The general conclusion from the project background analysis developed by all the project Partners seems to be that citizens of the European Union (EU) member countries– in general: do appreciate the membership of their countries in EU, are aware of the benefits of being a member, have expectations concerning member countries cooperation at solving common problems (for ex. the financial crisis, youth unemployment, ageing of the society related challenges etc.).
Still – for some reasons – most of the EU citizens do not engage themselves in the process of shaping the EU politics. The question is “ why”? Because they do not feel the need to be involved? Would like to be involved, but don’t know how they could do that? Are not aware of the existing direct democracy tools? Are aware of the tools but don’t know how to use them? Or think there’s no use to use them since the tools don’t work?
The main aim of the project is to increase the level of engagement and democratic participation of the European Union citizens in the democratic life of the European Union being aware of the role they can have in shaping the EUs’ policies and thus the future of Europe shaping.
The detailed aims are:
1. Providing an European public space where the issues related to low participation in the democratic life of the EU and the ways of stimulating the active participation could be discussed and debated (by open on-line research, 4 National and 1 International Citizens Forums).
2. Stimulating the democratic participation of the citizens who are not yet involved in the EU policies shaping by reaching them through information campaign and qualified environments of the active civil society organisations.
3. Contributing to strengthening and empowering democracy in the European Union through developing possible solutions for the major problems associated with low participation in the democratic life of EU and disseminating them.
All the project activities will take place in all the 4 partner countries: Cyprus, Poland, Romania and Italy.
To realise all this, we will need You!
THE PARTNERS
FOUNDATION OF ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES (FAEI)
The FAIE’s main goal is Life Long Learning promoting - developing one’s own abilities, predispositions, interests - both in personal and professional life. Another goal is to promote and support vocational and personal development through culture and art. FAIE founders since 2004 are delivering legal and administrative advisory for individuals. We run workshops on consumers and patient rights, save saving and investing. We support non-governmental organisations at planning, developing and realizing international projects. We have conducted 2 on-line researches on obstacles for international, partner cooperation of NGOs. Locally - FAIE is involved in inter – sectoral partnership for employment and development of social entrepreneurship in the region building and a founder - member of the Non-governmental Organizations of Bielsko-Biała Threaty. Internationally, FAIE is a member of Baltic Network for Adult Learning - network of organizations in the Baltic Sea region.
FUTURE WORLDS CENTRE (FWC)
Future Worlds Center is an incubator of social entrepreneurs who envision, design, and implement projects that promote the culture of co-existence, human rights, and peace, using methods grounded in the latest technologies, the science of dialogic design, and democratic dialogue. FWC’s mission is to enable people to re-think and re-solve social challenges, both on the local and the European level. Our actions are positioned right at the edge of where social change can happen. FWC is an organisation in which ideas, projects, methodologies, and people are interconnected. Future Worlds Center has four operating units: the Global Education Unit, Humanitarian Affairs Unit, Futures Design Unit and the New Media Lab. Leg. reg. for Future Worlds Centre is the Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute.
ASOCIATIA EuroDEMOS
EuroDEMOS is an association with international activity of human rights defense, alternative school of involvement, training and promotion at international level of opinion leaders, by means of applicative programs of European interest. An umbrella type association composed of 5 organizations (eg. Youth Org, Students Org, Women Org) and 12 departments specialized on domains of civic interest. Supports numerous local community centres. Initiated and coordinated numerous civic programmes in domains such as youth, human rights, democracy, observing the electoral processes, citizenship, sustainable development, ecology & environment protection, education, social assistance, culture & art; developed national & international networks and platforms, international & cross border strategies and policies, international newsletters. Key persons involved in this project are board members and communication and public relations & organisational strategic planning specialists.
COOPERATIVA SOCIALE COOSS MARCHE ONLUS scpa 
COOSS is an Italian private no profit organisationwhose main objective is to support the integration of disadvantaged people through the provision of social, assisting, care, educational and training services and to propose interventions to meet the different needs of the local community. Born in 1979, COOSS counts nowadays around 2600 members-employees and serves more than 7.200 users, among them elderly, disabled people, mentally impaired, minors and youngsters, drug addicted and migrants. Its financial resources mainly derive from Public Administrations, National Health System, European funding (Projects and Programmes). Since 1993, the Department of Research and Training experiments innovative solutions to the emerging social needs through its participation to EU projects and organizes training courses for the qualification of social professionals. In 2000 the Department was accredited by the Regional Government as a VET Agency, providing VET actions to its employees and to unemployed people in the different social and care sectors. COOSS was particularly involved in projects dealing with strategies to promote the active citizenship, the integration and the quality of life of young people, elderly and people with disabilities. COOSS involved disadvantaged and marginalized young persons in activities aimed to make them visible and active citizens: attractive educational methods, courses for civic and democratic education, modules of Social Entrepreneurship, VET, management of services for young people and elderly people with daily direct contact with users. COOSS was also involved in projects dealing with strategies to promote the active ageing, ICT, innovative supportive and monitoring projects, and smart solutions.
