Non-profit organisation K.A.NE. Social Youth Development, in the framework of its aim for the promotion of active participation and volunteerism, organizes in Kalamata, an international conference with the title “Active Participation as Means for Community Development”. The conference will take place in the amphitheatre of OAED in Kalamata, on the 18th and 19th of March, while on the 20th of March will be implemented seminars/workshops on the topic at the Youth Centre of Kalamata.
Taking as starting point the observation that the most direct factor affecting the development of a society are its citizens – members, the conference will explore the connection of active citizens with the dynamic development of a community, focusing on four pillars of development:
a. Culture
The culture of tradition, the culture of evolution, the culture of creation. The active citizen as a means for the creation of cultural focus points that continue the traditions, evolve our society and create new or evolved forms of art.
b. Economy
Active citizenship leads to the economic development of society as a whole. Active citizens take initiatives that directly or indirectly lead to the creation of work placements, the sustainability of societal structures and the development of entrepreneurship.
γ. Harmoniousco–existence
Equal treatment, equal opportunities, combating the phenomena that lead to violence, cooperative concept of how we operate as an ensemble, mutual support, mutual respect.
δ. Democracy
Respect for citizens’ rights, citizenship, elections, civil dialogue and dialogue between civil society organizations and the state, freedom of expression and the integration of all components that constitute the collective culture of society.
During the conference, we will seek answers regarding the ways with which active citizenship can be achieved and examples and stories of people who through active participation reinforced the dynamics of their society and contributed to its development will be presented.
It is an opportunity for us to get inspired, do networking, learn and create a fertile ground for the development of new initiatives, innovative ideas, entrepreneurial startups and active participation activities.
The conference is divided in 2 units, informative/scientific and seminars/workshops and in it, will participate Civil Society representatives from Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Latvia and Italy, social and entrepreneurial initiatives from Kalamata, as well as representatives of local government.
People that attend the conference will receive certificates of attendance and certificates of participation. Certificates of attendance will receive the ones that will participate in both days of the conference (Friday and Saturday), whereas certificates of participation will be given to the ones that will attend to the conference (Friday and Saturday) and participate to one of the workshops on Sunday.
PROGRAMME
Friday 18/03
17:00 – 17:30: Registrations
18.00 – 18.30: Welcoming
18.30 – 18.40: Presentation of the idea of ALTIUS, – Fotini Arapi, European Projects Manager in K.A.NE and contact person for the ALTIUS network
18:40 – 19.00: Presentation of K.A.NE. Social Youth Development organisation – Filaretos Vourkos, Director of Κ.ΑΝΕ.
19:00 – 19:20: Active local community / Citizens initiatives, – Iveta Graudina, representative of “World Our Home” organisation, Latvia
19:20 – 19:40: Break
19:40 – 20:00: Solidarity Hospital and Active Citizenship, – Michail Bornovas, President of the Association of Friends of the Network of Solidarity Hospitals of Kalamata
20:00 – 20:20: Active Citizens for KALAMATA 21,- Maria Kallikouni, Cultural Design and Collaborations responsible, KALAMATA21
20:20 – 20:40: “Associations /live cells of culture / opportunities for participation and development” – George Iliopoulos, president of the Alumni Association of the Music High school of Kalamata – Maria Callas.
Saturday 19/03
17.00 – 17:30: Registrations
17:30 – 17:50: European Programmes that support skills development and promote active citizenship – Dorotea Zjalic, European awareness & active citizenship Department, YOUNET organisation, Italy
17:50 – 18:10: European Citizenship during the Crisis – Iva Sedlic, Organisation Europe House Slavonski Brod, Croatia
18:10 – 18:30: Our School: an Action of Solidarity – Association of primary school educators of Messinia
18:30 – 18:50: How a youth organisation can give life to a small town – David Raigal Bautista, International Initiatives for Cooperation organisation, Bulgaria
18:50 – 19:10: Break
19:10 – 19:30: Citizenship in Classical Athens – Eleni Volonaki, Professor of Ancient Greek Literature, Literature Department, University of the Peloponnese
19:30 – 19:50: Community Compost Network in Kalamata, Seedkeepers Network in Kalamata: How the
How the assertion of truth and social self-activity combined with historical knowledge, can change the history of a city – Mirto Fifa, educator for experiential environmental education), visual artist, creator/manager of RE-THINK – Fifa Farm Permaculture
19:50 – 20:10: Local activities for the support of young people with fewer opportunities – Naima Belmahi, Pistes Solidaires Mediterranee organisation, France
20:10 – 20:30: The volunteers of Thessaloniki European Youth Capital 2014 – Olympia Datsi, Responsible for the coordination of the volunteers of Thessaloniki European Youth Capital 2014
20:30 – 20:50: Youth Centre of Kalamata – A special Corner in our city! – Filaretos Vourkos
20:50 – 21:10: Closing
Κυριακή 20/03 – Workshops
11.00 – 14.00: VOLUNTEERISM
11.00 – 14.00: ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP AT LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
16.00 – 19.00: PROMOTION OF ACTIVE ACTIONS USING NEW TECHNOLOGIES
For participation in the workshops, pre-registration is required. Send an e-mail at altius@ngokane.org for us to send you the registration form.
Framework of the conference:
The conference is one of the activities of the project ALTIUS that is implemented in the framework of the European Programme “Europe for Citizens”. Coordinator of the project is the non-profit organisation K.A.NE. Social Youth Development from Greece and the project is implemented in collaboration with 5 civil society organizations from France, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria and Latvia.
It is the fourth and biggest international event from the 6 events in total of the project that aims at promoting active citizenship and exploring how EU citizens can directly affect developments at civic as well as at economic level.
