Good practices for utilization of local potential

On 17 and 18.06 in the third largest village in our country - Draginovo, Velingrad municipality - a real cultural holiday took place with the support of the Erasmus + EU Program under a project of Sofia University.

The event was held under the title "Promotion of Japanese culture in Draginovo" with emphasis on the use of mineral springs for the benefit and development of local communities. From Draginovo to Japan, this is possible through a skilful combination of cultural, economic and natural resources, traditions and local leaders.

There are no such people in Draginovo. They, all of them, took part in the celebration - the mayor and the "elders", the chitalishte board, the amateurs from the folklore groups and their vigilant parents and active grandparents. The guests from Sofia, from the Department of Japanese Studies at Sofia University and NAMRB, told about the Japanese and Bulgarian experience in exploiting the local potential for development, especially in terms of mineral water use and balneology. This experience is related to the current national and European integrated territorial instruments to promote local initiative (including. ITI, VOMR, One village - one product of JICA and UNDP, of the GALOP project - Innovation norway of NAMRB / KS, etc.). However, he must find fertile ground in living local communities that continue to cherish their traditions, upgrade and enrich their cultural and economic pedestal, as they do in Draginovo in contact with near and far countries.

The "academic" part was accompanied by a rich cultural program - musical greetings from local dance and singing groups, a workshop and tasting of Japanese rice delicacies, dressing in traditional Japanese clothes - kimonos and costumes, and a screening of popular comedies that convey Japanese culture in an accessible way. of mineral water.

Dissatisfied with the holiday were not found.

The holiday in pictures:

The organizers: the mayor Biser Madjirov, Prof. Gergana Petkova, Department of Japanese Studies - Sofia University, the secretary of the Chitalishte Milo Kepchelev

Beauty in costumes - the youngest

and the project manager Assoc. Prof. Lyudmila Kirilova with their parents and guests

 

In action:

Music…

 

Gourmet…

And movies

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GALOP Project kick-off event

The Mayor of Dimitrovgrad and Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of NAMRB Ivo Dimov was the main moderator of the Opening Event. In his speech he stressed that the Association is not only the main lobbyist of Bulgarian municipalities, but also one of the most correct beneficiaries of projects funded by European funds. All projects implemented by NAMRB are related to a kind of "reinvestment" of these funds again in the municipalities. They are aimed at increasing the capacity of municipal experts, conducting trainings, providing free consulting services, developing management models that are useful to mayors and municipal councils.

Representatives of the Norwegian Association of Local Authorities also took part in the conference  NAMRB is working on a project for promotion of local development / "Growth through activation of local potential - GALOP", funded by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area.

"Together with our colleagues from the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities, we have set ourselves the goal of supporting the socio-economic development of disadvantaged Bulgarian municipalities by helping them to activate their local resources and potential. Together we will prepare realistic and fully achievable strategies for effective development with the active participation of the local community. We hope to extract successful development models that will be applicable in other municipalities and last but not least, to expand the opportunities for partnership with local authorities from Norway "- said Mr. Ivo Dimov.

Christian Larson of the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities briefly outlined the association's activities and its contribution to the joint project. Ms. Nana Löka, Deputy Director, Research Institute of the Norwegian Association presented a series of good practices in local development, focusing on the success factors and skillful utilization of local assets. Stian Nielsen and Roar Svening diversified the audience with interactive presentations of the development strategy for the small Norwegian municipality of Afiord and its settlements.

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The GALOP project was presented at the National Meeting of Program and Project Experts from the municipalities

Over 200 municipal experts participated in the 11th National Meeting of Specialists on Programs and Projects by Local Authorities, 13-15.11.2019. Together with the representatives of managing authorities and program operators, the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the EC and The central coordinating unit, the participants discussed the progress in the implementation of the European programs and the preparation for the next planning period.

Special attention was paid to NAMRB projects for development of local capacity for sustainable development and especially to the project "GALOP - Growth through activation of local potential" under the program "Local development, poverty reduction and improved inclusion of vulnerable groups", funded by the financial mechanism of the European Economic Area 2014-2021.

Ms. Tsvetana Gerdjikova, Head of the Program Operator of the Local Development, Poverty Reduction and Improved Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups program, introduced the participants to the possibilities of the program for financing municipal projects. In more detail, the presentation explained the possibilities of municipalities to apply with project proposals in the call open until the end of the year for selection of projects for construction of youth centers, as well as in the upcoming call for selection of projects for construction and expansion of kindergartens.