A three-year journey
The three-year period that runs through Padua as the European Capital of Volunteering – made up of thought, meetings, comparisons, projects, exchanges and relations – offers the opportunity to redefine and rewrite the way of living together in the city, and design a future scenario with the active involvement all social actors.
2019 - Kick-off of the project
Last year marked the development of actions intended to develop ideas, strengthen relationships and make the recognition of European Volunteering Capital known to the widest possible public.
7 areas worth exploring have been identified; the themes discussed in these 7 areas are related to some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) developed by the UN. These 7 areas and the related thematic tables, involving representatives of the Third Sector, Institutions, economic categories, Universities, research and training agencies, trade unions and the media at local and national level, are guiding the creation and development of the schedule for the whole year 2020.
The main themes for these 7 tables are:
- Poverty and new marginalisation – debating how to deal in the most efficient way with the new and emerging types of social poverty
- Health and well-being – building a more inclusive and healthy society
- Culture and education – promoting our historical, artistic and environmental heritage
- Technology and innovation – promoting sustainable business development and the concept of “sharing economy”
- Environment and urban planning – studying the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources in modern society
- Economy and sustainable development – rethinking our lifestyle by improving the economic and welfare systems.
- Peace, human rights and international cooperation – thinking about volunteering as a gateway between populations, especially the international volunteering committed to the promotion of human rights.
Initiatives have been activated, both concerning and involving:
- Associations
Co-design actions have been developed to build a calendar of events and initiatives proposed by non-profit organizations and targeting different audiences; - Institutions
First synergies have been activated through discussion groups, the organization of conferences and by participating in national initiatives; - Citizens
Different events have been arranged to investigate some of the thematic contents that will be a feature of the whole European year. These opportunities are and will be useful also for establishing collaborations with local and national associations, groups and organizations.
One of the highlights of the journey towards 2020 was the second edition of “Solidaria”, the Festival organised by CSV Padova, that continued its itinerary after its debut in 2018, with a new edition, dedicated to the theme “Sconfinamenti” (trespassing); it was a week full of events that took place between 23rd to 29th of September 2019.
In December 2019, the year ended with the award ceremony “Gattamelata”.
2020 - Designing the activities
The year 2020 began with the presentation of the report of volunteering in Padova, with a focus on the dimension of volunteering in the province, as a helpful information tool to develop the actions of 2020.
On the 7th of February the official inauguration of the EV Capital year took place, with the presence of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella. An institutional moment of strong impact that saw the presence of the highest local and national authorities as well as an important representation of the different worlds of volunteering.
Needless to say, the Covid-19 emergency affected the following months: a new project has sprung, called “Per Padova noi ci siamo” (“for Padova we are here”). It had and is still having the objective of giving an effective response to the primary needs of people with vulnerability in the period of emergency and post-emergency, so that the sanitary emergency does not become also a social emergency.
Many people have joined the project as volunteers, pointing out the rise of a “latent” civic volunteering, made of many citizens at their first experience — mostly young people.
Ongoing European exchanges have been maintained in recent months, focusing on the emergency management.
On a European level, a number of joint initiatives and projects will be developed, as soon as it will be possible, with:
- Kosice, European Volunteering Capital 2019, and Novisad, European Youth Capital 2019;
- Stirling, that was also a candidate for European Volunteering Capital 2020;
- Galway, European Capital of Culture 2020.
There will also be a number of local events of national importance.
The schedule, that was supposed to be nourished by all the appointments proposed by organizations in Padova and Veneto using the logo of Padova European Volunteering Capital 2020, is being reformulated with proposals online or in presence, always in compliance with current safety regulations, and always with the collaboration of the several associations.
On the 5th of December 2020, the International Volunteer Day, a European meeting will take place with the participation of previous European capitals and the 2021 capital; there will also be the announcement of the 2022 EV capital.
2021 - Feedback and sharing of results
With CEV – European Volunteer Centre, it was agreed that the activities planned for 2020 and not carried out, including the official closing ceremony — which will be proposed in March — could continue, in part, alongside with Berlin.
The network of contacts, experiences and contents gathered in 2019 and 2020 will become the basis and source of inspiration for new projects to be developed in 2021. Experiences of urban regeneration, integration, territorial animation and social innovation will become reality.
The considerations, words and suggestions of 2020 will also become documents in order to keep track of the path generated, and to make it a common resource for public, local and national policies.
Much attention will be given, through a survey, to the evaluation of the economic, social, cultural and symbolic impact on the territory as a result of the actions generated in the EV Capital year. The survey will be presented in a specific event.
The objective, in 2021, will be to make it clear that the “period after” the EV Capital year has concluded is the right time to create the future that we imagined in the present.