Last call for the International Master programme in Climate Change and Diversity: Sustainable Territorial Development!
If you are interested in topics like climate change, sustainability and diversity, and you would like to explore other countries while studying, you should take a look at the Master course in Climate Change and Diversity: Sustainable Territorial Development (CCD- STeDe), within which ALDA has been partners since 2014!
STeDe prepares researchers and professionals to be able to help organisations acting in the territory, be they enterprises, local communities, civil society organisations or public administrations to draft sustainable development policies for adaptation to climate change combining economic, social, environmental, international and intercultural dimensions.
Hence, the Master programme is organised in four semesters, three of which foresee a period of international mobility in several countries all around the world.
Students can choose among four academic paths, which combine different languages and flexible teaching modalities; face-to-face, online and blended. More specifically, the courses are developed as follow:
- Climate change, sustainability, development at University of Padova and Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar – Sede Ecuador
- Regional and local studies at University of Padova and University of Madeira
- Territorial management at University of Padova and Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo
- Environmental Management at University of Padova and University of Johannesburg
CCD-STeDe is a world leading programme in the field of sustainable territorial development in the context of climate justice. This Master course is aimed at training researchers and professionals to support organisations acting in the territory and to draft sustainable development and climate adaptation policies for economic, social, environmental, international and intercultural management.
Applications close on June 7, 2022. For those interested in joining the Master, please check the official website
GEM IN National Stakeholder Advisory Committee
Within the GEM IN project, a stakeholder advisory committee was established in France by ALDA in 2022 to provide advice during the piloting and further adaptation of the GEM IN educational programme in formal and non-formal educational environments. The Committee France included 3 members (1 educational stakeholder, 1 non-formal education stakeholder and 1 stakeholder in the field of policy-making) and had for objective to provide inputs and feedbacks on whether the project is reaching its objectives and results and contribute to the development of future exploitation opportunities of the GEM IN educational programme through their direct experience and knowledge.
The first meeting on 8th of February was held online and counted with the participation of representatives from several French actors in the field of cultural and non-formal education. This meeting allowed members to get acquainted with the project and the tools developed, especially the educational framework and the game to be used as an educational resource by all interested parties. An explanation of all the steps that were taken to create the game and its contents, keeping in mind the values and the methodology, was presented in addition to the rules of the game.
Stakeholder advisory committee: established to provide advice during the piloting and further adaptation of the GEM IN educational programme
During the second meeting on 25th of April 2022, members discussed the results of the piloting phase organised in the five other countries of the project. Following this presentation and the general conclusions from the piloting, a reflection on the method “learning by playing” including example used by ALDA and the members of the Committee was conducted. This resulted in a discussion on the recommendations that were drafted in the operational pack and comments from the members of the Committee, receiving positive feedback, indicating that there was a clear understanding of the current situation of intercultural education and the lack of resources for teachers and educators.
The meeting was concluded by inviting members to attend and participate actively in the Final Conference in Strasbourg on the 5th of May 2022.
→ Discover GEM IN website HERE and follow the project on Facebook HERE
Climate of Change: join the sub-granting call (focus: Belgium)
Are you a Belgian youth association who is sensitive to raising awareness on the effects of climate change and understanding the links with migration?
We are looking for you! Lead the change and participate in our call for proposals with your project idea!
The Climate of Change project – co-funded by the EU under the Development Education and Awareness Raising Programme (DEAR) and promoted by the italian NGO WeWorld-GVC together with 16 project partners in 13 countries, including ALDA – will support grass-root initiatives in the field of raising awareness on youth role in fighting climate change and involve smaller youth organizations based in France interested in joining the action but lacking the necessary means to do so.
What is the main objective of the call of proposal?
The project will support actions developed by youth organisations in Belgium committed in the field of environmental awareness raising, especially climate change induced migration, and targeting young people (15-35 years old).
What is the main objective of the call of proposal?
Any submitted proposal must be of max 5.000 EUR. Each applicant will benefit from a financing of 70% of the total of the action up to a maximum of 3.500 Eur. The remaining 30% of the action (a minimum of 1.500 Eur) will be provided by each applicant as co-funding. The financing and co-financing % always remain the same even if the overall cost of the proposed action is lower than 5.000 EUR. The general action carried out by the Applicant can be higher than 5.000 EUR, but in this case the remaining budget of the overall costs of the proposal will be covered with the Applicant’s own financial resources.
Sub-granting call will be open until 19 June 2022
Which is the thematic focus?
Each proposed action needs to address the nexus between climate change and induced migration! Different types of activities can be eligible for the sub grant: communication activities, promotion and dissemination activities, awareness raising activities, training and learning-by-doing activities, art projects and initiatives, etc.
One activity will be compulsory which is the promotion of the Climate of Change petition in all organised activities by the applicant until the end of October 2022 (the end of the petition period).
Where can the project be implemented?
Activities must take place in Belgium.
How to apply?
Read the full call for proposals to have more information about the call and how to apply! The call will be open from May 19th,2022 to June 19th,2022.
Infos
All the questions related to the present call for proposals and the participation modalities have to be addressed to the project manger Célia C.
#ClimateOfChange!
***
Annex C – Frequently asked questions
PART-Y at the New European Bauhaus Festival
The Part-Y project has been selected to be part of the FAIR Mobile Exhibition fleet for the New European Bauhaus Festival and we could not be more excited! Come and meet us on the stand to exchange with us on placemaking, urban planning and discover our handbook to support young people in placemaking activities!
About the Festival
The festival will take place from the 9th to 12th of June and it will spread its activities all over the EU. The Part-Y project will participate in the heart of the festival, in Brussels, where we will share our spot with over 30 artistic & cultural performances, more than 100 projects and prototypes and 55 side events.
The Part-Y project will participate in the heart of the New European Bauhaus Festival, in Brussels
The New European Bauhaus is a cultural, human-centered, positive and tangible experience for everyone, promoting the transformation and adaptation of our cities all around Europe. The Festival’s main themes are beauty, sustainability and inclusiveness. It will feature debates, great speakers, artistic performances, exhibitions and networking opportunities. It aims to build connections between different activities and individuals, bridging the worlds of research, science and technology, to those of education and civil engagement, and of art, culture and architecture.
The event will be divided into two main phases: there will be the Fest, which will include performances and the exchange of ideas across Brussels and it is where you will find us, and the Forum, which consists of a series of the debates on the Green deal, education, regional development and other key issues.
How to join?
You can join the event both online and onsite, so don’t miss out and register HERE.
Do not miss the next activities of the PART-Y project by following us on social media:
Sremski Karlovci welcomed the partners of the project DESIRE!
From the 8th to the 11th of May, Danube 1245 and the beautiful city of Sremski Karlovci welcomed European partners of the project DESIRE.
At the occasion of the Europe Day, the partner of the DESIRE project gathered for the first time face-to-face after the start of the project at the end of 2020, during the COVID19 pandemic. This international event was the opportunity to present the work and activities done by each partner. All the partners came out with creative and innovative ideas in order to talk about the European Union, its value and especially the Schuman Declaration. The objective was to actively involve youth in approaching history in a proactive way.
Sremski Karlovci welcomed European partners of the project DESIRE
Through the co-creation of artistic tools, as videos, theatre, games, audio narratives, partners accompanied groups of youth citizens in re-discovering history and in debating on EU values as intercultural dialogue, peace and solidarity.
Although we are leaving in different countries, we are sharing a common heritage and values. Discover the work done by the partners in the DESIRE website and on the DESIRE youtube channel. Have a look and get inspired!
→ About the DESIRE project
DEclaration of Schuman: Initiative for Revitalizing Europe (DESIRE) is a Europe for Citizens funded project. The project aims to raise people and especially youth’s awareness on the historical importance and the meaning of the Declaration of Schuman for the EU. The consortium is leading by Comune di Lavarone (Italy) and composed by Fondazione Belvedere-Gschwent (Italy), Union of bulgarian black sea local authorities (Bulgaria), Municipio de Valongo (Portugal), Danube 1245 (Serbia), Zdruzenie Institut za razvoj na zaednicata (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Administration Communale de Grez-Doiceau (Belgium), Fundacio de la Comunitat Valencia de Patrimoni Insdustrial i (Spain), Kulturni centar Osijek (Croatia), ALDA (France).
For more information on the project, please contact
***
🇦🇲 Read the news in Armenian
***
Supporting Local Democracy Agencies programme and support Local Democracy Agencies in Ukraine
Acting locally, establishing connections with citizens, listening to people’s needs has always been at the heart of ALDA’s commitment to implement democracy, change and participation.
Living in a period of uncertainty, in which the protection of Human Rights and State sovereignty are at stake, while the democratic international asset is under pressure, the Association is ready to further invest its energy and to stress its commitment in order to ensure the safeguard of rights and freedoms.
The current war in Ukraine is urging institutions, CSOs and international players to take concrete actions: ALDA is doing its part. Hence, within the framework of its General Assembly, which took place in Strasbourg on 6 May 2022, the Association has approved the document entitled “Local Democracy Agencies: A powerful instrument for supporting communities affected by crises and by the war”
“Local Democracy Agencies: A powerful instrument for supporting communities affected by crises and by the war”
Thus, ALDA not only strongly believes in the power of acting locally; but also it is based on the daily relations with the Local Democracy Agencies. The latter, specifically, were created, as a programme, by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, already in 1993 to support the community of their own Countries.
More in concrete, starting from this document, ALDA calls for the entire community to support the Local Democracy Agencies as an instrument of local Democracy, Peace and Resilience; especially those in Mariupol and Dnipro by involving them in projects and activities so that to, as a spillover effect, help and support people in the Country. At the same time, the Association supports the possibility to open other LDAs in Odessa and Vinnitza or other areas of Ukraine.
What is the next step? ALDA has already organised a conference to gather support for our LDAs on 22nd June to meet together and to further turn what has been approved into facts, and support people, colleagues and friends in Ukraine.
#ALDAforUkraine
Participatory Democracy in Algeria – A specialised training for Administrative Units
ALDA’s action in Algeria goes on: after the successful past experiences in delivering training-courses on good governance and citizens involvement, ALDA Secretary General is back to the country.
Welcomed as specialised professional in delivering capacity building activities for Local Authorities on participative democracy, Ms. Antonella Valmorbida – ALDA Secretary General – has been selected by SOFRECO, a worldwide leading company in consultancy with a mandate from the Algerian Ministry of Interiors, to deliver these technical trainings.
From 14 until 27 of May 2022, Ms. Valmorbida will be in charge of providing in-depth assistance, while illustrating the different tools that are necessary in terms of developing and spurring participative democracy at local level.
Starting from the head of Daïra, the administrative units in Algeria similar to what in English may be known as a “district”, ALDA Secretary General, together with Mohamed Sakri and Moufida Oueslati, will engage with more than 200 people, attending the trainings up until September 2022. The cities involved in this first round of activities are Constantine, Algiers and Djelfa; while representatives from Oran and Tlemcen will participate at the June session.
Back on the field to train Algerian administrative units on participatory democracy
From a broader perspective, participative democracy and good governance are among the priorities of the Association, together with citizens’ participation and sustainable development. Thus, already in 2017 and in 2019, Ms. Valmorbida was appointed to train more than 100 civil servants in Algeria, testifying the role of ALDA as a reliable and specialised partners not only in Europe but also in the Mediterranean area.
Being responsible for this year edition of capacity building activities, based on a mandate from the Algerian Ministry of Interiors, it is a further confirm not only that ALDA is a strategic player in the region, but also that changes and the path undertaken years ago is now become systematic, providing positive results.
ALDA General Assembly 2022: Institutions, Local Authorities, members and delegates all united for peace, democracy and resilience
A sunny Strasbourg welcomed the Governing Board members, the delegates of the Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs), members and colleagues of ALDA for the Association’s most important event of the year, ALDA General Assembly 2022, and related events.
Indeed, from May 5th to 7th, the network of ALDA gathered together, for the first in-presence Assembly since 2019, for 3 days of conferences, trainings and round-tables, culminating on 6 May 2022 with the ALDA General Assembly, entitled “Supporting Local Democracy, Supporting Peace and Resilience”.
Moreover, this 3-day occurrence took place within the framework of the Strasbourg Summit, underlying ALDA’s involvement and commitment in the Conference of the Future of Europe and its follow-ups.
No words can explain the thrilling and enthusiastic atmosphere of the moment, smiling faces and happy chats all over the hall of Region Grand-Est Headquarters, main venue of the Assembly. The conclusion of the Conference on the Future of Europe and the current war in Ukraine were not only at the centre of the Assembly, but also among colleagues, friends and delegates’ topics of discussion.
Gathered all together in the Hemicycle room, Mr. Oriano Otočan, President of ALDA, posed a question to the whole audience: “who would have said that a city in Ukraine, where ALDA established the Local Democracy Agency, would become a symbol of resistance to terror?” Nobody could answer. Nobody has an answer to it. Nonetheless, President Otočan recalled that “the first Local democracy agencies were established in the former Yugoslavia following the war period as a support of the Council of Europe for the establishment of peace, tolerance, and the democratic development of the society at the local level”. There is, in other words, a peaceful answer to war times as demonstrated by the history of ALDA itself.
As recalled by President Otočan there is a peaceful answer to war times as demonstrated by the history of ALDA itself, in its path towards democracy and resilience
The necessity of peace, and support to civilians in Ukraine was expressed by Mr. Christian Debève, Regional Councillor and President of the Cross-Border Outreach, Europe and International Relations Commission, Region Grand Est; while Gilles Pelayo, Head of Unit of the programme Europe for Citizens Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), stressed how “ALDA is a strategic partner in working with the civil society and for its participation” especially in these hard times.
Similarly, Ms. Martine Dieschburg-Nickels, Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, underlined how the commitment and work of the Congress and that of ALDA are both directed to provide solutions and answers to overcome this crucial period “characterised by multiple crises on the European continent and worldwide”. Among them the one of the environment is definitely a crucial one as well. Thus, Mr. Thibaut Guignard, Mayor of Ploeuc-l’Hermitage, President of Leader France, by mentioning the “Climate of Change” project as a positive initiative, further called for the necessity of coherent and united actions within this framework.
Environment, democracy, human rights were at the heart of the initiatives that ALDA has developed within the Conference on the Future of Europe platform in order to animate it, involving youths and people to join this bottom-up exercise, while sending clear messages to the institutions. Thanks to this effort, as well as the role of Ms. Antonella Valmorbida, in the Civil Society Convention on the Conference on the Future of Europe, ALDA during the 2021 has always worked in order to make people’s voices heard, calling for a Europe closer to its citizens.
Coherently with its mission in promoting democracy, and protecting human rights, while considering the deep and strong bond that ALDA has with its LDAs, and considering its commitment in providing assistance to Ukraine, Ms. Tetiana Lomakina, delegate from LDA Mariupol, has been appointed as Chair of the 2022 Assembly. This decision brought the audience to its feet, for a moment of profound emotion. Being closer to people, showing support to Ukraine can be understood and carried out in several ways. Appointing Ms. Lomakina as Chair definitely stressed the will of the Association to further work closely and hand in hand with colleagues from the LDAs and friends in Ukraine: together calling for a peace.
Listening to inspiring speeches, learning from the experiences and expertise of other institutions and Local Authorities marked an occasion for the audience, and guests to gain a broader knowledge on the surrounding realities as well as possible and potential solutions.
As previously mentioned, the ALDA General Assembly, as is customary, includes a series of related events, this year focusing on the environment, within the Climate of Change project, and on Solidarity with Ukraine, together with EPIC project partners, JEF Europe and within the Strasbourg Summit.
***
Events related to the General Assembly
The European Capital of Democracy: Apply and make your city ambassador of democracy!
What if Democracy had a home? A visible place where citizens come together to share experiences, learn, and enjoy under the banner of democratic values, freedom and peace?
This is indeed the vision of the brand-new project the “European Capital of Democracy”: an initiative which will designate every year, starting from 2022, a city in Europe representing and strengthening Democracy.
Fully supporting this initiative, and certain of its added value in fostering democratic development, promoting social and political innovation and exchange, ALDA is proud to announce that its Secretary General, Antonella Valmorbida, has been appointed as a member of the Experts’ Jury. Thus, she will be among the few experts and practitioners who will examine all applications and shortlist the 5 Nominee Cities which will be then voted by European citizens.
In fact, all cities (with a population of 100,000+) within the Council of Europe member states, can apply to be elected the first European Capital off Democracy!
The winning city will host a one-year-long programme of exciting events, festivals and activities designed to improve and strengthen democracy, which puts citizens’ participation at the heart of it.
In light of its mission and expertise, ALDA is proud to be part of the Experts’ Jury shortlisting the 5 Nominee Cities
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR THE WINNING CITY?
- Highly visible as a beacon of European democratic best practice
- Citizens will actively develop new forms of democratic politics
- Inspire politicians and innovators from across Europe to spark change through the city’s new ideas, activities and networks
HOW DOES A CITY BECOME A EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF DEMOCRACY?
- Cities apply for the title, presenting a portfolio of their best democratic practices and new project ideas
- An experts’ jury evaluates the projects and decides on a shortlist of three to five cities
- A jury of 10,000 European citizens votes for the city to become the European Capital of Democracy
***
Please find further details on the European Capital of Democray (ECoD) Call document and supporting information:
- The ECoD Call
- The ECoD Flyer
- The ECoD NPO Factsheet