The Local Democracy Agency (LDA) in Kosovo, organised by ALDA, the Association of Local Democracy Agencies, under the auspices of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, in cooperation with its international and local partners, will be operative by the end of 2011.
The ribbon cutting for the new headquarters of the ADL, taking place on November 21, the registration of the ADL as a local NGO in accordance with current legislation in the country and the appointment of the Director, Elbert Krasniqi, who will head the office, will complete the bureaucratic process began last year with the signing of the agreement between the partners, joined in recent months by the diplomatic work done by partners to ensure a good start and effective activity of the LDA.
The LDA Kosovo can count on the support of the network of ALDA and other 12 LDAs currently active in the Balkans and South Caucasus.
“Decentralisation of power and 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 Kosovo”, says ALDA President, Per Vinther.
The LDA Kosovo, like the others, will develop projects which will foster inter-ethnic dialogue, promote international cooperation, encourage civil society to participate actively in the life of the local community, develop the growth of democracy and good local governance, promote the economic development, giving answers to problems and needs of the population.
The international partners of the LDA are actively engaged in Kosovo since several years, as the Lead Partner Association Table Trentino with Kosovo (TCK) – (Italy and Kosovo) for over 10 years working with the Municipality of Peja/Pec and numerous local organisations, AiBi, Friends of the Children (Italy and Kosovo), RTM Reggio Third World (Italy and Kosovo), the Only Equal Rights Association (Italy), ALFA Formation (France), the town of Yalova (Turkey). LDA local partners are the Municipality of Peja/Pec, which is also the host city, and AKM, Association of Municipalities of Kosovo.
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.
On occasion of the opening of new offices of the LDA, an international conference will take place on the anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, approved by the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1989, which will end with a series of entertainment activities organised for children and families in Peja/Pec at the Youth Centre.
To the conference will attend, among others, Ali Berisha, Mayor of Peja/Pec, Michele Giffoni, Italian Ambassador to Kosovo, Emiliano Bertoldi, Trentino table for Kosovo, Antonella Valmorbida, Director of ALDA, Corkadiu Sabah, Director of Human Rights Department of the Municipality of Peja/Pec, and Naim Berisha, a sociologist and Assistant Director of the Gymnasium.
On 22nd of November will take place a partner meeting to plan activities for 2012, in particular the project Youth in Action “Youth wears Green”, already approved, which will be developed in 2012, and to analyse the proposals for other projects.