advantages of both learning systems while minimising the challenges associated with each one. In addition, the HOPE project aims to go beyond achieving cost-effective training. In fact, the direct involvement of public services (directorates of prisons and probation) – and European or international organisations’ representatives from several jurisdictions – facilitates the embedding of training curricula and programmes into the different existing national training offer (especially in countries within the regional scope of the project), further guaranteeing the HOPE materials’ sustainability after the project’s lifespan.

Hence, the HOPE training programme for prison, probation and community staff was designed to take a critical difficulty into account: the generally lowfunding level of institutions. In this way, the HOPE project will contribute to ensuring that radicalisation prevention training is job-specific, appealing, ready-to-use, up-to-date and cost-effective.

References:

• Rosenberg, M. J. (2001). The E-learning Revolution. In M. J. Rosenberg (Ed.), E-learning: Strategies for Delivering Knowledge in the Digital Age (pp. 19-38). McGraw-Hill Professional.

• Al-Fraihat D., Joy, M., Masa'deh, R., & Sinclair, J. (2020). Evaluating E-learning systems success: An empirical study.

Computers in Human Behaviour, 102, 67-86. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.

2019.08.004

• Bersin, J. (2004). The Blended Learning Book. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

• Costa, V., Liberado, P., Abrunhosa, C., Esgalhado, G., & Cunha, A. (2020). Improving prison staff awareness and skills in dealing with mentally ill inmates through distance learning: Findings from the MenACE initiative. In A. Guerreiro, M. Henriques & D. Castilhos (Eds.), Proceedings Book of the II International Symposium on Gender and Prison Culture: Is prison a democratic space? (pp. 201). JUSXII.

• Kimiloglu, H., Ozturan, M., & Kutlu, B. (2017). Perceptions about and attitude toward the usage of e-learning in corporate training.

Computers in Human Behaviour, 72, 339-349. doi: 10.1016/j.chb. 2017.02.062

• Olelewe, C. J., & Agomuo, E. E. (2016). Effects of B-learning and F2F learning environments on students’ achievement in QBASIC programming. Computers & Education, 103, 76–86. doi: 10.1016/ j.compedu.2016.09.012

• Oliver, R., & Herrington, J. (2001). Online learning. In R. Oliver & J. Herrington (Eds.), Teaching and learning online: a beginner's guide to

e-learning and e-teaching in higher education (pp. 1-23). Edith Cowan University.

• Peres, P., Lima, L., & Lima, V. (2013). B-learning quality: Dimensions, criteria and pedagogical approach. European Journal of Open, Distance and e -Learning, 16 (1), 1-18. doi: 10.2478/ eurodl-2014-0004

• Strayer, J. F. (2012). How learning in an inverted classroom influences cooperation, innovation, and task orientation. Learning Environments Research, 15 , 171–193. doi: 10.1007/ s10984-012-9108-4

• Trout, G. (2016). E-Learning & Online Training: Keeping Up With the Evolving Workplace. Professional Safety, 61(6), 34-36.

Project HOPE - Holistic Radicalisation Prevention Initiative

During the summer and early fall period of 2021, the partners from Cyprus, Greece and Malta have been collecting data and monitoring the behaviour of key stakeholders from their pilot samples of tourist establishments, based on the requirements of the project titled “Reducing the Consumption and Disposal of Single-use Plastics in the Tourism Industry in Cyprus, Greece and Malta”, also known as “SUPMed”. The project runs from July 2020 until June 2023, with a total budget of €1,279,405.00. The six project partners participating in the project are Aspon Consulting Ltd as the Lead Partner (CY), Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GR), Anelixis Development Consultants S.A. (GR), Cellock Ltd (CY), AIS Environment (MT) and the Cyprus Hotel Association (CY).

Specifically, from July through to September 2021, the partners have closely worked with the staff and clients of the 10 coastal tourist establishments in the three regions, to better understand and compare the current consumption and disposal behaviours of SUPs, via pilots. To do so, questionnaires have been disseminated to hotel management staff, contractors (e.g. waste managers) and clients. Interviews have also been undertaken with hotel management and staff, as well as monitoring and observation of hotel staff and client behaviour. The primary aim is to reduce the consumption, disposal and impacts of Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) in the tourism sector, in line with EU Directive 2019/904 on the reduction of the impacts of plastic products.

The results are currently being analysed in order to extract learnings and trends in behaviour in each region. A consolidated report will also be

produced within 2021 to summarise the results of all three regions; Cyprus, Crete-Greece and Malta.

The primary project aim will be further achieved by using the bespoke free web-based decision-support tool (DST) that has also been developed as part of this project. The DST presents viable and available alternatives to the most commonly used SUPs, taking into consideration the cost and environmental impacts of each alternative across its life-cycle, to assist each tourist establishment during a pilot implementation period in phasing out and replacing SUPs. The next steps of the project are for the pilot tourist establishments to use the DST to enter real life data on SUP being consumed and potential alternatives being considered in their hotels, in order to compare costs and environmental impacts that will facilitate decisionmaking. During this period, the tourist establishments will be fully supported by the partners on the usage of DST. Moreover, the tourist establishments are encouraged to provide suggestions to the project partners on potential improvements for the DST.

Following the completion of the DST pilot in each of the three regions, best practice guides will be developed that will present the findings of the pilots, the impacts of plastic waste on human health and the environment, how to reduce SUPs in the tourism and other sectors and what envirionmentally friendlier and affordable alternatives are available. These guides will be disseminated to SMEs, NGOs, tourist establishments and other relevant stakeholders in the three regions and across Europe, as an additional support tool for the replacement of SUPs.

Collection of data related to the consumption of Single-Use Plastics and the behaviour of guests has been completed for the pilot sample of tourist establishments in Cyprus, Malta and Greece

The 10 tourist establishments of the pilot sample of the project per country are:

1. Pilot sample in Cyprus

– Grand Resort

– Atlantica Mare Village Ayia Napa

– Radisson Blue Hotel

– The Royal Apollonia

2. Greece – Crete

– Elounda Palm Hotel & Suites

– Infinity Blue Boutique Hotel & Spa

– Enorme Lifestyle Beach Resort

3. Malta

– Hilton Malta

– 1926 Hotel & Spa

– Mellieha Holiday Centre

Project Reducing the Consumption and Disposal of Single-use Plastics in the Tourism Industry in Cyprus, Greece and Malta - SUPMed

The 2nd press online event of the project SUPMed in Cyprus, organised by Cyprus Hotel Association, has been successfully implemented

On Tuesday 26th of October 2021, the Cyprus Hotel Association has successfully implemented the 2nd press online event of the project titled “Reducing the Consumption and Disposal of Single-use Plastics in the Tourism Industry in Cyprus, Greece and Malta”, also known as “SUPMed”, in Cyprus.

Several stakeholders of the project, based in Cyprus, were invited, such as representatives of tourist establishments, suppliers and SMEs, representatives from local and national public authorities, etc.

During the 2nd press event, the attendees had the chance to learn more about the progress made so far in the project, the contribution of the EEA and Norway Grants and to hear first-hand from the pilot tourist establishments in Cyprus on their experience in participating in the project so far. In addition, an overview of the bespoke free web-based decision-support tool (DST) that has been developed as part of the project was also provided. The tourist establishments that are participating in the pilot sample of the project in Cyprus are:

• Grand Resort, Limassol

• Atlantica Mare Village, Ayia Napa – Radisson Blue Hotel, Larnaca

• The Royal Apollonia, Limassol

If you want to stream the press event, please follow the link here.

About the project:

The SUPMed project runs until June 2023 with a total budget of €1,279,405.00. The six project partners participating in the project are Aspon Consulting Ltd as the Lead Partner (CY), Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GR), Anelixis Development Consultants S.A. (GR), Cellock Ltd (CY), AIS Environment (MT) and the Cyprus Hotel Association (CY). The project consortium aims to reduce the consumption, disposal and impacts of SUP in the tourism sector in these three regions, in line with EU Directive 2019/904 on the reduction of the impacts of plastic products. Through this project, the partners will support samples of coastal tourist establishments in Cyprus, Malta and Greece (Crete) via pilots to move to sustainable resource-efficient business models. The establishments will identify and replace commonly-used SUP with environmentally friendlier, readily available and affordablealternatives. The pilot samples will be supported in phasing out and replacing SUP via a bespoke free web- based decision-support tool (DST) that will be developed. The DST will present viable and available alternatives to the most commonly used SUP, taking into consideration the cost and environmental impacts of each alternative across its life-cycle.

Following the completion of the pilot in each of the three regions, best practise guides will be developed that will present the findings of the pilots, the impacts of plastic waste on human health and the environment, how to reduce SUP in the tourism and other sectors and what envirionmentally friendlier and affordable alternatives are available. These guides will be disseminated to SMEs, NGOs, tourist establishments and other relevant stakeholders in the three regions and across Europe, as an additional support tool in replacing SUPs.

To keep up to date with the project, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and visit our project website.

Project Reducing the Consumption and Disposal of Single-use Plastics in the Tourism Industry in Cyprus, Greece and Malta - SUPMed

Special Olympics Montenegro Inclusion in European Football Week Together on the pitch for the victory.

Football. Children. Inclusion. Europe.

The athletes aged 6-12 years, celebrated in this week with goals. According to epidemiological measures against the Covid-19 pandemic, they are back on the pitch, which filled children, coaches and parents with joy. At the same time, SO Montenegro can continue strengthening inclusion through sports that is very important for children's socialization and the development of skills through sports. Children with and without intellectual disabilities will have opportunity to play sport, support and encourage each other in the coming period through trainings and competitions in their municipalities.

One of the participants in Unified football competition was Benjamin, 7 years old boy. His mother, Jovana gladly comes to trainings and observes his progress. After the competition she confess what sport means to her son:

“I want him to meet new friends and socialize, acquire new skills and have more obligations allowing him to release the excess energy in a good way”.

23-30th of Septembar, dates that gather a numbers of athletes, partners, coaches, volunteers back on the pitch in European Football Week and Europen Week of Sport.

Within project “Inclusion through Sports for Children with Developmental Disabilities“, Special Olympics Montenegro organized Unified sports competitions across country.

Andrej is 8 years old boy who comes to training with his father Nemanja and twin sister Lara. He score 3 goals in penalty kick in football competition during EFW 2021. His father, did not hide his enthusiasm because Andrej belongs to the team:

“We all know that sports and health comprise two sides of the same coin. Taking up sports means being healthy. When it comes to Andrej and children in general, sports enhance their team spirit and sense of unity. Both individual and team sports can be of great benefit to him by improving his attention span, which will help him succeed at school”.

Family members have a role to enable and foster Healthy Relationships, but so do coaches.

Healthy Relationship between coach and children is important condition for continously training process and progress. It is achieved through supportive, respectful, based on trust, open communication and certain rules. In Healthy Relationships both persons benefit from each other in the same way. Coaches have a role to help foster Healthy Relationships and safegurding on and off the court. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and, all organisations that work with or have contact with children and young people at risk must demonstrate compliance with this responsibility.

Responsabilities for providing and respect human rights implies: sport for all, equality and inclusion, anti-discrimination, child protection, health and wellbeing, solidarity and rights, environmental Protection.

Safeguarding is a set of actions to ensure all participants of any SO activity have a positive experience and feel safe in any interaction. SO Programs and participants commit to create a safe environment and treat everyone with respect, by having policies and procedures.

According to this procedures and policy, and aspirations to raise awareness and increase knowledge in communities, these topics become unavoidable within Coach training workshops and Family Health Forums organized within the project “Inclusion through Sports for Children with Developmental Disabilities“.

Sport. Children. Equality. Health. Families. Coaches. Working together for an inclusive Europe!

Project Inclusion through sport for children with developmental disabilities

Special Olympics in Bosnia and Herzegovina Importance of Sports Activities and Safeguard Regulation for the Development and Protection of Children with Disabilities.

disabilities, a large percentage of children, youth and adults with disabilities do not have equal access to sports and health activities. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is still no developed awareness of the impact of sport on people with disabilities, especially people with intellectual disabilities. Children with disabilities need comprehensive and flexible support and opportunity for equal participation in society with other children. At the level of the regulatory framework, significant progress has been made, but children with disabilities continue to face significant barriers to accessing available and quality services daily.

Sports in all forms must be available to every child, professionally planned, without discrimination, with developed protective procedures, while providing equal opportunities for boys and girls of all abilities and respecting the special needs of every age child.

It is estimated that as many as 10% of the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina has physical, sensory, developmental, mental or emotional forms of disability, and 30% of the total population is directly or indirectly affected by the consequences of the disability. Regarding the Law on Sports in BiH - Amendments to the Law on Sports in Bosnia and Herzegovina have established provisions relating to persons with disabilities. These provisions enable support for persons with disabilities - athletes and eliminate discrimination, and guarantee basic human rights and freedoms. However, due to the generally poor financial situation, prejudice and lack of awareness of the impact of sports on the multiple developments of persons with

The role of sports in the developmental period for children is irreplaceable from both the social and health aspects. Access to sports activities is crucial for children with disabilities. It gives them an opportunity for inclusion and helps them develop motor skills. Special Olympics in Bosnia and Herzegovina, through the project Inclusion through Sports for Children with Developmental Disabilities, aims to provide children without ID and the wider community with the opportunity to learn about ID and become more inclusive in safe environment. Most children with intellectual disabilities and their families have limited access to critical early developmental programs. Through this project, provides the opportunity and access to sports development programs for children with and without developmental difficulties. The program develops cognitive, social and motor skills in children with ID and reduces the risk of marginalization.

The ability of parents in BiH to include children with disabilities in a regular sports program in BiH is difficult. The reasons are discrimination, poor financial situation, lack of professional staff as well as parents' fear that their child will not be safe during training and competition.

Parent Sabina Šunjić told us about her fear and obstacles to include her daughter with difficulties in sports activities: "When Edna turned 5, we started looking for sports activities for her. During that period, children with difficulties in regular education were not accepted, not to mention in sports. We were persistent, with the support of the community and SOBiH Edna is a successful athlete today. She trains in swimming, table tennis and skiing, but I have to emphasize that all this happened because of support based on free will and not systemic support. I was afraid that my child would be unprotected in training. Will her peers tease her, would she be supervised, the certain heavy things she is not allowed to do because she had heart surgery? I was afraid of both physical and mental injuries. Today I am confident in the club where Erna trains and in the activities of the Special Olympics but I should still not let her go alone to other sports activities, not because Edna is not independent but because of my fear that she will not be safe. For this reason, it is necessary to pay more attention to safety processes and seek to introduce them systematically in all clubs, organizations that work with children, especially with children with disabilities. I am especially glad that SOBiH provides a safe environment for children with disabilities and that it is working on the introduction of safeguarding procedures“.

The project focuses on integrated play for children and offers a solution for social exclusion. One of the solutions is inclusive competition. SOBiH organized an inclusive competition marking the European Football Week in Tuzla and Sarajevo, which was attended by about 200 children and young people with and without developmental difficulties. To organize a regular training process as well as competitions, a large number of experts are involved in the process, from certified trainers for working with children to experts in the field of pedagogy and special education. Thanks to this project,

experts and the introduced standards of safeguarding in the activities of SOBIH, today more children with disabilities have access to sports. This is confirmed by Mrs. Amira Pestalić, the mother of an eight-year-old child with disabilities:". I was afraid to involve the child in sports activities somewhere else. My son is non-verbal, and if something happens he could not tell me, however I have full confidence in the association Soci, and in SOBiH. They really work with love. He is regularly involved in joint activities with SOBiH and I am proud of that”.

One of the associates of SOBIH, the Football Association of the of Bosnia and Herzegovina, also aims to introduce Safeguarding procedures together with SOBIH. "The Football Association of BiH is introducing a program related to Child safeguarding, in our training centres, we will introduce the training of coaches and staff in the field of safeguarding. Everyone, especially parents expect the sport to have a positive impact, but sometimes this is not the case, because every form of discrimination and abuse negatively affects the development of children and the whole life of a person. As a woman who plays "men's sport" football, I still feel discriminated against, but we all fight together to overcome discrimination and make it easier for today's girls.“, said Ivana Vlajic, representative of the Football Association of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Grassroot manager.

By organization of the competition as well as the accompanying training program, education and health program, we will facilitate the awareness that the competitions of people with intellectual disabilities require training according to the rules of sports, including the promotion of the rights of people with disabilities. In addition to the organizing of the competitions, the implementation of this project will strengthen the capacity of all organizations in the form of shared knowledge and practice and the introduction of safeguarding procedures, we will also get educated parents, judges, volunteers.

Project Inclusion through sport for children with developmental disabilities

International scientific cooperation can heal health and economics

Riccardo loves walking in the mountains in spring and summer. Last July he went hiking in Carina in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in Italy. It was a hot sunny day, so he wore short pants and a short-sleeved shirt. Riccardo took some friends with him to show them the mountains he loves. They had a very long walk amongst the woods and peaks and they rested in the grassland. Once back home, having a shower, Riccardo felt something strange beneath his hand while washing his leg. He saw a small dark freckle on his left calf that wasn’t there before. It would have been difficult to see it without feeling it with his hand. Unfortunately, that was not a piece of dirty dust but a tick that bit him during the walk.

Riccardo felt a bit foolish: “I should have worn longer pants” he thought. However, he was somewhat prepared. He took a fine-tipped tweezer a grabbed the tick firmly. It was difficult to grasp it as close as possible to the skin, but with the help of a magnifying glass he managed to do so and pulled the tick upward to remove it. Then he finished his shower, applied some antiseptic on the wound and went to sleep. He had a bad night. He dreamt of dangerous diseases spreading up through his leg. The day after he called the doctor who said: “Mark the day on the calendar and call me back if you develop flu-like symptoms within a month. Be more cautious next time, Riccardo!”. The doctor knew this could be a danger bite. While the probability of developing severe diseases is low, it is always better to be cautions and monitor the symptoms.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a common tick-borne disease, along with Lyme borreliosis. Over the last decade TBE cases have grown consistently in Europe. According to the European Centre for Disease Control, in 2019 there

were 3246 confirmed events of infection. This disease is endemic in many countries of central, north, and eastern Europe where most cases are reported. Unfortunately, Riccardo went hiking in one of the regions where this disease is endemic, i.e. constantly present. While this does not mean that all ticks in that area carry the pathogen, it is a sign of danger, so anyone engaged in outdoor activities should pay higher attention to ticks and tick bites. Tickborne encephalitis causes flu-like symptoms such as headache, fever, pain, fatigue, and weakness but can have much worse consequences that could lead, in some cases, to death. The disease is caused by a virus, named tickborne encephalitis virus, that passes into humans from the tick bite and replicates in the body with the risk of causing severe inflammation of the brain, called encephalitis, if not contained efficiently by the immune system. There is no specific treatment for TBE once you are infected but there is an effective vaccine that prevents infection.

Ticks and the diseases they carry can have a great impact both at the human and animal level. Riccardo and his friends, just as everyone engaged in outdoor recreational activities, including farmers, are at risk in endemic regions. But tick-borne diseases also affect animals and these threats could have great consequences at the economic level, not just at for health system but also for the production sector. Costs derive from the direct loss in the production of meat, milk, eggs and leather that are associated with both simple tick bites and eventual subsequent diseases. Farmers spend great sums of money on therapies when animals become infected and fall ill; in the worst scenario they could also lose their entire livestock and farm. The annual economic cost of tick-borne diseases has been estimated to be at around 70 million USD, considering only small ruminants.

How science can make safer a mountain walk

This is due also to the fact that there are many diseases caused by viruses or bacteria carried by ticks. Tick-borne encephalitis virus is the most known flavivirus, but many others can be harmful to humans and animals. At present only one vaccine is available to protect humans from TBE and much research is needed to develop and find new vaccines for known, and emerging tickborne diseases. As the current COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, scientists need to share knowledge and information as fast and as openly as possible. When this happens, preventive solutions, treatments and hopefully vaccines can be found quickly. But research is only one part of the solution. The second pillar for successful protection from tick-borne diseases is surveillance. A diffused network of trained surveillance institutes could constantly monitor the presence of known and new pathogens.

The TBFVnet project was launched to address both these issues. It brings together research institutes across Europe to study and survey tick-borne flaviviruses. The partners are experts in different field of infectious diseases carried by wild animals and are located in key positions within endemic regions of tick-borne diseases. The partners can study all the different aspects of tick-borne diseases such as the survey of emerging viruses, their biology, and the development of new vaccines as well as new diagnostic tools and antivirals.

International projects like TBFVnet are great examples of how cross border scientific cooperation can help society in the long term. New tools to detect flaviviruses, or effective antivirals, can have tremendous impact on health.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic we learned too late the importance of quick diagnostics and capillary surveillance for infectious diseases – points out Alessandro Marcello, head of Molecular Virology at the ICGEB – A network of laboratories sharing tools and knowhow should be already in operation on the territory to monitor endemic and emerging diseases to instruct an efficient health response”.

face such threats. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, the cost of prevention represents just 2% of the economic damage caused by an outbreak.

Riccardo was lucky, the month passed without him developing any symptoms. But he will remember the dreams he had that night and next time he will be more cautious. He will ask at tourist offices if the region he wants to explore is endemic for tick-borne diseases. Probably he will wear long pants and shirts, use repellents for his cloths, and he will check and tell his friends to check for tick bites at the end of the day. This is what he can do to prevent harmful infections while having a pleasurable, long walk in the countryside. But science can do much more. Research can produce treatments and vaccines to cure sick people and protect the weak.

About the project

TBFVnet is a project lead by the Veterinary Research Institute in Brno that brings together five more research institutes: the Chumakov FSC for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products in Moscow, the Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Science in Bratislava, The Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the Umeå University in Sweden and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Trieste, Italy.

Project TBFVnet: surveillance and research on tick-borne flaviviruses (TBFV)

The costs of prevention and research are undoubtedly high. Many scientists and much equipment, as well as transnational infrastructure are required to

Vital component of a knowledge-based and balanced society – fair and gender-neutral career. Selection and promotion

Currently the world is characterized by globalization – the dynamic processes in technology and trade, everchanging economic conditions brought by interdependence of the world’s economies, cultures and populations, shape the daily life of every European citizen. While in general these trends bring positive changes and contribute to the cultivation of a knowledge-based society, they come with the challenges of their own –privacy protection, freedom of expression and freedom of association are only a sample of the rights affected. In democratic societies, effective protection of these rights has a common denominator, an underlying connection – a fundamental right to a fair trial, which may only be ensured by an impartial and fairly selected judiciary. Thus, selection of a judicial body, which not only attains to the highest professional and moral standards, but also reflects values of the society as a whole, is a puzzle that has to be successfully solved by every knowledgebased society. The project ‘The Portrait of a Judge’ brings together scientists and practitioners from four European regions, with the aim to research current practices and create an innovative, scientifically based, transparent and unbiased model and methodology to select and promote those, who stand at the hem of safeguarding our rights.

Primary research carried out by the team shows that selection and promotion of judges is a topic of concern as recent modifications in the sphere are visible in a number of European countries. This signals that there is a need to adjust to the changing environment, but there also are inherent challenges that have to be addressed. The recent report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, brings to the spotlight an issue of a rather intricate the position of women in the judiciary. While globally an entry of women to the judiciary is a problem, a trend

which is also true for the old democratic societies is a minority of women in higher instance courts and especially, in leadership positions.

Picture by Augustas Savickas

of judges is not an exception.

The data shows that in general there are more female judges than male judges in Europe. The situation is rather different, however, if we look at the data concerning judges in the highest instance courts and especially in leadership positions therein. Therefore, although more women than men seek a career of a judge and are successful, a relatively low number of them rises to the highest ranks of the judiciary. It is quite obvious that there is a bottleneck at some point. It is true that this situation is taking a positive turn and the Supreme Court of Lithuania could serve as a good example. “In 2008, when I have joined the ranks of the Supreme Court Judges there were only several women judges in both Civil and Criminal divisions, while today a total of 12 women out of 29 currently appointed judges serve on the bench. The change is tangible, but I dare say it is not fast enough to reflect the changes in the society. Therefore selection, evaluation and especially promotion procedures of judges that ensure fair and inclusive competition should be researched and implemented.” Ms. Sigita Rudėnaitė, a senior expert in the Project as well as the acting President of the Supreme Court of Lithuania and President of the Lithuanian Judicial Council notes.

It is therefore important that the model and methodologies for selection, evaluation and promotion of the judiciary will provide countries with a number of options to strengthen and balance these processes so they would best reflect the needs for a knowledge-based society and contribute to a coherent regional development.

Project "The Portrait of a Judge” - a multi-dimensional model of competencies to be measured during the procedures of selection, evaluation and promotion of judges

Contributors & Credits

From the Fund Operators

Mateusz Wiśniewski

Francesca Bombarda

Sara Barbi

External Contributors

Tom Mc Grath

From the Projects

Maritsa Kissamitaki

Špela Kodre

Aleksandra Kasztelewicz

Erika Zuodar

Silvia Bernardo

Diamanto Giannara

Monica Tautul

Fabio De Pascale

Vaidotas Norkus

Janez Prešern Director

Gian Luca Bombarda

Cover Image: Project 1361

Inclusion through sport for children with developmental disabilities

The contents of the Magazine are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Donors.

born with the intention of sharing the results and updates of the projects participating to the Fund to showcase the main achievements of implemented activities.

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Contact us: themag@regionalcoopmag.net

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