Foundation

The Association of Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA) is a European NGO based in Strasbourg with a branch office in Brussels and Vincenza. ALDA has been founded in 1999 as a small initiative of the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and has grown into one of the major European stakeholders dealing with civic participation and human and minority rights at the local, regional or European level. Human rights, the rule of law and gender equality are cross-area principles upon which ALDA basis all of its activities.

Vision/Mission

ALDA is convinced that democracy cannot develop without strengthening democracy on local level. For a functioning local democracy, participatory citizenship and reliable local and regional authorities are of utmost importance as well as good relations and intense cooperation of state authorities with civil society groups and citizens. Strengthened local democracy is necessary to respond adequately to the economic, social, cultural and political needs to the citizens and thus to improve their daily life. Following this conviction ALDA employs this perspective in all of its projects. Beyond, ALDA is convinced that cross-border cooperation is an important instrument for the development of local democracy and a peaceful Europe. Strengthening international links means overcoming mental barriers, learning from each other and fostering European citizenship. Founded by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities ALDA is convinced that activities strengthening local democracy and cross-border cooperation need to go beyond the 27 member states and thus pursues its mission in the larger Europe and the Mediterranean region.

Objectives

ALDA’s objectives respond to their visions and conviction. ALDA aims at strengthening local democracy and active civil participation throughout Europe.  Thus, ALDA aims at improving the daily life of Europe’s citizens and to strengthen their trust in democratic institutions. Local economic development is an important precondition for improving the daily life of Europe’s citizens and hence an objective ALDA pursues in many of its projects.  Furthermore, ALDA fosters European citizenship through international projects strengthening regional and thus transnational identity. With long term experience in non EU member states, ALDA seeks to counterbalance the increasing divide of EU-members and nonmembers and to foster European values throughout the entire continent. Following the recent European developments, ALDA is also committed to bridging the North-South divide of the Mediterranean Region and fosters the revitalization of cooperation within this region.

Main Activities (200 words limit)

ALDA’s activities are principally based on two pillars.

Firstly, ALDA coordinates a network of 12 Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs) in South-Eastern Europe and in Southern Caucasus. The LDAs are local NGOs that foster human rights, local democracy and active civil participation. As coordinator of this network, ALDA employs a special methodology of multilateral decentralized cooperation, base on long term and direct support of international partners to the activities of the LDAs, which work in the field with local communities and host towns. These long term and personal commitments guarantees the sustainability and the success of the Agencies and the projects carried out and their sustainable beneficiary effect for citizens, local authorities and citizens.

Secondly, ALDA established itself as a reliable stakeholder and leadpartner of various projects in the field of strengthening European Integration, active citizenship and citizen’s participation, fostering equal opportunities and young policies and sustainable economic development.

Beyond, ALDA is an active member of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe and thus involved in the political process of strengthening the roles of NGOs in the political decision making process.

Projects Materialised (400 words limit)

-         EURaction. Pilot experience of direct consultation of “citizen panels” in Europe.

-         Youth. Spreading of the homonymous EU Programme for young people between 15 and 30 in South East Europe and Caucasus, in collaboration with 20 partners.

-         Together - the Balkans in Europe, Europe in the Balkans. This project aims to increase the quality of the Balkans journalists.

-         Microcredit for the South East Europe. Young entrepreneurs receive microcredits to implement innovative ideas.

-         Acting Social Rights in Belarus. Strengthening dialogue between local authorities and NGOs and enhancing their capacities.

-         Local Economic Development. 9 micro-projects in Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia to foster local development.

-         Cooperation Lower-Normandy Region and the “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Technical assistance from the Lower-Normandy Region for a programme of decentralized cooperation.

-         Europe in Dialogue with its Citizens. Project of active citizenship developed in 9 Countries (”old” and “new” members of EU)

-         PEARL.EU. Is a project founded in the frameworks of the Adriatic Cross-border Progamme Interreg IIIA, aims to create a platform of collaboration and dialogue between the Countries of the Adriatic Sea.

-         MAHLDE.NET. In the framework of the Adriatic Cross-border Progamme Interreg IIIA, to foster the decentralized cooperation between the two sides of the Adriatic Sea.

-         Cities for Peace and Democracy in Europe. It involves local authorities and their associations from 15 Countries with 80 projects to involve young people in the debate for the construction of a peaceful and democratic Europe.

-         Stability Pact for South East Europe. It fosters the active citizenship and the cross-border cooperation in the Balkans.

-         Capacity building in Russian Federation. ALDA is part on a consortium of authorities supported by European Commission to assist this Country in the implementation of the new administrative reform.

-         Co.Ar.Pa.. Promoting women’s entrepreneurship in Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina.

Contact Information

Antonella Valmorbida

Council of Europe/ office 1027

Avenue de l’Europe

67075 Strasbourg

FRANCE

Phone: 0033 3 90 21 45 93

Fax: 0033 88 41 27 51

e-mail: antonella.valmorbida@aldaintranet.org

Website: http://alda-europe.eu