September 2011

A Vita Europe selection of civil society events around Europe.

Listed events (for further descriptions of events and links scroll down):
30 August-2 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium, Entrepreneurship Summer School
6-7 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium , 2011 The International Year of Forests
8 September 2011, London, UK, LSE Public Lecture: The Leaderless Revolution: How Ordinary People Will Take Power And Change Politics in the 21st Century

7-11 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium, The II Youth Convention on Volunteering
7-8 September 2011, Krakow, Poland, Active Europe
12-14 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium, ICLEI European convention: cities in Europe 202013 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium, “Inclusive Growth” and “A Green Economy”: A new formula for the future of the EU and global development?

15-16 September 2011, Riva del Garda, Italy, IX Workshop on social enterprise

18 September 2011, London, UK, How can social and community enterprises access public sector assets?

21 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium, Improving the Health and Well-being of Migrants in Europe: Shaping a Comprehensive EU-Wide Strategy

21 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium , Meeting on ‘Enhancing the participation of older volunteers through the 2011 European Year of Volunteering’

21-22 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium, Do You Want A Different Europe?
22 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium, Smart2Wheels – Tackling Europe’s Urban Mobility Challenges: What can Cycling do for European Cities?
22-23 September 2011, Naples, Italy, Euclid Network Annual Conference 2011

23-24 September 2011, Dornbirn, Austria, 3rd Social Capital World Forum 2011

26 September 2011, Europe, European day of languages

26-30 September 2011, various European cities , Cities for Active Inclusion – National workshops

27-30 September 2011, Oporto, Portugal , “EURO-INBO 2011” and General Assembly of the Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO)

30 August-2 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium
Entrepreneurship Summer School
While the EU is facing critical economic times, ThinkYoung, the first think tank of “young Europeans for young Europeans”, is organizing an Entrepreneurship Summer School in partnership with Google, Deloitte, the European Foundation for Management Development and the European Institute of Industrial Leadership, to support youth in building their own futures.
During four days Think Young is moving students out of the classroom and changing traditional teaching methods to build up young Europeans’ capabilities and sense of entrepreneurial initiative, during the first ever ThinkYoung European Entrepreneurship Summer School in Brussels.
Participating students will furthermore interact with high-level EU policy-makers during a conference at the EU Parliament hosted by Lara Comi, member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. The debate will concentrate on the greater societal role young entrepreneurs have to play, the existing mechanisms the EU has put in place to support them and sharing thoughts to lobby in favour of a better EU youth entrepreneurship policy framework.

6-7 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium
2011 The International Year of Forests

This two-day conference at the European Parliament, Brussels, celebrates the 2011 International Year of Forests by focusing on the challenges of sustainable management, conservation and development of forests in Europe and worldwide against climate change.
The conference will seek to:
• exchange best practices and solutions for forest conservation and management
• raise awareness on key obstacles related to deforestation such as illegal logging and respect of the populations’ rights
• reaffirm the link between the fight against poverty and deforestation

7-8 September 2011, Krakow, Poland
Active Europe
An international conference regarding the matters related to the phenomenon of social inclusiveness, in its wider sense. The subject matter of the conference will also touch on the most recent aspects of social development in Europe, including social development, social economics, micro financing, job creation, and sustainable development.

7-11 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium
The II Youth Convention on Volunteering
In the framework of the European Year of Volunteering and of the International Year of Volunteers + 10 (IYV+10) the European Youth Forum is organizing the biggest civil society event in Europe during the European Year : The II Youth Convention on Volunteering. The convention will showcase the contribution of participatory youth organizations to the volunteering sector and society as a whole, and celebrate young volunteers from all over Europe. It will bring together volunteers, institutions, volunteer organizations, researchers and decision makers from all over Europe. Together, they will discuss a rights based approach to volunteering and develop a Declaration on Volunteering during the stakeholder conference.

To read more: http://www.youthforum.org/

8 September 2011, London, UK

LSE Public Lecture: The Leaderless Revolution: How Ordinary People Will Take Power And Change Politics in the 21st Century

In his new book The Leaderless Revolution, former diplomat Carne Ross offers a compelling new vision of what’s wrong with contemporary politics and how to put it right. In a bold and original analysis of world affairs today, Ross develops a unique new philosophy of political action and personal liberation, drawing on traditions of anarchism and cosmopolitanism, as well as his own personal experience of political crisis and conflict.

12-14 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium

ICLEI European convention: cities in Europe 2020
The ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) European convention 2011 will have “Cities in Europe 2020 – Enhance sustainability now!” as its theme. It will act as a forum to discuss the implementation of Europe-wide sustainability measures in cities focusing on the EU 2020 Strategy and its seven flagship initiatives.
The three- day programme promises to feature a preliminary review of European local sustainability achievements and the key next steps needed to move Europe and its cities forward in light of the UN Rio+20 conference in 2012.

13 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium

“Inclusive Growth” and “A Green Economy”: A new formula for the future of the EU and global development?

Leading experts from global academia, civil society, the Church and politics will debate how to respond to international crises in a more sustainable way. They will ask how concepts such as “inclusive growth” and “a green economy” can shape future policies.

15-16 September 2011, Riva del Garda, Italy
IX Workshop on social enterprise
Innovation and the social entrepreneurThe Workshop on social enterprise is an annual event extended to a large audience
designed to promote the interaction and exchange of innovative practices within and
between the scientific community and practitioners (operators and managers of social
enterprises, of non-profit organizations, of public and private institutions). The workshop is
organized by Iris Network, the Italian national network of research institutes on social
enterprise, and is held every year in September in Riva del Garda, Trentino, Italy.
The Hub Rovereto will run the international part of the Workshop on Social enterprise trying to create connection and “cross pollination” between Social Enterprise across Europe.

To read more: http://www.irisnetwork.it/

18 September 2011, London, UK
How can social and community enterprises access public sector assets?
Assets such as buildings and land, currently owned by public authorities, are being made available for transfer to community and social enterprises, often at preferential rates. Learn about forthcoming legislation and discuss the pros and cons of taking on community assets. Examine the transfer process and explore which tactics and strategies are most effective for your social enterprise.

21 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium
Improving the Health and Well-being of Migrants in Europe: Shaping a Comprehensive EU-Wide Strategy

As they sought to implement the goals of the Lisbon Process, EU Member States acknowledged the crucial importance of workforce quality and productivity in the drive to promote economic growth and employment in Europe. However, from the outset, the existence of migrant workers as a key driver of economic development has posed as many challenges as solutions for Governments across the continent, not least in terms of health, well-being, security and social integration.

21 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium
Meeting on ‘Enhancing the participation of older volunteers through the 2011 European Year of Volunteering’
This is a meeting in the European Parliament co-organized by AGE Platform Europe and Jean Lambert MEP and co-chair of the Intergroup on Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity with the support of the Greens.
Many people of all ages volunteer or benefit from the services of volunteers. The 2011 European Year of Volunteering presents a valuable opportunity to highlight the important contribution that older people make as volunteers to society and the communities they live in.
This meeting will provide an occasion for Intergroup members and relevant stakeholders to reflect together on how their expectations for the current European Year of Volunteering are being met as well as on the benefits of volunteering for the 50+. This will be an opportunity for MEPs to assess how they can further facilitate the involvement of their constituents in the Year’s activities at local level.

21-22 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium
Do You Want A Different Europe?

The Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats
in the European Parliament invites young people between 16 and 30 to apply to go to the European Parliament and talk about the future they want.
100 young people will be selected from the 27 EU countries to meet leading members of the European Parliament.

22 September 2011, Brussels, Belgium
Smart2Wheels – Tackling Europe’s Urban Mobility Challenges: What can Cycling do for European Cities?
Cycling and electric two-wheelers have the potential to improve the environment in European cities in many ways: by improving public health and quality of life, by reducing emissions, and by helping traffic flow smoothly and businesses run better. However this full potential for “Smart2Wheels” in cities will remain untapped until a number of policy and business obstacles are overcome.

To read more: http://eu-ems.com/

22-23 September 2011, Naples, Italy
Euclid Network Annual Conference 2011
Euclid Network is organizing its 2011 annual conference in Naples, in partnership with the cooperative Project Ahead. Naples, an historical city know for past glories and present challenges symbolises both state and market failures; making it the perfect test field for social innovators to step in and develop solutions.
The event will help explore challenges and opportunities by gathering practitioners and experts from across and beyond Europe, and will facilitate knowledge sharing and partnerships.
The Event is already promising to be one to be remembered with a range of speakers and the launch of Euclid Networks’ second Social Innovation Competition – following the success of the recent “This Is European Social Innovation” competition.

23-24 September 2011, Dornbirn, Austria
3rd Social Capital World Forum 2011

The term social capital is still not widely understood outside of academic or political circles, however there are many organizations delivering social, economic and environmental benefit as an outcome of their work, without using the term. The SCWF believes that greater knowledge of social capital, the terminology and the structures, can help demonstrate the value of such work and facilitate progress in our communities socially, environmentally and economically to bring about a more sustainable and prosperous society.

The SCWF will be of interest to participants from third sector organizations, government agencies, academic institutions and the private sector, with an interest in social networking, community engagement, participatory democracy, community and environmental resilience, social entrepreneurship, social innovation and alternatives to GDP. Delegates will have the opportunity to share their knowledge, understanding and experience of social capital in practice and also engage in discussion with the aim of consolidating and strengthening a global network of social capital practitioners and explore opportunities to work collaboratively.

26 September 2011, Europe
European day of languages
Every year, 26 September is the day we celebrate Europe’s rich linguistic heritage: the EU’s 23 official languages, the 60 or so regional/minority languages, and the languages spoken by people who have come to Europe from other parts of the world.
The first European day of languages was held in 2001 as part of European Year of languages when hundreds of events were organized, reaching millions of people in 45 countries. Organized jointly by the EU and the Council of Europe, the European day of languages continues that work, to raise public awareness of the languages used in Europe, to promote cultural and linguistic diversity and to encourage people, schoolchildren and adults to learn languages.

To read more: http://europa.eu/eucalendar/

26-30 September 2011, various European cities
Cities for Active Inclusion – National workshopsFour major European cities will organize in September (and four major European cities in October) national workshops on active inclusion of young people, presenting their main research findings and promoting the exchange of knowledge between national stakeholders.
The four September national workshops will take place in:
Copenhagen: 26 September, Stockholm: 27 September, Lille Métropole Roubaix: 29 September, Krakow: 30 September
The workshops are organised in the context of Cities for Active Inclusion, an initiative coordinated by EUROCITIES and involving nine European cities, carrying out research and mutual learning activities on the implementation of active inclusion policies at local level.

To read more: http://ec.europa.eu/

27-30 September 2011, Oporto, Portugal
“EURO-INBO 2011” and General Assembly of the Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO)

The meeting will be organized around main and current topics on the implementation of the Framework Directive (WFD) in the National and Transboundary River Basin Districts, in particular:

• Water and Energy: the dilemmas, costs and benefits,
• Water Governance in Transboundary River Basins: Strategic cooperation and twinning among Water Authorities,
• Adapt to long term challenges linked to climate change and prevent extreme phenomena,
• Develop new knowledge and know-how on river hydro-morphology, restoration and protection of water ecosystems,
• Cooperation with the neighboring Countries, non-member of the European Union, for the application of the WFD principles and methods.
This conference in Oporto is part of the European Regional Preparatory Process of the 6th World Water Forum to be held in Marseilles – France from 12 to 17 March 2012, and aims at strongly mobilizing all partners involved, especially the Euro-Mediterranean countries, to collect effective field-implemented solutions and proposed measures to meet the current and future challenges of water management in the region.

To read more: http://www.inbo-news.org/

Droga, apriamo gli occhi

Sezioni

September 2011