The Municipalities for an Equitable Transition in Europe (MEET) has finally opened its wings and taken off, confirming the high motivation of our partners and the presence of a pleasant collective energy. Representatives of Vila Nova de Famalicão, Arcueil, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Hernani and Valsamoggia, supported by the facilitation of KuneLab cooperative, set out to jointly determine the finer points of our collaboration in their kick-off meeting on the 12th of May 2022.
The project will aim to assess key issues we collectively face, like building local resilience, diversity and inclusion, strengthening local governance, and enhancing social and solidarity economies.
The MEET project is encompassed within the CERV EU program, which aims to build a stronger European identity and create a more robust sense of solidarity between member communities. At the same time, partners are facing the typical paradox of European projects: how to build stronger communities on shared limited resources and complex bureaucratic processes.
The municipalities, which are the main actors of this type of project, have a great desire to enact positive change in their immediate environment and to create lasting positive effects. However, if these types of projects are to achieve the outcome they desire, it is necessary for the EU to lessen the rigidities imposed on partners, which can be demotivating.
Project partners will find a way to do what is needed given their unwavering commitment to sustainability and new ways of inhabiting the planet. Many of the conversations we will have will revolve around how best the EU can support the evolution and transformation of communities.
The partnership has worked out the fundamental agreements, analyzed organizational aspects, and distributed the tasks in view of the first face-to-face meeting in Portugal.
