BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Assembly of European Regions - ECPv6.1.3//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Assembly of European Regions X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://aer.eu X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Assembly of European Regions REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/Brussels BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0200 TZNAME:CEST DTSTART:20220327T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0200 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:CET DTSTART:20221030T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0200 TZNAME:CEST DTSTART:20230326T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0200 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:CET DTSTART:20231029T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0200 TZNAME:CEST DTSTART:20240331T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0200 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:CET DTSTART:20241027T010000 END:STANDARD TZID:Europe/Dublin BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:IST DTSTART:20240331T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20241027T010000 END:STANDARD TZID:Asia/Nicosia BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0200 TZOFFSETTO:+0300 TZNAME:EEST DTSTART:20220327T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0300 TZOFFSETTO:+0200 TZNAME:EET DTSTART:20221030T010000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240612T080000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240614T170000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20240226T141011Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240604T144931Z UID:47295-1718179200-1718384400@aer.eu SUMMARY:General Assembly & Bureau meeting | 8th Black Sea Summit in Batumi\, Ajara\, Georgia [REGISTRATIONS ARE CLOSED] DESCRIPTION:General Assembly and Bureau meeting | 8th Black Sea Summit\nAER Spring Bureau meeting & General Assembly 2024 at a glance\nThe Spring Bureau meeting will take place on 12 June 2024\, the General Assembly on 13 June 2024. \nThe 8th Black Sea Summit at a glance\nThe Assembly of European Regions is co-organising the 8th Black Sea Summit with the Autonomous Republic of Ajara\, Georgia\, from 12 to 14 June 2024. A high-level political conference on regional issues\, the Black Sea Summit fosters critical discussions on the wider Black Sea region\, whose developments are crucial for global politics and economy. \nThe venue of the Black Sea Summit & General Assembly / Spring Bureau Meeting is the Hilton Hotel in 40 Rustaveli Ave\, Batumi 6010\, Georgia. \nRegistrations are closed. If you are an AER member\, please get in touch with AER Communications and Events Coordinator\, Barbara Polin (b.polin@aer.eu). \nDraft agenda*\n*changes may occur for organisational reasons \n \n Click here to read the detailed draft agenda.\n  \nDaily schedule\n12 June 2024\nWorkshop of the Working Group on the Bioeconomy “Changing perspectives on resources for a sustainable bioeconomy” | 10:00 – 12:30\nThe Working Group on the Bioeconomy will examine different regional examples to innovate bioeconomy policies & practices\, and will appoint a new Chair. \n \nInterested in joining the Working Group on the Bioeconomy? Contact AER Policy and Knowledge Transfer Coordinator Johanna Pacevicius \nSpring Bureau meeting | 14:30 – 17:30\nThe Bureau will define positions on key AER action areas and discuss our advocacy work for the coming years. \nDirect links: \n\nDraft Agenda\nWorking Documents\n\n13 June 2024\nGeneral Assembly | 10:30 – 13:30\nDirect links: \n\nDraft Detailed Agenda\nWorking Documents\n\n14 June 2024\nStudy visit to UNDP funded agro-farms in Machakhela National Park (12:00 – 16:00)\n \nBee-keeping\, wine-making and innovative use of bio-mass  are only a few of the activities implemented in agro-farms located in the  Machakhela Protected Areas. This was made possible by  support projects implemented by UNDP together with the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia\, Ministry of Agriculture of Ajara Autonomous Republic and Khelvachauri Municipality\, through financial assistance from the Global Environmental Facility – GEF and Japanese Government. \nUseful travel information\nTransportation\n\nFree shuttle bus: The host region will organise free shuttle buses from and to the Batumi (BUS) and Kutaisi (KUT) airports. The schedule will be released consistently with the arrival and departure time of participants.\n\nInterested in the service of free shuttle buses? Share your flight details here \nAccomodation\n\nFor information about hotels in Batumi\, please consult the offers on Booking.com\nPreferential booking rates: The host region has secured favourable booking rates with the five-star hotels listed below. Booking fees and dates may vary.\nSheraton\nHilton \nLe Meridian\nRadisson Hotels\n\n  URL:https://aer.eu/events/aer-black-sea-summit-2024-general-assembly-bureau-meeting-in-batumi-ajara-georgia-save-the-date/ LOCATION:40 Rustaveli Ave\, Batumi 6010\, Georgia\, 40 Rustaveli Avenue\, Batumi\, Georgia CATEGORIES:AER Black Sea Summits,AER Bureau plenaries,AER Events,AER General Assemblies,AER Working Groups ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/BSS-Ajara_GA.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240528T130000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240528T143000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20240502T224545Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241007T082623Z UID:47937-1716901200-1716906600@aer.eu SUMMARY:Addressing Racial Injustice\, Discrimination\, and Bias in AI within Public Administration DESCRIPTION:Join the conversation! On 28 May 2024 the AER and the DG of Migration\, Asylum and Antiracism of the Government of Catalonia organised a webinar on “Addressing Racial Injustice\, Discrimination\, and Bias in AI within Public Administration” in the context of the EU-Belong knowledge transfer clusters \n\n\n\n\n\nPublic administrations and their service providers are increasingly using AI applications to accelerate their operations\, analyse big data sets\, assess risks and make decisions. Usages may involve for instance support to recruitment processes\, fraud control\, the assessment of requests for benefits\, the security of public spaces or border control. \nRisks of AI usage in public services\nSeveral studies\, including the Council of Europe’s 2023  Study on the impact of artificial intelligence systems (…)\, have highlighted the risks of artificial intelligence (AI)\, with regards to increased discriminations of vulnerabilised people. Automated decision-making systems\, have indeed in some cases led public administrations to implement wide systems of discrimination and unprecedented injustice. \nA changing legal landscape\nIn March 2024\, the European Parliament adopted the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (“AI Act”) establishing common rules and obligations for providers and deployers of AI-based systems in the EU internal market. At the same time\, the Council of Europe finalised the draft Framework Convention on artificial intelligence\, which is the first legally binding global instrument to address the risks posed by Artificial Intelligence and is based on the Council of Europe’s standards on human rights\, democracy and the rule of law. \n\nWhat is new about these texts?\nWhat should policymakers be aware of when designing policies and practices?\nWhat should they be looking at specifically when buying services from consultancies or tech companies?\n\nA webinar for better policymaking\nIn a rapidly evolving landscape policymakers and regional stakeholders may find it difficult to simultaneously gather useful and up-to-date information\, while also identifying areas where they can act and create impact. \nThis webinar gathered experts who shared: \n\nhow they work to address racial injustice\, discrimination\, and bias in AI within public administration\nwhat are the main changes ahead and how to prepare\nwhat they see as the main elements for effective policymaking and civic participation on the topic of AI & discriminations\nwhat their advice is to politicians\, civil servants\, and different regional stakeholders\n\nDraft Agenda\n\n\n\n13:00-13:07\n \nWelcome\n \nLaura Sentis Margalef\, EU Belong Project Officer\, Department for Equality and Feminisms of Catalonia\n\n\n13:07-13:10\n \nThe Intercultural Regions Network\n \nJoan de Lara\, Senior officer\, Department for Equality and Feminisms of Catalonia\n\n\n13:10-13:20\n \nIntroduction on AI\n \nSofia Trejo\, Researcher in AI Ethics and Specialist in the ethical\, social\, political\, and cultural dimensions of AI\, Barcelona Supercomputing Center\n\n\n13:20-13:25\n \n \n \nQ&A\n\n\n13:25-13:35\n \nAI\, discrimination and human rights protection\n \nMenno Ettema\, Head of Unit\, Hate Speech\, Hate Crime and Artificial Intelligence\, Directorate of Equal Rights and Dignity\, Council of Europe\n\n\n13:35-13:40\n \n \n \nQ&A\n\n\n13:40-13:50\n \nThe intersection betweenanti-racism and digital rights\n \nSarah Chander\, Senior Policy Advisor at European Digital Rights and co-founder of the Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice\n\n\n13:50-13:55\n \n \n \nQ&A\n\n\n13:55-14:05\n \nFighting racism in digital intelligence\n \nPaula Guerra Cáceres\, Antiracist activist and Head of Advocacy at Algorace\n\n\n14:05-14:10\n \n \n \nQ&A\n\n\n14:10-14:20\n \n \n \nRoundtable discussion\n\n\n14:20-14:25\n \n \n \nQ&A\n\n\n14:25-14:30\n \n\nConclusion & Announcements \n\n \nLaura Sentis Margalef\, EU Belong Project Officer\, Department for Equality and Feminisms of Catalonia\n\n\n\nMore Information on AI in Public Administration\nFor readers interested in exploring the topics of AI bias and discrimination further\, the following resources provide valuable insights and in-depth research: \n\nGender Shades: Research on face recognition software and its biases.\nAI Bias and the Roma Community: Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) has published a comprehensive report discussing AI bias in relation to the Roma community. Read the report in EnglishLeer el informe en español\nEU Artificial Intelligence Act: Learn about the common rules and obligations for AI providers and deployers within the EU internal market.\nMachine Learning Harm Framework: Harini Suresh and John Guttag provide a framework for understanding sources of harm throughout the machine learning lifecycle.\nAmnesty International Case Study: Examine the impact of algorithmic discrimination in public services through the Dutch childcare benefits scandal.\nRecommendations by Sarah Chander (Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice):– Beyond Bias: Discussion on AI-driven systems and debiasing efforts.– Civil Society Recommendations on the AI Act: Read the political statement and the recent status update.– Discriminatory Surveillance and Migration Laws\nAlgorace Website: For more information on algorithmic fairness and race\, visit the Algorace website.\nCouncil of Europe Resources:– Framework Convention on AI and HR Democracy and the Rule of Law– Study on AI and Equality– Study on Discrimination and Algorithmic Decision-Making– Committee of Experts on AI\, Equality\, and Discrimination (GEC/ADI-AI)\n\n  URL:https://aer.eu/events/addressing-racial-injustice-discrimination-and-bias-in-ai-within-public-administration/ CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/EU-Belong-Webinar-2-Visual-option-1-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240423T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240423T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20240221T181619Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240503T001939Z UID:47233-1713866400-1713873600@aer.eu SUMMARY:Online study visit on Mental Health in Odesa -23 April 2024 DESCRIPTION:On the occasion of the AER Winter Dialogues\, the members of the AER Working Group on Mental Health agreed to organise a virtual study visit to Odesa (UA) to learn about measures implemented in the region\, to address mental health needs in the current context of the war\, in particular for children \nPeer learning for mental health policies\nThe AER Working Group on Mental Health\, which kicked off activities in October 2023\, is chaired by Daniel Schützer (Värmland\, SE). The working group is collaborating closely with the AER Youth Regional Network. \nOn the occasion of the Winter Dialogues in Lower Austria (AU)\, the group held its first in-person workshop. Members exchanged about the challenges linked to social isolation\, deep fake and changing relationships in an online world\, as well as emergencies such as natural and geopolitical disasters. \nMembers of the group expressed interest in hearing more about regional policies and practices via virtual study visits. This enables policymakers\, and field specialists to: \n\nlearn from each other\nlearn about regional specificities\ndiscover new perspectives and angles for policymaking\nunderstand the rationale and approaches used in the development of mental health policies\nlearn about implementation challenges and elements of success.\n\nDiscover Odesa’s policies and practices for mental health\n(click on hyperlinks to access presentations) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIntroduction\, technicalities \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJohanna Pacevicius\, AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWelcome words \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDaniel Schützer\, Chair of the AER Working Group on Mental Health \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModeration \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKaltum Hussein\, International advisor\, Department of Regional Development\, Värmland (SE) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIntroduction by Odesa \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVadym Shkarivskiyi\, Deputy Chairman of the Odesa Regional Council \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPresentation #1 by Odesa: \nMental & physical rehabilitation\nin the Odesa Region \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnna Velichko\, Regional coordinator of the All-Ukrainian mental health program “How are you?” \nYuliya Yermakova\, Psychotherapist of Odesa Regional Mental Health Center \n\n\n\n\n\n\nVideo 1\nRehabilitation center\n\n\nVideo 2\nMaternity hospital in shelter\n\n\nVideo 3\nHospital of Bolgrad District: rehabilitation & salt room\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPresentation #2 by Odessa: \nDepartment of education and science of Odesa \n\n\n\n\nOksana Uglik\, Head of the Department of Preschool\, Correctional Education and Social Work of the Department of Education and Science\n\n\nVideo 4\nSchool\n\n\nVideo 5\nSchool in the shelter of Safianove\n\n\n\n  \nTo join the AER Working Group\, exchange with peers and contribute to shaping future activities please fill in this form \nFor more information on AER Working Groups\, please contact AER Policy Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius \n  \nPhoto credits: Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash URL:https://aer.eu/events/save-the-date-online-study-visit-on-mental-health-in-odessa-23-april-2024/ LOCATION:Odessa\, Ukraine CATEGORIES:AER Working Groups ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/kelly-sikkema-XX2WTbLr3r8-unsplash-scaled.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240418T140000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240418T153000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20240313T090017Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240416T223038Z UID:47470-1713448800-1713454200@aer.eu SUMMARY:Debate - Feeding the Future: Regional Perspectives on Agriculture and Rural Development in Europe DESCRIPTION:Join us on the 18 April 14.00-15.30 in Brussels (Renewable Energy House\, Rue d’Arlon 63/67) for an engaging debate: “Feeding the Future: Regional Perspectives on Agriculture and Rural Development in Europe“. \nAER and the Province of Gelderland are inviting regional representatives\, institutional stakeholders\, farmers\, and rural actors to engage in a lively discussion on the future EU agricultural and rural development policies. \nThe debate will explore the prospects for a new era in farming and rural policy in Europe\, focusing on the opportunities to build a more resilient\, sustainable\, prosperous and inclusive future as we move through the digital and green transition. It will serve as an opportunity to understand what European regions\, farmers and rural communities need from the future EU Common Agricultural Policy\, setting the stage for discussions on shaping a policy and support framework that aligns with the evolving needs of our people – who need healthy and affordable food – our agricultural sector and our rural areas. \nConfirmed Speakers \nHarold Zoet\, Regional Minister of the Province of Gelderland and Chair of the AER Task Force on Agriculture and Regional Development\nIsilda Gomes\, Chair of the European Committee of the Regions’ Commission for Natural Resources and Rapporteur on “Future of the Common Agricultural Policy”\nRūdolfs Pulkstenis\, Vice President\, CEJA – European Council of Young Farmers\nRaschad Al-Khafaji\, Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the European Union and Belgium\nRicard Ramón i Sumoy\, Deputy Head of Unit for policy perspectives\, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development\, European Commission \nYou can find more details in the concept note HERE. \nDon’t miss this chance to contribute to the conversation shaping the future of Agriculture and Rural Development in Europe. \nRegister HERE. \nRefreshments and networking opportunities will be available following the debate\, and we invite you to stay and engage further. The debate will be organised by the AER Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Development chaired by Harold Zoet\, Regional Minister of the Province of Gelderland\, as part of the MEET project.  \nAbout the MEET Project \nWith Europe at a crossroads at the end of the Conference on the Future of Europe and in the middle of the implementation of the Green Deal and the digitalisation agenda\, active European citizens must be at the forefront. In the period before the upcoming European elections\, the MEET project offers space for diverse groups of European citizens to bring Europe to local level through a diverse set of activities encouraging continuous activism and interaction with European politicians. The project is led by the European Youth Forum (YFJ)\, and AER participates as a partner. \nMEET meaningfully contributes to a depolarised and less-tense democratic space. This allows more participation\, and more respect and understanding of others’ positions\, ultimately helping revive the flagging belief in democracy as a system. \nCheck out the MEET project page for more information and future events! \nThe MEET project is funded by the Citizens\, Equality\, Rights and Values (CERV) 2021-2027 programme of the European Union. URL:https://aer.eu/events/debate-feeding-the-future-regional-perspectives-on-agriculture-and-rural-development-in-europe/ LOCATION:Renewable Energy House\, Rue d’Arlon 63/67\, 1040 Brussels CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Gelderland-debate-event-page-FB-LinkedIn-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240326T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240326T203000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20240321T120311Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240321T163035Z UID:47567-1711479600-1711485000@aer.eu SUMMARY:MEET Project | Debate "Net Zero: a Green Deal or a Green Dream?" DESCRIPTION:Join us on the 26th of March from 7 pm to 8:30 pm in Brussels for the debate: “Net Zero: a Green Deal or a Green Dream?“. \nThe AER and the European Leadership Programme are excited to introduce you to Mr. Gaël Giraud\,  economist\, Director of Research at the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)\, professor at the French École nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and author. He directs the Environmental Justice Program at Georgetown University (USA)\, and his research work focuses on the interaction between economics and ecology. \nDo not miss the unique opportunity to engage in a debate accounting for the challenges represented by the green transition and our economic model. \nRegister here for this event\, and be quick\, the capacity is limited only to 20 people!\nAbout the MEET Project \nWith Europe at a crossroads at the end of the Conference on the Future of Europe and in the middle of the implementation of the Green Deal and the digitalisation agenda\, active European citizens must be at the forefront. In the period before the upcoming European elections\, the MEET project offers space for diverse groups of European citizens to bring Europe to local level through a diverse set of activities encouraging continuous activism and interaction with European politicians. The project is led by the European Youth Forum (YFJ)\, and AER participates as a partner. \nMEET meaningfully contributes to a depolarised and less-tense democratic space. This allows more participation\, and more respect and understanding of others’ positions\, ultimately helping revive the flagging belief in democracy as a system. \nCheck out the MEET project page for more information and future events! \nThe MEET project is funded by the Citizens\, Equality\, Rights and Values (CERV) 2021-2027 programme of the European Union. \nAbout the European Leadership Programme (ELP) \nThe European Leadership Programme is a five month long formation where the Fellows receive leadership training and support in their vocation discernment during their time in Brussels. The Fellows live and work in the heart of Europe\, they help marginalised communities\, receive coaching and professional mentoring. Check here for more information. \n  URL:https://aer.eu/events/meet-project-debate-net-zero-a-green-deal-or-a-green-dream/ LOCATION:Rue André Fauchille 6\, 1150 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert\, Belgium\, Brussels\, Belgium CATEGORIES:AER Events,Partner Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Dublin:20240322T150000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Dublin:20240322T163000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20240307T154033Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240307T155006Z UID:47287-1711119600-1711125000@aer.eu SUMMARY:MEET Project | Writing the story of Europe: 2024 EU Elections and the next chapters| Debate in Letterkenny (Ireland) DESCRIPTION:Join us on the 22nd of March in the Central Library in Letterkenny for a discussion about the upcoming EU elections and the Future of Europe. \nWe will address the upcoming 2024 EU elections\, citizenship and participatory democracy as main topics. There will be space to ask questions and discuss the important topics surrounding the Future of Europe\, such as sustainability and inclusion. \nPlease complete our registration form if you would like to attend. \nAbout the MEET Project \nWith Europe at a crossroads at the end of the Conference on the Future of Europe and in the middle of the implementation of the Green Deal and the digitalisation agenda\, active European citizens must be at the forefront. In the period before the upcoming European elections\, the MEET project offers space for diverse groups of European citizens to bring Europe to local level through a diverse set of activities encouraging continuous activism and interaction with European politicians. The project is led by the European Youth Forum (YFJ)\, and AER participates as a partner. \nMEET meaningfully contributes to a depolarised and less-tense democratic space. This allows more participation\, and more respect and understanding of others’ positions\, ultimately helping revive the flagging belief in democracy as a system. \nCheck out the MEET project page for more information and future events! \nThe MEET project is funded by the Citizens\, Equality\, Rights and Values ​​(CERV) 2021-2027 programme of the European Union. URL:https://aer.eu/events/meet-project-writing-the-story-of-europe-2024-eu-elections-and-the-next-chapters-debate-in-letterkenny-ireland/ LOCATION:Central Library Letterkenny\, Oliver Plunkett Road\, Leterkenny\, Ireland CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Donegal-debate-event-page-FB-LinkedIn-.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240320T090000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240320T100000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20240222T155025Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240305T105945Z UID:47217-1710925200-1710928800@aer.eu SUMMARY:MEET Project | Green Horizons: navigating decarbonization\, critical raw materials and recyclability DESCRIPTION:Join us on the 20th of March for the debate on “Green Horizons: navigating decarbonization\, critical raw materials and recyclability” \nThe event will dive deep into the crucial nexus of decarbonization\, critical raw materials extraction and recyclability. We are happy to welcome key experts from the Swedish region Norbotten\, known for its significant deposits of critical raw materials\, alongside private sector representatives offering insights into the latest trends in recyclability and decarbonization efforts. \nThis debate aims at fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration towards a greener\, more sustainable future in the European Union and beyond. \nDon’t miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation shaping the path towards decarbonisation and responsible resource management. Please complete our registration form if you would like to attend. \nAbout the MEET Project \nWith Europe at a crossroads at the end of the Conference on the Future of Europe and in the middle of the implementation of the Green Deal and the digitalisation agenda\, active European citizens must be at the forefront. In the period before the upcoming European elections\, the MEET project offers space for diverse groups of European citizens to bring Europe to local level through a diverse set of activities encouraging continuous activism and interaction with European politicians. The project is led by the European Youth Forum (YFJ)\, and AER participates as a partner. \nMEET meaningfully contributes to a depolarised and less-tense democratic space. This allows more participation\, and more respect and understanding of others’ positions\, ultimately helping revive the flagging belief in democracy as a system. \nCheck out the MEET project page for more information and future events! \nThe MEET project is funded by the Citizens\, Equality\, Rights and Values ​​(CERV) 2021-2027 programme of the European Union. URL:https://aer.eu/events/meet-project-eu-debate-launch-of-the-task-force-on-decarbonisation/ LOCATION:North Sweden European Office\, Av. des Arts 11\, Brussels\, 1210\, Belgium CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/TF-debate-event-page-FB-LinkedIn.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240320T080000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240321T190000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20240126T110014Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240419T052013Z UID:46989-1710921600-1711047600@aer.eu SUMMARY:EU- Belong | Intercultural Integration: A Shared Journey towards Equality and Belonging DESCRIPTION:The EU-Belong knowledge-sharing event was hosted by Donegal (Ireland) from 19 to 21 March 2024 on the occasion of One Donegal Social Inclusion Week. One Donegal Social Inclusion Week is coordinated by Donegal County Council and aims to highlight the very positive work being done\, not only by the Council but also by other statutory and community organisations\, to raise awareness of social inclusion-related issues in Donegal. \nThe EU-Belong knowledge-sharing event was co-organised by the AER and Donegal County. It gathered international experts\, regional politicians and civil servants\, professionals\, and volunteers engaged in creating intercultural societies to: \n\nLearn in detail about the policies and practices employed in Donegal for intercultural integration.\nMeet peers working on similar challenges in different regions across Europe\nEngage in mutual learning\, get inspired by each other’s experiences and insights\, create sounding boards\, spaces for reflexivity and continuously improve policies and practices.\nShowcase regional initiatives: Feature speakers from Donegal and EU-Belong regions sharing approaches to building inclusive and intercultural communities.\nHighlight the principles of interculturalism and their translation in real life: Emphasize core principles such as equality\, the diversity advantage\, meaningful interaction\, and active citizenship.\nDiscuss key operational elements\n\nAGENDA & PRESENTATIONS \nEU-Belong One Donegal Social Inclusion Week Conference \n\nWelcome address\, Emanuela Pisanò\, EU Belong Project Manager\, Assembly of European Regions\n\nDonegal: a Landscape of Multiple Collaborations \n\nOne Donegal Social Inclusion Week & The Donegal Black and Ethnic Minority Strategy\, Charles Sweeney\, Social Inclusion\, Donegal County Council\nEU-Belong pilot projects in Donegal: Supporting Pathways\, Denise McCool\, Team Lead Community Development & Sustainability\, and Sinead McDaid\, Team Lead\, Enterprise & Employment at Inishowen Development Partnership\nCommunities Against Racism Actions (CARA) Donegal\, Nolunga Shologu\, Community Links Worker & Project Lead for CARA- DONEGAL\, and Sheril Davies\, CARA facilitator\n\nModerated by Fadl Mustapha\, Donegal Youth Service and Co-Chair of Implementation Group – Donegal Black and Ethnic Minority Strategy \nJourneying towards equality and belonging: experiences from regions across Europe \n\nListening better to improve policymaking: the case of the Timis Minority Council\, Agneta Kardos\, EU-Belong Project manager\, Timis\, Romania\nAddressing the issue of youth gangs through street education\, Marzio Barbieri\, Social\, inclusion and equal opportunities policies\, Emilia Romagna\, Italy\nThe intercultural approach in rural areas: an instrument for regional attractiveness\, Joakim Sandberg\, Director of Cultural Affairs\, Västerbotten\, Sweden\nIntroducing interculturalism into public institutions and their agenda to address societal challenges\, Agnieszka Szczepanik\, Migration Specialist – Intercultural Advisor\, Poznan\, Poland\n\nModerated by Emanuela Pisanò\, EU Belong Project Manager\, Assembly of European Regions. Co-moderated by Vania Freitas\, Coordinator for Institutional Relations & Advocacy\, Assembly of European Regions.\n \nCharting the course of intercultural policies & practices in Ireland\n \n\nPresentation by Geraldine McTavish\, Equity\, Diversity and Inclusion Manager\, Gaelic Athletic Association\nPresentation by Sharon McLaughlin\, EDI Lead for Atlantic Technology University Letterkenny\,  and 2 students\nPresentation by Carmel Irandoust\, Founder of NETLOVE\n\nModerated by Micheal O’Heanaigh\, AER Vice President for Youth\, Culture & Tourism \nVisit to Intercultural Coffee Morning: Inishowen Partnership’s projects \nVisit One Million Stars Exhibition \nCommunity Cornerstones: learning with and from stakeholders \n\nDonegal Intercultural Platform\, Paul Kernan\, Project Coordinator DIP\, and Balume Dube\, Community Worker DIP and Training & Development lead\, Think Equality Donegal project\nDonegal Travellers Project\, Kate Hagan\, Community Development & Health Worker\, Hugh Friel\, North West Roma Health Coordinator\nDonegal Youth Service\, Loraine Thompson and Fadl Mustapha\nDonegal Volunteer Centre\, John Curran\, Manager\nDonegal Local Development Company\, Joleen Kuyper Machado\, Diversity\, Equality and Inclusion Officer\nDonegal Regional Culture Centre\, Jeremy Howard\, Director\, Regional Cultural Centre\, and Dr. Harriet Purkis\, Curator\, Living in Donegal Project\n\nFacilitated by Johanna Pacevicius\, Coordinator Policy & Knowledge Transfer\, Assembly of European Regions \nClosing Addresses \n\nChristina O’Donnell\, Staff Officer\, Social Inclusion Unit Donegal County Council & EU-Belong project Manager\nEmanuela Pisanò\, EU Belong Project Manager\, Assembly of European Regions\n\n  \nRead the full concept and agenda of the event\nFor more information\, contact Mirjam de Jong (m.dejong@aer.eu) \n\nThe event is the second EU-BELONG transnational knowledge sharing event aimed at supporting regions in addressing current societal challenges through intercultural and multi-stakeholder policies.  EU-Belong is a 3-year project run by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and 12 partners\, and co-funded by the AMIF Programme (AMIF-2020-AG-CALL) of the European Union. URL:https://aer.eu/events/eu-belong-intercultural-integration-a-shared-journey-towards-equality-and-belonging/ LOCATION:Letterkenny\, Donegal\, Ireland CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/EU-Belong-Donegal-KTE-March-2024.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240314T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20240314T130000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20240227T155237Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240311T132225Z UID:47305-1710410400-1710421200@aer.eu SUMMARY:AER & Interreg NEXT MED | Online info session | Funding Opportunities DESCRIPTION:Are you looking into funding opportunities for projects in the Mediterranean region? \nJoin us for an online information session with the managing authority (the Autonomous Region of Sardinia) of the Interreg NEXT MED funding Programme on 14 March from 10am – 1pm (CEST). \nThe online event will focus on the Programme and the funding opportunities it gives to EU and non-EU countries in the Mediterranean region. For the first time\, the Programme is open to Algeria and Turkey (more info on the Programme and eligible countries here). \nTogether\, we will delve into funding opportunities and the first call for project proposals\, with an interesting outlook on future calls for projects foreseen for the next years. \nDo not miss out on the opportunity to have a dedicated Q&A session with the managing authority of the whole funding Programme\, as we will have time to address general aspects\, such as how to be part of the first project call\, and specific aspects\, such as funding rules and how to find partners to join forces in applying for funding. \nThe event is open for AER members and non-AER members\, but we recommend checking the eligibility area with its list of countries to be sure that you are within the geographical area of interest! \nHave a look at the agenda of the event! \nPlease complete the registration form if you would like to attend. URL:https://aer.eu/events/aer-interreg-next-med-online-info-session-funding-opportunities/ CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/AER-Interreg-NEXT-MED-Online-info-session.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240314 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240318 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20231215T113737Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240314T094608Z UID:46686-1710374400-1710719999@aer.eu SUMMARY:[Sold out] Youth Regional Network (YRN) General Assembly | Zalău\, Sălaj County\, Romania | 14-17 March 2024 DESCRIPTION:Save the Date & Apply! The Youth Regional Network (YRN) will gather in Zalău (Sălaj County\, Romania) for their annual General Assembly\, between the 14th and the 17th of March 2024! \n\nDRAFT AGENDA \nCLICK HERE TO APPLY* \n*Your application will be reviewed\, and the AER Secretariat will send a confirmation email to the selected participants. Please do not make any travel arrangements before receiving a confirmation email. \n  \nPRACTICAL INFORMATION\n# Event’s location \nThe YRN General Assembly will take place in Zalău\, Sălaj County\, Romania. \nThe location can be reached by flying to the Cluj-Napoca “Avram Iancu” International Airport. Shuttles (3 maximum: morning\, mid-day\, end afternoon) will be organised by Sălaj County between Cluj airport and Zalău on Thursday 14 March\, and between Zalău and Cluj airport on Sunday 17 March. Selected participants only will receive detailed information and schedule of these shuttles. Pre-booked taxis could constitute an option if necessary. \nOnce you receive your confirmation email from the AER Secretariat\, it will be mandatory to send us your exact arrival and departure times. Otherwise\, your participation will be canceled. \n# Accommodation \nHotel options in Zalău are to be communicated to selected participants only. The current prices are approximately between 30€ and 60€ per person and per night (prices vary if you opt for a shared room with another participant\, or for a single room). \n# Solidarity Fund \nYoung participants whose travel costs cannot be supported by their region\, a regional council\, a youth regional council\, a youth organisation\, etc.\, may apply to the MEET/YRN Solidarity Fund. If accepted\, the AER can cover up to 200-250€ of your travel and accommodation costs\, as a reimbursement by bank transfer after your attendance to the entire event\, and if you provide all necessary supportive documents (invoices\, receipts\, original boarding passes\, train tickets\, bus tickets). The reimbursement may exceed 250€ depending on the final number of participants. \n  \nWHAT IS THE YRN AND ITS GENERAL ASSEMBLY?\nCreated by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) in 2008\, the Youth Regional Network (YRN) is a cross-regional youth platform\, promoting active youth participation at regional level. The YRN provides young people with an opportunity to express policy recommendations\, foster debate and capacity-building\, to exchange good practices\, to reach out to decision-makers\, and to influence policies. JOIN THE YRN HERE. \nThe YRN General Assembly is an annual event where YRN members and young people interested in the programme have the opportunity to gather around workshops\, capacity-building activities and debates\, to exchange views and ideas with other young people from across Europe. \nThe YRN General Assembly is also the moment to elect the YRN Presidium for a one-year mandate. Here\, members of the YRN only have the chance to elect the YRN President\, Vice-Presidents and Chairs of the Thematic Committees. YRN members only can apply to such positions (the application form is included in the registration form to the present event)\, with priority given to YRN members based in AER member regions. Voting and eligibility rights are detailed in the YRN Statutes. \n# MEET Intergenerational Debate on the Future of Europe \nThe YRN General Assembly 2024 will include a MEET Intergenerational Debate on the Future of Europe. The MEET project (Mobilise Europe = Engage Together) is funded by the Citizens\, Equality\, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) of the European Commission and led by the European Youth Forum (YFJ)\, in partnership with the AER. Ahead of the 2024 European elections\, the MEET project aims at offering space for diverse groups of European citizens to discuss the future of Europe at local and regional level. The MEET Regional Debates aim at creating space to make youth voices heard and to foster intergenerational debate between young people and politicians. URL:https://aer.eu/events/yrn-general-assembly-2024/ CATEGORIES:AER Events,YRN Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Visual-YRN-GA-2024.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20231123T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20231123T100000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20231102T154913Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231102T173546Z UID:46479-1700733600-1700733600@aer.eu SUMMARY:Addressing racial discrimination in housing: a multistakeholder approach DESCRIPTION:For this first EU-Belong webinar on 23 November from 10:00-11:00 CET\, we will discuss the challenge of addressing racial discrimination in access to housing\, based on the experience of the Municipality of Olot\, a medium-sized city of Catalonia. \nThe event\, which will provide insights into this specific case\, foresees 30mn of exchange with participants to explore obstacles\, enablers and elements for transferability. The event is open to all. \n \nProfessor Quim Brugué\, from the University of Girona\, will share how the Municipality of Olot \n\nAnalysed the causes and the impact of racial discrimination practices faced by third-country nationals\nBrought together key stakeholders in a regular exchange to identify solutions\nEnvisages the processes to enable the implementation of proposed solutions\n\nIn particular\, when it identified a problem of racist-driven real estate discrimination\, the municipality of Olot decided to collaborate with the University of Girona to analyse the problem and develop solutions. In collaboration with academia experts\, real-estate representatives\, entities\, and affected people the municipality of Olot started out a process to outline a comprehensive approach to fight discrimination. \nThis process involved arranging meetings and dialogues among key stakeholders\, with the support of the University. The primary goal of these interactions was to identify potential solutions and present them to the City Council. \nThe approach placed strong emphasis on building mutual understanding\, recognition\, and trust among all the people involved. \nThe webinar will be moderated by Laura Sentis Margalef\, EU Belong Project Officer at the Department for Equality and Feminisms of Catalonia. \nQuim Brugué is Professor of Political Science at the University of Girona as well as researcher on democratic innovation and modernization of public policies in the Research Group on Applied Social Sciences at the same university. \nFor more information about this event\, please contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius URL:https://aer.eu/events/addressing-racial-discrimination-in-housing-a-multistakeholder-approach/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/EU-Belong-Webinar-1-2--jpg.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20231106T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20231109T140000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20230724T070056Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240201T163624Z UID:44966-1699293600-1699538400@aer.eu SUMMARY:[Sold out] Eurodyssey Forum 2023\, São Miguel Island\, Azores DESCRIPTION:Organised every year in a Eurodyssey region\, the Eurodyssey Forum offers a unique opportunity for regions to exchange around plenary sessions\, capacity-building workshops\, study visits and informal networking moments. Open to elected politicians\, civil servants and young beneficiaries from the AER/Eurodyssey member regions and beyond\, the Forum is the annual showcase of the Eurodyssey programme. In 2023\, for the European Year of Skills\, the Region of Azores (Portugal) will host the Eurodyssey Forum for the first time since 2008! \n \n \n*Registrations are open until the 8th of October on a “first-come\, first-served basis”. After this date\, registrations will be possible only based on the number of spots still available. This deadline applies to international participants only. Participants based in the Azores will still be able to register after the 8th of October. \n  \nA Eurodyssey Forum for the European Year of Skills\nEurodyssey is the flagship youth regional mobility programme of the Assembly of European Regions\, entirely managed at regional level\, and providing paid traineeships to the young beneficiaries across the participating regions\, in various sectors. During 3 to 7 months\, the trainees will benefit from valuable professional experience and mentoring in another European region\, together with language training and cultural and social activities. Enriched from this experience\, the programme’s beneficiaries will have boosted their employability\, skills\, international comfort and personal development. Besides the traineeship experience\, Eurodyssey is a unique opportunity to boost mutual understanding and intercultural learning\, and to raise awareness about regional diversity in Europe –  one of AER’s strong pillars. \nOn this year’s European Year of Skills\, the opening plenary of the Eurodyssey Forum 2023 will focus on Youth mobility and skills development in rural and peripheral areas. \nThe programme also includes capacity-building workshops and exchanges of best practices to boost the Eurodyssey programme in the participating regions\, and to give the opportunity to other stakeholders and regional representatives to discover first-hand what the programme is about\, and how it could be developed and implemented in their own regions\, should they wish to join Eurodyssey. In addition to the plenaries and workshops\, the host Region of Azores will take the participants to study visits\, to discover the natural and industrial heritage of the region. \n  \nElection of the Eurodyssey Steering Committee\nThis year’s Eurodyssey Forum will include the election of the Eurodyssey Steering Committee\, including the Eurodyssey President\, for the next two-year mandate. The Eurodyssey participating regions will receive a dedicated call for candidacies. Please note that only regions taking part in Eurodyssey are eligible to these elections. \n  \nA MEET Intergenerational Regional Debate\nThe Eurodyssey Forum will include an Intergenerational Regional Debate as part of the MEET project (Mobile Europe = Engage Together)\, an EU-funded project led by the European Youth Forum (YFJ)\, in partnership with the AER. Ahead of the 2024 European elections\, the MEET project aims at offering space for diverse groups of European citizens to discuss Europe at local and regional level. The MEET Regional Debates aim at creating space to make youth voices heard and to foster intergenerational debate between young people and politicians.  URL:https://aer.eu/events/eurodyssey-forum-2023-azores-european-year-of-skills/ LOCATION:São Miguel Island\, Ponta Delgada\, Azores\, Portugal CATEGORIES:AER Eurodyssey Forums ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/logo-EY-forum-2023-jpg.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20231027T140000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20231027T160000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20230928T212321Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231024T102600Z UID:46033-1698415200-1698422400@aer.eu SUMMARY:[Registrations open] Working group on Mental Health | Kick-off meeting DESCRIPTION:The AER General Assembly in Barcelona in June 2023 adopted the creation of a working group on mental health. \nThe group will meet online on 27 October from 14:00-16:00 CEST for the first time to define its action plan for the coming months. This meeting is open to all AER members \n \nKicking-off activities\nThe proposal to develop a working group on the mental mealth was presented by Värmland (SE)\, with the support of Alba (RO)\, Arad (RO)\, Kharkiv (UA)\, Odesa (UA)\, Norrbotten(SE)\, and Vojvodina (RS). Since the General Assembly last June\, several other regions including Nordland (NO)\, Västerbotten (SE)\, Västra-Götaland (SE) Brussels Capital (BE) have also expressed interest in joining the activities of the group. All AER regions are welcome to register! \nDuring this first meeting\, AER members interested in sharing experiences and knowledge on the topic of mental health will: \n\nget to know each other (pitch on the region)\nshare why the topic matters for them now\nshare how the working group will create value for them: what they expect\, how they would like to contribute\nagree on how to collaborate with the AER Youth Regional Network\, which has also been working on the topic\ndefine activities for the coming months\n\nThe group will also agree on who should be the Chair of the Working Group \nMore information on how to set-up a working group at AER here. \nFor any questions\, please contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius \n  \nPicture by Sonia Sanmartin on Unsplash URL:https://aer.eu/events/working-group-on-mental-kick-off-meeting/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/test-knowledge-cohesion-policy-Instagram-Story-jpg.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20231009T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20231009T220000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20230925T133658Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231010T102535Z UID:45993-1696874400-1696888800@aer.eu SUMMARY:[Registrations closed] YOUTHopia Evening Debate & Photojournalism Exhibition DESCRIPTION:  \nAre you in Brussels during the European Week of Regions and Cities?  You still have some space in your busy agenda? Then\, here is something you should not miss! \nDive into YOUTHopia and join us for an evening discussion and an Italian Aperitivo\, on the 9th of October at @Atelier 29\, in Brussels. \nThis evening dialogue\, which marks the conclusion of the YOUTHopia project\, aims to promote strategic collaboration between politicians\, regional representatives and youth representatives\, and foster better communication and storytelling on Cohesion Policy. We have the goal of creating a community of good practices based on the involvement of citizens in the upcoming discussions on the future of Cohesion Policy. \nHear inputs from Babel International\, media professionals\, the Youth Regional Network (YRN) and the European Commission. \nYOUTHopia ends\, but our work on Cohesion continues! \nOn this occasion\, the AER – a long-standing partner in the defence of a strong Cohesion Policy – will not only showcase the results of the project\, but will also launch a renewed political Task Force on Cohesion\, with a view to advocate for our regions in the crucial coming months ahead of new negotiations. \nPictures (see more here)\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n  \nMain contacts: \nBarbara Polin\, b.polin@aer.eu \nLarisa Stanciu\, l.stanciu@aer.eu URL:https://aer.eu/events/registrations-open-youthopia-evening-debate-photojournalism-exhibition/ CATEGORIES:AER Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230906T080000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230907T170000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20230704T144519Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230823T112702Z UID:44922-1693987200-1694106000@aer.eu SUMMARY:[REGISTRATIONS OPEN] Includ-EU Final Conference: Including all & embracing diversity DESCRIPTION:  \nInclud-EU is proud to announce the dates for its final conference in Brussels on the 6th and 7th of September\, open to all AER member regions regions\, cities and organisations across Europe!   \nThe conference is mostly an in-person event but allows for online attendance and interaction through a dedicated live stream. \nThe focus will be on the Includ-EU results and lessons learned\, outlining the contexts and needs in which the pilot initiatives promoting integration at regional and local levels were implemented in their respective territory. After high-level plenary discussion with key pan-european stakeholders\, participants will have the chance to “deep-dive” into the challenges and learnings of some of the pilots and gather inspiration regarding the good practices when it comes to replicating them in their own context. \n Finally\, the results of the project\, as well as findings on what creates sustainable learning communities around inclusion policies and practices will be handed officially over to the donor\, the European Commission. This will also represent a moment to strengthen the institutional commitment of the involved partners to a more inclusive and cohesive Europe. \nRegistration Link for onsite participation (deadline 30 August):  \nhttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-iYzzPLiHz1gB8z42S3Z4bpSyrSxCdICQ9_pz54tJKnpLMg/viewform  \n  \nRegistration Link for online participation (DAY 1 only): https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IJ3CEhLsRPOiuTWPK9JSBA  \n  \nAgenda: \nInclud-EU Final Conference_Agenda_website (1) \nFor more information\, please contact: Anna Comacchio\, a.comacchio@aer.eu URL:https://aer.eu/events/includ-eu-final-conference-save-the-date/ CATEGORIES:AER Events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230627T080000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230630T170000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20230320T161222Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231121T160038Z UID:43644-1687852800-1688144400@aer.eu SUMMARY:2023 AER General Assembly in Barcelona DESCRIPTION:The Assembly of European Regions was glad to have the General Assembly 2023 ON-SITE in Barcelona from the 28th to 30th June\, hosted by the member region of Catalonia. \nThe General Assembly was part of the Summer Symposium\, a three-day event about the challenges and opportunities of European regions enabling members to reconnect and revive their pan-European network. \nThe event took place at the World Trade Center Barcelona (click here to check the venue on Maps). \nRead here our wrap-up article.\nDraft Programme of the Summer Symposium\nClick here to read the draft detailed programme.\n  \n28 June 2023 – 12.00 – 17:00\nStudy Visit to the Port of Barcelona & WG on Green Hydrogen\nThis study visit was organised in the context of the AER Working Group on Hydrogen chaired by AER VP for Sustainability\,\nEnvironment & Climate Albert Castellanos. \n\nHydrogen Valley of Catalonia\nEnergy Transition Plan in Port of Barcelona: towards Decarbonization\nThe green gateway: Hamburg port’s sustainable energy hub\n\n28 June 2023 – 15.30 – 17:00\nUkraine Focus Group\n29 June 2023 – 09:30-13:30\nThe AER Focus Group on Ukraine brings our members together to coordinate support towards our twelve Ukrainian members (overview HERE) \nContributors\n● Anna Carin Krokstäde – Deputy Head\, Ukraine Division\, European External Action Service (EEAS)\n● Jozef Michálek\, Programme Manager of INTERREG funds\, DG REGIO\, European Commission\n● Frederic Subirats Villa\, Manager International Strategy\, Catalonia Trade and Investment\, Government of Catalonia (Presentation HERE)\n● Salvador Mestre Gispert\, Policy Officer for Europe [on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Action of the Government of Catalonia] \n  \nBureau Meeting\nThe AER Summer Bureau Meeting took place in Barcelona on 29 June. \nThe Bureau defined positions on key AER action areas that will guide our advocacy work for 2023 – 2024 and will be joined by institutional representatives and other stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing regions in the future of work\, and the role local and regional authorities can play in delivering a brighter future of jobs and skills in Europe. \nPlease find the draft agenda HERE. \nDirect links:\n\nAgenda\nWorking Documents \nBackground Note – Debate on The Future of Work\n\nBureau Debate “Next Generation Skills: Regions shaping the Future of Work”\nConversations about what the work landscape will look like in the future are happening around the world. As Europe recovers from the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis and seizes the opportunities of the green and digital transition to build a more prosperous\, greener and fairer economy\, this debate\, organised in the framework of the European Year of Skills\, will explore the challenges and opportunities that regions face in adapting to the changing nature of work\, and how they can best prepare for the future.  \nSpeakers \n\nLilijana Madjar\, Chair AER Task Force on Future of Work and AER Vice President for Cohesion\, Digitalisation and Public Services\nPatrick Daru\, Head of Operations\, Global Programme on Skills and Lifelong Learning\, International Labour Organization\nKristine Langenbucher\, Head of the Employment and Skills Unit\, Centre for Entrepreneurship\, SMEs\, Regions and Cities\, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (Presentation here)  \nAndrea Glorioso\, Policy Officer\, Future of Work\, Digitalisation\, Robotisation\, Automatisation and Impact on Labour Markets\, Directorate-General for Employment\, Social Affairs and Inclusion\, European Commission\nTània Verge Mestre\, Minister for Equality and Feminisms of the Government of Catalonia\n\nFurther information on the debate can be found HERE. \n30 June 2023 – 11:15-13:45\nGeneral Assembly\nThe AER General Assembly took place on 30 June 2023 from 11.15 to 13.45. \n\nDraft Agenda\n\nPractical Info\nInfo Package_Summer Symposium \nPlease find the downloadable version HERE. \nIn case of questions please contact Barbara Polin\, Communications and Events Manager\, at b.polin@aer.eu and Laura Bassan\, Communications and Events Assistant at events@aer.eu. \nDraft_Overview AER General Assembly+ Bureau Meeting_Summer Symposium_27-30.06.2023.docx\n  URL:https://aer.eu/events/aer-general-assembly-2023-barcelona/ LOCATION:Barcelona\, Barcelona\, 08034\, Spain CATEGORIES:AER Events,AER General Assemblies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Summer-Symposium_-AER-GA-Bureau.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230614T080000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230615T170000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20230419T111238Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230526T153503Z UID:43827-1686729600-1686848400@aer.eu SUMMARY:Addressing The Housing Crisis: An Essential Building Block For Intercultural Regions DESCRIPTION:A great opportunity for AER regions and the Intercultural Regions Network to join the transnational knowledge sharing event organised by the AER and the Pomeraskie Region (PL) “Addressing the housing crisis: An essential building block for intercultural regions“. \nSince February 24 2022\, 4 million Ukrainians had to leave their country and homes and looked for shelters among their European neighbours. One year later\, regions and local administrations are faced with a growing concern as to how to accommodate so many people\, ensuring that dignity and human rights are respected\, and finding sustainable and long-term housing solutions. These concerns are part of a broader housing crisis currently taking place across Europe with several people at risk of homeless and a general mission to think and rethink about the “where people live” within our societies. \nIn view of supporting regions addressing the housing crisis and as a direct response to the challenges expressed by the Polish region Pomorskie\, which\, since the outbreak of the war\, has witnessed the most significant population growth ever with a rise of  approx. 110 000 people in the overall region (regional data) and by 34% in its capital city\, Gdańsk (Council of Europe\, 2022)\, the event will provide an opportunity for regions and stakeholders to address and exchange about challenges and good practices in ensuring sustainable and long term housing solutions\, countering  homelessness\, poor housing\, and gentrification\, and how intercultural and cross-sectoral regional policies can support these practices.  \nThe event will take place on 14-15 June in Gdańsk\, Pomerania. It will gather international experts and regional politicians and civil servants from both the social inclusion and spatial planning departments\, with the aim of: \n\nunderstanding the challenges related to the war in Ukraine and the housing sector\, learning from the experience\, actions\, and projects in Pomerania \nexploring how the intercultural approach and cross-sectoral cooperations can promote social and territorial cohesion with particular regard to housing\, e.g through innovative social housing solutions and models\nbenefitting from existing regional innovations by sharing knowledge and practices among regions  \nreflecting on how housing related challenges and models can be integrated in current and future regions’ strategies and policies. \n\nRead the full concept and agenda of the event\nThe event is addressed to regional practitioners and local stakeholders active both in the spatial/territorial planning and inclusion sector.   \nPlaces are limited. For more information and to register\, contact Birgit Sandu (b.sandu@aer.eu) and Johanna Pacevicius (j.pacevicius@aer.eu) \n\nThe event is the first EU-BELONG transnational knowledge sharing event aimed at supporting regions in addressing current societal challenges through intercultural and multi-stakeholder policies.  EU-Belong is a 3-year project run by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and 13 partners\, and co-funded by the AMIF Programme (AMIF-2020-AG-CALL) of the European Union. URL:https://aer.eu/events/addressing-the-housing-crisis-an-essential-building-block-for-intercultural-regions/ LOCATION:Gdansk\, Pomerania CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/JUNE-Knowledge-transfer-event-visual-draft-6.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230609T080000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230609T180000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20230517T153024Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230610T100107Z UID:44218-1686297600-1686333600@aer.eu SUMMARY:PEACE 25: Everyday Peacemakers Conference DESCRIPTION:To mark the 25th anniversary year of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement\, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) invites you to join its PEACE 25: Everyday Peacemakers High-Level Conference in Leuven\, Belgium on the 9th of June.  \nOrganised in partnership with the International Fund for Ireland and hosted by the Irish College Leuven\, the Conference will focus on community-based Peace and Reconciliation initiatives in Ireland and across Europe. \nWe are delighted to announce that European Commissioner and former Vice-President of the European Parliament\, Mairead McGuinness\, will open the Conference on 9 June. \nThe AER invites its members and partners to join seminars with leading experts and practitioners on the following themes: \n\nSupport for Peace and Reconciliation initiatives;\nWomen’s leadership in peace-building;\nCultural and community-based initiatives for reconciliation.\n\nIf interested in attending the event please RSVP to reception@irishcollegeleuven.eu. \nVIEW THE PROGRAMME BELOW: \nPEACE25 Programme URL:https://aer.eu/events/peace-25-everyday-peacemakers-conference/ LOCATION:Irish College Leuven\, Janseniusstraat 1\, Leuven\, 3000\, Belgium CATEGORIES:AER Events,Partner Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Peace25_IFI_Leuven_Visual.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230328T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230328T173000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20230202T162025Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230310T115532Z UID:43057-1679997600-1680024600@aer.eu SUMMARY:EU-Belong Joint Event with COR - Empowering Regions and Cities in Migrant Integration Governance DESCRIPTION:​On 28 March 2023\, the Cities and Regions for Integration of Migrants network of the European Committee of the Regions will celebrate the conference “Empowering regions and cities in migrant integration governance.”​ \nOrganised in cooperation with the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and Eurac Research and the Brussels Interdisciplinary Research centre on Migration and Minorities (BIRMM) & Brussels School of Governance at Vrije Universiteit Brussel\, the conference will focus on the multi-level coordination and intercultural approach to the integration of migrants and refugees in cities and regions across Europe. \nThe conference will take place on Tuesday\, 28 March 2023\, from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 14:30 to 17:30 at the European Committee of the Regions\, Rue Belliard 99-101\, Brussels\, room JDE 51. Online participation will be possible via Interactio. \nTo attend the conference\, in person or online\, please fill in the registration form here. \nTake a look at the agenda!\nBuilding intercultural and inclusive regions\nWithin this event\, the AER is preparing a capacity-building session on Intercultural Regions: Embracing Diversity\, Fostering Equal Opportunities in close cooperation with the European Committee of the Regions and the Council of Europe.  \nThe session will aim at addressing the current challenges of migrant integration in our regions and cities\, and discuss the benefits of applying an intercultural approach to foster a sense of belonging.  \nThe intercultural approach as understood by the Council of Europe\, and implemented by its Intercultural Cities Programme\, aims at harnessing the benefits of diversity as a central aspect of building more inclusive\, prosperous and democratic societies. This requires an intercultural approach to integration and joined-up action across all levels of government and actors\, based on the principles of equal opportunities\, recognition of diversity\, and positive interaction between people from different origins.  \nRegional and local authorities play a vital role in responding to the increasing diversity of our communities\, delivering public policies and services that promote the inclusion of migrants and refugees\, intercultural interaction and social cohesion.  \nThe Assembly of European Regions has played a fundamental role in bringing the intercultural approach to European regional integration\, thanks to the establishment in 2019 of the Intercultural Regions Network (IRN)\, and the development and implementation of the AMIF-funded project EU-Belong: Intercultural Integration of Migrants in Europe’s Regions\, which aims at improving the socio-economic inclusion of migrants at the regional level through the development of intercultural integration strategies. During this session\, the main outcomes and policy tools developed by this European project so far will be presented.  URL:https://aer.eu/events/empowering-regions-and-cities-in-migrant-integration-governance/ LOCATION:European Committee of the Regions\, Rue Belliard 99-101\, Brussels\, Brussels Capital Region\, 1000\, Belgium CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/4885-16x9-visual-01-for-the-screen-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230327 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230330 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20230208T114859Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231031T172503Z UID:43186-1679875200-1680134399@aer.eu SUMMARY:Join AER-Includ-EU Workshop in Cluj Napoca or Online! - Cross-sectoral\, Multistakeholder Collaboration for Inclusion DESCRIPTION: An exciting opportunity for AER members to explore the potential of cross-sectoral collaboration and co-design to create better integration policies and practices. \nIn the context of the Includ-EU* project\, co-financed by AMIF programme of the European Union\, AER is organising a workshop looking at cross-sectoral collaboration\, co-design and co-management for better integration and inclusion: What are the policies and practices which enable the much sought-after multistakeholder collaboration? What is the role of local and regional authorities in this Context? \nWhole-of-Society Approach. Cross-sectoral\, Multistakeholder Collaboration for Inclusion.\nOn the side of administrations or non-governmental organisations\, understanding the circumstances and needs of migrants to provide adequate services can prove a daunting exercise. This leads to considerable frustration\, for users and for organisations involved in the integration process. \nIn Cluj-Napoca\, the one-stop shop for migrants emerged as a response to this need\, expressed both by migrants and authorities. One-stop shops are services designed following a holistic approach: concentrating services in one location can help newcomers understand what services are available and improve collaboration between providers.  \nAs part of the agenda\, the AER looks forward to connecting with members\, particularly our wide Romanian membership to strengthen the relationships and build new multi-stakeholder networks. This will be an opportunity for members to exchange ideas\, identify common challenges and deepen relations with the AER Secretariat. At the same time\, the AER will work to better understand the needs and expectations of its members and tailor its services and activities accordingly. \nWith that in mind\, the AER Secretariat proposes to launch a Ukraine Focus Group at this event. The aim is to provide tailored\, needs-based support to new Ukrainian members by creating a platform for direct region-to-region dialogue; a place where Ukrainian regions can request support from AER regions and partners directly. In tandem\, the Focus Group will onboard these Ukrainian regions into AER’s structures\, open new networks to them\, and build capacity for these regions over the longer-term. \nIf you and your region would like to attend the event\, please fill in this registration form and confirm your participation to a.comacchio@aer.eu and j.sammon@aer.eu. Don’t hesitate to contact us with additional questions about the programme. \nSeparate invitations for AER members and partners will shortly follow for the first meeting of AER’s Ukraine Focus Group\, which will take place during this event. \nRegistrations for the onsite event are now closed\,  but you can \n\n\n\n\n\nJoin the Live-Streaming\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen? Tuesday 28.03 | 14:00-15:45 \n\n\n\n\n\nThe AER invites all regions and stakeholders to join online the live-streamed panel discussion on“What are the enabling factors for cross-sectoral collaboration? What is the role of local and regional authorities? Challenges and good practices.”\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n*Includ-EU facilitates transnational knowledge and experience sharing to build more inclusive and cohesive European societies. The project develops cooperation between local and regional authorities from Greece\, Italy\, the Netherlands\, Romania\, Slovenia and Spain. Targeted exchanges generate actionable learning\, which leads to improved integration policies and practices. URL:https://aer.eu/events/join-includ-eu-workshop-in-cluj-napoca-cross-sectoral-multistakeholder-collaboration-for-inclusion/ CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Register-online_Workshop-RO_28-29.03.2023-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230313T093000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230313T110000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20230210T122538Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230406T111849Z UID:43209-1678699800-1678705200@aer.eu SUMMARY:WG Green Hydrogen kick-off meeting DESCRIPTION:The AER working group on Green Hydrogen organised its kick-off meeting on 13 March 2023 from 09:30-11:30 \nThe proposal for this working group is led by Catalonia (ES). It is supported by Burgenland (AU)\, Lower Austria (AU)\, Valle D’Aosta (IT)\, Flevoland (NL)\, Maramures (RO)\, Värmland (SE)\, Västra-Götaland (SE)\, Fribourg (CH)\, and Denizli (TR)\, Kosice (SK) \nThis meeting was open to AER members only \nDuring this first meeting\, AER members interested in sharing experiences and knowledge on the topic of Green Hydrogen: \n\ngot to know each other (pitch on the region)\nshared why the topic matters for them now\nshared how the working group would create value for them: what they expect\, how they would like to contribute\ndefined activities for the coming months\n\nThe group also nominated the Chair of the Working Group: Albert Castellanos\, Secretary for Business and Competitiveness of the Government of Catalonia \nPresentations & Ressources\nCatalonia Pitch on H2 Strategy \nFribourg Pitch on H2 R&D \nVärmland Pitch on H2 Strategy \nAbruzzo Pitch on H2 Strategy \nGrand Est Pitch on H2 Strategy \nLower Austria Pitch on H2 Strategy \nVästra-Götaland Pitch on H2 Strategy \nConclusions of the meeting\nThe findings and decisions made at the kick-off meeting of the AER Working Group on Green Hydrogen can be found here. \nContext: scaling up the renewable hydrogen economy\nThere is significant work to do to scale-up production and demand. At present\, hydrogen makes up less than 2% of Europe’s energy mix and is still largely produced from fossil fuels. Producing clean hydrogen from renewable sources like wind and solar is expensive\, and while technology has improved and come down in cost\, there remain challenges connecting hydrogen production to energy grids and securing enough investment to make it viable. \nRegions have a key role to play in scaling up the renewable hydrogen economy across Europe. As noted in a 2020 opinion adopted by the Committee of the Regions\, green hydrogen “has the capacity to promote regional and local development because significant parts of the value chain can be established in regions and municipalities”. With the right level of private and public investment\, European regions can lead in the creation of self-contained “hydrogen hubs” that link all elements of the value chain. \nRegions have a crucial role in facilitating\, supporting\, and developing collaborations for the deployment of green hydrogen. \nBy cooperating and sharing experiences and best practices\, regions can inspire each other inter-regionally to the best possible solutions in several areas. \n  \nMore information on how to set-up a working group at AER here. \nFor any questions\, please contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius \nPicture by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash URL:https://aer.eu/events/wg-hydrogen-kick-off-meeting/ CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/patrick-perkins-ETRPjvb0KM0-unsplash1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230131T093000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20230131T123000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20221227T105824Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230208T114023Z UID:42663-1675157400-1675168200@aer.eu SUMMARY:Includ-EU Online Session: "Anti-discrimination: a Transformative Approach for Organisations" DESCRIPTION:This online session focused on how we can identify and prevent systemic discrimination in our environments. It was led by Diversity Equity and Inclusion Expert\, Author and Podcast Producer Prisca Ratovonasy. She shared the stage with Mame-Fatou Niang\, Associate Professor\, Author and Artist-in-Residence at Ateliers Médicis.\n \nThe slides of the training are available here \nThe bibliography is available here\, it is in one document with the agenda \nThis session was held in English and simultaneously translated into Italian\, Slovenian\, Romanian\, Greek\, Spanish\, and Dutch\, allowing us to grow our community and involve more and more institutions. \nThis was a rare opportunity to bring together an international community with 7 European languages around a shared objective to make services and organisations more inclusive. \nThe session enabled all participants and organisers to: \n\nbetter understand the stakes\nraise awareness on the transformative dimension of addressing discrimination\nget actionable knowledge\, ready to use\n\nIf you missed this\, please contact us (a.comacchio@aer.eu) \nThis online training session is organised in the context of INCLUD-EU\, an EU project funded by the Asylum\, Migration and Integration fund (AMIF) which contributes to building more inclusive and cohesive European societies by enhancing knowledge\, driving innovation\, and stimulating cooperation between local and regional authorities in the European Union. To know more about the project\, visit the project website. \n  \n  \n \n  URL:https://aer.eu/events/includ-eu-online-session-anti-discrimination-a-transformative-approach-for-organisations/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/CONFERENCE-ON-THE-FUTURE-OF-EUROPE-1-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221207 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221208 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20220921T145210Z LAST-MODIFIED:20221129T141410Z UID:41550-1670371200-1670457599@aer.eu SUMMARY:REGISTER NOW! - 2022 Autumn Bureau Meeting DESCRIPTION:You are invited to register for the Autumn edition of the AER Political Bureau on 7 December in Brussels. The Bureau Meeting will be hosted by the regions of Sardinia & Abruzzo (IT). \n \n  \nNEW DEADLINE: 30 NOVEMBER 2022\n  \nWe highly encourage you to participate in person in Brussels in the AER Autumn Bureau as the planned web streaming will offer limited interaction possibilities. \nWorking Documents\n\nDetailed Agenda\nPosition Paper on Youth – to be adopted\nPosition Paper on Jobs\, Growth & Investment – to be adopted\n\n\n7 December – Autumn Bureau Meeting Programme\n \n\nAdoption & Discussion AER Position Papers\n\nPosition Paper on Jobs\, Growth & Investment\n\nAER members are invited to propose their amendments to the Draft Position Paper on Jobs\, Growth and Investment. \nThis draft paper sets recommendations on how regions can boost growth\, drive investment and create jobs that will accelerate Europe’s economic recovery. This position will be discussed and voted upon by Bureau members at our Autumn Bureau meeting on 7 December 2022. \nMore information is available in our article. Call for amendments CLOSED. \n\nPosition Paper on Youth\n\nThis paper aims to provide a comprehensive position advocating for a better future for European youth. It addresses various topics\, from the development of socio-economic opportunities for young people to the several diverse inequalities faced by the youth\, to the future of work and skills in the context of the green and digital transition\, to the inclusion of young people in decision-making processes\, to the development of political and civic education\, to supporting young people’s mental health. \nTo make these proposals stronger\, the Task Force is inviting AER member regions to share their inputs about the Draft Position. \nMore information is available in our article. Call for amendments CLOSED. \nBureau debate on Sustainable Tourism\nIn an interdisciplinary debate\, panellists will highlight how the post-pandemic recovery of tourism is key to revitalising regional economies and nourishing their cultures. \nThis debate will bring together representatives of local and regional authorities\, European Institutions and other relevant stakeholders to answer the following questions: \n\nWhat are the key priorities for a sustainable\, resilient\, inclusive recovery of tourism in Europe that effectively builds on the opportunities from the green and digital transitions?\nHow can local and regional governments best contribute to the relaunch of the European tourism sector?\nWhat synergies and cooperation can be exploited among all involved actors and how can this best support recovery of tourism that is resilient\, sustainable and inclusive?\n\n6 December – Workshop on the Bieoconomy & the New European Bauhaus\nPrior to the Autumn Bureau Meeting\, the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is organising a workshop on “The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus” at the Oslo Region European Office\, on 6 December\, 09:00-13:00\, which will look at \n\nThe European strategies supporting the decarbonisation of the construction sector\nThe link with societal challenges\, the territorial approach\nTechnical innovations in bio-based constructions materials\n\nClick here for more information. URL:https://aer.eu/events/save-the-date-2022-autumn-bureau-meeting/ LOCATION:Brussels\, Belgium CATEGORIES:AER Bureau plenaries,AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AER-Bureau-Debate-2-December-6.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20221206T090000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20221206T130000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20221019T101201Z LAST-MODIFIED:20221209T123446Z UID:41928-1670317200-1670331600@aer.eu SUMMARY:The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus DESCRIPTION:Bio-based innovation to decarbonise the construction sector\nThe AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy\, chaired by Aud Hove (Innlandet\, NO) organised a workshop on “The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus” on 6 December 09:00-13:00\, which looked at \n\nThe European strategies supporting the decarbonisation of the construction sector\nThe link with societal challenges\, the territorial approach\nTechnical innovations in bio-based constructions materials\n\nAGENDA & PRESENTATIONS\n(Click on titles to access presentations) \nBeautiful\, sustainable\, inclusive by design\n\nWelcome\, setting the scene\, Stian Berg\, International Adviser\, Innlandet (NO) on behalf of Aud Hove\, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy\nSpaces for mutual learning and policy innovation\, Christian Spahr\, AER Secretary General\nThe New European Bauhaus\, Connecting our living spaces and experiences with the European Green Deal\, Borislava Woodford\, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre\, European Commission\nDecarbonising the construction sector: the challenges and measures to address them at EU level\, Philippe Moseley\, Policy Officer\, Directorate General for Internal Market\, Industry\, Entrepreneurship and SMEs\, European Commission\n\nModerated by Stian Berg\n \nBio-based\, innovative practices in the regions\n\nNature Based Materials in Regional Ecosystems\, Edwin Hamoen\, Nature Based Materials Programme\, Wageningen University\, Gelderland (NL)\nDecarbonising our territories with hemp : the construction market\, Chloé Charlier\, The European Hemp Pole\, Grand Est (FR)\nIndustrial pilots\, Skills ecosystems & Circular material hubs\, Eivind Merok\, Innlandet (NO)\nThe Bioeconomy & Värmland’s Smart Specialisation Strategy\, Eva Hallström & Kaltum Hussein\, Värmland (SE)\n\nFacilitation by Johanna Pacevicius \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nThis event took place the day before the AER Autumn Bureau\, which saw the adoption of two AER position papers: \n-Position Paper on Jobs\, Growth & Investments \n-Position Paper on Youth \nMore information on the Bureau event webpage \n  \n\n\n\nPhoto credits: \nPictures of event: AER (taken by Erik Hayes\, Eurodyssey Trainee at the AER Secretariat)\n\n\n\nPicture on event visual: courtesy from Innlandet County Council URL:https://aer.eu/events/bioeconomy-the-new-european-bauhaus/ LOCATION:Oslo Region European Office\, Rue du Luxembourg 3/5\, Brussels\, Bruxelles\, 1000\, Belgium CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/AER-Workshop-Bioeconomy-6-December-2.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221107 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221110 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20220808T065256Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230709T193634Z UID:41263-1667779200-1668038399@aer.eu SUMMARY:[SOLD OUT] Eurodyssey Forum 2022 - Limassol\, Cyprus DESCRIPTION:The Eurodyssey Forum is back! \nThis year’s edition will be a fully in-person event and will take place in Limassol\, Cyprus\, from the 7th to the 9th of November. The Forum will be hosted by the Union of Cyprus Municipalities and the Department of Labour of the Republic of Cyprus. An opportunity not to be missed! \n \n*Registrations are open until the 30th of September on a “first-come\, first-served basis”\, with priority being given to the Eurodyssey participating regions. After this date\, registrations will be possible only based on the number of spots still available. \n  \nWhat is Eurodyssey?\nEurodyssey is the flagship youth regional mobility programme of the Assembly of European Regions\, entirely managed at regional level. Together with our participating member regions\, AER provides fully-funded traineeships\, allowing young people from diverse backgrounds to benefit from a paid traineeship\, in various sectors. During 3 to 7 months\, trainees will benefit from valuable professional experience in another European region\, together with language training and cultural and social activities. Enriched from this experience\, the programme’s beneficiaries will have boosted their employability\, skills\, international comfort and personal development. Besides the traineeship experience\, Eurodyssey is also a unique opportunity to boost mutual understanding and intercultural learning\, and to raise awareness about regional diversity in Europe –  one of AER’s strong pillars. \n  \nA panEuropean youth mobility programme… before Erasmus!\nEstablished in 1985\, the Eurodyssey programme celebrated its 35th birthday in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t make 2020 the celebration year we expected\, but the 2022 Eurodyssey Forum will provide us with an exciting programme to make up for it! \n \n  \nBouncing back from the pandemic\nAs the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard international mobility\, and particularly affected mobility opportunities for young people across Europe and the world\, the Eurodyssey programme also faced challenges due to the sanitary and travel restrictions. However\, the programme bounced back! In 2021\, and even more in 2022\, our participating regions were able to host and send trainees again. And after two editions organised online\, the Eurodyssey Forum is now back for a fully in person event! \nThis year’s edition will focus on International Youth Mobility in the post-pandemic era\, and the priorities set by the European Commission as part of the European Year of Youth\, especially Education & European Learning Mobility\, and Employment & Inclusion. \nDuring plenary sessions and workshops\, our participating regions\, Eurodyssey trainees and alumni\, and involved organisations will share their experience and good practices on the benefits of the programme. From valuing youth and employment policies at regional level\, to developing young people’s skills and employability\, while expanding intercultural learning\, inclusion\, diversity\, and more\, we strongly believe in the resilience and relevance of the Eurodyssey programme\, in the aftermath of the Conference on the Future of Europe. This Forum will also be the occasion to reflect on past and current challenges faced by the programme\, and to co-develop\, together with our participating regions\, young people and public and private stakeholders\, the Eurodyssey of tomorrow. \nCheck the programme below and make sure to register here. \n  \n \n\nLaunching Our Brand New Project YOUTHopia!\nLast but not least\, the Forum will mark the launch event of AER’s “YOUTHopia – Generating Perspectives for Cohesion”. This pan-European project\, supported by DG REGIO and conducted together with five member regions of AER\, aims at raising awareness about the concrete benefits that Cohesion Policy offers to boost the economic and social well-being of its citizens and regions\, with a focus on youth employment and the transition towards a green and climate-neutral Europe. URL:https://aer.eu/events/save-the-date-register-eurodyssey-forum-2022/ LOCATION:Atlantica Miramare Hotel\, Limassol\, Cyprus CATEGORIES:AER Eurodyssey Forums,AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Visual_Eurodyssey_Forum_2022.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20221014T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20221014T130000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20220909T141408Z LAST-MODIFIED:20221011T081942Z UID:41484-1665741600-1665752400@aer.eu SUMMARY:2022 AER General Assembly\, Brussels (BE) DESCRIPTION:2022 AER General Assembly\n  \n***REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED: please contact j.sammon@aer.eu with any questions.  \nThe 2022 General Assembly will take place in Brussels\, Belgium and online on 14 October\, hosted by the by the Government of Lower Austria Liason Office. \nMembers joining on-site are also invited to a welcome reception the evening of Thursday\, 13 October (details to follow shortly)*. All onsite events will take place at the Lower Austria Liason Office\, Rue Montoyer 40\, B-1000 Brussels. \nThe deadline to register for on-site participation is Monday\, 3 October. Online registrations for Zoom will open the week of 3 October. \nYou can view the working documents at the link below. Voting procedures will be shared closer to the date. \nYou will be able to meet the Project Unit throughout the event at the Projects Info-Stand. \nDirect Links:\n\nWorking Documents\nDraft Agenda\n\nWherever you are\, we hope you can join us. URL:https://aer.eu/events/register-now-2022-aer-general-assembly-brussels-be/ LOCATION:Lower Austria Liason Office\, Rue Montoyer 40\, Brussels\, Brussels Capital Region\, B-1000\, Belgium CATEGORIES:AER Events,AER General Assemblies,AER Member Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/General-Assembly-L.Austria-V3.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20221006T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20221006T123000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20220914T090751Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230414T144856Z UID:41542-1665050400-1665059400@aer.eu SUMMARY:Introduction to Interculturalism and Intercultural Competences: First Online Capacity-building Session for Regions and Local Stakeholders DESCRIPTION:What is interculturalism and how do we support the development of intercultural competences among regions and their stakeholders? \n  \nIntercultural Competence is what allows for a person to be able to navigate comfortably in complex intercultural settings. Accordingly\, to the European Commission (2007)\, it means combining skills\, attitudes\, abilities\, and knowledge to face\, act and intervene effectively and appropriately in a variety of contexts\, where cultural\, socio-economic\, ethnic\, and other lines intersect and can lead to situations of intercultural conflict that can\, in turn\, damage social cohesion. \nA person is considered interculturally competent if he/she can successfully communicate and relate with people from other cultural backgrounds. It means mobilizing external and internal resources and it is something that can always be developed and improved throughout our lives.  Deardoff (2006) defines it as the ability to develop targeted knowledge\, skills and attitudes that lead to visible behavior and communication that are both effective and appropriate in intercultural interactions. \n  \nThe EU-BELONG team is ready to kick-start its ambitious process of empowering regions and their stakeholders to develop innovative integration strategies for the first time applying the intercultural approach. As first step\, regional decision-makers\, civil servants and local stakeholder will build knowledge in intercultural integration concepts and foster key intercultural competences that will be applied throughout and beyond the project. \nThe first online capacity-building session will be held on 6th October 2022 from 10 to 12:30 CET focusing on ‘Introduction to Interculturalism and Intercultural Competences’. The session is addressed at the 11 regions of the project and 20 civil servants and/or local stakeholders from each region.  It aims at fostering an understanding of what is interculturalism and what are its key principles\, how we can build an intercultural region step-by-step and how to develop an intercultural strategy. Lastly\, the session will provide guidance on how to develop and organise a large-scale training on intercultural competences to support the regions throughout the implementation of their capacity-building programmes. \n\nStructure and Programme \nTrainer: Carla Calado\, Coordinator of the Portuguese Intercultural Cities Network \nLanguage: English \nParticipants: EU-BELONG partners\, 20 stakeholders/local and regional civil servants from each region\, experts working with the regions on the organisation of the capacity-building session\, members of the Intercultural Regions Network \n\n10:00 – 10:15 Welcoming words \n\nMarina Medarić\, AER Vice President for Inclusion\, Diversity & Equality\nNichola Howson\, Directorate General of Democracy Anti-Discrimination Department of the Council of Europe\n\n10:15 – 10:45  Presentation and Ice Breaker \n10:45-11:30h       Interculturalism \n\nDefinition of Interculturalism\nPrinciples of Interculturalism\nEthnocentrism VS Relativism\nThe intercultural region step-by-step: assessment\, building a strategy\, implementing\, and evaluating actions\, connection to city strategies (examples from cities regarding housing\, education\, culture\, labour\, tourism\, public spaces\, etc.)\n\n11:30 – Ice Breaker \n11:45-12:15h    Intercultural competence training \n\nDefinition of Intercultural Competence\nWhy is Intercultural competence training important?\nHow does it look like in practice?\nGeneral recommendation for large-scale training. The blended learning approach (pros and cons).\n\n12:15 – 12:30    Q&A and final remarks \n\nAdditional resources for exploration: \n\nICC Intercultural Citizenship test: Intercultural Citizenship Test (coe.int)\nOnline courses:\nDiversity and Inclusion – AKF | The Learning Hub (akflearninghub.org): send an email to an automatic email will be sent to you via “the learning hub” platform with instructions. The course takes 90m to watch and it is divided into small lessons (3 to 4 min each)\nICC Course – The intercultural city step-by-step Survey (surveymonkey.com): this course does not need previous enrolment\nResources in ICC website in the dedicated page: Thematic papers (coe.int)\n\n\nIf you are interested in participating\, please contact Birgit Sandu  (b.sandu@aer.eu)\, or Anna Comacchio (a.comacchio@aer.eu). \n\nEU-Belong is a 3-year project run by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and 13 partners\, and co-funded by the AMIF Programme (AMIF-2020-AG-CALL) of the European Union. Its aim is to support the adoption of innovative and pioneering regional integration strategies\, based on a multi-level and multi-stakeholder framework that\, for the first time\, applies the intercultural approach to Regions as a key-player for the successful integration of third-country nationals. URL:https://aer.eu/events/introduction-to-interculturalism-and-intercultural-competences-first-online-capacity-building-session-for-regions-and-local-stakeholders/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Introduction-to-interculturalism-and-intercultural-policies.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20220831T113000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20220831T130000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20220704T114845Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220825T085711Z UID:40825-1661945400-1661950800@aer.eu SUMMARY:ANNOUNCEMENT: Bureau Debate on Youth\, August 31 2022 DESCRIPTION:  \n  \n \nThe COVID-19 crisis has taken a toll on the education\, employment\, mental health and disposable income of youth all across Europe. Young people used to work in sectors most affected by lockdowns\, like retail\, consequently those about to enter the job market faced dwindling employment opportunities. \nThis is why\, as part of our Summer Academy on 31 August\, we will bring together representatives of local and regional authorities\, European Institutions and other relevant stakeholders to debate the opportunities and challenges of youth policy in the context of post-pandemic recovery. \nDuring the last Spring Bureau Meeting\, the AER Bureau members set up a new Task Force on Youth\, chaired by Údarás (IE)\, which aims at promoting youth inclusion\, participation and well-being in the context of the European Year of Youth and post-pandemic recovery\, with a particular focus on the key role of regional and local governments. This debate will be hosted during the AER Summer Academy in Donegal County Council\, Ireland\, and chaired by Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh\, Chair of the Task Force on Youth. \nThe debate will address three key questions: \n\nWhat should the focus of youth policy be in our post-pandemic European societies?\nHow can youth contribute to building more resilient and strengthened European regions?\nWhat can public actors do to avoid facing a “lockdown generation” and maximise the well-being of European youth?\n\nFor further information on the content of the debate\, please\, go to this article. \nPanel: \n\nAnne Karjalainen\, Chair of the Commission for Social Policy\, Education\, Employment\, Research and Culture (SEDEC) and Chair of Kerava City Council – European Committee of the Regions\nChougher Doughramajian\, Member of the Advisory Council on Youth – Council of Europe\nTom Matthew\, Board member – European Youth Forum\nMaylinda Bajrami\, Member Youth Panel – European Youth Card Association\n\nWith insights\, unique regional contexts and recovery experiences from the Task Force on Youth member regions. URL:https://aer.eu/events/announcement-bureau-debate-on-youth-august-31-2022/ LOCATION:Atlantic Technical University (ATU) Letterkenny CATEGORIES:AER Bureau plenaries,AER Events,AER Summer Academies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Capture-décran-2022-08-16-à-10.30.25.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20220829 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20220902 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20220620T140419Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240729T131648Z UID:40611-1661731200-1662076799@aer.eu SUMMARY:SOLD OUT: AER Summer Academy 2022 - Donegal\, Ireland DESCRIPTION:  \n \n***PLEASE NOTE: ALL TICKETS ARE  SOLD OUT. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR TICKET\, PLEASE CONTACT THE AER SECRETARIAT*** \n  \nWith the European Year of Youth in full-swing\, the AER is delighted to announce that our flagship youth event\, the AER Summer Academy is returning in 2022 after a two-year hiatus.  \nIn partnership with Donegal County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta\, this year’s Summer Academy will take place from 29 August until 1 September in the stunning surroundings of  County Donegal\, in Ireland’s Atlantic North-West. \n2022 marks fifty years since Irish citizens voted by referendum to join the European Community\, precursor the European Union in 1972. 2022 also celebrates the Irish language acquiring equal status to the other 23 languages in our Union for the first time. We are therefore enormously privileged to bring this year’s iteration to Ireland and the Gaeltacht [Irish-speaking region] during a year of important milestones for the country’s relationship with Europe. \nThe Covid-19 pandemic\, the climate crisis and the war in Ukraine have fundamentally changed expectations about Europe’s future. 2022 has become a time of big\, existential questions about what Europe stands for\, and what future we shape for the the next generation. Right now\, we have a unique opportunity to reimagine Europe from a democratic\, economic\, cultural and social perspective. \nThe theme this year focuses on how young people in our regions can be empowered to answer these questions\, and shape “A Europe for the Next Generation”. As we look to build back better\, this year’s programme will focus on key key topics such as climate change\, skills and education\, cross-border and transnational cohesion and reconciliation\, remote working and entrepreneurship. \nAs Europe works to build back better\, regions are best-placed to ensure young people lay the building blocks for a peaceful\, prosperous and sustainable future for all. Do not miss this opportunity to join regional leaders from all over Europe for a series of debates\, workshops and excursions to enlighten and inspire. \nLast but not least\, the 2022 Summer Academy programme is offering participants an exciting opportunity to visit Derry/Londonderry City to learn about the Peace Process\, take-in spectacular scenery on Inis Eoin island and Glenveagh National Park\, visit the region’s unique rural innovation hubs\, and sample Irish music and dance as part of our social programme—this is a programme not to be missed! \n***\nThe 2022 Summer Academy is proudly brought to you by: URL:https://aer.eu/events/register-now-aer-summer-academy-2022-donegal-ireland/ LOCATION:Atlantic Technical University (ATU) Letterkenny CATEGORIES:AER Events,AER Summer Academies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SA-Logo.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20220622T140000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Brussels:20220622T153000 DTSTAMP:20260407T090210 CREATED:20220607T070331Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220929T105946Z UID:40577-1655906400-1655911800@aer.eu SUMMARY:AER Working group on the bioeconomy: first meeting DESCRIPTION:The newly created Working Group on the bioeconomy will meet online for the first time to define its action plan for the coming months. This meeting is open to all AER members \n \nThe proposal to develop a working group on the bioeconomy was lead by Innlandet (NO)\, and is supported by Värmland (SE)\, Lower Austria (AU)\, Gelderland (NL). \nDuring this first meeting\, AER members interested in sharing experiences and knowledge on the topic of the bioeconomy will: \n\nget to know each other (pitch on the region)\nshare why the topic matters for them now\nshare how the working group would create value for them: what they expect\, how they would like to contribute\ndefine activities for the coming months\n\nThe group will also agree on who should be the Chair of the Working Group \n  \nMore information on how to set-up a working group at AER here. \nFor any questions\, please contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius \nPhoto by Olena Sergienko on Unsplash URL:https://aer.eu/events/working-group-bioeconomy-meeting1/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:AER Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://aer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/forest.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR