ALDA has recently implemented seven events with local partners in order to promote active citizenship in a variety of countries in Europe, and implement the objectives of its work withing the Europe for Citizens programme. This programme aims to put citizens in the centre and offers them the opportunity to fully assume their responsibility as European citizens. The Commission has determined that citizens should also be aware of their duties as citizens and become actively involved in the process of European integration, developing a sense of belonging and a European identity.

The events are taking place across several countries and cover a wide range of topics. In Estonia, a conference entitled “Estonian-Russian cross border cooperation Policy Forum” has been organised in Tartu; the seminar investigates the manifold consequences of increasing cross-border interaction for the development of regions at the EU’s external borders and discusses challenges to economic, social and territorial cohesion, as well as regional development potentials as exemplified by different borderlands. A field trip to the Estonian-Russian border region Southern part will be arranged, with meetings between the policy forum and local stakeholders in Setomaa region. This event is organised by the Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation. They are an international non-profit institute, established in 1994, which works to promote balanced development of border areas, especially in Lake Peipsi/Chudskoe region.

In Finland, the European Movement in Finland is organising the event “A Training Day for NGOs and Active Citizens”. The speakers are active citizens from various NGOs. One is from Me & MyCity (Yrityskylä), that is an internationally award-winning Finnish learning concept on entrepreneurship, economy and society for sixth-grade students. It started as a pilot 2009 and now over 40 000 students visit Me & MyCity every year. Another is from Finnwatch, a Finnish civil society organization focusing on corporate responsibility in the Global South. It monitors Finnish companies in developing countries and economies in transition. Also a project and campaign from Kehys, The Finnish NGDO Platform to the EU and the coordinator of the European year of Development 2015 in Finland, is presented. European Movement Finland is an organization that sees European Integration as a positive resource. The European Movement in Finland is devoted to establishing a more efficient, transparent and democratic European Union.

In Belgium, the Delegation of the Basque Country to the European Union organised a conference on the subject of “International and European Development Agendas: Subsidiarity, Efficiency, Accountability and Citizenship – Time for an active role of regional and local authorities”. The objectives of the seminar were (1) To widely raise awareness of the European and international agendas and issues at stake, especially coming into the European Year of Development 2015; (2) to strengthen the role of regional and local authorities in enhancing the active involvement and participation of citizens in policy making and implementation; (3) to boost innovative, multi-level and more effective alliances and partnerships between regional and local authorities and civil society organizations; (4) to bring to the European and international debate those elements of particular added value of regional and local authorities, such as their proximity to the needs of citizens, their efficiency and their instruments and indicators for accountability.

Also in Belgium, Periferia, who are located in Brussels, will produce a number of ‘citizen’s videos’. Periferia is an non-governmental organisation that aims to encourage citizenship capacities so that groups can act to change their local area for the better. They strive to allow actors who are generally overlooked to take part in important decisions in the public interest and bring these different actors together for public debates. The Periferia team is based in Belgium and France. They are active in both Europe and Latin America. For the current call, Periferia has undertaken to produce their ‘citizen’s videos’ on the subject of citizen participation. There will be 13 in total; 12 of these about citizen’s presentations and 1 as a “witness” of the event. The “witness” video will be made using extracts from the 12 others.

In Germany, the Open Knowledge Foundation organised the third annual Open City Camp this time held in Stuttgart. The purpose of the Open Knowledge Foundation is to encourage ‘open data’ which is accessible and available to use for everyone. Here is the description of their event: “Come and meet at the third edition of the Open City Camps in good Barcamp-style various actors within the Open Data scene. Ranging from the genearal public- which occurs usually as a data provider – to Journalists – who can use this data for your own research and reportage work – to the recently emerged in many places in the country open data groups, often as a mediator function between data providers and potential user groups. Of course, junior Hackers, interested in science and revolutionary world are also are welcome :)”.

Lastly, there are two events taking place in the Czech Republic. The first of these is organised by the Terezin Initiative Institute, a non-profit organization which came to existence through the transformation from Terezín Initiative Foundation (Nadace Terezínská iniciativa) founded in 1993 by the international association of former prisoners of Terezín ghetto, Terezin Initiative. The aim of the Institute is to support and pursue research of history of the “final solution” in Bohemia and Moravia and history of Terezín ghetto and to present its results to broader public. Their event concerns the open day in Jáchymky building, which was once a Jewish school. The ceremonial opening of the exhibition on the history of the school and the building from 1908 to 1942 is part of the event. The exhibition will show us the building’s history, beginning with the erection in 1908 on the site of a demolished part of the Jewish Ghetto, then leads us to the opening of the Jewish school in 1920 and thereafter to the years 1940 to 1942, when “Jáchymka” was of particular importance, as it became the only remaining school for Jewish pupils and teachers in the Czech part of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

Furthermore, INEX – Association for Voluntary Activities are organising a seminar taking place in Pilsen, Czech Republic. It is entitled “Partnership among your municipality, NGO and community through international volunteering“. Several important questions will be tackled during the conference such as: how to revive cultural and leisure activities in the international community volunteer project? Where can you get financial support for international volunteer activities? In what areas and how can foreign and domestic volunteers help your community or organization? (restoration of historical monuments, organization of cultural events – festival, celebration, treatment and recovery of public space, social services, environmental activities, etc.) How to develop language skills of young people with the help of foreign volunteers? How to use international volunteering when implementing projects twinning or collaborating with bordering countries? The conference is intended for representatives of the ministries and municipalities, non-profit organizations, public institutions, volunteers and the public.

ALDA is pleased to show its support for such worthy projects and greatly appreciates this fruitful cooperation with all of these organisations.

ALDA has recently implemented seven events with local partners in order to promote active citizenship in a variety of countries in Europe, and implement the objectives of its work withing the Europe for Citizens programme. This programme aims to put citizens in the centre and offers them the opportunity to fully assume their responsibility as European citizens. The Commission has determined that citizens should also be aware of their duties as citizens and become actively involved in the process of European integration, developing a sense of belonging and a European identity.

The events are taking place across several countries and cover a wide range of topics. In Estonia, a conference entitled “Estonian-Russian cross border cooperation Policy Forum” has been organised in Tartu; the seminar investigates the manifold consequences of increasing cross-border interaction for the development of regions at the EU’s external borders and discusses challenges to economic, social and territorial cohesion, as well as regional development potentials as exemplified by different borderlands. A field trip to the Estonian-Russian border region Southern part will be arranged, with meetings between the policy forum and local stakeholders in Setomaa region. This event is organised by the Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation. They are an international non-profit institute, established in 1994, which works to promote balanced development of border areas, especially in Lake Peipsi/Chudskoe region.

In Finland, the European Movement in Finland is organising the event “A Training Day for NGOs and Active Citizens”. The speakers are active citizens from various NGOs. One is from Me & MyCity (Yrityskylä), that is an internationally award-winning Finnish learning concept on entrepreneurship, economy and society for sixth-grade students. It started as a pilot 2009 and now over 40 000 students visit Me & MyCity every year. Another is from Finnwatch, a Finnish civil society organization focusing on corporate responsibility in the Global South. It monitors Finnish companies in developing countries and economies in transition. Also a project and campaign from Kehys, The Finnish NGDO Platform to the EU and the coordinator of the European year of Development 2015 in Finland, is presented. European Movement Finland is an organization that sees European Integration as a positive resource. The European Movement in Finland is devoted to establishing a more efficient, transparent and democratic European Union.

In Belgium, the Delegation of the Basque Country to the European Union organised a conference on the subject of “International and European Development Agendas: Subsidiarity, Efficiency, Accountability and Citizenship – Time for an active role of regional and local authorities”. The objectives of the seminar were (1) To widely raise awareness of the European and international agendas and issues at stake, especially coming into the European Year of Development 2015; (2) to strengthen the role of regional and local authorities in enhancing the active involvement and participation of citizens in policy making and implementation; (3) to boost innovative, multi-level and more effective alliances and partnerships between regional and local authorities and civil society organizations; (4) to bring to the European and international debate those elements of particular added value of regional and local authorities, such as their proximity to the needs of citizens, their efficiency and their instruments and indicators for accountability.

Also in Belgium, Periferia, who are located in Brussels, will produce a number of ‘citizen’s videos’. Periferia is an non-governmental organisation that aims to encourage citizenship capacities so that groups can act to change their local area for the better. They strive to allow actors who are generally overlooked to take part in important decisions in the public interest and bring these different actors together for public debates. The Periferia team is based in Belgium and France. They are active in both Europe and Latin America. For the current call, Periferia has undertaken to produce their ‘citizen’s videos’ on the subject of citizen participation. There will be 13 in total; 12 of these about citizen’s presentations and 1 as a “witness” of the event. The “witness” video will be made using extracts from the 12 others.

In Germany, the Open Knowledge Foundation organised the third annual Open City Camp this time held in Stuttgart. The purpose of the Open Knowledge Foundation is to encourage ‘open data’ which is accessible and available to use for everyone. Here is the description of their event: “Come and meet at the third edition of the Open City Camps in good Barcamp-style various actors within the Open Data scene. Ranging from the genearal public- which occurs usually as a data provider – to Journalists – who can use this data for your own research and reportage work – to the recently emerged in many places in the country open data groups, often as a mediator function between data providers and potential user groups. Of course, junior Hackers, interested in science and revolutionary world are also are welcome :)”.

Lastly, there are two events taking place in the Czech Republic. The first of these is organised by the Terezin Initiative Institute, a non-profit organization which came to existence through the transformation from Terezín Initiative Foundation (Nadace Terezínská iniciativa) founded in 1993 by the international association of former prisoners of Terezín ghetto, Terezin Initiative. The aim of the Institute is to support and pursue research of history of the “final solution” in Bohemia and Moravia and history of Terezín ghetto and to present its results to broader public. Their event concerns the open day in Jáchymky building, which was once a Jewish school. The ceremonial opening of the exhibition on the history of the school and the building from 1908 to 1942 is part of the event. The exhibition will show us the building’s history, beginning with the erection in 1908 on the site of a demolished part of the Jewish Ghetto, then leads us to the opening of the Jewish school in 1920 and thereafter to the years 1940 to 1942, when “Jáchymka” was of particular importance, as it became the only remaining school for Jewish pupils and teachers in the Czech part of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

Furthermore, INEX – Association for Voluntary Activities are organising a seminar taking place in Pilsen, Czech Republic. It is entitled “Partnership among your municipality, NGO and community through international volunteering“. Several important questions will be tackled during the conference such as: how to revive cultural and leisure activities in the international community volunteer project? Where can you get financial support for international volunteer activities? In what areas and how can foreign and domestic volunteers help your community or organization? (restoration of historical monuments, organization of cultural events – festival, celebration, treatment and recovery of public space, social services, environmental activities, etc.) How to develop language skills of young people with the help of foreign volunteers? How to use international volunteering when implementing projects twinning or collaborating with bordering countries? The conference is intended for representatives of the ministries and municipalities, non-profit organizations, public institutions, volunteers and the public.

ALDA is pleased to show its support for such worthy projects and greatly appreciates this fruitful cooperation with all of these organisations.