1st Short Term Training Event

From October 1 to 5 we have met in Udine, Italy, for our first short term training event within our project „IDENTITIES – Much More Than Cards“. Each project partner has invited teachers or mentors who work with migrants to share with us their valuable experiences and teaching methods.
This international exchange was combined by two visits of organisations that provide support and tuition to refugees, migrants and asylum seekers: The CARITAS Center at Cividale who is responsible for the local implementation of the Italian SPRAR program and the Balducci Center in Udine.
The SPRAR (Protection System for Asylum Seekers and Refugees) program is managed by the Italian Ministry of the Interior and funded by the National Fund for Asylum Policies and Services with the object to enable individual involvement in life in Italy in terms of language learning, employment and and housing integration. The duration of participating in the SPRAR program is limited to one year. In the Caritas Center Cividale a migrant teacher explained to us the SPRAR program and the projects they offer in Cividale (e.g. Italian lessons, exchange with local residents). Migrants joined our meeting and therefore we could learn a bit about their lifes and needs and expectations when leaving the SPRAR program. Finally, we met at the SPRAR apartment to enjoy the delicious Pizza that the residents of the apartment have prepared for us.
At the Balducci Center we met a little different situation. Migrants and asylum seekers live together in this well situated and welcoming place, either in single/family apartments or single rooms with communal kitchens. Because of a different funding situation (public and private fundings) as in the SPRAR program, people can stay there as long as they individually need to integrate into Italian life and can get each help that they need. A huge number of volunteers is supporting these processes and the daily life of the residents.

   

 

“Wieviel Attraktivität verträgt Freiburg”?

Freiburg ist gleichsam berühmt als “lebenswerteste Stadt Deutschlands” und berüchtigt für wuchernde Immobilienpreise, auch “Green City” mit zunehmender Versiegelung von Grünflächen, und Besuchermagnet mit überlaufenen Straßen. So finden wir von aiforia hier besten Boden um uns  – mit Ihnen – der Frage nach Attraktivität von Siedlungsräumen und deren Grenzen bzw. Zielfkonflikten zu stellen.

Fachgespräch Freiburg

Dafür möchten wir Sie herzlich einladen zu einem

Fachgespräch “Wieviel Attraktivität verträgt Freiburg?”
in der Landeszentrale für politische Bildung, Bertoldstr. 55
am Donnerstag, 28.09.2017
ab 16.30h (Ankommen ab 16.00h)
bis 19.00h (Ausklang bei kulinarischen Attraktivitäten)

Mit Impulsvorträgen aus den Fachbereichen Wirtschaft / Tourismus, Wohnen, Landschaft und Freiräume wollen wir “Attraktivität” zunächst von verschiedenen Warten beleuchten, um die Diskussion in einem World Café allen TeilnehmerInnen zu öffnen, Ziele abzugleichen, Zielkonfikte zu eruieren und mit Hilfe geeigneter Indikatoren sichtbar zu machen.

Projekt “Attractive Danube”

Die Veranstaltung ist eingebunden in das INTERREG- Projekt “Attractive Danube“* – wie der Titel verrät, steht Attraktivität von Regionen, Städten und Gemeinden in 11 “Donau-Anrainer-Ländern” im Fokus.
Wesentlicher Teil des 2-jährigen Vorhabens sind jeweils 6-monatige Forschungs- und Testphasen mit relevanten Interessengruppen. Das Fachgespräch am 28.09.2017 bildet den Auftakt zur ersten Beteiligungsphase in Baden-Württemberg; Ziel ist, die vorgeschlagenen Definitionen und Indiaktoren des Attractive Danube zu lokalisieren und ergänzen. In einem weiteren Fachgespräch im Oktober untersuchen wir auch die “Attraktivität der Region” bevor die Ergebnisse im November dann zusammengeführt und mit vegleichbaren Prozessen abgeglichen werden. In einer zweiten Workshop-Phase im Herbst 2018 werden die vereinbarten Indikatoren und beobachteten Entwicklungen vorgestellt, und in einer online-Plattform öffentlich einsehbar und verfügbar gemacht.

Wir möchten Sie herzlich einladen, sich mit uns am 28.09.2017 der Frage nach einem “attraktiven Freiburg” zu stellen und Ihre Erfahrungen in den Prozess einzubringen.

Die Teilnahme ist kostenlos. Wir bitten jedoch um Anmeldung unter info@aiforia.eu

* Das Projekt ist ko-finanziert aus Mitteln der Europäischen Union (ERDF, IPA). Mehr Hintergrund zum Projekt finden Sie unter http://www.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/attractive-danube .

“Identities” Freiburg meeting to define training programme

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

 

From 11 to 12 July 2017, aiforia had the pleasure to welcome our partners in the Erasmus+ project “IDENTITIES: MUCH MORE THAN CARDS” for the 2nd Transnational Project Meeting. As 13 participants from Germany, Italy, Latvia, Luxemburg, Portugal and Turkey we discussed the necessary features and methodologies for supporting migrants in our country for better integration, with a focus on entrepreneurship.

The results of a common survey by all partners showed even more the heterogeneity of target groups in our countries, with a very broad variety in age, skills and needs. This brought us to an intensive discussion to clarify the structure of the training program in the following 6 modules: 

M1: Language course with focus on business language

M2: Intercultural communication, local culture and costums

M3: European Union

M4: Employment and work life

M5: Entrepreneurship

M6: Civic participation

Each module is planned to include 15 lessons covering about 60 single topics which will be developed further by the partners during the summer period.  Lessons are intended to be held physically as well being provided electronically in the e-learning version from January 2018, yet the methodological design as well as the didactical materials will first be revised with teachers within the international trainers’ meeting from 1 to 5 October in Tolmezzo, Italy.

Interreg Attractive Danube Project Meeting

From 20 to 23 June, the 2nd Steering Commitee Meeting of the INTERREG Attractive Danube Project was held in Belgrade, Serbia. Partners from 13 countries along the Danube region and from 19 different institutions of national, regional and local level came together to discuss the project progress and to define the next milestones. The emphasis of this 2nd meeting was placed on the stakeholder workshops which will be conducted in each partner country during 2017. The project partners appreciated theses workshops as a very valuable exchange platforms for representatives from each level where the indicators to measure the territorial attractiveness were discussed in a highly constructive atmosphere.

The 3rd Steering Committee Meeting will take place from 27 to 29 November in Freiburg.

Our first stakeholder workshop is scheduled for 28 September.   

                                                           (Photos by Urbasofia, Romania)

What we are up to a.k.a. new projects

The last few months have been rather busy but thoroughly enjoyable at our offices: two new projects have kicked off, there have been several groups for study visits, we have been in collaborative sessions for future projects, and many other activities (including developing our IT skills).

Thus, we are a little behind with the news of our new projects, although, if you have followed us on Facebook, you are already aware of the Interreg project meeting in Prague. But we have also been to Dobele, Latvia.

Local Renewables Conference 2016

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                                        Historical Merchants’ Hall

Last week took place the seventh Local Renewables Conference in Freiburg. Organized by ICLEI and cities of Freiburg and Basel, the three-day program included plenaries, workshops, speeches, guided tours, cross-border travelling and the most delicious chocolate brownies.

The conference started off with a post-Fukushima theme where it became clear that Japan is transitioning towards locally produced renewable energies. Even though the renewable share in the national power supply is still rather low, the interest and commitment is possibly higher than in Europe. Especially fascinating was the energy and community concept of Miyama.

aiforia Visits Green Demonstration Hall for School Children in Jounieh, Lebanon

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aiforia was recently invited to represent the Green City of Freiburg at Lebanon’s Order of Engineers and Architects’ annual conference and speak on this year’s topic of sustainable development. Yet even more exciting than giving a speech at this prestigious event was the opportunity to some of the ambitious projects and initiatives promoting sustainability in the vicinity of the capital Beirut. One example: The Green Demonstration Hall in Jounieh.