ALDA signed the Magna Charta of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy
Signing ceremony of the Magna Charta for an International League of Democracy Cities
On September the 24th 2022, ALDA Secretary General, Antonella Valmorbida, took part in the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, in the city of Lucerne, Switzerland. Being the largest gathering devoted to direct democracy worldwide, the forum welcomed participants from academic, political and civil society perspectives.
From a general standpoint, the goal of the initiative is to bring together people with different experiences and backgrounds, so as to give activists and organisations the opportunity to share their insights and connect with others working on the same issues. Thus, this forum stems from the fact that democracy is challenged on all political levels today, in the world as much as in the host country of this year’s Global Forum, Switzerland.
The Forum was coordinated by an international consortium under the leadership of the Swiss Democracy Foundation, chaired by Adrian Schmid, and Democracy International, where Global Manager for PR & Community Building Caroline Vernaillen brings together the threads from all over the world.
Within this context, ALDA Secretary General took the floor during the Concluding Plenary Panel on how to save Democracy, presented by SwissInfo Channel. The focus of this panel was on the big challenges and crises that democracy is facing in this era, such as authoritarianism, fake news, pandemics and war; particular relevance has been put on the need for deep inclusion, resilience and a just democracy.
As each year’s forum, also the GFMDD 22 ended with a final declaration drawn up and adopted by the participants, summarising the content of the conference and defining proposals for further cooperation.
Ms. Valmorbida signed the Magna Charta of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy on behalf of ALDA, with the mandate from the Governing Board
The first draft of the document was developed and agreed upon at the 2018 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy in Rome, with the strong support of that city’s parliament and of representatives of cities across the globe. Since then, it has been the subject of extensive global discussion. In its current version, the Magna Charta identifies 20 different democracy dimensions at the local level — so that citizens and urban institutions can formulate an idea of where their own cities rank in terms of democracy development.
During the last day of the Forum, the signing ceremony of the Magna Charta for an International League of Democracy Cities took place. The Charter commits the signatories to implement policies on citizens engagement at the local level.
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Apart from ALDA signing the Magna Charta, also representatives from 6 cities joined, namely Valongo (PT), Nancy (F), Lausanne (CH), León (ES), Amsterdam (NL), Bucharest (RO) and as well as from network organisations and projects like the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), and the European Capital of Democracy (ECoD), where Ms. Valmorbida is Chairwoman of the Experts’ Jury.
Position on the Czech Republic Presidency at the European Council
The Czech Presidency, as previously done by the other Countries, has set its guiding lights to be carried out during its mandate, for the second semester of 2022.
Following the “three R” of its motto: “Europe as a Task: Rethink, Rebuild, Repower”, priorities can be unfolded as follow:
- Managing the refugee crisis and Ukraine’s post-war recovery
- Energy security
- Strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities and cyber-space security
- Strategic resilience of the European economy
- Resilience of democratic institutions
ALDA's strategies meet the Czech Republic Presidency priorities
Starting from the first priority, on Ukraine’s post war recovery, since the very beginning, back in February 2022, ALDA has launched not only a series of initiatives; but it has also concretely contributed to provide tangible support to the local communities. The “Call to open new LDAs” is among the latest.
At the same time, the Association is in line with Czech Presidency’s priority in terms of energy security. Thus, benefitting from the development and implementation of several projects, ALDA has been able to foster energy security by engaging with people. More specifically, by supporting local actions activities to fight climate change, while focusing on clean and renewable energy; great commitment has been devoted to sensitize citizens on this matter.
The above-mentioned are just few examples of the work done by ALDA. For further information please read the “Paper on Czech program for the Presidency of the European“
Join the call: Support the Local Democracy Agencies in Ukraine
Ukraine has been experiencing an unjust and inhuman invasion from Russian troops since February 2022. Yet, the resistance and resilience of Ukrainian people is heroic and without precedent. It is for those people that are now living under the war, that the Association has strongly worked, as also demonstrated with the campaign #ALDAforUkraine.
Since the very beginning, ALDA has been active in Ukraine, with members and partners developing a series of initiatives aimed to improve people’s lives. Thus, thanks to the Local Democracy Agency Dnipro, established in 2014 with the support of Lower Silesia – Poland; and Democracy Agency Mariupol (funded in 2017 with the support of Gdansk – Poland), the Association is a strategic player in the Country. Specifically, the two above-mentioned LDAs, based on the decentalised cooperation mechanism, work together with civil society to support peace, and community development.
For almost 10 years, ALDA has thus worked and built strong relations with local actors, and communities. This is why it is now in the front line to provide help to Ukrainian citizens, as also marked by the “Donors Conference”, one of the most recent events, organised within this framework.
In order to support Ukraine, ALDA also set up the Flagship Initiative in Ukraine, and the partnership of the Local Democracy Agencies is the backbone of this initiative. They are meeting in regular partner meetings that represent the decision-making body of the programs. After a year of difficult management, due to the ongoing war, in 2023 we are bringing back activities into tracks aiming, on one hand, at further strengthening and consolidating (given the circumstances) the existing LDAs in Dnipro and Mariupol and, on the other hand, at opening new LDAs in other regions of Ukraine.
In light of this, the Association is now willing to further encourage its network, partners and friends to also take part in this commitment to support people in Ukraine. How?
- By asking for more information on the overall work of ALDA and the LDAs in Ukraine
- By joining the call and becoming a partner of the LDA Odesa and LDA Vinnytsia, which soon are going to be open
Let’s work together for Ukraine, and its people!
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For more information you can email the ALDA4Ukraine unit
🇺🇦Read the call in Ukrainian🇺🇦
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Press Release: In Italy, people with a migratory background are excluded from the public discussion
Milan, 1 August 2022 – People and communities with migratory backgrounds are not involved in the public discussion and strongly distrust the Italian institutions. That was highlighted by the research conducted by WeWorld – an organisation committed for 50 years to guaranteeing the rights of women, girls and children in 27 countries around the world, including Italy – as part of the new project SHAPE (SHaring Actions for the Participation and Empowerment of migrant communities and Local Authorities) co- funded by the European Fund AMIF (Transnational Actions on Asylum, Migration and Integration).
Milan, 1 August 2022 – People and communities with migratory backgrounds are not involved in the public discussion and strongly distrust the Italian institutions. That was highlighted by the research conducted by WeWorld – an organisation committed for 50 years to guaranteeing the rights of women, girls and children in 27 countries around the world, including Italy – as part of the new project SHAPE (SHaring Actions for the Participation and Empowerment of migrant communities and Local Authorities) co- funded by the European Fund AMIF (Transnational Actions on Asylum, Migration and Integration).
Membership Days: from the ALDATalk to trainings and funding possibilities
Membership Days: 26 September; 3-6 October 2022
Members are a vital part of the Association. That is why ALDA is now presenting a five-day event specifically dedicated to its network!
From a general perspective, through this tailor-made meeting, ALDA is willing to provide participants with the latest news and updates not only on the activities of ALDA, but also to further illustrate the possibilities and benefits of joining the network. Furthermore, the event will be the perfect occasion to gain necessary knowledge and learn new tools necessary when operating within the field of citizens’ participation and EU Project Development.
Membership Days: to further engage the network, and to build stronger relations
Therefore, the agenda has been structured as follows:
- 26th September: ALDATalk on the elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina with ALDA Governing Board Member and Secretary General of the “Center for Democracy Foundation” Nataša Vučković
- 3rd October: Meeting the new Members
- 4th October: Working Groups meeting – plan and debate about the topics and proposals that the WGs could work on
- 5th October: From European to local level – Training on local events and citizens’ engagement, with European Programme Manager of “Democracy International” Daniela Vancic
- 6th October: Training on EU funding and Project Cycle Management
Those attending will receive a certificate awarded by ALDA, strategic partner of the European Commission and of the Council of Europe!
Overall, since its first day, ALDA is stimulating and fostering exchange with its network, willing to promote and improve the exchange of best practices in the field of local governance and citizens’ active participation. Thanks to the variety of origins and the different field of actions of each member, the network is a multicultural professional group that enriches not only the Association, but the participants themselves.
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For further information please email the Membership Officer through this link
Antonella Valmorbida stands for the position of Secretary General of the Congress of the Council of Europe
September brings great news and opens up to new paths, not only at ALDA’s but internationally! With great enthusiasm, colleagues from Strasbourg, Vicenza, Skopje, Moldova and Tunis offices are happy to support the candidacy of Antonella Valmorbida for the position of Secretary General of the Congress.
Based on her previous experience not only as Secretary General of ALDA and President of EPD – European Partnership for Democracy; but also as Steering Committee member of the Civil society Convention for the Conference on the Future of Europe, and more recently as Chair of the Jury of the European Capital of Democracy, Ms. Valmorbida puts the value of democracy as guiding light in her daily work and commitment.
Antonella Valmorbida’s candidature: “for a stronger, more relevant and strategic” Congress
As further stressed in her manifesto “it will be necessary to identify and valorise the strong added value as a unique local democracy assembly, representing a large Europe”. Hence, the current ALDA SG has, since the very beginning, worked with local communities, starting from people’s needs and fighting for their rights.
The latter are also at the core of many trainings delivered by Ms.Valmorbida in different areas, from North Africa to Western Balkans and Caucasus, together with professionals and stakeholders such as UN Habitat and UNDP. Furthermore, with experts from the United Nations, Ms. Valmorbida has been fully involved in “participatory democracy” courses in Ukraine, thus having a deep and profound understanding of the local context.
Now, at ALDA’s everyone is thrilled for this new adventure that our Secretary General is undertaking. Each of us is supporting her, sure that her passion and expertise will be essential for the next year and the future of the Congress of the Council of Europe.
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Visit Antonella Valmorbida website and read her manifesto
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“Promoting democracy through local authorities”: fostering community engagement in Libya
From 5 to 11 September 2022, ALDA Secretary General Antonella Valmorbida together with ALDA Trainer Anna Ditta delivered a course on “Promoting democracy through local authorities” with special focus on Libyan realities.
Taking place in the framework of the REBUILD project, funded by the European Commission and led by the Autonomous Province of Trento, this course, specifically called “training of trainers” (ToT), was addressed to 20 professors of 10 Universities dislocated in 10 different Libyan municipalities.
More in details, ToT tackled 3 different modules:
- Transparency, accountability, ethics and good governance;
- Crisis management;
- Strategies and tools for inclusive civil participation in decision-making process.
Hence, participants have been guided in learning and debating about the features and principles of good local governance, according to the “European Charter for Local Self-government”; while working on crisis management and assessment of the risks.
"Training of trainers” was addressed to 20 professors of 10 Universities dislocated in 10 different Libyan municipalities
Moreover, the training marked the occasion also to go through the different steps of civil participation and learnt about the principles and tools useful to make it effective.
Overall, theory was combined with individual and working groups, role plays, presentation of both case-studies and field-visits. The 20 professors joining the ToT are now expected to deliver the training to their municipalities.
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The training was delivered by ALDA, in cooperation with the International Cooperation Centre (Trento – Italy), and it took place in Kairouan (Tunisia)
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ALDA at the "International Democracy Day 2022" hosted by the Committee of the Regions in Brussels
ALDA took part in the International Democracy Day on the 15th September 2022, hosted by the Committee of the Regions in Brussels.
The day was split between different sessions with a wide range of high-level speakers, international democracy advocates and activists from both sides of the Atlantic and the Global South, that addressed the challenges of the new world order for democracy. The focus was the mechanisms to protect and support democracy around the world.
The morning session tackled democracy in the era of geopolitics, and was hosted by International IDEA. It opened with the key speech by Rana Ayyub, an Indian journalist working for the Washington Post, who pointed out the situation in India, with particular reference to human rights violations in the largest democracy in the world.
The discussion then continued with exchanges with Jerzy Pomianowski, Executive Director of European Endowment for Democracy, and Christina Kokkinakis, Deputy Managing Director Global and Director for Values and Multilateral relations at the European External Action Service (EEAS).
The second panel focused on EU Presidencies and the EU External Democracy Agenda, with uninteresting input by Cecilia Ruthström-Ruin, Sweden’s ambassador for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law on how democracies do not wage war against each other, and Sweden’s commitment in the defense of democracy.
International Democracy Day 2022: ALDA present at the Committee of the Regions to share with other CSOs and Institutions
The day ended with a panel by the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), network within which ALDA is an active member, on the political participation of young people, with interventions of different speakers, among whom Chiara Adamo, Acting Director for Human Development, Migration, Governance and Peace at the European Commission.
Thus, the democratic dimension is at the core of Association’s work and events such as the one held in Brussels are a good example of how to engage with others and exchange ideas on the status of democracy around the world, since 2021 was a year of further democratic backsliding in many countries worldwide. Hence, ALDA’s principles rely on the belief that a global democratic world can lay only on democratic local communities as also testified by the events and initiatives organised; among them the General Assembly 2022.
Finally, the ALDA team participated actively and had the chance to exchange views on the theme of democracy, its challenges and how to engage people in the political processes.
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Paper on Czech Republic program for European Council Presidency
The purpose of the document is to highlight the work and experiences that the organisation promotes through the implementation of initiatives and processes that can contribute to the priorities defined by the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the second semester of 2022.
The points of reflection on which we want to contribute with this document therefore start from the grounding of actions that on the one hand, directly involve citizens and civil society, and on the other can strengthen the multi-level and multi-actor dialogue.
The purpose of the document is to highlight the work and experiences that the organisation promotes through the implementation of initiatives and processes that can contribute to the priorities defined by the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the second semester of 2022.
The points of reflection on which we want to contribute with this document therefore start from the grounding of actions that on the one hand, directly involve citizens and civil society, and on the other can strengthen the multi-level and multi-actor dialogue.
DEVOTE: Course & Community of Educators now online
DEVOTE project’s philosophy is “you never stop learning!”. This is why project’s partners have dedicated months of work to the development of an online course for teachers to enhance the integration of students with migrant backgrounds in schools.
Today, DEVOTE has reached its objective: the publication of our Massive Online Open Course directed to teachers, educators, parents and school personnel. Along with the MOOC, the Community of Educators, an interactive platform where the course participants can exchange ideas and best practices between themselves, has been designed.
More in details: to access both tools you can subscribe here (it’s free, and in seven languages – English, French, Italian, Dutch, Slovenian, Greek, Turkish): and just choose one or several modules that are most interesting to you:
- The Whole School Approach
- Assessing students with migrant backgrounds
- National linguistic support
- Parental involvement
- Psycho-social support
- Best practices for Intercultural Education.
The Forum proposes various sections where you can interact with your fellow educators and propose your own experiences and initiatives.
DEVOTE team is looking forward to your feedback on the platform, so do not hesitate to let them know about your experience through this form. ALDA hopes that thanks to the project, professionals will enjoy the course, and that they will share their own practices and experiences with us DEVOTE partners and fellow educators.
Do you want to know more? Have a look at the video:
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