Making sustainable development the only possible development - LADDER final conference
The final conference of project LADDER was held in Strasbourg on 21-22 November 2017, and constituted a key opportunity to create new bonds and strengthen existing partnerships for the localisation of SDGs in the next years.
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The conference marked three years of joint work within an extremely ambitious project, co-funded by the European Union and led by ALDA, gathering 27 partners and 19 associates from 19 EU and 17 non EU-countries. The unanimous commitment to continue the great work done so far in the field of development education is a great satisfaction for all of us, as well as the sign of LADDER’s sustainability.
The event, hosted by the Council of Europe and by the Region Grand Est, was opened by the welcome speech of На первой панели, Secretary General of ALDA, and Alina Tatarenko, Head of the Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform of the Council of Europe.
The first expert panel focused on best practices in the field of development education and SDGs, with the participation of Elisabeth Deu – institute of research and debate for governance, Othmane Khaoua, City councilor of the municipality of Sceaux (France), and Inta Rimsane from the municipality of Rezekne (Latvia). Speakers highlighted that not only can local authorities drive the implementation of effective policies for implementing SDGs, but they can also work to shape a common sense of ownership of SDGs in their citizens.
A panel on results and lessons learnt in the past 3 years was moderated by the project manager София Кайоло, who showed how LADDER managed to spark the creation of more than 70 mini-projects via an innovative re-granting scheme action, involving Civil Society Organizations and citizens in pursuing our common goals. Among the panelists, Anette Grunnet from the municipality of Vejie (Denmark), Cristina Sossan from Equo Garantito (Italy), Colin Campbell from Assist Social Capital (United Kingdom), brought forward their community experiences highlighting the extent to which good local experiences generate global changes.
A roundtable on the localisation of SDGs followed, moderated by Marjan Huc from SLOGA (Slovenia), with На первой панели, Secretary General of ALDA, Natalia Shovkoplias from UTC Slovakia, and Board Member of ALDA, Laia Vinyes Merce from Platforma, and Mathieu Chaveneau, from association KuriOZ. All speakers stressed how local authorities are actually those who hold the power of agenda to push the national level to implement effective policies in line with SDGs.
Following the roundtable, Elena Debonis from ALDA introduced a flagship initiative of LADDER: the Citizen Journalists programme. Over 60 citizens from the whole globe wrote articles on development education related issues, and the most active 18 received a 2-day training on communication applied to journalism, storytelling, and photo journalism by experts in Strasbourg. They were awarded a certificate from ALDA Secretary General for their ability to communicate the relevance of sustainability and development in their local communities, and have officially become ambassadors of SDGs, committed to keeping working for this high objective.
Then, all participants were called to take an active role, selecting topics for exchange and working in groups, with the task to elaborate action plans and strategies on how to create new partnerships and work together in pursuing SDG goals. Марко Боариа, ALDA’s Head of Resources and Development unit, illustrated various possibilities to gain access to funds and grants for projects focused on SDGs in the near future and the working groups were once again assembled, this time with the task of drafting workable project proposals from the points elaborated before, which were then presented to the plenary by the coordinators of each group and which will hopefully become the foundation of future profitable cooperation amongst the LADDER consortium, making this Final Conference a new beginning for all those involved!
The final conference of project LADDER was held in Strasbourg on 21-22 November 2017, and constituted a key opportunity to create new bonds and strengthen existing partnerships for the localisation of SDGs in the next years.
***
The conference marked three years of joint work within an extremely ambitious project, co-funded by the European Union and led by ALDA, gathering 27 partners and 19 associates from 19 EU and 17 non EU-countries. The unanimous commitment to continue the great work done so far in the field of development education is a great satisfaction for all of us, as well as the sign of LADDER’s sustainability.
The event, hosted by the Council of Europe and by the Region Grand Est, was opened by the welcome speech of На первой панели, Secretary General of ALDA, and Alina Tatarenko, Head of the Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform of the Council of Europe.
The first expert panel focused on best practices in the field of development education and SDGs, with the participation of Elisabeth Deu – institute of research and debate for governance, Othmane Khaoua, City councilor of the municipality of Sceaux (France), and Inta Rimsane from the municipality of Rezekne (Latvia). Speakers highlighted that not only can local authorities drive the implementation of effective policies for implementing SDGs, but they can also work to shape a common sense of ownership of SDGs in their citizens.
A panel on results and lessons learnt in the past 3 years was moderated by the project manager София Кайоло, who showed how LADDER managed to spark the creation of more than 70 mini-projects via an innovative re-granting scheme action, involving Civil Society Organizations and citizens in pursuing our common goals. Among the panelists, Anette Grunnet from the municipality of Vejie (Denmark), Cristina Sossan from Equo Garantito (Italy), Colin Campbell from Assist Social Capital (United Kingdom), brought forward their community experiences highlighting the extent to which good local experiences generate global changes.
A roundtable on the localisation of SDGs followed, moderated by Marjan Huc from SLOGA (Slovenia), with На первой панели, Secretary General of ALDA, Natalia Shovkoplias from UTC Slovakia, and Board Member of ALDA, Laia Vinyes Merce from Platforma, and Mathieu Chaveneau, from association KuriOZ. All speakers stressed how local authorities are actually those who hold the power of agenda to push the national level to implement effective policies in line with SDGs.
Following the roundtable, Elena Debonis from ALDA introduced a flagship initiative of LADDER: the Citizen Journalists programme. Over 60 citizens from the whole globe wrote articles on development education related issues, and the most active 18 received a 2-day training on communication applied to journalism, storytelling, and photo journalism by experts in Strasbourg. They were awarded a certificate from ALDA Secretary General for their ability to communicate the relevance of sustainability and development in their local communities, and have officially become ambassadors of SDGs, committed to keeping working for this high objective.
Then, all participants were called to take an active role, selecting topics for exchange and working in groups, with the task to elaborate action plans and strategies on how to create new partnerships and work together in pursuing SDG goals. Марко Боариа, ALDA’s Head of Resources and Development unit, illustrated various possibilities to gain access to funds and grants for projects focused on SDGs in the near future and the working groups were once again assembled, this time with the task of drafting workable project proposals from the points elaborated before, which were then presented to the plenary by the coordinators of each group and which will hopefully become the foundation of future profitable cooperation amongst the LADDER consortium, making this Final Conference a new beginning for all those involved!
CoE’s Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform opens final event of LADDER
The Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform of the Council of Europe opened the final event of LADDER, hosted by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, on 21-23 November. The Head of the Centre, Mrs. Alina Tatarenko, is also statutory member of the Governing Board of ALDA, appointed by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
The Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform of the Council of Europe opened the final event of LADDER, hosted by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, on 21-23 November. The Head of the Centre, Mrs. Alina Tatarenko, is also statutory member of the Governing Board of ALDA, appointed by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
Reinforcing local democracy through cooperation - Trainings for LAs and CSOs underway
The first of four trainings that will be realized between 23 November and 7 December is in progress. Representatives of local authorities and civil society organizations are in Bitola at the moment to attend the training “Tools for local democracy”, which is implemented within the project “CSOs making local democracy work”.
ОГО заставляют работать местную демократию
The first of four trainings that will be realized between 23 November and 7 December is in progress. Representatives of local authorities and civil society organizations are in Bitola at the moment to attend the training “Tools for local democracy”, which is implemented within the project “CSOs making local democracy work”.
ОГО заставляют работать местную демократию
New approaches to teach students the meaning of peace
The first international event of the project Balkan Kaleidoscope was held on 15 – 18 November in Osijek (Croatia), hosted by the project partner “Centre for Peace and Non-violence”.
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The project will engage teachers to show students the importance and meaning of peace and European integration, by using innovative narrative and learning approaches including personal stories and oral tales.
Thirteen partner organisations from 8 countries were represented in the training on multiperspective approaches in history teaching. Twenty-six history teachers, pedagogues, sociologists, young scholars, youth workers, CSOs practitioners were actively engaged in the workshops combining theoretic concepts and practical approaches in present days history teaching, with a special focus on the breakup of former Yugoslavia and the consequent armed conflicts in the Balkans during the 1990s.
To kick off the meeting, Angel Cabarkapa on behalf of the host organisation and Stanka Parac Damjanovic on behalf of the lead applicant and coordinator presented the overall project concept, which focuses on teachers and students, while the very learning process is the core activity. The partnership established as well as the consolidated local expertise will allow a real promotion of multiperspective in history teaching and learning.
Ms Veselinka Kastratovic, member and activist of the Centre for Peace and Non-violence was the guest speaker on the first day presenting the local context in Croatia – with particular reference to war crimes trials and reconciliation process.
Among the speakers in the workshops dr. Jovana Trbovc Mihajlović (Scientific Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts), Professor Rudolf Weiss, a history teacher from Subotica and president of the German People’s Alliance in Serbia.
The first international event of the project Balkan Kaleidoscope was held on 15 – 18 November in Osijek (Croatia), hosted by the project partner “Centre for Peace and Non-violence”.
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The project will engage teachers to show students the importance and meaning of peace and European integration, by using innovative narrative and learning approaches including personal stories and oral tales.
Thirteen partner organisations from 8 countries were represented in the training on multiperspective approaches in history teaching. Twenty-six history teachers, pedagogues, sociologists, young scholars, youth workers, CSOs practitioners were actively engaged in the workshops combining theoretic concepts and practical approaches in present days history teaching, with a special focus on the breakup of former Yugoslavia and the consequent armed conflicts in the Balkans during the 1990s.
To kick off the meeting, Angel Cabarkapa on behalf of the host organisation and Stanka Parac Damjanovic on behalf of the lead applicant and coordinator presented the overall project concept, which focuses on teachers and students, while the very learning process is the core activity. The partnership established as well as the consolidated local expertise will allow a real promotion of multiperspective in history teaching and learning.
Ms Veselinka Kastratovic, member and activist of the Centre for Peace and Non-violence was the guest speaker on the first day presenting the local context in Croatia – with particular reference to war crimes trials and reconciliation process.
Among the speakers in the workshops dr. Jovana Trbovc Mihajlović (Scientific Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts), Professor Rudolf Weiss, a history teacher from Subotica and president of the German People’s Alliance in Serbia.
Building capacities of Turkish civil society in Izmir
Experts from ALDA run a 2-days training on networking, communication, storytelling and fundraising addressed to representatives of civil society organizations in Izmir, Turkey.
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The activities were organized in cooperation with the association Yayade – Slow Living, and with the hosting municipality of Karsiyaka, both active members of ALDA. Through non-formal learning methodologies including exercises, role games and simulations, participants were offered a set of tool and knowledge to increase their effectiveness in networking with different stakeholders, communicating their associations and activities, and raising funds and support for their work.
Participants represented CSOs working in the field of environment protection, youth, and migration. Participants gladly engaged in the training activities proposed, thus ensuring the days together were a great learning opportunities, for all those involved – including ALDA’s staff.
The training was organized in the framework of Civil Society Exchange Programme, a cooperation between the Sivil Toplum Çalışmaları Merkezi and MitOst e.V., and funded by Stiftung Mercator.
Experts from ALDA run a 2-days training on networking, communication, storytelling and fundraising addressed to representatives of civil society organizations in Izmir, Turkey.
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The activities were organized in cooperation with the association Yayade – Slow Living, and with the hosting municipality of Karsiyaka, both active members of ALDA. Through non-formal learning methodologies including exercises, role games and simulations, participants were offered a set of tool and knowledge to increase their effectiveness in networking with different stakeholders, communicating their associations and activities, and raising funds and support for their work.
Participants represented CSOs working in the field of environment protection, youth, and migration. Participants gladly engaged in the training activities proposed, thus ensuring the days together were a great learning opportunities, for all those involved – including ALDA’s staff.
The training was organized in the framework of Civil Society Exchange Programme, a cooperation between the Sivil Toplum Çalışmaları Merkezi and MitOst e.V., and funded by Stiftung Mercator.
The migration challenge - LADDER gathers experts and best practices in Istanbul
Migration experts from Turkey and other countries, as well as LADDER partners working on the migration path projects, met in Istanbul on 16 November, for a high level conference about the challenges of migration management. The event was organized by Marmara Municipality Union, part of LADDER consortium and member of ALDA.
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Local governments in Turkey are on the frontline in tackling migration coming from the Middle East. After the initial emergency management, the situation in Syria, main origin of refugees in the country, is not improving.Communities have therefore faced a number of challenges related to managing refugees inclusion in the mid-long term, and many of them showed incredible goodwill, innovative solutions, and proved that migration per se is never a problem. It is a reality that we need to face together. Delegates from the municipalities of Gaziantep, Avcılar, and Sultanbeyli presented their experiences, and the heroic efforts and mechanisms put in place to ensure a complete integration of refugees in their communities.Following the greetings of the Secretary General of Marmara Municipality Union Dr. Cemil Aslan, Irene Zanetti took the floor on the behalf of ALDA and its President, stressing how crucial local governments are in the day-to-day management of migration, as the work implemented by LADDER migration path points out.
Lorna Muscat from SOS Malta presented more in depth the activities and accomplishments of LADDER migration path, which works on two levels: advocacy, to raise the voice of local and regional governments and change EU policies; and knowledge production and sharing, to allow multiplication of best practices in communities facing similar issues.
Among the institutions represented in the panels are the Turkish Ministry of Interior, UNHCR, ICMPD, Beirut University. All together, the participants transformed the event into a real exchange between representatives of local governments, practitioners, academics, and experts.
The final and very emotional speech was delievered by Mohammed A. Faris, former Syrian astronaut, who fled his country with his family to seek refuge in Turkey. He said that from up above in space he looked at our planet Earth and did not see Syria, but saw the World, of which we are all sons, and brothers one to each other. Mr Cemil Arslan stressed the importance of considering the humans behind numbers when talking about migration and refugees, as well as to conduct awareness raising initiatives aimed at educating citizens in the enlarged Europe on this topic.
Participants were welcomed by a photo exhibition by Mustafa Kocakoç, AFIAP, that set the right mood to starting the debate.
Useful Resources
Read more about LADDER project
Marmara Municipality Union сайтом
Migration experts from Turkey and other countries, as well as LADDER partners working on the migration path projects, met in Istanbul on 16 November, for a high level conference about the challenges of migration management. The event was organized by Marmara Municipality Union, part of LADDER consortium and member of ALDA.
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Local governments in Turkey are on the frontline in tackling migration coming from the Middle East. After the initial emergency management, the situation in Syria, main origin of refugees in the country, is not improving.Communities have therefore faced a number of challenges related to managing refugees inclusion in the mid-long term, and many of them showed incredible goodwill, innovative solutions, and proved that migration per se is never a problem. It is a reality that we need to face together. Delegates from the municipalities of Gaziantep, Avcılar, and Sultanbeyli presented their experiences, and the heroic efforts and mechanisms put in place to ensure a complete integration of refugees in their communities.Following the greetings of the Secretary General of Marmara Municipality Union Dr. Cemil Aslan, Irene Zanetti took the floor on the behalf of ALDA and its President, stressing how crucial local governments are in the day-to-day management of migration, as the work implemented by LADDER migration path points out.
Lorna Muscat from SOS Malta presented more in depth the activities and accomplishments of LADDER migration path, which works on two levels: advocacy, to raise the voice of local and regional governments and change EU policies; and knowledge production and sharing, to allow multiplication of best practices in communities facing similar issues.
Among the institutions represented in the panels are the Turkish Ministry of Interior, UNHCR, ICMPD, Beirut University. All together, the participants transformed the event into a real exchange between representatives of local governments, practitioners, academics, and experts.
The final and very emotional speech was delievered by Mohammed A. Faris, former Syrian astronaut, who fled his country with his family to seek refuge in Turkey. He said that from up above in space he looked at our planet Earth and did not see Syria, but saw the World, of which we are all sons, and brothers one to each other. Mr Cemil Arslan stressed the importance of considering the humans behind numbers when talking about migration and refugees, as well as to conduct awareness raising initiatives aimed at educating citizens in the enlarged Europe on this topic.
Participants were welcomed by a photo exhibition by Mustafa Kocakoç, AFIAP, that set the right mood to starting the debate.
Useful Resources
Read more about LADDER project
Marmara Municipality Union сайтом
The City of Sceaux joins the network of ALDA!
Philippe Laurent, Mayor of Sceaux (France), and Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of ALDA, signed a Memorandum of understanding on Saturday to pave the way for an intense cooperation in the field of citizens participation and empowerment, in particular in the field of social innovation and social economy. The signature has been witnessed by the City Councillor of Sceaux, dedicated to social innovation and partnership, Mr. Othmane Khaoua.
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Sceaux is joining the network of ALDA, bringing with it its well knowns competencies in the field of co-design efforts between local authorities and civil society. Thanks to their innovative and participative approach, a number of social initiatives and social enterprises have taken place both in the town and in its neighbourhoods.
During the annual city Forum dedicated to social innovation and social economy many different consortii were present and working on the up-said topics. This dynamism makes the city of Sceaux very active and apt..
Sceaux is also an active partner of ALDA in project Co-Created, which is engaging more than 30 municipalities in France and hundreds of them across Europe and aims at strengthening competences of medium-sized municipalities in the field of co-creation of public local polices, citizens engagement and local authorities.
This partnership promises to be extremely important both in developing ALDA’s competences in the field of social innovation, together with its members.
Useful Resources
Philippe Laurent, Mayor of Sceaux (France), and Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of ALDA, signed a Memorandum of understanding on Saturday to pave the way for an intense cooperation in the field of citizens participation and empowerment, in particular in the field of social innovation and social economy. The signature has been witnessed by the City Councillor of Sceaux, dedicated to social innovation and partnership, Mr. Othmane Khaoua.
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Sceaux is joining the network of ALDA, bringing with it its well knowns competencies in the field of co-design efforts between local authorities and civil society. Thanks to their innovative and participative approach, a number of social initiatives and social enterprises have taken place both in the town and in its neighbourhoods.
During the annual city Forum dedicated to social innovation and social economy many different consortii were present and working on the up-said topics. This dynamism makes the city of Sceaux very active and apt..
Sceaux is also an active partner of ALDA in project Co-Created, which is engaging more than 30 municipalities in France and hundreds of them across Europe and aims at strengthening competences of medium-sized municipalities in the field of co-creation of public local polices, citizens engagement and local authorities.
This partnership promises to be extremely important both in developing ALDA’s competences in the field of social innovation, together with its members.
Useful Resources
Voluntary associations gathered in Lecce to discover ALDA and reaffirm our European Values!
On November 16th 2017, the event “L’Europa siamo noi” – organised by ALDA – took place in Lecce , Italy. The event gathered together voluntary organisations from the entire region.
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Delegates from local authorities also joined the event. Deputy Mayor Alessandro Delli Noci delivered the opening speech to the crowd, highlighting the city’s commitment to the European Values and to the realisation of local European projects.
The event was moderated by Ms. Maria Antonietta Nuzzo, member of ALDA’s advisory board, while Mr. Alessandro Perelli (ALDA’s vice president), Ms. Anna Ditta (ALDA’s senior project manager), Salvatore Modeo (The Qube Startup incubator) and Ada Manfreda (President of Espero) joined the conference as speakers.
Alessandro Perelli highlighted the necessity to overcome the nationalistic and isolationist pushes happening all over Europe, to better shape a new concept of Europe and fight back against the dangers of incurring new applications of Art.50 of the Treaty of the European Union, as it already occurred with the ongoing “Brexit” process.
Folowing this intervention, Anna Ditta has presented the services and opportunities offered audience offered by ALDA to its members, such as project development assistance, European grants search support, access to a wide European Network of institutional and private contacts and capacity-building structures for local authorities, NGOs and other actors.
During the debate, Mr. Alessandro Distante – president of ISBEM – drafted the agenda of the event, which will be presented to the Governing Board of ALDA by Mr. Perelli.
On November 16th 2017, the event “L’Europa siamo noi” – organised by ALDA – took place in Lecce , Italy. The event gathered together voluntary organisations from the entire region.
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Delegates from local authorities also joined the event. Deputy Mayor Alessandro Delli Noci delivered the opening speech to the crowd, highlighting the city’s commitment to the European Values and to the realisation of local European projects.
The event was moderated by Ms. Maria Antonietta Nuzzo, member of ALDA’s advisory board, while Mr. Alessandro Perelli (ALDA’s vice president), Ms. Anna Ditta (ALDA’s senior project manager), Salvatore Modeo (The Qube Startup incubator) and Ada Manfreda (President of Espero) joined the conference as speakers.
Alessandro Perelli highlighted the necessity to overcome the nationalistic and isolationist pushes happening all over Europe, to better shape a new concept of Europe and fight back against the dangers of incurring new applications of Art.50 of the Treaty of the European Union, as it already occurred with the ongoing “Brexit” process.
Folowing this intervention, Anna Ditta has presented the services and opportunities offered audience offered by ALDA to its members, such as project development assistance, European grants search support, access to a wide European Network of institutional and private contacts and capacity-building structures for local authorities, NGOs and other actors.
During the debate, Mr. Alessandro Distante – president of ISBEM – drafted the agenda of the event, which will be presented to the Governing Board of ALDA by Mr. Perelli.