After nine months of preparation with all partners, applicants and co-applicants, the project LADDER is getting to another phase starting the practical activities. More than a two years are left until the end of the project during which the capacities of Local Authorities, CSOs and citizens are going to be strengthened, the awareness of people about global issues is going to be raised and the cooperation between LAs and CSOs reinforced everything on the base of DEAR concept (Development Education and Awareness Raising).

Since 1983, the European Union dedicates every year to a particular topic informing its citizens about the EU action in the field. This year, for the first time, is dedicated to development. It is a special year since the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) will be concluded in the end of the year and the international community needs to agree on a new agenda following the values of MDGs with the goal of ending poverty, promoting sustainable development and addressing climate change. The topic of the European Year is proposed by the European Commission and adopted by the European Parliament and EU member governments.

The European Year for Development 2015 (EYD2015), flagship initiative of the EU for 2015, aims at raising the awareness of citizens on development issues, informing them how the taxpayers’ money is spent by the EU with regards to development. It also intends to promote citizens’ engagement for development through several means: by volunteering, by contributing/supporting to NGOs and other actors, taking more reflective actions on a daily basis, becoming more active citizens at local level and many more.

ALDA has joined the European Year for Development too. Our involvement consists in sharing the same values of raising awareness of EU citizens, in monthly news item contribution on EYD official website but also in the implementation of LADDER project which is connected with development education. LADDER is a 3 year project on Development education, namely raising awareness of citizens about development issues. In that sense, it supports the efforts to engage citizens in development, to raise their awareness and provoke critical thinking. ALDA and its LADDER partners are working on that direction, promoting the EYD2015. In addition, a Thematic Path of LADDER is dedicated to the EYD2015, under which the representatives of the co-applicants and associates are working together to promote the EYD2015.

Please read the news items by ALDA on the EYD2015 website

Please find more information about EYD2015 on its official website