The Solidarity for Heritage project is funded by the European Union under the Europe for Citizens program.
Applicable to Direction 2: Measure 2.2 “Networks of cities”
Memorandum of Understanding Solidarity for the Heritage Network
White Paper Solidarity of the Future
The project aims to create a network of cities aimed at raising awareness of the importance of heritage conservation and will provide policies and tools to facilitate citizen participation through solidarity and voluntary action.
Project Period: 01/22/2018-20/11/2019
Financing Program: Europe for Citizens Program Strand 2 Measure 2.2 Networks of Towns Selection Year 2017 – Round 2 – Maximum Grant Awarded – € 150,000
Partners:
1. Strumyani Municipality
2. Agia Municipality, Greece
3. Naxxar Local Council, Malta
4. Novo Mesto Municipality, Slovenia
5. Castanissetta Municipality, Italy
6. EuniPartners Association
The project will create a network of cities aimed at raising awareness of the importance of heritage conservation and will provide policies and tools to facilitate citizen participation through solidarity and voluntary action.
The network will focus on offering solutions to the major challenges of volunteers on the one hand, and host organisations and local communities on the other. The partners will establish a common formal regulatory framework for Solidarity4Heritage, in line with European policies in their respective fields. The project will create a sustainable network of transnational volunteering activities between participating cities to stimulate the further involvement of citizens in policy-making, decision-making and social life. The project also envisages the development of a White Paper on Solidarity of the Future to be presented to European, national and local decision-makers.
The objectives of the project:
– Encourage participation in the volunteer service in activities related to the conservation and maintenance of the heritage.
– Support local and transnational volunteering and solidarity by creating tools to promote and facilitate solidarity initiatives.
– Improve the working and living conditions of volunteers by implementing regulatory and standardization procedures for volunteers.
– Achieving greater recognition of the value of volunteering and skills by focusing on the formal and practical aspects of recognizing voluntary service as a valid work experience.
– Creating a sustainable network of transnational volunteering activities between participating cities.
– Develop a formal regulatory framework for Solidarity4Heritage City to introduce quality, safety and responsibility standards for volunteer and solidarity activities that take place in the participating cities.
– Promoting and promoting volunteer opportunities at both local and European level.
Six events have been carried out within this project:
Event 1 Kick-off meeting
Participation: The event involved over 100 citizens, including 4 participants from the city of Agia, Greece,
4 participants from the city of Naxxar, Malta, 4 participants from the city of Novo Mesto, Slovenia, 3 participants from the city of Caltanissetta, Italy.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Strumyani, Bulgaria, from 07.03.2018 to 09.03.2018
Short description: The aim of the event was to lay the foundation of the network, the rules and principles for management, coordination, communication, evaluation and dissemination.
Furthermore, the partners discussed the possible ways for raising awareness of the importance of the preservation of heritage and tools, policies and instruments for facilitating citizens’ involvement through solidarity and voluntary action.
Event 2 Workshop: “Challenges and best practices for conservation and management cultural sites and local traditions through volunteering”
Participation: The event involved 141 citizens, including 8 participants from the city of Agia, Greece,
8 participants from the city of Naxxar, Malta, 14 participants from the cities of Strumyani and Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, 4 participants from the city of Caltanissetta, Italy and 4 participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, from 13.06.2018 to 15.06.2018
Short description: The aim of the event was to discuss the challenges which all stakeholders – local authorities, cultural organizations, civil society and volunteering organizations are facing in heritage preservation; to present good practices related to the cultural preservation by each project partner. Based on these discussions, draft strategies for facilitating citizens and stakeholders’ involvement, as well as volunteering in heritage preservation were drafted.
Event 3 “Tools for Solidarity” round table
Participation: The event involved 141 citizens, including 8 participants from the city of Naxxar, Malta, 15 participants from the city of Strumyani and Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, 4 participants from the city of Caltanissetta, Italy, 8 participants from the city of Novo Mesto, Slovenia.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Agia, Greece, from 24.08.2018 to 27.08.2018
Short description: The aim of the event was exploring tools and mechanisms to be implemented both at local and international level in order to facilitate volunteering and solidarity. These include organization, coordination, information and integration actions, necessary to establish a coherent network of local and international stakeholders providing high quality volunteering and solidarity opportunities and placements.
Event 4 “Working and living as a volunteer” workshop
Participation: The event involved 126 citizens, including 87 participants from Malta, 14 participants from the city of Strumyani and Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, 8 participants from the city of Caltanissetta, Italy, 9 participants from the city of Novo Mesto, Slovenia and 8 participants from the city of Agia, Greece.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Naxxar, Malta, from 30.10.2018 to 02.11.2018
Short description: The aim of the event was the development of standards of working and living conditions for voluntary workers, thus addressing one of the main challenges voluntary workers face. The regulation introduces a unified set of criteria of living and working conditions to be satisfied in order to provide placements for volunteering. It also develops an ethical code for volunteers and solidarity workers, thus setting standards of personal qualities and behaviors required in order to engage in voluntary work.
Event 5 “Together for Solidarity” conference
Participation: The event involved 185 citizens, including 14 participants from the cities of Strumyani and Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, 8 participants from the city of Naxxar, Malta, 8 participants from the city of Novo Mesto, Slovenia and 8 participants from the city of Agia, Greece.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Caltanissetta, Italy, from 25.02.2019 to 28.02.2019
Short description: The aim of the event was to tackle the challenge of poor formal recognition of voluntary service as a valid working and/or learning/training experience. It gathered relevant stakeholders in order to discuss and draft a joint proposition for policy reforms, needed to achieve a better recognition of volunteering. The event included, experts panels, discussions and gathering of public opinions among the citizens and discussion with decision makers, NGOs, citizens, educational/training organizations etc. As a result a “Solidarity of the Future” white paper was developed and presented to European, national and local decision makers in order to initiate change.
Event 6 Closing conference
Participation: The event involved 212 citizens, including 12 participants from the city of Agia, Greece,
10 participants from the city of Naxxar, Malta, 15 participants from the city of Novo Mesto, Slovenia, 9 participants from the city of Caltanissetta, Italy.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Strumyani, Bulgaria, from 04.04.2019 to 07.04.2019
Short description: The aim of the event was to officially establish the Solidarity4Heritage Network, comprising a formal agreement between the participating institutions and organizations, and the regulatory tools and mechanisms developed during the project. The Network initiated policy reform through the development of a White paper with main objective – better formal recognition and validation of voluntary service as a working/training experience.
First International Solidarity4Haritage Project Meeting in Strumyani Municipality
– https://www.caltanissettalive.it/solidarity-for-heritage-il-sindaco-ruvolo-guida-la-delegazione-nissena-in-bulgaria/ Presentation of the project as a good practice in Bulgaria on June 11, 2018 in Sofia at the informal meeting of ECP Network, Creative Europe Culture Desks, EACEA, EC at the National Gallery “Square 500” Seminar and workshops: “Challenges and best practices for conservation and management of cultural sites and local traditions through volunteering “- Novo Mesto, Slovenia Shots from the Festival of New Cultures in Novo Mesto, in which the group o t Bulgaria presents “Maleshevo sings and dances” festival
Third Project Meeting in Agia Municipality, Greece: Opportunities for Improving Volunteering Conditions and Integrating Volunteering in the Valorisation of Cultural Heritage
– https://www.caltanissettalive.it/il-sindaco-ruvolo-in-grecia-per- un-progetto-di-valorizzazione-della-cultura-e-delle-tradizioni-locali / Successful meeting on the Solidarity 4 Heritage project was held in Nassar Municipality, Malta The following project work took place in the city of Caltaniseta – Italy with the active involvement of all partners . The event was covered by various media in the local community: –
https://www.caltanissettalive.it/a-caltanissetta-le-delegazioni-di-quattro-paesi-europei-con-il-progetto-solidarity-for-heritage/
