International seminar of Re.Cri.Re project in Brussels on 24 February – Save the date!
ALDA is pleased to announce the International seminar on “The socio-economic crisis and its impact on European societies and identities: how to shape social policies in today’s Europe?”.
The activity will be held in the premises of the Committee of the Regions on 24 February 2016 as a public event in the framework of the Horizon 2020 funded project RE.CRI.RE – Between the Representation of the Crisis and the Crisis of Representation.
LLL Week 2015: save the date!
The LLL Week / Calendar / Registrations / Locations / About the LLL Platform
The date has been set! And we are happy to announce the Lifelong Learning Platform will be holding its 2015 LLL Week from 30 November to 4 December in the European Parliament.
This year’s hot topics will be:
- Education in promoting intercultural dialogue and tolerance, on 2 December, in partnership with the European Civic Forum
- Guidance and counselling in taking forward validation, on 2 December, in partnership with the Bertelsmann Foundation
- The challenge of media literacy, on 3 December
Other events will also take place during the week, such as a Youth and Mobility event, high-level meetings with Commissioners and representatives Erasmus+ Survey 2015 Result Dissemination, EAEA Younger Staff Training, a Project Development Day…
We would like to thank Krystyna Lybacka (S&D, PL), patron of the 2015 edition.
Why a “Lifelong Learning Week”?
Although the concept of “lifelong learning” (LLL) is widely used, its meaning differs according to whom is using it. In our view, lifelong learning covers education and training across all ages and in all areas of life be it formal, non-formal or informal. It shall enable citizen’s emancipation and full participation in society in its civic, social and economic dimensions. The idea of organising Lifelong Learning Weeks aims to raise awareness of Lifelong Learning (LLL) in Europe and of the need to adopt a holistic and democratic approach at all levels of decision-making, implementation and evaluation. This is necessary if we want the EU to become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy as set in the Europe 2020 strategy.
Europe, please act!
Thousands of civil society organisations call on European governments to act immediately and decisively to alleviate the situation of refugees. Read and support the europeact open letter here.
To the attention of all policy-makers:
November 2015
Volunteers choose a different approach to refugees.
Will you help?
In Europe we are lucky to have the freedom to choose, not least the opportunity to elect our Governments. Many citizens are shocked by the choices some of these Governments are making with regards to addressing the humanitarian needs of refugees in Europe.
A great number of the refugees in Europe are people who have overcome tremendous obstacles to reach our continent, a region they imagined would be a place of safety. Compared to the wars, poverty and persecution that they have experienced in their countries of origin, Europe is still probably a more secure place. Recent incidents have shown us however, that it is by no means free from all danger.
Thankfully, lives are being saved because individual people have chosen to volunteer, to take action, showing solidarity and compassion in contradiction to the approach of many political leaders. Volunteers provide refugees with crucial help and care in the form of clothes, food, and shelter. They provide a change-making example to others through their helping hands.
These voluntary acts of kindness, by huge numbers of European citizens, have not only changed and saved refugee’s lives, but they have changed the attitudes of others with regards to how they view and treat newcomers to their communities. This reflects and restores the intrinsic sense of solidarity and respect for human rights that is the real basis of Europe, an aspect that policymakers sometimes neglect, but volunteers demonstrate every day through their commitment and engagement.
We ask you, the policy-makers, to help provide the necessary means so that, when someone chooses to volunteer, the appropriate infrastructure is in place for them. Only through this will volunteer organisations be able to offer quality volunteering opportunities to all those who are willing to take positive action to meet the needs of refugees.
- Do you know what your volunteers need?
- Will you join us in thanking all the volunteers supporting refugees in Europe on International Volunteer Day, 5th December 2015?
- Will you help more people volunteer to choose to change attitudes & save lives?
Your commitment will mean that volunteers can be properly managed with the appropriate training, equipment, and support, and that refugees will benefit from the full potential of this incredible resource based on free will, generosity, and European values.
Your local, regional and national volunteer centres and agencies
are ready to help you to help the volunteers.
