In the last couple of months, the project’s consortium has organized and implemented several initiatives to strengthen the dynamics of dissemination and, through the presentation of the Intellectual Outputs produced, reach more direct and indirect beneficiaries.
Right after the summer break, the partners met in Seville for the last Transnational Project Meeting where they discussed the development of the project’s activities and results, exchanged views on the situation in their respective home countries and talking together about the finalisation of intellectual outputs. Specifically, dissemination and communication issues were addressed. ALDA and the other partners created a plan for more efficient and effective dissemination of project outputs and management of the Facebook page.
Intellective outputs and interactive platforms for community workers
More recently, in the months of October and November, project’s partners have organized multiplier events in Italy (Lamezia Terme), UK (London) and Greece (Athens) to showcase the results produced. Moreover, the partners have hosted local pilot actions, with community workers, to test the effectiveness and the application of the Intellectual Outputs, in particular the e-Learning Platform for the Upskilling and Empowerment of the Target Group.
Lastly, on November 11th ALDA held an Interactive Webinar, with the collaboration of all partners, to present to a larger online audience the project itself and what has been produced in the last 2 years. The invite to the webinar was shared between ALDA’s and the other partners’ network. In this occasion the consortium was able to engage with associations working in similar fields and dealing with Erasmus+ projects.
The exchange of information and interaction between the participants made these experiences unique and useful for gaining further feedback and to implement the latest changes to the digital education platform.
The project is indeed coming to its finish line but given the great interest in the project we are trying to create all the conditions for a possible follow up and continuation of the collaboration.
On the 4th of April, the Vice-President ALDA Alessandro Perelli and the Director of the International Telematics University UNINETTUNO Professor Maria Amata Garito signed a cooperation agreement between the two institutions and launched their first common project, namely the new edition of the Master on-line in European Law and Policies.
Promoted by the International Telematics University UNINETTUNO in collaboration with the ALDA and the Italian Council of the European Movement. By combining the expertise of the network ALDA in the European context and the experience of UNINETTUNO in distance learning with six faculties and nine master’s degree courses and professional training courses and students from 40 different countries, the new cooperation agreement will lead to the development of other training opportunities tackling European themes and topics. In particular, besides the above mentioned Master, ALDA will develop a series of webinars focused on EU programs and funds, with special reference to the new programming period of the European Commission 2014-2020. Finally, ALDA and UNINETTUNO – through signing the agreement – have expressed their common interest to develop new and innovative transnational projects that are able to combine ALDA and commitment on European issues and the focus of UNINETTUNO on distance education.
The Association of the Local Democracy Agencies, LDA Osijek, LDA Sisak, LDA Verteneglio, Foundation for partnership and civil society development of the Istrian Region, AEGEE- Zagreb, Centre for Civil Initiatives (of the Network CEECN) are the initiators of the Croatian Alliance for the European Year of Citizens 2013. The first meeting took place in Zagreb on the 6th of November and confirmed this formal step. The Croatian Alliance for the European Year of Citizens 2013 will therefore officially registered within the National Platforms Alliances supporting the wide Alliance at the EU level.
The Secretary of ALDA, Ms. Paula Rauzan, Delegate of the LDA Sisak will coordinate the group of initiators. She was also accompanied by the Director of ALDA, Antonella Valmorbida and the Delegate of the LDA Osijek, M. Miljenko Turniski The initiators are now working for launching a vast campaign of mobilisation in Croatia that will engage, before the end of the month, the networks of civil society interested to work for the EYAC 2013. They will be proposed to work together to disseminate the Manifesto at the EU level and probably to adapt it to their national and local situation. It is also proposed to work on working groups and to develop common initiative to include more citizens of Croatia in EU policies. The Croatian Platform will be of particular interest because of the upcoming integration of the country into the EU. The Annual priority 2013 – Year of Citizens – will be then meaningful to launch a debate on European Citizenship for this new EU members. ALDA is also member of the EU steering Committee and Coordinator of WG1, as well as initiator of the Italian Alliance. Next 14th of November will take place in Rome (from 10:30 to 13:30 – Eurispes premises Via Orazio, 31) the second meeting of the partners. In this occasion will be adopted a declaration of intent of the Italian Alliance ECY 2013.
Oriano Otocan, ALDA President, and Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Director and member of CIVICUS International Board, will be participating in the 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly (3 – 7 September 2012) in Montreal, Canada. In particular Mrs. Valmorbida will present ALDAs experiences on participatory governance at the workshop on “Good governance through citizen action” that will take place on 5 September (11.00-13.00), after the opening ceremony of the Assembly (9.00-9.30) and the first plenary session (9.30 – 10.45). In the panel also Mrs. Carmen Malena, Canada, Mehr Latif, Programme Manager, Asia Foundation, Pakistan and Mrs. Paola Margarita Q. Deles, Coordinator, People Power Volunteers for Reform, Philippines.
This session will share good practices and lessons in participatory governance from around the world and challenge participants to think beyond traditional forms of protest and activism to less familiar but potentially more impactful practices of ‘critical collaboration’ and participatory governance. As citizens, publicly denouncing injustices in society is an important first step towards seeking change, but it is not enough. Real change comes when citizens not only cry out in the streets, but claim their rightful place as active participants in processes of public governance and decision-making. In recent years, a wide and exciting array of ‘participatory governance’ approaches have been tried and tested around the world. From citizens’ juries, multi-stakeholder dialogues and integrity pacts to participatory budgeting, social audits and community scorecards, citizens and CSOs are creating a multitude of innovative ways to engage in ‘critical collaboration’ with government counterparts. The 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly will focus on defining a new social contract, through discussions on three key themes: changing nations through citizens, building partnerships for social innovation and redefining global governance. The 2012 Assembly will see the launch of a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder process, led by CIVICUS, on defining a new social contract, that will culminate in the presentation of recommendations to the United Nations in 2015. The World Assembly comes at a pivotal moment for citizens to redefine the relationships and conditions we want for a sustainable future in a changing world. Having a role in CIVICUS International Board, for ALDA means taking a further step to bring internationally the cause of its work: to improve citizens’ and civil society’s participation at the local level, working closely with local authorities, for development, democracy and respect of human rights.
CIVICUS Board of Directors has formally communicated that Antonella Valmorbida, Director of ALDA, has been welcomed as a new co-opted member of CIVICUS International Board. CIVICUS is an international alliance dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world. The term of Antonella Valmorbida Board membership will be one year and three months, until the Board meeting in September 2013, when all of the current Board members’ terms will expire. Among the forthcoming engagements as member of CIVICUS Board is the attendance of the Board meeting in September during the CIVICUS World Assembly in Montreal, 3-7 September 2012.
CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation, is an international alliance of members and partners which constitutes an influential network of organisations at the local, national, regional and international levels, and spans the spectrum of civil society. CIVICUS includes the following in its definition of civil society: civil society networks and organisations; trade unions; faith-based networks; professional associations; NGO capacity development organisations; philanthropic foundations and other funding bodies. CIVICUS has worked for nearly two decades to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world, especially in areas where participatory democracy and citizens’ freedom of association are threatened. CIVICUS has a vision of a global community of active, engaged citizens committed to the creation of a more just and equitable world. This is based on the belief that the health of societies exists in direct proportion to the degree of balance between the state, the private sector and civil society. CIVICUS provides a focal point for knowledge-sharing, common interest representation, global institution-building and engagement among these disparate sectors. It acts as an advocate for citizen participation as an essential component of governance and democracy worldwide. CIVICUS seeks to amplify the voices and opinions of ordinary people and it gives expression to the enormous creative energy of the burgeoning sector of civil society.
The itinerary tour “On Albert Londres’ footsteps” will take place in August 2012 in several Balkan countries. This events is dedicated to promote reporting journalism among dispriviledged youth from France and Balkan countries. On 13 June, the France Balkans Network gathered in Saint-Denis, France, to discuss this forthcoming activity of the network. This project is organised within the multilateral decentralised cooperation programme for good governance in South-East Europe supported by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. The lead partners are the County Pays Vichy Auvergne and ALDA, the Association of Local Democracy Agencies. The main objective of this project is to revive Albert Londres’ (1884-1932) experience, born in Vichy, father of modern journalism and reporting, during his numerous investigation trips in the Balkans at the beginning of the 20th century. His story is aimed at stimulating the taste of adventure, curiosity and openness to other cultures among young people with talent for reporting but who do not have the opportunity to travel much and put their knowledge in reporting. By enabling local authorities, civil society organisations and territories from France and the Balkans to meet and exchange on joint projects, this programme supports the values of peace and intercultural dialogue, as well as promotes European integration of all the countries from South East Europe. Other partners which are involved in this adventure are the Regional Council of Auvergne, the Regional Council of Lower-Normandy, Maison de l’Europe in Caen, the General Council of the Hautes Alpes, CRET Hautes Alpes, the city of Dijon, the City of Saint-Denis and their counterparts from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Romania as well as the Local Democracy Agencies in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, the French and Macedonian ALDA offices as well as two Italian partners. Regional and national journalists and several associations (France Television, the National Association for the promotion and defence of press youth initiative, the Association of European Journalists) are also partners in the operation, which receives funding communities, the MAE, Foundations and probably Europe. Then forty young French and Balkan bloggers, young and amateur journalists aged between 18 and 30, were selected to travel in the Balkans for two weeks and report about the current political, social, economic and environmental situation in the Balkans via different means of reporting (old and new technologies) and reflect upon the overall situation in Europe. In preparation to this meeting, ALDA organised a meeting on 6 June with the Local Democracy Agencies involved in the project.
A meeting of municipalities and communities from the Region of Lower Normandy who cooperate with the Macedonian municipalities will take place on April 25 in Caen. The meeting will gather the officials and representatives from the Lower Normandy communities, but also representatives of the Regional Council of Lower Normandy, as well as representatives of the organisation Horizons Solidaires and the representatives from ALDA Skopje office that are in charge of technical support for the cooperation of cities. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss the progress of each municipality in the cooperation and will give an update on administrative and financial matters. They will also discuss the opportunities in establishing new links and introducing other municipalities in the cooperation. One part of the meeting will focus on the tourism component, as a part of the Decentralised cooperation between the Region Lower Normandy and Republic of Macedonia, and on the role of the municipalities from both regions in tourism development. In the framework of the Decentralised cooperation between Lower Normandy and Macedonia, there are currently seven active town twining’s, and more pairings are planned in the future. The town twinning segment builds up contacts and friendship with communities from the two territories and promotes better understanding. The Programme for Decentralised cooperation is coordinated by ALDA.
The increased involvement of Local Authorities (LAs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in EU development policy generates the need for the establishment of a new alliance among them in order to capitalise and improve their experiences and methods of actions. On 28th of March 2012, in the Committee of the Regions premises in Brussels, will be launch WTD – Working Together for Development with the International Conference ”Local authorities and civil society: a partnership for development”.
During the last two decades, LAs gained a significant expertise in terms of conflict prevention, decentralisation and confidence building in development, revealing themselves as real catalysts for change. In strong cooperation with CSOs, LAs confirmed decentralised cooperation methodology as one of the most relevant tools to promote a shared and bottom-up approach to development, inside and outside Europe. ALDA, which has been one of the first European actors promoting this practice through the network of Local Democracy Agencies, is launching a new alliance between LAs and CSOs interested in having a voice heard in Europe as for policy making about development cooperation. We will be pleased to involve your institution or organisation in this new challenging European endeavour, thus the president of ALDA is honoured to invite you all in Brussels. The Conference will gather the main European stakeholders in the field of development and aims at debating on the opportunities LAs have to work together with CSOs to foster a bottom up approach to development and to plan a join strategy to make their efforts more efficient. WTD, Working Together for Development, is a multi-annual development alliance granted within the framework of the European Commission NSA & LA Programme in the Objective III. It has been conceived by ALDA in cooperation with 21 international partners and associates coming from 16 different countries from enlarged the wider Europe. It involves both Associations of Local Authorities and NGO networks, and aims at improving their capacities to act as development agents inside and outside Europe, in partnership with EU and national institutions. WTD adopts a multi-stakeholder approach and focuses on creating strong partnerships between Local Authorities and NGOs. It has a special particular focus on Eastern and South Eastern Europe.
“The European Year of Citizens, suggested by the European Commission for the 2013, today focused on rights, mostly on right to move and work in the Union, should have a wider perspective, and promote European citizenship and identity, including social and cultural aspects”. This is the main proposal of ALDA about the EYC 2013, expressed during the public hearing promoted by the European Economic and Social Committee, in Brussels. The European Economic and Social Committee is drawing up an opinion on the proposal of the European Commission and would like to give every European citizen, NGO, enterprise, trade union etc. an opportunity to contribute to its opinion, which will be sent to the European Parliament, Commission and Council once it has been adopted. A first NGOs meeting was held in Brussels in EESC on the 27th of January and ALDA was represented by Mr. Marco Boaria. Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Director, attended to the public hearing that was held the day before. “We are interested in an Alliance which main aims should be promoting the participation of a wide spectrum of civil society organisations working to promote European citizenship and implement the European Year of Citizens 2013. ALDA supports the idea of organising quickly “decentralised” groups of support at the national level”, stated Mrs. Valmorbida. ALDA think that the activities of the “year” should be done even more on new members States, future member countries (those of the Enlargement process), and the countries of the ENPI Interregional Programme, since they are the direct beneficiaries of the effects as neighbours of Europe. ALDA proposes that the programme of the 2013 European Year of Citizens works mainly with small and local events and not only focusing on high level discussions, engaging civil society and local authorities and promoting an open debate on the future of participation mechanisms to strengthen European identity and The European Project. ALDA proposes also to reach political objectives in terms of citizens’ participation (and mechanisms for facilitating this) with legislative initiatives, best practices at the community level, etc. with the EYAC 2013. The group, in preparing the Year, should set these high objectives, planning the Year in this direction, considering the upcoming European Parliament Elections in 2014. For further information please visit the EESC website
LDAs Mostar and Central and Southern Serbia – Niš signed a partnership agreement with the Association of Fenomena from Kraljevo (Serbia) for the implementation of project “Promotion of the European Charter for equality between women and men at the local level”, during the first project meeting that took place on 11-12 January 2012. The Project, funded by the European Commission under the IPA Civil Society Facility: Partnership Actions-Empowerment of Women, will be implemented during the 2012. The Association Fenomenon, as the leading organisation in the project, will implement the activities in cooperation with other organisations: Centre for Local Democracy LDA from Nis, Serbia; ANIMA – Center for Women and Peace Education from Kotor, Montenegro, Association of Citizens for Local Democracy Agency Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina and The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden. The overall project objective is to contribute to the development of policies, measures and budgeting to improve gender equality in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The specific objective is to create conditions for development of policies, measures and budgeting to improve gender equality, development of local action plans to implement the European Charter for equality in cities and municipalities participating in the project.
The celebration for the 15th anniversary of the LDA of Sisak (HR) coincides, for a not accidental case, with the eve of Croatian access in the big European family, and the awarding of the “12 stars label” to the Municipality for its efforts in ELDW, the European local democracy week, by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. The official celebration will take place the 4th of November, with an international conference on “The Road of Croatia towards the EU: the role of Croatian Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs)”, organised in the framework of the ELDW, ) by the LDA of Sisak, in cooperation with ALDA, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the CoE and the the Municipality of Sisak (9.00-13.30 City Hall Sisak). The Conference will be attended by many national and international experts and representatives of European and national institutions as well. Among them Ms Barbara Toce, Member of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and Vice Mayor of Pedaso (Italy), Ambassador Henrik Ofstad, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Zagreb, Ambassador Paul Vandoren, Head of the EU Delegation to Croatia, Mr. Dinko Pintarić, Mayor of Sisak, Mr Per Vinther, President of ALDA. In these 15 years, starting from the ruins of the conflict, the LDA has been a promoter of many initiatives whose aim was primarily to promote the participation of citizens and their associations and to strengthen the democratic debate with local authorities. These are the values which Croatia has signed up to get access to the European community and some credit goes also to the work done by the ADL of Sisak. During last 15 years LDA Sisak has implemented more than 100 projects that have directly involved over 15.000 people. Established in 1996 as a pilot project of Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Council of Europe and since 2006 working as a domestic organisation, Local Democracy Agency Sisak enforced itself as one of the key actors in civil society development in Sisak and Sisačko-Moslavačka County. From its very beginnings LDA Sisak is implementing projects aiming to protect human rights and democratic society development, promotes values of tolerance and non-discrimination, multiculturalism, cooperation, partnership and active citizenship. In addition to the international conference, Sisak was selected by ALDA to host the Annual LDAs Delegates meeting and the Annual Meeting of the Lead Partners Representatives of the LDAs (3 – 5 November). The Association of LDAs is confident that the regular meetings and discussions among the Delegates and the Lead Partners of the LDAs could contribute to the development of all the network of the Agencies, in particular with regards the concept of partnership in the framework of the multilateral decentralised cooperation and the area of intervention and interest of each LDA.
The new Local Democracy Agency Armenia will open on 28th of October in Gyumri. It is the second LDA in the South Caucasus area and the thirteenth LDA opened by the Association of Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA) with the support of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. “Decentralisation of power and the development of administrative capacities at the local level, together with a capable and vivid civil society, represent a fundamental step in the process of democratisation, stability and development of Armenia”, says ALDA President, Per Vinther. On occasion of the official opening ceremony, ALDA organises a conference to gather Local Authorities, NGOs, citizens, and international representatives that are actively involved in local governance issues to discuss and learn about best practices of involving citizens in public life. The opening conference will take place in the City Hall of Gyumri and will be also be part of the European Week of Local Democracy.
In an effort to support the process of democratisation, stability and development of Armenia ALDA and the Congress decided to establish the Local Democracy Agency in the country. The opening plan has been developing since 2008. It is a long term project and it will utilise the expertise of ALDA and the other LDAs and the network, which gather about 160 members, including Local Authorities, Associations of Local Authorities and non-governmental organisations, coming from more than 30 countries. Partners of LDA Armenia will come from three countries: the Rhône-Alpes Region (France), the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (Italy), the International Committee For The Development of Peoples CISP (Italy), the Union of Communities of Armenia, the Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development (Armenia), the Journalists’ Club Asparez (Armenia), and the Armenian Municipalities of Gyumri, the host city, and Ijevan. The role of the international partners will be to provide core financial support, participate in activities where they have the skills and capacities, to encourage their own partners to participate in the work of the LDA and to promote the work of the LDA in their own community and encourage wider participation. Gyumri is the second largest city in Armenia, situated in the North of the country and has been selected as host since it will provide a good basis to allow the LDA to work on a national level. The Municipality of Gyumri provides an office and rooms for the LDA in a building which already hosts other public associations and NGOs in Gyumri. “Furthermore the vibrant civil society in Gyumri and the possibilities to improve the situation for cooperation between civil society and local authorities are also very important factors”, stresses President Per Vinther. “In addition”, says Mr Vinther, “Gyumri is also twinned with the Georgian city Kutaisi which provides a strong basis for developing the cooperation between both cities”. The first LDA in the Caucasus is based in Kutaisi, Georgia since the year 2006. The LDA will facilitate the participation of civil society in the decision-making process at the local level, increase the interest, awareness and capacities of citizens to take part in the decision-making process at the local level and increase the awareness and skills of the local communities and local authorities to address the needs of their citizens. So a practical exercise of policy sharing between citizens and local authorities should also be facilitated. The LDA will support capacity building of civil society and local authorities and it will implement its activities at the local level with trainings, study visits and other participative methods. Acting as a promoter of democracy and local self-government, the Local Democracy Agency will also promote human rights and sustainable development. The realisation of all objectives will be reached by implementing projects with local authorities and NGOs using the international partners support. The LDA will aim to serve as a bridge between Europe and Armenia and will bring Armenian practice to Europe and European experience to Armenia. Finally the LDA will also work to ensure cross border cooperation in South Caucasus and will work to promote peace and understanding in the South Caucasus region. “There are plans to set up an LDA in Azerbaijan in the near future as well. So the LDA in Armenia will also become part of a network of LDAs in South Caucasus that can promote cooperation and mutual understanding between the countries in South Caucasus” announces Per Vinther.
ALDA will take part in the International conference for the European Year of Volunteers on “Italy – Central and South Eastern Europe: Volunteerism and Institutions in comparison”, 7-9 October 2011 – Gorizia (I). Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, ALDA Director, will take the floor on the last day, after the presentation of the results of the working groups, together with Anica Mikus Kos, Slovenska Filantropija President, Andrea Waxenegger, University of Graz, President EUCEN (European Network of University Centers for Long Life Learning), and Luca Jahier, the Economic and Social Committee, President Group III.
The conference is promoted by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and organised by the regional CSV in collaboration with CSVnet – National Coordination Centres for Voluntary Service; it has also received the patronage of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, European Commission Representation in Italy CEV – European Volunteer Centre, Brussels. The conference will be an opportunity to continue the comparison between volunteerism and institutions in Italy and in Central and South Eastern Europe, focusing on issues such as diversity and social inclusion, young people and participation. The aim is to draw a roadmap for future advocacy activities and common planning. The event represents an important moment to engage and support existing realities of volunteering of those countries which are not members of the European Union yet. The conference will be attended by over 100 Italian and foreign volunteers, institutional representatives and leaders of voluntary organisations, the Centers for Voluntary Service and Volunteer Centers, coming both from Italy and other countries such as Albania, Austria, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey. The Conference will be opened, the first day, by a plenary session titled: “Which role for volunteering in the Europe of the future”. The second day will be dedicated to working groups, accompanied by the interventions of Italian and foreign associations introduced by the relations of Joachim Ott, Acting Head of Unit, Directorate General Communication, Unit Policy for Citizens of the European Commission, and Martijn Pakker, Director CEV – European Centre for Volunteering.
Starting from July 4 until July 8, 2011, Macedonian and French professionals will work on discovering and practicing the technics of renovation of traditional buildings in Pont Farcy, Lower Normandy. This practical workshop on renovating ancient buildings with natural and ecological materials will be held in the Norman farms and sites, where the experts from the two countries will demonstrate their skills in reconstruction using traditional methods. The experts will work not only on the implementation, but also on the basic theory knowledge regarding preparation of building sites, renovating and constructing stone walls, cob walls, etc. while using the traditional (natural) materials, easy to practice individually. More information on this specific workshop and building heritage activities can be found at www.balkansheritage.eu. This practical workshop is organised in the framework of the Decentralised cooperation between the Lower Normandy region and Republic of Macedonia, in the component 5 – Sustainable Tourism and Cultural Heritage, project coordinated by ALDA. For further information please consult the webpage of the Cooperation http://crbn-mk.courriers.info/
With three days of exhibitions, debates and concerts, the city of Brindisi has commemorated the first landing of Albanian citizens fleeing towards freedom. From 11th to 13th of March was held the exhibition “The hospitable city: Albania – Brindisi twenty years later“. It was March 7th, in 1991, when thousands of Albanians fleeing from a country devastated by a severe economic and political crisis landed in the port of Brindisi.
Twenty years have passed and the city of Brindisi recovered the memory of this historical page, still current. The program, developed through an extensive course of action, has decreased the city in an atmosphere of reflection and commemoration. Moments of entertainment and discussion, including art installations, events of the narrative, allegorical band marches through the streets of the historic center, documentaries and special interest, conference-seminar on immigration and the concert of an artist of great appeal, have read, with the lens of history, those days of March that shook nationally and internationally the public attention.
“The City hospitable” proposed to rediscover a dramatic period in the history of the Balkan country and also the great welcome offered by citizens and institutions in Brindisi, which was able to alleviate the suffering of countless lives embarked on an adventurous journey, revealing an extraordinary spirit of cohesion.
Twenty years later, today those people are integrated and vital into the civil society of the city.
The members of the Governing Board of Asael, the Association of municipalities of Aragon Region (Spain) that was dissolved in late 2009 swept away by a scandal, former President Jesus Alone in the head, will be liable personally for debts left. ALDA, with its other partners, decided to take legal action on the basis of the Spanish Law on Associations (the “Ley Organica 1 / 2002, de 22 de marzo, reguladora del Derecho de Asociacion). “We are forced to choose the legal way -said Antonella Valmorbida, Director of ALDA-because all our efforts to resolve the issue amicably have not been successful. The Aragon institutions we questioned, as Asael was an association of local authorities, ignored our calls or answered that the issue does not concern them. A rubber wall has been raised around Asael and its administrators that were all mayors of Aragon towns”.
But the Spanish Law on Associations is clear and says that administrators are responsible of debts of their Association debts, caused by malicious reasons, and also for culpable negligence, and that they have to pay with their personal assets. “It’s clear-stated the Director of Alda, AntonellaValmorbida- that during the Sol management of Asael, in recent years none of the administrators has exercised effective control, to avoid accumulating debts and that European funds were not used for the purpose for which they were assigned to Asael, to support project activities”.
The projects were developed in the years 2008-2009 and were Bandair, Emanzipar and Eclau. The other ALDA members partners of the project managed by Asael were the province of Reggio Emilia (Italy), the City of Bydgoszcz (Poland), Baltisfem (Lithuania), the Local Councils’ Association, Association of Municipalities (Malta), the Institute of Enterpreneurship, an NGO (Greece), the Association for the development of mountain communities (Bulgaria). The credit of ALDA and its partners amounts around to 115.000 (ALDA 30,180, City of Bydgoszcz 31,000, Baltifem, 24,000, Institute of Enterpreuneurship, 9,700, Province of Reggio Emilia 9,000, Association for Development of Mountain Municipalities, 9,000, Local Councils’Association, 1,800). This is an amount of money that Asael has to pay to its partners for activities under the project, personal taxes, social contributions. Some of them could have lots of serious financial difficulties if they will not be paid.
“We believe that the situation has been largely overlooked bye very one here in Aragon – still says the Director of ALDA, Antonella Valmorbida – by the risk that it may have in relations with the European Community. The Commission’s representative office in Madrid is aware of what happened and shares our position. TheCommission’s anti-fraud office is investigating possible embezzlement of which has been discussed in newspapers in the region. We are willing to go all the way to guarantee our rights, and we believe that it’ll be hard that any other European project could have partners entities such as the Aragonese Famcp, one of which vice president is the current President of Asael, whose responsibilities, if not for Sol’s management facts, is now due to elude any response.”
Asael’s former partners do not understand how institutions and political forces in Aragon do not exercise all is in their power to success fully resolve the issue, which also includes former employees of Asael remained without payment.
“We know that the former president of Asael, JesusSol, was very close to the President of PAR, Jose Angel Biel, who is vice president and spokesman of the regional government, and that the majority of members of Municipality member of Asael were led by mayors of the PAR. Can the PAR, which will celebrate its congress in the next days – still says Antonella Valmorbida – ignore the moral issue internally? And do the other parties in government and in the opposition not have the heart to safeguard the image of the region of Aragon in Europe? And how do they believe that, at the upcoming May elections, they can nominate again those outgoing mayors responsible for this failure?”
These are questions which the public of the region should demand answers, because the ethics of elected representatives and the institutions they governed has been called into question.
“We regret being forced to give public evidence of this situation – concluded the Director of ALDA, AntonellaValmorbida-but silence would be complicit in unlawful conduct. And we are even more regretful for the thirty years of history of Asael, its efficient staff and the president himself Sol, who we always had, until these facts have emerged, a very good account on. Asael was our partner and Sol was a member of our Board. It’s a real shame that things have had this outcome.”
The next 10th and 11th of March will take place in Sarajevo “NEXPO 2011” , the first Local Government Fair including participants from South Eastern Europe. ALDA is actively involved in the programme of this event with a stand and the participation of its President, Per Vinther, in the first panel on Good Governance and EU Integration (see http://nexpo.nalas.eu/).
The stand will mostly present the last activities of ALDA on local governance and citizens participation as well as the activities of the Local Democracy Agencies from Mostar, Prijedor and Zavidovici. “NEXPO 2011” is organised by NALAS, network of associations of local authorities of South East Europe, and more than 1,000 people will be participating, representatives from local municipalities, associations and international organisations.
A clear definition and extension of the competences of local authorities, appropriate local and regional financial means and autonomy, improvement of governance through increased transparence and participation and strengthening of capacities for public services. These are the four central needs of local authorities in the Western Balkans indicated by Keith Withmore, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, in his conclusion speech of the conference on the European perspective of the Western Balkans and the contribution of local and regional authorities that took place in Paris, in the French Senate, on 18th and 19th of February. Mr Keith Whitmore underlined also the involvement of the Congress in the Balkans (citing explicitly the LDAs and their existence since 1993 and ALDA’s work).
The conference united representatives of local authorities and other stakeholders of European decentralised cooperation. It was an excellent occasion for French local authorities and authorities from the Western Balkans to meet and exchange their views on the strategies and priorities of European integration.
A central point of reflection was the role of local authorities’ international cooperation in the integration process. Further subjects discussed included the role of good local governance and public local policy for European integration. The pause of enlargement is a chance to rethink the relationship between the EU and the Western Balkans, underlined the debate, and the governments in the Balkans have to act now, and at the same time, the EU has to speed up the accession procedures and propose viable political solution to problems such as the Kosovo issue. Many participants also demanded a greater implication of local authorities in the accession process.
Per Vinther, President of ALDA, was present at the conference and informed about its activities in decentralised cooperation in one of the workshops. The project of decentralised cooperation between Lower Normandy and the Republic of Macedonia was at the centre of attention. The conference was organised by the French Association of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (AFCCRE) in cooperation with the municipality of Dijon and the Community of Greater Dijon.
In cooperation with the The Franco-German Youth Office OFAJ and memorial centresOradur-sur-Glane in France and Dachau in Germany, LDA CSS implemented three cycle seminar entitled “War and Propaganda: An Approach to History in Europe”.
After a seminar in Dachau, this year youth groups from Germany, France and Serbia met in Oradour, France and Nis. Each seminar has been led by wellknown national historians, experts on each specific topic. Young people had the opportunity to question the relationship between propaganda in the Second World War and the 90s conflicts in the former Yugoslavia while investigating transnational historiography.
Community-based approaches and civil society empowerment at the heart of democratic resilience.
On 4 February 2026, ALDA contributed to the consultation on the EU Democracy Shield, bringing forward perspectives rooted in local democracy, civil society empowerment, and community-based resilience.
Democracy under pressure and the need for solidarity
Secretary General Antonella Valmorbida confirmed that ALDA members and constituencies across Europe and beyond are witnessing increasing pressure on European democracy and the European project. These challenges are often driven by narratives detached from factual evidence and by cognitive manipulation repeatedly amplified through social media.
Such dynamics risk undermining solidarity — not only between countries, but also within societies — at a time when democratic cooperation and mutual trust are more necessary than ever. In this context, Antonella expressed satisfaction with the current direction of the Democracy Shield, which goes beyond a purely defensive approach. The framework increasingly focuses on strengthening democracy internally, particularly by empowering civil society, local communities, and democratic participation.
Local democracy as a space of resilience
ALDA underlined that local democratic spaces are key environments for building resilience. As an organisation composed of both civil society organisations and local authorities, ALDA operates at the intersection of these two dimensions and advocates for their close cooperation.
The local level offers specific advantages: it is more accessible, often less polarised, more pragmatic, and better suited to inclusive dialogue.
Proximity-based actions and community engagement allow democratic practices to be rooted in people’s daily lives rather than remaining abstract or confined to online environments.
ALDA’s Secretary General stressed the importance of a granular territorial approach, moving beyond capital cities and large urban centres to focus on secondary cities and rural areas. These territories are often more exposed to information scarcity and digital manipulation, making targeted actions on literacy, offline dialogue, exchanges, and lived experiences particularly relevant.
She highlighted the need to invest in critical thinking and democratic literacy, combining online and offline approaches. Face-to-face meetings, exchanges between communities, and shared experiences play a crucial role in contesting polarising narratives, including those targeting migrants and other groups for political purposes. Building democratic resilience requires long-term engagement aimed at restoring trust at the community level and demonstrating the tangible value of democracy and deliberation, countering feelings of alienation and exclusion.
Neighbourhoods, candidate countries, and shared responsibility
ALDA also drew attention to the critical situation in the EU neighbourhood and candidate countries, where democratic actors often lack basic instruments and resources while facing overwhelming hostile narratives. Civil society organisations and municipalities in these contexts require sustained and structured support. The contribution stressed the importance of closely linking neighbourhood policies with the Democracy Shield and ensuring that civil society and pro-democracy actors are fully included. In this regard, ALDA highlighted the role of Local Democracy Agencies, with fifteen currently operational in the neighbourhood, as well as the broader network of members working with local authorities and civil society.
Finally, ALDA called for a proactive Democracy Shield, capable not only of connecting existing initiatives but also of actively stimulating collective action. A genuine whole-of-society approach — bringing together public authorities, civil society, and European partners — remains essential to breaking silos and strengthening democratic resilience across Europe and beyond.
The Shared Green Societies Forum was officially launched on Wednesday 28 January 2026 during a full-day event in Brussels, bringing together Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) researchers, local practitioners and policy-makers at both EU and local level.
The event celebrated this innovative European Forum that connects different actors and strengthens collaboration for an inclusive and just green transition grounded in local realities and citizens’ engagement. Forum participants will be part of a journey of sharing knowledge and understanding, events, discussions, advocacy and real-world impact.
Its added value lies in bridging SSH research and community practice. On one hand, it creates a space where NGOs and local actors can access findings, outputs and tools from SSH research to better support their communities. On the other, it facilitates constructive dialogue between researchers and those with lived experience on the ground, fostering mutual learning and more effective action.
The Forum is currently supported by the EU-funded Horizon 2020 SHARED GREEN DEAL project, which aims to foster a just green transition in Europe that works for and with people, providing SSH tools and knowledge to support the implementation of eight EU Green Deal policy areas and deliver behavioural change.
The Shared Green Societies Forum is now open to university departments and research institutes, civil society organisations, local and regional authorities, researchers and policymakers committed to shaping an inclusive and just green transition in Europe
Three types of participation are available: Forum Members, who engage actively in shaping the Forum’s activities; Forum Champions, who play a consultative or exemplary role by sharing experiences and inspiring others; and Friends of the Forum, who contribute through more occasional and supportive engagement.
The launch event brought together more than one hundred people from civil society representatives, researchers, local and regional actors and policymakers from across Europe to share the Forum’s vision and first steps.
The agenda reflected the three core goals of the Forum:
supporting citizen and professional participation through well-designed community-led initiatives;
promoting mutual knowledge flows between SSH research and local practice;
advocating for inclusive public policies informed by both academic insight and grassroots experience.
The event kicked off with an introduction on the activities and the forum, led by Professor Rosie Robison (Anglia Ruskin University) and Valeria Fantini (ALDA – HUB Environment & Climate)
The first session featured a keynote conversation between Professor Chris Foulds (Anglia Ruskin University) and Astrid Ladefoged, Deputy to the Director and Head of Green Transitions Unit at DG Research and Innovation. She highlighted the urgency of aligning science, policy and on-the-ground practice to drive the green transition, stressing that social sciences and AI must work together to address public distrust and misinformation. Cities were identified as key implementers, and rebuilding public trust was framed as a matter of translating research into tangible, locally relevant solutions that address affordability and systemic inequalities.
The second session celebrated local ‘Champions’ of Shared Green Societies. Through an interview format, Kinga Kovacs from EnergyCities presented the work implemented by five of the 24 social experiments across 17 countries from the SHARED GREEN DEAL project: Pelle Bengtsberg (Reformaten), Rhiannon Laubach (Ballyhoura Development), Jean-Paul Grange (Val-de-Marne en Transition) and Filipa Corais (Braga Municipality). They shared their experiences of working with local communities to support the implementation of the European Green Deal, illustrating how SSH methods contributed to community learning, co-creation and trust-building. The example of these Forum Champions showed that change begins with people rather than top-down technical fixes, despite barriers such as short-term funding and political instability.
Participants then joined an interactive third session, “Building a shared voice on policy: Advocating for just and community-based public policies”, focused on developing a collective advocacy agenda and defining shared priorities for joint lobbying, research and funding collaboration. The session was led by Pia Wieser (WECF) and PJ Beers (Drift), with the special participation of Leida Rijnhout from Ecolise, who stressed the importance of local communities and a bottom-up approach to delivering systemic change — as showcased by ECOLISE’s Colibri approach to advocacy.
The Collaboration Hub has been followed by a final plenary, moderated by Valeria Fantini (ALDA) outlining the Forum’s next steps and officially opening registrations to become part of the Forum.
All eligible stakeholders are invited to join the Forum by completing this form!
To learn more on eligibility criteria, the objectives of the Forum and benefits of participation, check out the Forum Strategy for all the detailed information. You can read more about the co-creation process that led to the definition of the Strategy and the creation of the Forum itself here.
Forum’s activities are coming soon, including online workshops in March and April 2026 on how local actors can drive change from the ‘in-between’ (delivered in 5 different EU languages) and a Policy brief series on “Bottom-Up Solutions for Effective European Green Deal Governance”, which will be include five roundtables across Europe with different target audience.
Local Democracy and civil society engagement at the local level are a fundamental space of democratic resilience.
On 2 and 3 February, 2026, the International Conference on the New Democratic Pact for Europe took place in Strasbourg (France) at the Council of Europe (CoE).
The event aimed to explore the current state of civic space in Europe — the environment that enables people to participate meaningfully in the political, economic, social and cultural life of their societies.
ALDA’s Secretary General, Antonella Valmorbida, attended the event to meet in person with speakers and participants from institutions, international organisations and research centres, fostering an exchange of visions, perspectives and practices aimed at strengthening civil society empowerment.
“Civil Society has a central role to play on the path to the New Democratic Pact for Europe” (Alain Berset, Secretary General of the CoE)
In a world experiencing a democratic backsliding trend, this theme is at the center of ALDA’s commitment to promote democratic values, understanding the need to act locally in order to reach ambitious goals on a global level.
“The evils of Nazism did not happen overnight. They were made possible through a gradual deterioration of society” (Michael O’Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights)
ALDA is proud to have been present at this crucial moment for democracy, which has provided significant food for thought and inspiration for our work and mission, bringing our role in supporting resilience of local democracy at the local level.
ALDA has also been advancing democratic resilience on the ground through the implementation of the BRIDGE to the Council of Europe (CoE) project, an initiative designed to strengthen civil society participation and combat democratic backsliding across Europe. The project fosters closer engagement between civil society actors, local authorities, and CoE institutions, building capacities for meaningful participation in democratic governance and awareness of Council of Europe standards. Through workshops, cross-border dialogues, and a broad communication strategy, BRIDGE translates shared democratic values into tangible local action, reinforcing the foundations of civic space and empowering communities to uphold democratic norms.
The famous Greek youth centre, Komotini, welcomed young people from across Europe to the ProVote event “Mobilising Citizens for Stronger European Democracy“. The one-day programme brought together around 40 participants from Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Romania, and Spain, offering interactive workshops, panel discussions, and debates designed to strengthen democratic engagement and understanding of the European Parliament.
The programme opened with official welcomes from Dimitris Gartsonis, Consultant of the Mayor of theMunicipality of Komotini and Nicolas Reynès, Coordinator of Partenalia and Tessy Melidi, Coordinator of RegioDev.
Interactive workshops formed the core of the event, focusing on youth participation in democratic processes through innovative tools such as Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, debating exercises, and discussions on the role of youth centres.
A panel discussion on “Youth Participation in Democratic Processes” was moderated by journalist Natasa Vafeiadou, publisher ofParatiritis Thrakis. Panellists included Konstantinos Sitaras, President of ELSA Komotini; Charalampos Stafylidis, non-formal trainer; and Dimitrios Gartsonis, Consultant to the Mayor of Komotini.
The event concluded with the presentation of key survey insights and closing remarks by Nicolas Reynès and Apostolos Alexiadis, who highlighted a case study from System and G.
91.7% of young people, participants of a questionnaire are discouraged from voting because they feel their vote does not matter. 75% intend to vote in the next European elections, while 45% stressed the need for more informative campaigns about the importance of voting. 50% respondents would be more likely to vote or engage in political discussions if they had greater opportunities to interact directly with decision-makers. 72% felt issues such as climate change, education, and employment are somewhat represented in European elections, but require stronger focus. 33.3% identified social media campaigns as the most effective way to encourage youth voting. 58% said they only occasionally participate in political or social campaigns.
ProVoteis a European initiative aimed at strengthening citizen engagement and participation in EU democracy, with a particular focus on underrepresented groups such as young people, women, marginalised communities, and mobile EU citizens.
The PACT – Participatory Action for Community Transformation project has officially launched its first phase with the WP1 Coordination Meeting, held online on 28 January 2026, bringing together partners from across Europe to align strategies, exchange perspectives, and co-design the foundations of upcoming activities.
Funded under the CERV – Networks of Towns programme, PACT is a 24-month European initiative that aims to contribute to the recognition, empowerment and inclusion of underrepresented ethnic and national minorities in local communities. By strengthening cooperation between municipalities, civil society organisations and minority-led actors, the project promotes inclusive governance, participatory democracy and social cohesion across Europe.
The project is led by ADL Zavidovići (Italy) and implemented by a transnational partnership including Fons Català de Cooperació al Desenvolupment (Spain), KMOP – Social Action and Innovation Centre (Greece), Center for Intercultural Dialogue – CID (North Macedonia), PLACE Network (France) and KONKÁV (Hungary). ALDA – the European Association for Local Democracy leads the coordination of events at European level, strengthening the link between the project’s transnational scope and its communication and advocacy actions.
A collaborative start: WP1 Coordination Meeting
The WP1 kick-off meeting marked an important first step in translating the project’s vision into concrete actions. The session created space for partners to present their organisations, target groups and local contexts, while identifying shared challenges and opportunities related to minority participation.
Partners highlighted experiences from working with migrant-led organisations, Muslim communities, Roma youth and families, as well as municipalities committed to anti-racism and inclusion policies. Across different national contexts, a common concern emerged: the difficulty in reaching underrepresented minorities, compounded by barriers to participation and the persistence of misleading or exclusionary narratives.
The meeting focused on the core principles guiding WP1 activities: cooperation, co-design and co-creation.
Throughout the meeting, partners reaffirmed the project’s commitment to a human-rights-based and participatory approach, placing minorities at the centre of decision-making processes as active contributors and rights-holders.
Looking ahead: WP1 International Conference and Workshops in Brussels
Preparations are now underway for the WP1 International Conference and Workshop on the Promotion of Minorities’ Participation in Multi-level Governance, which will take place on 10–11 March 2026 in Brussels, at Amazone – House of Associations for Gender Equality.
The two-day event will gather 76 participants from 10 European countries, including representatives of municipalities, civil society organisations, minority-led groups, experts and practitioners.
By fostering dialogue between local and European actors, the event will represent a key milestone in advancing inclusive governance models and democratic participation across Europe.
With WP1 officially underway, PACT is setting the foundations for a shared European effort to reshape narratives, enhance participation and build more cohesive and inclusive communities.
Period:
01/01/2026 - 31/12/2028
Countries involved:
Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatia France Montenegro North Macedonia Serbia
The ROOT WB project is built on the belief that active citizenship, structured dialogue, and regional cooperation are essential for strengthening democracy and civic space in the Western Balkans. By connecting citizens, civil society organizations, and public authorities through participatory methods, evidence-based advocacy, and innovative tools like the Dialogue and Policy Hub, the project creates lasting frameworks for citizen engagement aligned with EU best practices.
ROOT WB empowers youth, women, and marginalized groups, supports cross-border learning, and promotes inclusive policymaking while upholding the highest ethical and safety standards to protect and amplify the voices of all participants.
OBJECTIVES
Promote active citizenship and civic engagement, particularly among youth, women, and underrepresented groups at local, national, and regional levels;
Enhance CSO capacities to defend civic space, advocate reforms, and represent citizens’ rights;
Facilitate regional cooperation and exchange of best practices between CSOs, local authorities, and EU partners to foster cross-border civic alliances;
Improve public understanding of EU values, rights, and institutions, in line with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights;
Establish participatory policy-making mechanisms to integrate citizen input into both local governance and EU-related processes.
ALDA’s Secretary General, Antonella Valmorbida, took part in an inspiring week in Taipei (Taiwan), hosted by the Taiwan Foundationfor Democracy, centred on one of today’s most urgent debates: the relationship between AI and democracy.
The conference explored how emerging technologies are reshaping democratic governance, raising crucial questions around trust, participation, and accountability in an increasingly digital public space. In this context, Antonella highlighted the growing pressure on democratic systems worldwide and stressed the central role of participatory local democracy in responding to these challenges.
She underlined that
“Democracy in the age of AI must be rooted in communities, transparency, and decentralised decision-making, ensuring that technological innovation strengthens – rather than weakens – democratic values.”
These themes closely reflect ALDA’s commitment to foster an ethical and inclusive approach to new technologies, ensuring no one is left behind: indeed, our Digital & Innovation Hub aims at the construction of an inclusive and fair society providing equal opportunities for all its citizens regardless of their gender, social status, nationality, or any other discriminant aspect.
Also, from an internal organisational perspective, we aim to approach emerging technologies in a responsible and sustainable way. A central element of this effort is the development of a dedicated ethical framework for the use of AI, accompanied by training initiatives across all departments to ensure responsible, informed, and consistent implementation.
Therefore, all insights gathered in Taipei will feed directly into ALDA’s ongoing work, including our Digital Hub and Wealth of Expertise, and into future discussions at the General Assembly in May 2026, in Malta. ALDA warmly thanks the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy for its support and collaboration, and extends special thanks to Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Cyber Ambassador and a leading global voice on AI and democracy, for her inspiration and leadership.
The project’s general objective is to contribute to the recognition, empowerment and inclusion of underrepresented minorities in local communities in Europe, valuing their role and participation to shape a more equal, connected and intercultural European society.
PACT, or Participatory Action for Community Transformation, aims to empower underrepresented minorities in Europe by strengthening the role of municipalities and civil society organizations in promoting inclusive governance and community-led participation.
OBJECTIVES
Specific objectives (SOs) and thematic pillars:
Key-word: Participation SO1: To enhance inclusive and participatory governance at local and European levels by fostering the capacity of and dialogue between institutions, civil society organizations, and ethnic and national minorities.
Key-word: Narratives SO2: To improve alternative narratives on underrepresented ethnic and national minorities by amplifying their voices, challenging misinformation, and fostering a more accurate and inclusive public discourse.
Key-word: Social Cohesion SO3: To foster social cohesion and intercultural dialogue through culture, promoting the active participation of minorities in community life.
Key-word: Collaboration SO4: To strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration between municipalities, civil society and media, ensuring solid partnerships and sustainable mechanisms for inclusion and democratic participation
ASSOCIATED PARTNERS:
Thiene Municipality (Italy) Brescia Municipality (Italy) Kumanovo Municipality (North Macedonia) Budapest IX District (Ferencvaros) (Hungary) Vic Municipality (Spain) Girona Municipality (Spain) Rubi Municipality (Spain) Matarò Municipality (Spain) Birgu Local Council (Malta) Municipality of Lykovrisi-Pefki (Greece) Municipality of Plœuc (France)
ProVote is a European initiative designed to spark greater citizen engagement and participation in EU democracy, with a special focus on groups that are often underrepresented – young people, women, marginalised communities, and EU mobile citizens. The project brings together a diverse partnership of civil society organisations and local authorities from eight countries: Greece, Spain, France, Belgium, Romania, Italy, North Macedonia, and Germany.
The project’s activities centre on 16 events – 14 international and 2 local – hosted across the partner countries, where participants will share experiences, identify challenges, and co-create practical solutions to boost democratic participation. Each international event will welcome around 55 participants, including representatives from NGOs, local authorities, educators, and active citizens, while local workshops will target smaller groups of practitioners. In total, ProVote expects to directly involve over 2,000 people and reach more than 500,000 indirectly through communication and dissemination.
At the heart of ProVote is the Citizens’ Engagement Academy, an innovative online platform that will remain freely accessible for at least three years after the project ends. This Academy will host training modules, best practices, and resources on civic engagement, media literacy, and countering disinformation. Partners will embed the Academy into their ongoing training and outreach, ensuring its continued use and relevance.
OBJECTIVES
The project aims to organise 14 International events and 74 local workshops in the partners’ countries, and to engage citizens through an online “Citizens’ Engagement Academy”.
On 22 January, Ukraine marks the Unity of Ukraine Day, commemorating the Act of Unification of 1919, when Eastern and Western Ukraine formally declared their unity. This historic moment affirmed a shared vision of independence, solidarity, and a common destiny—values that continue to resonate deeply more than a century later.
While the Act of Unification stands as a powerful historical symbol, unity in Ukraine has never been confined to the past. Today, unity is not only remembered; it is practised daily. It takes shape through local action, civic engagement, and democratic governance, especially in times of profound challenge.
Unity, in this sense, is inseparable from local democracy. It is built where communities organise, where local authorities respond to citizens’ needs, and where civil society strengthens trust and participation.
On Ukraine Unity Day, unity is not understood as an abstract concept, but as an ongoing process—one that is continuously nurtured at the local level.
Across the country, the work of the Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs) in Ukraine demonstrates how unity becomes tangible. Through cooperation between regions, solidarity among municipalities, and dialogue between citizens and institutions, LDAs contribute to strengthening democratic resilience even under the most difficult circumstances. These efforts show that unity is not uniformity, but collaboration rooted in diversity, proximity, and shared responsibility.
The legacy of the 1919 Act reminds us that unity is a powerful source of resilience. Ukraine’s strength today lies in people standing together—locally and nationally—transforming unity into collective action, resistance, and mutual support. Communities continue to prove that cohesion and democratic values can endure, even in the face of adversity.
For ALDA, unity means standing alongside local communities and supporting democratic governance where it matters most: at the local level. It means contributing to recovery processes that are inclusive, participatory, and rooted in local needs and capacities. ALDA’s engagement in Ukraine reflects a long-term commitment to empowering communities and reinforcing local democracy as a cornerstone of resilience and reconstruction.
Unity today also transcends borders. It is reflected in the shared commitment between Ukraine and Europe, and in the continued solidarity linking European institutions, local authorities, and civil society organisations with Ukrainian partners. This transnational unity reinforces the idea that democracy and peace are collective responsibilities.
On Unity of Ukraine Day, one message stands clear: unity lives where people act together. It is built every day, locally, through democratic participation, cooperation, and trust—and it remains one of Ukraine’s greatest strengths, now and for the future.
CSV Positive Radio è un’iniziativa promossa dal Centro di Servizio per il Volontariato della provincia di Vicenza (#ALDAMember), pensata per raccontare in modo chiaro ed accessibile ciò che accade nel territorio vicentino. Le sue trasmissioni accompagnano gli ascoltatori alla scoperta di eventi, progetti e buone pratiche che si sviluppano a Vicenza ed in ambito provinciale, offrendo un canale informativo dedicato al volontariato e all’impegno civico.
In questo contesto si inserisce la rubrica mensile curata da ALDA che valorizza le iniziative locali e favorisce il dialogo tra istituzioni, associazioni e cittadini. La collaborazione tra ALDA ed il CSV Vicenza si fonda su una visione condivisa, orientata al rafforzamento della democrazia locale, al coinvolgimento delle comunità ed al sostegno alla società civile.
È proprio CSV Positive Radio a rappresentare lo spazio in cui questa collaborazione prende forma concreta, trasformando i valori e gli obiettivi condivisi in contenuti accessibili, occasioni di confronto e momenti di informazione aperti alla cittadinanza. Nel tempo, questa sinergia si è consolidata, riconoscendo nella comunicazione uno strumento efficace di partecipazione e cambiamento.
Clicca sul bottone sottostante per scoprire tutte le puntate di CSV Positive Radio.
Non perdere le puntate di CSV Positive Radio! Entra nel cuore delle realtà locali, ascolta esperienze autentiche e scopri come il nostro territorio prende vita ogni giorno.
Adrien Licha, Coordinator of the Secretariat and the Eastern Partnership Unit at ALDA, has been elected on behalf of ALDA as member of the Board of the European Movement – France along with 49 other members during its General Assembly that took place in Paris on Saturday, 17th of January 2026. The members of the Board are elected for 3 years, during which they define and approve the association’s annual action plan, in line with the project defined by the General Assembly.
Created in 1948 at the Congress of The Hague, the European Movement unites all active forces committed to a united Europe. For many years, ALDA has been an active member of the European Movement International and of the Italian Section of the European Movement (Consiglio Italiano del Movimento Europeo). ALDA joined the European Movement – France in 2021 and has been working closely with this organisation since.
We are proud to join forces with like-minded people and organisations, defending an ambitious vision of the European Union and engaging citizens to shape the future of the union at a critical moment for our continent.
During this mandate, ALDA will support the work of the European Movement – France, facilitating cooperation between sections within France and abroad, and answering the desire of members to engage with their counterparts in other European countries. We will also be happy to contribute through our core experience and expertise to the debates and activities on enlargement of the European Union, local and regional government, and support for democracy.
The general assembly of the European Movement France reelected Dr Hervé Moritz as President and appointed a new board. The event also hosted the President of the European Movement – Germany, Dr Anna-Maija Mertens, and the President of the European Movement – Italy, Pier-Virgilio Dastoli, for an exchange on the priorities of our pan-European organisation and on ways to address the challenges and threats facing the European Union.
The European Movement is part of ALDA’s network of partners, underscoring the strong synergy that guides our collaboration. With Adrien’s election, for which we are sincerely grateful, we look forward to further strengthening this work in the period ahead.
ALDA Italia APS, insieme ai partner di progetto, presenta ufficialmente ASPIRA! – Aspirazioni, Sinergie, Partecipazione, Rete e Alleanze con i NEET con un evento di lancio in programma giovedì 29 gennaio 2026 alle ore 10.30 presso Villa Fabris a Thiene.
La mattinata si aprirà con una riunione riservata ai partner, dedicata alla condivisione di aspettative, obiettivi e modalità di collaborazione. A seguire, dalle 10:30 si terrà la presentazione ufficiale di ASPIRA!, durante la quale verranno illustrate nel dettaglio le attività previste e le azioni che prenderanno forma nei prossimi mesi. Un’occasione di confronto e condivisione aperta a tutte le persone interessate.
Obiettivi e attività Il progetto si articola in tre azioni principali: orientamento professionale, integrazione sociale e supporto psicologico. Nella prima fase sono previste attività di empowerment, percorsi personalizzati di orientamento, coaching e mentoring di gruppo, uno sportello di consulenza e un servizio di supporto psicologico. A queste si affiancano laboratori e workshop per lo sviluppo di competenze trasversali e soft skills utili per l’ingresso nel mondo del lavoro.
La seconda fase è dedicata alla condivisione delle buone pratiche, attraverso tavoli di lavoro con i partner e la realizzazione di un toolkit metodologico. Il progetto si concluderà con un evento di restituzione al territorio presso Villa Fabris a Thiene e con una campagna di comunicazione volta a coinvolgere i NEET e informare la comunità locale.
Una rete territoriale stabile per garantire continuità Parallelamente alle attività rivolte ai giovani, ASPIRA! punta a costruire e consolidare una rete di supporto stabile, grazie alla collaborazione tra realtà profit, no-profit e pubblica amministrazione locale. L’intento è garantire continuità alle buone pratiche sviluppate durante il progetto, anche oltre la sua conclusione, rafforzando il tessuto sociale e le opportunità di inclusione nel territorio.
Per rimanere aggiornati e partecipare alle attività che si terranno nel corso del 2026 è necessaria l’iscrizione a questo link. Per maggiori informazioni: progetto.aspira@aldaintranet.org
Continua il progetto RESPIRO di ALDA Italia APS, che si focalizza sulla promozione del diritto alla salute e della prossimità sociale. Il progetto mira anzitutto a potenziare l’offerta dei servizi medico-sociosanitari dell’Ambulatorio popolare gestito dall’Associazione Caracol, che offre cure mediche gratuite a persone in condizioni di disagio economico e/o socio-sanitario.
In secondo luogo, il progetto intende aumentare e garantire un maggiore livello di informazione e sensibilizzazione sull’importanza dell’accesso alle cure, e infine rafforzare il coinvolgimento attivo della comunità locale nelle tematiche di cura, salute e welfare generativo.
Alla luce di quest’ultimo obiettivo, ALDA Italia APS è impegnata nella realizzazione di due attività chiave del progetto, pensate per coinvolgere la comunità vicentina in senso più ampio.
Sul tema della salute, è stato lanciato un ciclo di sei incontri tra associazioni, enti e cooperative del territorio per creare un Manifesto di Intenti, che definisce azioni e strumenti utilizzabili nei percorsi di welfare generativo all’interno della comunità. In altre parole, l’obiettivo di questi incontri è costruire collettivamente linee guida su come dovrebbe essere l’approccio alla salute e alla sanità sociale, partendo da parole chiave quali cura, salute e sanità, welfare generativo, comunità. Il documento potrà poi essere condiviso con le realtà del territorio impegnate nei temi della cura e della salute, in particolare a favore delle persone più svantaggiate.
Il primo incontro, tenutosi a fine dicembre, ha visto la partecipazione di associazioni del territorio, gruppi della società civile e realtà impegnate per il bene comune. Gli incontri sono aperti a tutti e rappresentano un’importante occasione di confronto, creazione di reti e rafforzamento delle relazioni territoriali.
ALDA Italia APS organizza inoltre due laboratori interattivi dedicati ai giovani su tematiche fondamentali quali le questioni di genere e la ricerca di lavoro, condotti da formatori e psicologi esperti. I laboratori sono pensati per essere altamente partecipativi, favorendo confronto, riflessione e apprendimento collaborativo.
Il primo laboratorio, svoltosi nel mese di gennaio 2026, si è articolato in tre incontri dedicati a temi quali la questione di genere, le dinamiche di potere e il legame tra salute e sessualità. Il secondo laboratorio, previsto tra febbraio e marzo 2026, sarà invece focalizzato sullo sviluppo di competenze per il mondo del lavoro, fornendo strumenti pratici per la ricerca attiva di lavoro, la scrittura del CV e la preparazione al colloquio.
Attraverso il progetto RESPIRO, ALDA Italia APS rinnova il proprio impegno nella tutela del diritto alla salute come bene comune, potenziando i servizi di prossimità e promuovendo la partecipazione attiva della comunità locale. Le attività partecipative e i laboratori rivolti ai giovani si configurano come strumenti concreti per accrescere la consapevolezza, rafforzare le reti territoriali e contribuire alla costruzione di un modello di welfare generativo inclusivo, attento ai bisogni delle persone, in particolare di quelle in maggiore condizione di vulnerabilità.
Throughout November 2025, the POWERYOUTH project hosted a dynamic series of five online webinars aimed at empowering young people to understand, design, and lead Energy Communities across Europe.
The webinar series brought together experts, practitioners, and young participants to explore key concepts, practical tools, and collaborative approaches that support youth engagement in Europe’s energy transition. Combining expert input with interactive activities, the series offered a comprehensive learning journey — from foundational knowledge to hands-on planning.
Webinar 1 – What is an Energy Community?
4 November 2025 | 10:30–11:30 CET
The series opened with a foundational session introducing the concept of Energy Communities. Following a short welcome and presentation of the POWERYOUTH project, participants attended a 45-minute keynote by Mr. Kupiec from PNEC, who outlined the principles, benefits, and emerging opportunities linked to Energy Communities across Europe.
A concluding Q&A session allowed participants to clarify key concepts and reflect on the relevance of community energy initiatives in their local contexts.
Webinar 2 – Setting Up, Monitoring & Evaluating Your Energy Community
7 November 2025 | 12:30–13:30 CET
The second webinar focused on the practical steps required to establish and manage an Energy Community. After the introductory session, Christos Vrettos delivered a detailed 35-minute presentation addressing preparation phases, business planning, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
Participants then joined Activity II, a hands-on breakout session facilitated by Evi Makri from National Technical University of Athens, together with Christos and Dimitris. The breakout rooms enabled meaningful interaction among small groups, encouraging peer learning and practical exchange.
The session concluded with a Q&A and closing remarks.
Webinar 3 – Energy Community Modules
10 November 2025 | 12:30–13:30 CET
The third webinar explored the modular structure of Energy Communities. After the welcome and POWERYOUTH overview, Paula and Irene from OURPOWER delivered a 45-minute in-depth presentation on governance, technical components, and organisational models that shape Energy Communities.
Participants engaged in a short Q&A before the session concluded.
Webinar 4 – The Role of Youth in Energy Communities & Stepping Stones for Developing a Youth Energy Community
19 November 2025 | 12:30–13:30 CET
This session focused on the central role of young people in shaping the future of community energy. The keynote speech by Krista Petersone from RPR highlighted youth engagement, leadership, and empowerment within Energy Communities.
The session continued with Activity III – Building Your Energy Community, a collaborative breakout exercise facilitated by Silvia, Krista, and Evi. Participants worked together to outline the first steps towards designing their own youth-led Energy Community initiatives.
A brief Q&A and closing remarks wrapped up the webinar.
Webinar 5 – Initiating Our Youth Energy Community (POWERYOUTH Toolkit)
26 November 2025 | 12:30–13:30 CET
The final webinar showcased the POWERYOUTH Toolkit, designed to support young people in launching and managing Energy Communities. The session featured live tool demonstrations, presented without slides, to emphasise usability and practical application.
Building Capacity for Europe’s Energy Transition
The 2025 POWERYOUTH webinar series brought together diverse perspectives and expertise, equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to actively contribute to Europe’s energy transition through community-based initiatives.
Recordings of all webinars are now available on the SingularLogic POWERYOUTH website, allowing participants — and those who could not attend live — to revisit the sessions at their own pace.
The AMIL project – Alliance Multi-stakeholders for Migrants Integration and Labour – continues to strengthen the sustainable integration of Third Country Nationals into the European labour market. Through a multi-level approach involving local, regional, national, and European stakeholders, AMIL responds concretely to both the needs of people with migrant background and the requirements of organisations tasked with managing and valuing an increasingly diverse workforce.
Within this framework, CODECA, the Cypriot partner of the project, has recently implemented a series of high-impact initiatives, achieving significant results in enhancing skills and employability among migrant communities in Cyprus.
Language as a Key to Employment
On 11 November 2025, CODECA celebrated the successful completion of the first cycle of the Greek Language Programme, which began in July 2025.
The course, lasting four months for a total of 64 training hours, offered personalised learning pathways tailored to the professional needs and work contexts of the participants. All 30 participants who regularly attended the programme obtained an A2-level Greek language certification. Beyond improving language skills, the initiative significantly contributed to increasing participants’ confidence, autonomy, and readiness to navigate the local labour market.
Soft Skills for Real Employability
At the same time, from 11 to 13 November 2025, CODECA organised a series of three-day workshops focused on soft skills development, delivered both in person and online to ensure maximum participation.
The workshops involved 35 beneficiaries, including asylum seekers, refugees, and holders of temporary or subsidiary protection.
Through practical and interactive activities, participants worked on key skills for labour market integration, addressing topics such as:
CV writing;
Interview techniques;
Strategies for professional success;
Workplace etiquette and interpersonal skills;
Job search methods and available resources;
Legal rights and procedures for Third Country Nationals seeking employment in Cyprus.
A Concrete and Immediate Impact
The feedback collected highlighted the high quality of the content and its immediate applicability, confirming a high level of engagement and satisfaction among participants. These initiatives demonstrate CODECA’s commitment to providing targeted and effective support for migrant integration.
Thanks to the combination of tailored skills development, practical guidance, and legal knowledge, the AMIL project helps participants feel more confident and prepared, while also strengthening the capacity of local institutions to welcome and integrate diverse populations.
For more information about the AMIL project, have a look at its website
On 10 December 2025, on the occasion of Human Rights Day, ALDA hosted in Rome the FOCUS project final event dedicated to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The event marked a key moment to reflect on how fundamental rights move from legal principles to concrete action, especially at local level, where institutions and communities work every day to make them real.
Over this year, FOCUS has worked to strengthen awareness and understanding of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights across Europe. Journalists, experts, civil society organisations, local authorities, and young people have all been part of the journey, and many of these voices were brought together in one room to reflect on what has been achieved and, just as importantly, on what still needs to be done.
The event opened with a session dedicated to presenting the work carried out during the local trainings organised across Europe, giving participants an overview of how the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights had been explored and discussed on the ground. The members involved were the Municipality of Brescia in Italy, the Barcelona Provincial Council in Spain, the Human Rights Cities Network in Belgium, RAM Central Stara Planina in Bulgaria, and the Local Councils Association in Malta. Each had its own dedicated table, and participants moved around freely, sometimes leaning over tables to hear a story, other times scribbling notes or exchanging tips with a neighbour. This made every table a real space for exchange: participants shared their experiences, discussed challenges they encountered, and compared approaches to making the Charter more relevant in everyday decision-making.
The discussion then moved into two roundtable sessions, the first focused on Equality and Solidarity, two core pillars of the Charter. The goal was to bring these conversations beyond theory: participants worked on concrete policy recommendations, reflecting on how EU rights and values can be better translated into action on the ground. Attention was also given to the actors involved in policymaking at EU level, and to how local authorities, civil society, and citizens can have a stronger voice in these processes.
The second one focused on the everyday obstacles faced by local communities when trying to uphold fundamental rights. Around the tables, participants identified shared needs and recurring issues, from social inclusion and access to services, to environmental protection and participation in decision-making. These discussions highlighted how local realities can inform broader European debates, and why listening to them matters.
The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights truly becomes meaningful when it is translated into concrete action at local level, through the daily work of communities, institutions, and civil society
Closing the event and the project on Human Rights Day gave extra weight to these reflections. The conversations we had in Rome made clear that, while the EU Charter provides a strong legal and political framework, rights only become real when they are understood, claimed, and defended in daily life, and for this reason, local authorities and communities play a crucial role in this process, acting as a bridge between European values and citizens’ lived experiences.
The FOCUS final event did not feel like an ending, but rather a handover. The ideas, connections, and recommendations that emerged in Rome are meant to travel further, back to cities, regions, and organisations across Europe, becoming part of the broader and ongoing work of turning fundamental rights into practice.
A year of shared work showed that the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights truly comes to life when local authorities, civil society, and citizens work together to turn European values into concrete action.
On 22 December 2025, the LDA Kharkiv Region hosted the online meeting “Policy Frameworks for Sustainable Development of Communities in War Crisis and Post-War Contexts”, bringing together Ukrainian local authorities, international partners, and experts to reflect on sustainable development pathways for communities affected by war.
The meeting provided a valuable space for exchange on how local governance, urban planning, and community-driven approaches can support resilience, recovery, and long-term development in the context of ongoing conflict and future reconstruction.
The discussion was opened and moderated by Yaroslav Bedenko, Liaison of LDA Kharkiv Region, who underlined the importance of maintaining structured dialogue between local actors and international partners, even under conditions of uncertainty and insecurity.
Introductory remarks were delivered by Yuriy Stepanets, ALDA Representative in Ukraine, who highlighted the crucial role of local authorities and civil society in safeguarding democratic governance.
Institutional representatives from the Kharkiv Oblast Council and from the territorial communities of Merefa, Kupyansk, Izium, alongside representatives from more than ten additional communities in the Kharkiv Region, actively contributed to the exchange. Their interventions focused on the immediate impacts of war on local infrastructure, social cohesion, and service provision, as well as on emerging priorities for medium- and long-term development.
A key thematic contribution was delivered by Fulco Treffers, co-founder of Ro3kvit Urbanist Coalition for Ukraine, who presented approaches to sustainable urban development and recovery-oriented spatial planning. The presentation emphasised the need to align reconstruction efforts with principles of sustainability, inclusiveness, and community participation, ensuring that rebuilding processes strengthen local capacities rather than merely restoring pre-war conditions.
Community representatives shared concrete examples of locally driven solutions developed during wartime, demonstrating the adaptability and resilience of Ukrainian municipalities in responding to complex and rapidly evolving challenges.
Overall, the meeting highlighted the strong commitment of Ukrainian communities to sustainable development, even in times of crisis. It may represent a first step towards establishing a regular platform for dialogue on urban development, post-war reconstruction, and community empowerment in Ukraine, reinforcing the role of local actors as key drivers of democratic and sustainable recovery.
