Contact person(s): Judit Bánovits - banovits.judit@vasmegye.hu

Program website:

The main objective of the SOLICO project is to increase the engagement and role of public administration, civil society, and volunteers in times of crisis and to strengthen the international SOLIdarity, based on the experiences gained during the COronavirus pandemic.

The project, supported by the Europe for Citizens Programme, was implemented between 05 May 2021 - 30 April 2023.

The aim of the project was the contribution to overcome and address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the most serious crisis in European societies since the 2nd World War. Solidarity on european, national, regional, and local level became one of the most important factors during this period, and volunteering and activism in local communities were crucial aspect to sustain services and support for the most vulnerable groups.

In all European countries, public administrations, civil society organisations and volunteers have gained comprehensive experience (both positive and negative) in dealing with epidemic development, crisis management, volunteer support management and solidarity at local level. During the project implementation, the partners have gathered and discussed these experiences and expertise and hope to use them as good practices at local level during in time of future crisis management and solidarity actions. Participants shared these experiences in a series of workshops and discussed their future impact at a European level final conference (Graz, 26 April 2023).

Eleven partners from nine countries participated in the project:

Project partnership:

• AT - Land Steiermark (Lead-Partner)
• AT - Association AUXILIUM
• BA - SERDA - Regional Development Agency Sarajevo / Sarajevska regionalna razvojna agencija
• HR - Alps-Adriatic Association for International Co-operation
• HR - County of Varaždin
• HU – Vas County Government Office
• ME - Centre for Civic Education - Centar za građansko obrazovanje
• NMK - ZELS - Association of Local Self-government Units / Заедница на единиците на локална самоуправа
• SI - Association of Slovenian Municipalities / Škupnost Obcin Slovenije
• SR - Autonomous Province of Vojvodina
• XK - Municipality of Rahovec

Within the framework of the project, workshops were held at the following locations and dates:

1. Graz, 21 September 2021
2. Varazdin, 10 March 2022
3. Maribor, 31 March 2022
4. Szombathely, 8 June 2022
5. Podgorica, 20 September 2022
6. Sarajevo, 22 September 2022
7. Novi Sad, Serbia, 06 December 2022
8. Skopje, 21 March 2023

On 8 June 2022, the Vas County Government Office has organised a workshop titled "The Involvement and Role of Public Administrations, Civil Society, and Volunteers in Times of Crisis, International SOLIdarity - Learning from the COronavirus Pandemic", where the presentations of national and county experts enabled the participants coming from abroad and also from Hungary to learn about the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in different thematic fields. In addition, solutions and experiences gained during the pandemic were shared and discussed.

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