The project will create a Network of Towns aiming to raise awareness of the importance of the preservation of heritage and provides tools, policies and instruments for facilitating citizens involvement through solidarity and voluntary action. The project joins five small European towns with the aim of creating a network aiming to provide tools, policies and instruments for facilitating citizens involvement through solidarity and voluntary action.
The network will focus on proposing solutions for the main challenges voluntary workers, from one side, and hosting organizations and communities from the other face. The partners will create a common formal regulatory framework for a Solidarity4Heritage town, in line with the European policies in the relevant areas. The project will create a sustainable network of transnational volunteering between the participating cities in order to stimulate further involvement of citizens in policy-making, decision making and social life. The project also foresees the development of the “Solidarity of the Future” white paper to be presented to European, national and local decision makers in order to initiate policy reform for better formal recognition and validation of voluntary service as a valid working/training experience.
The project envisages six international events:
- Kick-off meeting – Strumyani, Bulgaria
- Workshop: “Challenges and best practices for conservation and management cultural sites and local traditions through volunteering” – Naxxar Malta,
- “Tools for Solidarity” Round table – Agia,
- Workshop “Working and living as a volunteer” – Novo Mesto, Slovenia
- “Together for Solidarity” Conference – Caltanissetta, Italy
- Closing Conference – Strumyani, Bulgaria
The project was developed by Association Euni Partners and Association Redefine teams, and includes the following participating organizations: Municipality of Strumyani, Bulgaria; Municipality of Agia, Greece; Naxxar Local Council, Malta, Municipality of Novo Mesto, Slovenia and Municipality of Castanissetta, Italy and Association EUni Partners, Bulgaria.
The project is funded under the Europe for Citizens Programme 2014 – 2020 Strand 2 Measure 2.2 ‘Networks of Towns‘.