TUZLA (BiH), 7/8 OCTOBER 2011

“Municipal co-operation agreements: challenges and perspectives of democratic participation at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, will be the main focus of the conference that will be held in Tuzla (BiH) on 7th and 8th of October 2001.

This conference is organised as the opening event to present the activities envisaged within the two-year regional co-operation project: Civil society in action for dialogue and partnerships (IPA 2009 Bosnia), leaded by ALDA, with the support of the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina provided within the wider Programme: Support to issue-based NGO networks.

September 2011

Short Description

IPA 2009 Support to issue based NGO networks

Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Implementation period: June 2011/June 2013

Objectives

The two year action is designed as a comprehensive set of capacity building and awareness raising activities which will be implemented through combined support measures intended for local NGO-s and local authorities to enhance citizen participation in policy and decision making process. Issue based and sectoral NGO networking represent a core of the action as the main prerequisite for their effective participation in creating a more supportive local environment for civic engagement.

July 2011

Annual partner’s meeting for the Local Democracy Agency Subotica was held on 8th of July 2011 in Bydgoszcz in Poland, between our partner representatives City of Wolverhampton and LDA representatives.

The opportunity to conduct partnership meeting there appeared as a reasonable continuation of activities connected to the participation of our representatives at the international conference "Volunteering for democracy" and ALDAs’ General Summit, which were happening at the same time. Annual meeting of the partners for Local Democracy Agency was held with the support of the EU operating grant.

Two representatives of LDA and one representative of lead partner - City of Wolverhampton, Mr Roger Lawrence were at the meeting. During the meeting representatives were reviewed the activities of the Centre that have been implemented and conducted since the last annual meeting, held in December 2010. in Szeged, Hungary.

18th December, 2010.

Organized by the Local Democracy Agency Agency, in co-operation with city administrations Subotica, and Szeged, minority local self-government and civic organization "Dugonics Andras", on 18 December 2011. in Szeged, Hungary this annual meeting of partners of the Local Democracy Agency Subotica, was held within ALDA support ensured by the annual Operating grant.

About thirty of the representatives of partner cities municipalities, institutions and civic organizations, were present during the meeting discussed the annual activities of the Local Democracy Agency, with emphasis on the existing Partnership with the City Council of Woverhampton, United Kingdom. The meeting began with introductory notes by Ms. Melinda Nagy Kiseres, project coordinator in the Office of Local Economic Development, representing the host city - Subotica, who welcomed all present at the partner meeting organized by the LDA Subotica, civic organizations with which the city cooperates as a partner and not only one project and share it with very good results. "Specifically, the project of Regional Partnership for Intercultural Cities, promote the city of Subotica as an intercultural city, which is listed among the 14 intercultural cities by Council of Europe. It was just one of the ideas and initiatives of the Centre, and today we are here in Szeged to develop new initiatives and new partnerships.

November 2010

The Annual Coordination Meeting of the LDAs Delegates was held on the 8th - 9th of November, 2010 at the ALDA (Association of Local Democracy Agencies) Office in Vicenza (Italy). The Meeting was aimed at LDAs Delegates and ALDA's staff to share and discuss several issues regarding the overall development process in the past year. There are twelve active LDAs located in the Balkans and in the Southern Caucasus which are the members of ALDA network. The first Local Democracy Agency was established in Subotica by Council of Europe in 1993 as a support programme to strengthen local democracy, foster respect for human rights and further sustainable development in the Western Balkans. Over the years, the main objective of the LDAs has become to assist the region in a smooth and stable transition towards democracy and European integration, with an emphasis on promoting tolerant and trust-based relationships within local communities. Since 1999 ALDA has been coordinating the LDAs and providing them with the administrative and political support. At the moment ALDA is working on opening a new LDA in Armenia and is planning to expand this positive experience to other areas.

11-17 OCTOBER 2010

CALL FOR LOCAL ACTIONS

The Association of Local Democracy Agencies is pleased to invite its members to take an active part in marking the European Local Democracy Week 11-17 October 2010. Specially invited to participate are our members in the Western Balkans and Caucasus, and the host cities of Local Democracy Agencies.

The “European Local Democracy Week” (ELDW) is an annual European event with simultaneous national and local events organised by participating local authorities in all Council of Europe member States. The purpose is to foster the knowledge of local democracy and promote the idea of democratic participation at a local level.

The week including 15 October has been chosen as the European Charter of Local Self-Government was opened for signature on that date in 1985.

22th October 2009

The annual LDA Subotica Serbia Partners meeting was held on the 22th October in Wolverhampton UK, hosted by the municipal Council of Wolverhampton LDA Subotica’s lead partner. This is the second annual LDA-s partner meeting in 2009., implemented with the support of EU Operational grant.

After the last year's meeting, partners of LDA Subotica Serbia, 11 representatives of the local/regional authorities and NGO-s had an intensive communication regarding the activities of LDA Subotica and its partners. The meeting started with external Evaluation Report on LDA Subotica held by Cllr. Neville Patten, Leader of the Council. Behalf of LDA’s Host City Subotica, Mr Dejan Zvekic, mayors adviser for international cooperation, presented political situation of local self-government in and civil society, who cooperate more closely on cross boarder projects and development of civil society in region of Vojvodina.

June – july 2009

New activity on the "Youth: the right direction" programme - Job shadowing: Training and Networking project (Action 4.3 supported by the Youth in Action Programme)

In the framework of the tree-year project "Youth: the right direction", ALDA realised the final activity: the job shadowing. Job shadowing is practical learning experience that consists of short stay in one partner organization in another country.

The biggest music festival in Southeast Europe. Exit organize the Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad from 2001. year. Besides what is the biggest music festival in Europe Jogoistočnoj, EXIT has a large impact on society.

EXIT in partnership with Građandkim Pact for South Eastern Europe has established the traditional civil / social program which includes a large number of civil society organizations from Southeastern Europe and all over the world. Also, in recent years, there was a number of roundtable discussions with various subjects where they have participated the representatives of the EU, regional governments, local governments and civil society.

About 80 NGOs, the main actors of this social-EXIT programain, who came from Serbia and Southeastern Europe (NGO are prednohno Pirane the competition), have the opportunity to present their work at three locations of the festival. Most of the organization is placed on the so-called NGO stejdžu Place to move!, Which has a traditional role as a fair NGO organizations.

July 2009

On July 9, the Association of Local Democracy Agencies, in partnership with the citizens' Pact of South Eastern Europe, organised a panel discussion on "Civil Society and Local Authorities: Working Together for the EU integrations" at the EXIT festival in Novi Sad, Serbia.

The panel discussion gave the opportunity for ALDA to raise awareness among Serbian citizens and local authorities about the European Commission's Europe for Citizens Programme and reasserted the importance of a constructive dialogue between civil society and local authorities in the process of EU integration.