Applicable to the VALID European Towns – Enacting Common Values of Solidarity and Intercultural Dialogue
22 events have been carried out within this project divided into Local Paths and International Events:
Local Paths:
Event 1: Local path 1 – Association for Developing Voluntary Work Novo Mesto (DRPDNM) Novo Mesto
Participation: The event involved 13 citizens and participants from the city of Novo Mesto (Slovenia), NGO’s and Municipality Officials (the vice mayor and a member from a city council).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Novo Mesto, Slovenia on 08/06/2021.
Short description: The aim of the event was to discuss on what could be done to improve this situation and how we can make sure people from different cultures can share their ideas and troubles with local decision makers – how to encourage a dialogue between them, as well as to remind that civic participation is crucial to intercultural exchange and peaceful cooperation. The implementation of this activity might help in establishing a consultative body for residents of different cultural backgrounds that has been lacking in the Municipality of Novo Mesto.
Event 2: Local path 2 – Association for Developing Voluntary Work Novo Mesto (DRPDNM) Novo Mesto
Participation: The event involved 20 citizens, including participants from Members of KUD Sevdah (Bosnian cultural association in Novo mesto), EŠNM Higher Vocational college for Economics and media production and the Association for Developing Voluntary Work Novo Mesto (DRPDNM) in Novo Mesto, Slovenia.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Novo Mesto, Slovenia on 12/11/2021 and 10/01/2022.
Short description: The event chosen for the local path 2 of the project VALID focused mainly on the intercultural dialogue between Slovenian and Bosnian culture by celebrating and comparing their literary works.
The entire activity was divided in two days. The implementation of the activity on date 12/11/2021 aimed at connecting Bosnian and Slovenian culture through poetry. The idea for this came from our meeting in Ravenna, where we did a reading of Dante’s work has been conducted. The implementation of the activity on date 10/11/2022 was a continuation of the previous activity in connecting Bosnian and Slovenian cultures, although this activity was implemented online and included schoolchildren from the EŠNM Higher Vocational college for Economics and media production.
Event 3: Local path 1 – Local Democracy Agency Knjaževac
Participation: The event involved 12 citizens from Knjaževac (Serbia).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Knjazevac (Serbia) on 11/06/2021.
Short description: The aim of the activity was participation of youth in the decision-making on the local level, as well as the presentation of the recommendations for the improving the quality of life of young people in Knjaževac. The outcomes of the implementation of this local path included a discussion of local policy actions for the development in later phases of the project and increased culture of dialogue in the local community.
Event 4: Local path 2 – Local Democracy Agency Knjaževac
Participation: The event involved 14 citizens from Knjaževac (Serbia).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Knjazevac (Serbia) on 27/11/2021.
Short description: The aim of the activity was to discuss about the importance of the youth activism and mechanisms for youth participation that are available for them in our local community. The outcomes of the implementation of this local path included a discussion on local policy actions for development in later phases of the project, increasing culture of dialogue in the local community, providing space to discuss inclusive approaches of citizen’s participation in policy making.
Event 5: Local path 1 – Municipality of Peja and Local Democracy Agency of Kosovo
Participation: The event involved 17 participants from Peja (Kosovo), including village representatives and public official from Peja Municipality.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Peja (Kosovo)* on 08/06/2021.
Short description: The event was organized jointly by the Municipality of Peja and the Local Democracy Agency of Peja (Kosovo). The aim of the event was to discuss Peja’s Municipality Budget for the year 2022 and the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework 2022-2024. Village representatives had the opportunity to present the challenges and needs in the domain of capital investments to be implemented/financed by the side of the Municipality of Peja, in the domain of the Municipal budget for the year 2022, or to include the same needs in the Medium-Term Expenditure for the years 2022-2024. This event gave the possibility to citizens to present a total of 55 requests to the Municipal representatives (need for schools, roads, water aqueduct, sewerage system, sidewalks, electrical net etc).
Event 6: Local path 2 – Municipality of Peja and Local Democracy Agency of Kosovo
Participation: The event involved 35 participants from Peja (Kosovo).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Peja (Kosovo) on 12/11/2021.
Short description: The Local Democracy Agency of Kosovo, together with the Rrjeti i Organizatave të Kulturës (The Network of Culture Organizations) in Peja, have organized a common activity involving pupils of the School of Arts, together with an acoustical performance by a local artist. Through this activity both organizations have organized an exhibition inside the old and decaying structures of a former public bank. The aim of the exhibition was to convey the message that public and social structures can easily be transformed in spaces where culture activities can be implemented and through which culture can be conveyed. In short, through this activity the organizations aimed at conveying the message that a new life can come out of the rubbles.
Event 7: Local path 1 – Municipality of Larissa
Participation: The event involved 11 participants from Larissa (Greece).
Location / Dates: The event took place online in Larissa (Greece) on 09/06/2021.
Short description: Participants in the event were members of the Municipality of Larissa-Mayorship of Culture and other cultural entities like NGOs, museums and associations, who had the chance to present their organisations and activities. The meeting started with a presentation of the Valid project, the partnership, the activities so far and the expected outputs. Afterwards, the discussion was set around the “Mill of Pappas” Culture Hub and the possibility of mutual collaboration in common activities after September 2021. The participants had the opportunity to learn more about the “Valid” project, present their own activities and explore the possibility of mutual collaboration.
Event 8: Local path 2 – Municipality of Larissa
Participation: The event involved 36 participants from Larissa (Greece).
Location / Dates: The event took place online in Larissa (Greece) from 17/09/2021 to 26/09/2021.
Short description: Three culture development institutions in Larissa, Volos and Trikala, united their powers and coordinated their activities, in an effort to dynamically quest for answers to the challenges and dead-ends caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, both in the contemporary societies and in the field of art. The objective was to broaden this collaboration, to establish it and evolve it into a unified Thessalian festival. The organizers jointly addressed an open call for participations, with the concept of Transition as a common thematic. The proposals were examined by all three organization teams and concluded in a joint planning that allowed for a broadened and more efficient mobility of both artists/activities and the public. The schedules of the 3 festivals included common activities hosting key persons and artists from Greece and abroad who offered their own perspective to the concept of Transition.
Event 9: Local path 1 – Municipality of Niksic
Participation: The event involved 32 participants of the Municipality of Niksic, representatives of state institutions, the NGO sector, entrepreneurs, representatives of the academic community and media and interested citizens from Niksic (Montenegro).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Niksic (Montenegro) on 11/06/2021.
Short description: The topics discussed were related to resolving the issue of unemployment in the Municipality of Niksic and proposals for resolving this problem and improving the transparency of the work of the Municipality and promoting a culture of dialogue and solidarity. In addition to the topics envisaged by the agenda, the participants initiated a conversation on topics related to environmental protection, out of the politic in local communities, the position of the Roma and Egyptians populations, cultural creativity and the like.
Event 10: Local path 2 – Municipality of Niksic
Participation: The event involved 55 representatives of all cultural institutions and citizens from Niksic (Montenegro).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Niksic (Montenegro) on 11/11/2021 and on 19/11/2021.
Short description: The first part of the activity referred to the presentation of the programs of four cultural institutions from Niksic at five locations, and at the same time, a survey of citizens on the mentioned programs was conducted. The second part of the activity was a presentation we organized for cultural workers from 14 Montenegrin municipalities where we presented the intensive cultural activity realized by Niksic cultural institutions, as well as the results of a survey of citizens who had the opportunity to evaluate the current offer of cultural content and give suggestions for its improvement.
The goal was to connect important cultural points in the city in an informal way to collect data from citizens in order to improve the offer of cultural content together with them.
Event 11: Local path 1 – Municipality of Patos
Participation: The event involved 13 participants from the youth sector.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Patos (Albania) on 11/02/2021.
Short description: The aim of this event was to discuss different ways on how to increase intercultural dialogue in this multicultural world. The event served also to share visions of the role that the community should have in resolving issues, conflicts, and smoothing out the different cultural traditions and perceptions that exist in our city.
Event 12: Local path 2 – Municipality of Larissa
Participation: : The event involved 26 participants from the youth sector.
Location / Dates: The event took place online in Patos (Albania) on 19/11/2021.
Short description: The aim of the event was to discuss the importance of citizens’ involvement regardless of their ethnic, social and cultural affiliation in the decision-making processes of their community. Participants discussed on how much intercultural democracy influences local action, while the project team explained through a poster exhibition concrete initiatives that the youth of the city have undertaken in various topics, specifically those with a social theme.
Event 13: Local path 1 – Municipality of Ravenna
Participation: The event involved 15 participants from Teatro delle Able, citizens and the deputy councilor for Culture.
Location / Dates: The event took place online in Ravenna (Italy) on 14/06/2021.
Short description: This meeting was an important opportunity to underline what our Municipality has done for
culture for many years especially to make citizens feel part of their community, involving people of different age, immigrants, young people and children too. The discussion was animated through two interactive activities: participants were invited to identify a word representing the connection between theatre and inclusion and write it on a word cloud platform and were given the opportunity to express their opinions and suggestions on a padlet blackboard.
Event 14: Local path 2 – Municipality of Ravenna
Participation: The event involved 15 participants from Ravenna Municipality and ENGIM Institute (National Giuseppini of Murialdo Organization, that operates in Italy and abroad in the field of professional training and international cooperation).
Location / Dates: The event took place online in Ravenna (Italy) on 29/11/2021.
Short description: In order to demonstrate that our Municipality has a particular attention to young people and
especially to those who can have problems of inclusion due to their nationality, religion, the color of their skin, or other, we decided to organize this second local event in a class of students attending ENGIM Institute. School and theatre together with Local Administrations and citizens can have a big and important role in promoting inclusive actions to strengthen social inclusion and intercultural dialogue.
Event 15: Local path 1 – Local Democracy Agency of Subotica
Participation: The event involved 16 participants from CSOs, academia, local institutions and citizens.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Subotica (Serbia) on 04/06/2021.
Short description: The event focused on the topic of exercising the right of citizens to participate in the adoption and creation of public policies as well as the prospects for the development of local self-government, good and responsible governance at the local level, with the principles of intercultural and social dialogue. Participants discussed the need for more inclusive approaches of citizen’s participation in policy making, emphasizing the Citizens forum as a possible mechanism for dialogue with the local government. Local initiatives on topics of importance to the citizens were mentioned as effective tools for increasing participation and citizens engagement.
Event 16: Local path 2 – Local Democracy Agency of Subotica
Participation: The event involved 18 participants from NGOs, colleges and universities, media, cultural centers, political sciences associations, public libraries and citizens.
Location / Dates: The event took place online in Subotica (Serbia) on 07/10/2021.
Short description: The event was a continuation of first local path and focused on the topic of exercising the right of citizens to participate in the adoption and creation of public policies as well as the prospects for the development of local self-government, good and responsible governance at the local level, with the principles of intercultural and social dialogue.
Event 17: Local path 1 – Municipality of Zavidovici
Participation: The event involved 19 participants from the Municipality, representatives of Support Club for Female Entreperneurs Zavidovići, Women Association Pašinka and WA Majska ruža and WA Iskra.
Location / Dates: The event took place online in Zavidovici (Bosnia and Hercegovina) on 15/05/2021.
Short description: Participants discussed the need for more inclusive approach for participation in policy making of vulnerable and marginalized groups with focus on women of Zavidovići.
The event had the following outcomes: Provided prerequisite for dialog and wider participation of women in policy making processes in our local community, identified local policy action for better participation of marginalized and vulnerable groups in policy making processes, identified instruments for better exchange of information between policy makers and citizens.
Event 18: Local path 2 – Municipality of Zavidovici
Participation: The event involved 23 participants from Zavidovici (Bosnia and Hercegovina).
Location / Dates: The event took place online in Zavidovici (Bosnia and Hercegovina) on 12/11/2021.
Short description: The event was a continuation of first local path with widened activities and more participants. This event was organized also as opportunity for female entrepreneurs, members of women associations and other interested citizens to have their say in topics of tourist potential and using it more efficiently in Zavidovići, and role of women in policy and business decision making processes in our local community. The event had the following outcomes: set basis for active participation through innovative and creative ways of cooperation and interaction of different target groups, adhered policies and needs to preserve and promote diversity, defined instruments and methods to promote social inclusion, civic engagement and intercultural dialogue at local level.
International Events:
Event 19: First International Event – Municipality of Larissa
Participation: The event involved 200 participants, including 70 participants from Larissa (Greece), 12 participants from Municipality of Zavidovici (Bosnia and Hercegovina), 12 participants from Municipality of Niksic (Montenegro), 24 participants from the cities of Subotica and Knjazevac (Serbia), 13 participants from the Muncipality of Patos (Albania), 9 participants from the Municipality of Kumanovo (North Macedonia), 11 participants from the Municipality of Ravenna (Italy), 14 participants from the Association for Developing Voluntary Work Novo Mesto (DRPDNM) from Novo Mesto (Slovenia), 13 participants from the Municipality of Peja (Kosovo), 12 participant from the Local Democracy Agency from Peja (Kosovo) and 10 participants from ALDA (Skopje).
Location / Dates: The event took place online and was organized by the Municipality of Larissa (Greece) from 22/04/2021 to 23/04/2021.
Short description: The main objective of the project, and of the first international event, was to build connections between European cities. Indeed, the VALID project aims at building a strong network of towns committed to intercultural exchange by using dialogue and open spaces through the promotion of cultural participation and civil
society in decision-making. Moreover, this international event offered an opportunity to reflect on different European topics such as, for example, on candidates to the EU adhesion. Additionally, it was the occasion to share experiences and knowledge about certain facts that might inspire other stakeholders empathizing, among other things, on the role of cities and municipalities in the establishment of a well-functioning
democratic society, by insisting on the idea that changes can be made at the local level.
Event 20: Second International event – Novo Mesto
Participation: The event involved 124 citizens, including 22 participants from the city of Novo Mesto (Slovenia), 15 Larissa (Greece), 15, Peja (Kosovo), 11 Niksic (Montenegro), 8 Patos (Albania), 7 Kumanovo (North Macedonia), 6 Ravenna (Italy), 6 Zavidovici (Bosnia and Hercegovina), 4 Skopje (North Macedonia), 4 Maribor (Slovenia), 4 Ljubljana (Slovenia), 4 Vicenza (Italy), 6 from the cities of Subotica and Knjazevac (Serbia), 1 Athens (Greece), 1 Tirana (Albania), 1 Prilep (North Macedonia), 1 Bać (Serbia), 1 Kavadarci (North Macedonia), 1 Gevgelija 1 (North Macedonia), 1 Sentjernej (Slovenia), 1 Blagoevgrad (Bulgaria), 1 Alicante (Spain), 1 Ptuj (Slovenia), 1 Istog (Kosovo) and 1 Durres (Albania).
Location / Dates: The event took place online and was organized by the Association for Developing Voluntary Work Novo Mesto (DRPDNM) in Novo Mesto, Slovenia on 15/06/2021 to 16/06/2021.
Short description: The aim of the event was to promote and discuss interculturality and intercultural exchange, both on international level and on local levels. The emphasis was also on the importance of active citizenship and participation of different cultural groups in their countries of residence, especially on the local level.
Event 21: Third International Event – Municipality of Ravenna
Participation: The event involved 250 citizens, including 203 participants from the city of Ravenna (Italy), 9 participants from the city of Peja (Kosovo), 3 participants from the city of Skopie (North Macedonia), 5 participants from the city of Kumanovo (North Macedonia), 5 participants from the city of Niksic (Montenegro), 5 participants from the city of Novo Mesto (Slovenia), 5 participants from the city of Knjazevac (Serbia), 5 participants from the city of Patos (Albania), 5 participants from the city of Zavidovici (Bosnia Herzegovina), 5 participants from the city of Larissa (Greece).
Location / Dates: The event took place online in Ravenna (Italy) from 10/09/2021 to 13/09/2021.
Short description: The aim of the event was to show how the local government tackles issues related with the inclusion and multi-cultural dialogue by active involvement in cultural activities: full dedication networking, learning by doing was the way and method adopted during the meeting. All participants were brought through the good practices of the local government on inclusion and multicultural dialogue by leverage of culture, and more specifically Drama. At the end it was a success because the participants showed interest and also were surprised with the activities. It was also a great opportunity for sharing experiences and start future collaboration especially with some theatre companies.
Event 22: Fourth international Event – Municipality of Peja
Participation: The event involved 55, including 26 participants from Peja (Kosovo), 4 participants from Patos (Albania), 4 participants from Zavidovici (Bosnia and Hercegovina), 3 participants from Ravenna (Italy), 5 participants from cities of Subotica and Knjazevac (Serbia), 4 participants from Niksic (Montenegro), 4 participants from Association for Developing Voluntary Work Novo Mesto (DRPDNM – Slovenia), 3 participants from ALDA Skopje (North Macedonia) and 1 participant from Larissa (Greece) and 1 participant from Kumanovo (North Macedonia).
Location / Dates: The event took place in Peja (Kosovo) and in hybrid mode from 22/11/2021 to 25/11/2021.
Short description: The Municipality of Peja, as a partner in the project “European Towns – Enacting Common Values of Solidarity and Intercultural Dialogue” – VALID, hosted representatives from 12partner organizations from 10 Balkan and European Union countries as part of the European Union’s “Europe for Citizens” program, with which the participants had the opportunity to exchange good practices and present cultural, heritage and tourist values. This last international event presented the closure of the VALID project and intended to agree on the follow-up and continuation of the project in order to create sustainability of the project.
