This newly started 2022 has also marked the inauguration of a new Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Following Slovenia, from the 1st of January 2022, France has taken over the Presidency for the next six months, until June 30th, 2022.

Winter Greeting and Happy New Year from ALDA President, Mr. Oriano Otočan, ALDA Secretary General Mrs Valmorbida and all the ALDA team!

After the first steps of the programme in Croatia and North Macedonia, ALDA was awarded with the accreditation to implement the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE) in Kosovo*.

On Monday, December 13th, 2021, a very special event took place, sealing a new valuable partnership between ALDA – the European Association for Local Democracy and IRDP – Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace.

During the last meeting of the Governing Board of ALDA, held on Thursday December 2nd2021, all members agreed upon a strategic document concerning a more reasoned and effective action to be implemented by the Association and its network in the Balkan Region.

Since 2015, when the Ukraine Working Group was firstly created by the European Committee of the Regions (COR), leaders of local-government associations and city mayors gather to reflect and share perspectives and concrete knowledge on Ukraine state of art in terms of politics and reform.

On November 28-29 and December 1st 2021, ALDA had its much anticipated Staff Meeting in Vicenza (Italy) together with colleagues from all over Europe and beyond! 

From the 22nd to the 25th of November the city of Peja in eastern Kosovo* welcomed the delegation of the Valid Project in a new opportunity to promote intercultural dialogue and collaboration between the local authorities and civil society.

Despite a rainy and cold morning, December 2nd marked a great day for the ALDA’s Governing Board, since the latter had the possibility to meet both in presence at Vicenza’s office and online.

ALDA continues to contribute to good governance on local level in Croatia and takes its activities on the next level. ALDA launched the “European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE)” for Croatia on the 22 November 2021 in Zagreb.

On 19 November 2021 in Patos, Albania 26 young people from the city engaged in a different interactive initiatives. Specifically, the main idea of the workshop was to discuss and reflect together on social inclusion in decision-making processes.

Skopje: the European Association for Local democracy – ALDA organised the “Launching Conference” of the project European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE) in North Macedonia on the 18th of November.

The Local Democracy Agency Kosovo, together with the Rrjeti i Organizatave të Kulturës (The Network of Culture Organizations) in Peja, have organized a common activity on 12th November 2021, involving pupils of the School of Arts together with an acoustical performance by the local artist Agon Goqi.

The EPIC International Networking Path took place in Zagreb (Croatia) the 9th and 10th November in hybrid-mode (in person and online).

ALDA’s commitment in Ukraine has always involved several actors, from institutions to citizens. Hence, in partnership with the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, and supported by Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland, ALDA has been involved in the “Good Governance Platform project” implemented by UNDP.

Climate change is not only a problem for the health of the planet and its inhabitants, but it is also beginning to affect individual freedoms and social justice. Many people find themselves in a vulnerable situation due to the consequences of climate change and are forced to leave their region because they can no longer provide for themselves. 

CSOs Networking for Better Local Democracy in the Balkans is a project with a self-explanatory name. The main focus of the project is to address the challenges of civil society organizations within the region of the Western Balkans.

Meeting with representatives from Solidarité Laïque took place on October 5th, together with Antonella Valmorbida – ALDA Secretary General; Abdelaziz Bouslah – Project Manager from ALDA Tunisia.