LocalEUCharter: EU Charter on Fundamental Rights closer to citizens

LocalEUCharter: EU Charter on Fundamental Rights closer to citizens.

The LocalEUCharter project aims to develop the concept of Union citizenship through the refinement of local governance of participating European municipalities, as well as to strengthen the role of local public administrations in the integration of modern Europe and in their role of proximity to citizens. To contribute to the dissemination and enhancement of the heritage of values shared at the European level and expressed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the city of Valencia is presenting a Network of Cities in which young municipal workers and youth organizations will explore the Charter and promote it among their citizens and, in particular, among young people.

The project will consist of 8 international events (one for each project partner) and aims to involve more than 400 participants directly and more than 25,000 people indirectly. Each project partner will organize an international event involving local and regional participants, collaborating in advance with other local and regional organizations or other local events in order to achieve greater project impact. In terms of activities, locations will vary by city. The main target audience of LocalEUCharter are officials of the participating municipalities, political representatives of these municipalities in charge of managing the support measures for people, to social workers of associations related to democratic life. The network of cities will involve administrative representatives and youth organizations who will explore the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and promote it among their citizens and, in particular, their youth.

WORK PLAN:

WP1: Kick-off meeting and understanding of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, in Valencia, Spain.

Define project objectives, work methodology and partnership structure, understand the importance of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and reflect on how to engage stakeholders in project objectives. Share best practices and present the pilot experience of the City of Valencia as an early adopter of the European Commission's PM2 methodology. 

WP2: Values and rights of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in local policy makers, in Cervia, Italy.

Reflect on local best practices on how to engage citizens in participation and analyze how the values and rights of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights are involved in local politics. 

WP3: European values among municipalities' technical teams, politicians and youth civic associations to improve municipal governance, in Athienou (Cyprus)

Reflect on how to improve municipal governance with European values, disseminate European values among municipalities' technical teams, politicians and civic youth associations to improve governance, and link municipal governance with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. 

WP4: Bringing European participation mechanisms closer to young citizens, in Larissa, Greece.

Understand the problems of young citizens who do not participate in democratic life, prevent the lack of connection between civic participation and young people, and discuss the EU in small municipalities and its impact on European policies.

WP5: Euroskepticism from a closer approach to EU citizens' rights, in Lodz, Poland.

Combat Euroskepticism from an EU-local perspective, reflect on new strategies for EU citizens' rights based on local initiatives and best practices, and understand Europe as a source of citizens' rights against populism. 

WP6: EU decision-making processes, in Amarante (Portugal).

Learn about EU decision-making, understand how citizen participation affects EU decision-making processes, and reflect on civic participation actions carried out in each municipality. 

WP7: Empowering civil society and youth to actively participate in European politics, in Bucharest (Romania)

Reflect on how to empower civil society and young people to actively participate in European politics, discuss youth participation in European politics, and understand the particular point of view of young people towards European politics. 

WP8: Institutional presentation and final event in Rotterdam (Netherlands).

Disseminate project results: include the values and rights of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in local policies, create a sustainable network for future cooperation, and discuss the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights with the general public.

Asociatia Se Poate (RO)

Município De Amarante (PT)

Klub Sportowy "Budowlani" - Lodz (PL)

Comune Di Cervia (IT)

Dimos Lariseon (EL)

Athienou Dimos (CY)

Hellenic Institute Of Cultural Diplomacy Netherlands (NL)