Next week ECMI kicks off new projects in Macedonia and Kosovo. The projects are supported by the Schleswig-Holstein State Chancellery and implemented by the ECMI in collaboration with the GIZ.

Background

As a follow-up to last year’s project on Minorities in the Western Balkans, the Ecmi is pleased to announce that a new round of projects will kick off next week in Macedonia and Kosovo. After the successful implementation of the previous modules, the project partners will once again visit the region and meet the local stakeholders.

The project ideas were developed by local NGOs and representatives of local municipalities, after workshops organized by the ECMI. During the workshops, the participants had the chance to learn about the model of Schleswig-Holstein regarding access to social services for vulnerable groups, with a specific focus on Roma communities, as well as various theoretical aspects relevant to the topic. After the workshops and a study visit in Schleswig-Holstein, the final stage envisioned brainstorming on transferrable initiatives from Schleswig-Holstein to theWestern Balkans, where the participants were encouraged to draft project ideas.

Two projects will kick off next week in Tetovo (Macedonia) and Urosevac (Kosovo).

About the projects

Titled “Awareness Raising Campaigns regarding the model of DialogueForumNorden (DFN)”, the project in Tetovo aims to support to promote the model of DFN. Positively taken by the project partners in Macedonia, the DFN model has good potential to assist the local groups in empowering minority communities within Macedonia. Local groups thus proposed raising awareness on the model and were successfully supported by the ECMI, GIZ and the Schleswig-Holstein State Chancellery for further implementation.

The second project will be implemented in Urosevac, Kosovo and is entitled “Monitoring of the Strategy for the Inclusion of the Roma, Egyptian and Ashkali Communities in the Kosovo Society 2017 – 2021”. The project aims to train local groups on monitoring and reporting and to establish a Municipal Action Committee (MAC). During the previous project stages, the participants from Kosovo expressed their interest in enhancing the capacities of their teams in monitoring and reporting, as well as developing a special monitoring body. The initiative gained support from the German partners and will be implemented with local support from the ECMI Regional Office in Kosovo.

During the kick-off meetings, the ECMI and the local groups will plan further action steps.

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The project developments will be shared on www.infoecmi.eu and www.ecmi.de

For questions and inquiries, please contact Ms. Tamari Bulia

Read about the previous project phase

Source: ECMI InfoChannel @ European Centre for Minority Issues.