Vracar city municipality and CSO Libero, in cooperation with partners Organization for cultural collaboration – Interkultura, Proni center for youth development, Public institute Mladi Zmaji and organization Out of the Box International, as well as representatives of local municipalities from Butel municipality of the city of Skopje, Ljubljana and Brcko district, realized a project TranslatEU within Human rights week on Vracar municipality, supported by the Europe for citizens program of the European Union. Through realization of the project which last from 9th till 11th of December 2017, program on the Vracar municipality was visited from over 300 participants from Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Serbia and Belgium, who exchanged experience among themselves and talked about joint future of the Balkan countries within EU.
Translation of European Union started with gathering of youth from all participating countries on the mountain Avala, where they participated at intercultural dinner, sharing between themselves culture, tradition, history, as well as life of young people in their countries. Through presentations, promotional material, exchange of food and music they created key characteristic of the life in EU, and that is intercultural dimension, allowing them to feel how it looks like to be a citizen of European Union.
Celebrating Human rights day, one of the ultimate values of EU, a media conference was held, within which partners on the project and representatives of local municipalities spoke to young people and guests, and share with them importance of active participation in the life of local communities and building of joint European future. All participants and citizens from Vracar municipality had opportunity to participate, for that purpose created, a fair in the gallery of the Vracar municipality which promoted entrepreneurship and services which this municipality is offering to citizens as a possibility to participate in the life of community. With the aim of better understanding of EU and translation of its policies a large number of workshops with young people and citizens, which used their opportunity to contribute to workshops, took place within a project. We talked with them about their view of the EU and its values, as well as in which way they can contribute to empowerment of those values in our society. It was noticed that best citizens understanding on importance, on rights and benefits from being a part of EU, is coming from incited cooperation of local municipalities and civil society organizations. Topics we covered were different, among others there were opportunities and rights which EU is offering in the field of ecology, culture, education, media, science, entrepreneurship, mobility and opportunities for volunteering.
As cooperation of local municipalities is a pillar of better and more efficient youth mobility, and possibility for exchange of ideas and experience important element of local community development, of active participation of citizens and development of EU values, a meeting of local representatives was held, after what a letter of intentions between all municipalities involved was signed. This document will serve as a foundation for future cooperation of local municipalities in all these areas, and also better cooperation of institutions which are working with youth.
