T
imespan:
1/07/2015 – 30/06/2017
Website of the project: http://choiceproject.eu
The project at a glance:
CHOICE aimed at enhancing civil society’s role and to build its capacities to develop a heritage-friendly living environment in Belarus, Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Civil society organisations active in the field of local development, protection and rehabilitation of culture heritage and landscape in the four countries were identified by the local partners at the grassroot level and actively involved in subsequent public initiatives. The identification process allowed for exchanges with local communities about how to engage in the policy dialogue with the central government on the subject matter, given that the successful implementation of the international cultural conventions requires a conscious and engaged citizenry.
Outcomes:
The principal outcome of the project was the developed policy recommendations for the Eastern Partnership governments on preservation of cultural heritage, including country-specific expertise to be disseminated in the form of informational materials elaborated throughout the project.
Objectives:
The principal objectives of CHOICE were:
• Increased capacity of CSOs in Belarus, Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine to participate in the policy dialogue at the local, national, and international levels
• Increased capacity to contribute to shaping of national policies on cultural heritage
In particular it envisages to achieve the following:
• Developed skills and expertise to perform watchdog functions and to participate in cultural policy decision-making processes
• Developed professional network of national heritage experts and professionals
• Fostered culture of cooperation among the Eastern Partnership countries
• Raised awareness among the wider public about the value and importance of work of CSOs active in the field of cultural heritage
Activities:
Activity 1: Call for CSOs Partcipants
Objectives:
• To promote participation in the project among the interested audience and the wider public by publishing the calls in local and national media
• To encourage the first exchanges on cultural policy as an a means to improve civic engagement
• To strengthen the ownership of the project in the partner and selected CSO community
Activity 2: Organisational Capacity Assessment and Plan Development
Objectives:
• To identify CSOs interested in becoming agents of socio-cultural change through acquiring new competences to engage citizens on culture heritage issues
• To elaborate organisational change plans for selected CSOs
Activity 3: Training and Coaching
Objectives:
• To build capacities of the CSOs by providing with the relevant methodology and tools
• To assist the CSOs in organisational change and development processes
• To provide the CSOs with the latest knowledge on preservation of cultural heritage
Activity 4: “Learning by doing” – Subgranting Scheme
Objectives:
• To provide the CSOs with real-life opportunities to apply their newly gained knowledge to their environment
• To mobilise and inform communities on preservation of cultural heritage
Activity 5: Professional exchanges and networking
Objectives:
• To encourage transborder exchanges of best practices and lessons learnt among the participating CSOs and their communities
• To organise public debates and to stimulate the dialogue with the wider public
• To support an ad hoc analysis and evaluation of government programmes and international obligations as well country-based public events such as public debates or hearings
Activity 6: Regional CSO Forum on Cultural Heritage as a means of Local Development
Objectives:
• To promote and disseminate the outcomes of the project
• To bring together the cultural heritage professionals from across the Eastern Partnership countries and encourage further exchanges and cooperation
• To discuss and approve the policy recommendations
Partners
• Association of Local Democracy Agencies – ALDA, France (Lead partner)
• International Non-Government Organisation “EuroBelarus”, Lithuania
• ICOM Moldova National Committee
• Millennium Foundation for Education and Research, Armenia
• Public Association “Centre for Social Innovations”, Belarus
Results and outcomes of the project are available at http://choiceproject.eu
The project was financed by European Union.
