For four years, CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme) has published the annual CERV Town Twinning call (deadline 17th September 2025 at 5.00pm Brussels time).
Town Twinning refers to a collaboration between two or more towns in multiple European countries that aims to establish and build lasting ties and cooperation in various areas. This programme helps promote intercultural dialogue bringing together people of different nationalities and languages, giving them the opportunity to get to know each other, compare experiences and build strong and stable relationships through participation in common activities. Thus Town Twinning becomes a space for collective reflection and shared growth which contributes to the development of a dynamic and respectful European identity based on common values.
For its success, Town Twinning requires the addressing of multiple topics, of which solidarity, a core value of the European Union, appears as a priority. This type of project always helps to overcome national individualism, promoting mutual understanding and creating spaces to discuss common solutions. The main objective is to raise awareness of the importance of strengthening European integration based on shared values.
But not only that; very important in Town Twinning are civic participation and debate. Thanks to this cooperation, citizens will have the opportunity to share their own ideas and expectations on Europe’s future. The aim is to stimulate a constructive discussion, encouraging the proposal of concrete initiatives that can strengthen the sense of belonging to the European Union.
Therefore, this collaboration leads to the realisation of various projects and activities that may concern different sectors (such as culture, education, sport, environment, tourism, economy), to the exchange of people for longer or shorter periods, to the development of common projects between different local administrations of the twinning towns and to the active involvement of citizens of all ages and social backgrounds.
And what is the role of ALDA in here?
For this purpose, ALDA has decided to offer a free technical training about the topic mentioned above. The training will be around 1 hour and a half long and will take place online to guarantee the maximum accessibility and facilitate participation for people from all over Europe. To ensure that each participant can follow the meeting in the language they prefer, three different sessions will be organized: the first one will take place on 23rd July at 10.00am and will be in English, the second one will be held on 25th July also at 10.00am and will be in French, finally the last one will take place on 28th July, this time starting at 2.00pm and will be in Italian.
The training will not only be a theoretical explanation since guests from ALDA network will speak about their own direct experience in Town Twinning projects that have been successfully implemented in the past few years. Their testimonies will offer useful insights, concrete examples and practical advice on how to start and manage a successful town twinning project.
To participate in the training, subscription is necessary to one of the following link:
To participate in the webinar, subscription is mandatory. Registration is a prerequisite for getting the link allowing access to the online event.
ALDA staff looks forward to seeing many of you at the webinar and is at the disposal of administrations to provide further technical support. ALDA aims to pursue its mission of promoting good governance and citizens participation at local level.
