Euroregion Baltic, Baltic Sea Culture Institute in Gdansk, Kaliningrad team of activists and Estonian Women’s Studies and Resource Centre ENUT, under the project leadership of Intercult Productions from Sweden, have just kicked off a BSR project aiming at empowering representatives of most vulnerable groups, especially women, in the ever digitalising times of pandemia and post-pandemic.

Together, we – women experts and participants –  want to build a feeling of identity, belonging, continuity and agency. We are reaching out to women artists, activists and creatives who may feel isolated, depressed and at a loss as the result of COVID-19 restrictions and the world moving more and more towards digital relations. Using tools of culture and traditional cultural activities we plan to bring traditions and demands of current times together. 

Basing on the intangible cultural heritage of the BSR and its localities such as embroidery, weaving, herb gathering, cooking close to nature, singing or producing music, we want to create bonds and exchanges both in physical and virtual reality. As the result of local real-life workshops and online exchanges and meeting, we will produce a tool kit as guidance for further use which will base on the joint pool of experience and a special survey. In our work, we will use a circular approach promoting the EU Green Deal, EUSBSR and Sustainable Development Goals.

The ultimate goal is to create a stronger, healthier and more resilient society with everybody on board, as well as a more friendly physical and digital space.

Creative Waves – Women Sisterhood for Change project – updates Dec 2021

Empowering women in the Baltic Sea Region by meeting traditional crafts, local traditions and customs etc with the digital modern world and its demands for change is our goal.  Women active in knitting, weaving, storytelling, herb gathering or traditional cooking gather online with creative and digital women experts to get more confidence, show their achievements and learn about the digital world and tools to help them function in the COVID times and beyond. They also meet at international events (online and in flesh) to exchange experience, learn, even more, look together for Baltic traditions and identity. Hopefully in arranging the events while implementing the project its partners will bring together more experienced women and the youth as well as migrant women – to enrich the exchange and help participants be more rooted, open and self-assured. The project is also to help learn about and implement EU key policies like EU Green Deal, European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

The project partners under the leadership of Intercult Productions in Stockholm are: Baltic Sea Culture Centre in Gdańsk, Association of Polish Communes Euroregion Baltic, Estonian Women’s Studies and Resource Centre (ENUT) and a team of women activists from Kaliningrad Oblast. The project lasting from September 2021 to September 2022 is co-finessed by the Council of the Baltic Sea States Small Project Facility 

General information about the Call and CBSS Funding Instrument:

The 2021 CBSS PSF call focused on innovative solutions for strengthening resilience and inclusiveness in the BSR during a period of crisis.

The CBSS was looking for:

• Innovative projects promoting the development of inclusive programmes designed to support groups particularly vulnerable to the pandemic and its effects, in order to offer them alternatives and strengthen their exit pathways from the crisis. 
• Innovative projects that assess the impact of the crisis on domestic violence or develop strategies, tools and collaboration to build stronger, more accessible, inclusive and sustainable systems for child protection.
• Innovative projects build on analysis of crisis impacts on societies and economies, which aim at proposing strengthening of societal resilience in a future, especially taking into account cross-sectoral character of problems and solutions (ex. culture in time of crisis and as a tool to build resilience and help societal and economic recovery, youth as vulnerable group in time of crisis and as a group able to develop innovative recovery strategies and projects).

About the selection

By the deadline 31st of March 2021, the CBSS Secretariat had received 55 submitted PSF applications.

The type of partners in this year’s call have been diverse, varying from NGOs and research centers to public institutions and universities.   

The projects have been selected to reflect the selection criteria in the PSF manual, as well as the wording in the PSF 2021 call. The projects selected:  

• Present a direct relevance to at least one of the three CBSS long-term priorities, 
• Align with the selected PSF call 2021 subject, Innovative solutions for strengthening resilience by promoting inclusiveness and protection of most vulnerable societal groups in the BSR during a period of crisis 
• Provide substantial added value for the Baltic Sea Region cooperation,  
• Display quality and a sustainable character, 
• Involve relevant partnership constellations, where partners are well established and includes at least three CBSS Member States. 

• List of the selected projects:

The key goal of the Umbrella 2.0 project is to raise awareness and knowledge of the importance and advantages of transnational and cross-border cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR), following the principles of the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR), European Union Green Deal and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The project, whose partners are Euroregion Baltic (ERB), the Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation (BSSSC) and the Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC) is funded by the Swedish Institute.

Umbrella 2.0 is dedicated to the BSR local authorities, civil society organisations and small institutions of diversified type, especially those who are newcomers to international cooperation. Our aim is to encourage them to be open to the possibilities provided by cross-border and transnational cooperation, to make them aware it is worthwhile to cooperate and that there are financial tools and project possibilities available to them, too. Furthermore, our ambition is to jointly explore the opportunities and benefits of being a part of the BSR and EUSBSR.

We believe that the best way to convince those who are new to international cooperation is by showing them the best examples of what has already been achieved by others. Thus, we have decided to ask directly those we thought could give some inspiration.

Enjoy the reading!

Click here:  

Umbrella 2.0 developed this booklet with best practices to further build the capacities of small and local actors and inspire more stakeholders to engage in transnational BSR cooperation.

The stories show examples of successful collaboration, extensive networking and present current and future “hot topics” for cooperation in EUSBSR thematic areas.

We asked partners of Baltic Sea cooperation projects and initiatives to share their stories about what good transnational collaboration can bring to their work, their organisations and local communities. They were all so enthusiastic about their work!

We encourage you to read those stories, get inspired and try to start your own transnational or cross-border activity.

DOWNLOAD HERE:

Introduced in 2009, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) was the first EU macro-regional strategy of the European Union. Formally adopted by the European Council after a communique from the European Commission (EC), the EUSBSR is an agreement signed between the Member States and the EC to strengthen cooperation between the countries bordering the Baltic Sea and to meet the many joint challenges as well as benefit from common opportunities facing the Baltic Sea region through three objectives: Save the Sea, Connect the Region and Increase Prosperity.

The Umbrella 2.0 project has been developed precisely to make the EUSBSR more “user-friendly” for the local stakeholders. The Umbrella 2.0 project was initiated by the Euroregion Baltic (ERB) and is implemented throughout 2021 with two partners: Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC) and Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation (BSSSC). This project is funded by the Swedish Institute, which has supported Baltic Sea cooperation for many years, especially among the local actors. The project also builds on two previous capacity building projects successfully implemented by the Euroregion Baltic and its Partners within the Interreg South Baltic Programme.

Over the course of two months, the experts conducted a series of 14 interviews with Coordinators of all Policy Areas of the Strategy, attempting on the one hand to gain a broad picture of the current status of local stakeholders’ participation but also to listen to interesting ideas and proposals on what should be done further to integrate them in the works of the Strategy. To this end, we asked several questions through which we have received a great deal of interesting feedback and some concrete proposals for the future of the EUSBSR implementation.

The resulting report is directed both towards the local stakeholders who are newcomers to the Strategy as well as those local actors who are more experienced in Baltic cooperation but would like to organise their knowledge and understanding of how the Strategy can be of use for them. Lastly, we hope that this report will help all institutions directly or indirectly involved in implementing the EUSBSR to learn more about the importance of improved collaboration with the local level of governance to achieve the goals outlined in the Strategy.

Download the Umbrella 2.0 report here:

Our Euroregion Baltic Youth Board and all Baltic Sea Youth Platform members are invited to join 1h fun class on “Fauna and flora of the #BalticSea” organised by us together with Gdynia Aquarium Akwarium Gdyńskie. Discover with us cool and funny facts about our sea!

Sign up, as we have limited no. of seats in our online class:

https://forms.gle/LeyacKTkCqSsPzhT8

During the presentation, students learn about the characteristics of the Baltic Sea, physical and chemical conditions as well as fauna and flora. During the presentation, basic ecological concepts are introduced. 

The Gdynia Aquarium is part of the National Marine Fisheries Research Institute. Our mission is to present aquatic species from around the world, as well as to transfer knowledge about the aquatic environment. The Gdynia Aquarium is a rather unusual zoological garden, in which all animals are bound to the aquatic environment, and in which the entire surface is enclosed in one building. However, despite this uniqueness, the Aquarium fulfils all the functions of a modern zoological garden, undertaking actions for the animals’ protection, propagating the ideas of environmental protection, conducting broadly understood ecological education and scientific research.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), one of the most important factors responsible for the loss of biodiversity on Earth is the excessive exploitation of species by humans. In the early 1970s, a special international agreement was established, called the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, i.e. from the English “Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora” – CITES. The aquarium is a shelter for animals from the CITES list. 

We invite you to join us on 15th June for another Umbrella 2.0 webinar – this time on EU Green Deal and its relation to the Baltic Sea Cooperation. If you represent small and local organisation from the baltic Sea Region this event is dedicated to you. We plan to bring closer the EU Agenda that is referring so much to sustainability, green planet goals and efficient use of resources.

Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CUHZ0W3CTJuDK_dIwqD9Zg

European Green Deal

Climate change and serious environmental degradation are a fact. They are severe threats to our planet and all the living creatures, including us –  humans. We have extensively used finite resources like water, gas, oil,  rare metals, etc. As the result of overconsumption and overproduction, we have been producing too much, often very harmful, waste which has ended in our oceans and landfills. And most of it does not degrade. The air in many parts of the earth is polluted and harmful to our health and wellbeing. We have been destroying nature and biodiversity by cutting trees, using farmland extensively, overregulating rivers and using too much concrete. As a result, we experience extreme weather phenomena such as torrential rains, floods, high temperatures, hurricanes or draughts, and we face severe water shortages. The modern production of food is also harmful to nature  – it produces too much CO₂ and causes nitrate leakage, degrades vast areas of soil and results in excessive water and energy use. Specialists throughout the planet and people living close to nature have been warning us for quite some time but only now we have realised how bad the situation is and that immediate actions are needed throughout the Globe.

As a response to the situation, the European Union has decided to adopt a new growth strategy which guarantees that:

• There are no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050;
• Economic growth and human wellbeing is not at the price of extensive resource use;
• The planned transformation will bring positive changes to all the people and areas covered.

The new strategic document, adopted in December 2019, is called the European Green Deal. It is accompanied by an Action Plan which shows how to:

• Boost the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy, and
• Restore biodiversity and cut pollution.

The goals are very ambitious and require changes and transformations in all sectors and the involvement of all of us – from decision-makers through research, business and agriculture sectors to consumers. Therefore a set of strategic documents and regulations have been introduced, and new ones are planned. Some of the key ones have been:

• European Green Deal Investment Plan – looking into the financial resources;
• Just Transition Mechanism –  to provide support for the areas which will be most seriously affected to support the necessary economic and social transformation;
• European Climate Law;
• Circular Economy Action Plan – to encourage us to use resources more efficiently and responsibly;
• Farm to fork strategy – to make food production and consumption more healthy to us and the planet;
• EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 – to protect our planet natural resources;
•  New European Bauhaus – an environmental, economic and cultural project to make our living areas environment–friendly, aesthetic and inclusive for all.

All those policies and plans introduced at the EU level are in an obvious way necessary for the Baltic Sea Region. Current EUSBSR AP, with the support of EU and other available funds, takes them into account and responds to them. All the individual, national and international activities – no matter how small – need to add to the shared success. So it is time for all self-governments, business of all kind, educational and cultural institutions, and civil society to join forces across borders to stop the damage and reverse the negative changes. Being involved in international projects helps us understand the processes, learn from experience and change the world around us for the better.

According to the EUSBSR website – https://balticsea-region-strategy.eu/, the 12^th Annual Forum of the EUSBSR will be held on 27 September – 1 October 2021 by Lithuania. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Forum will be fully virtual.

The Forum is organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kaunas City Municipality, Klaipėda City Municipality and our Umbrella 2.0 partner – Union of the Baltic Cities.

Annual Forum 2021 fosters green transition through synergies

The topic of the Annual Forum 2021 is GREEN RECOVERY. The event aims at fostering green transition in the Baltic Sea Region through a close partnership and more active involvement of the stakeholders, in particular youth and local communities.

The guiding principle of the Annual Forum 2021 is SYNERGIES. In the context of recent challenges (the COVID-19 pandemic, green and digital transitions), it is worthwhile to combine forces to achieve more: enabling SYNERGIES between national and regional levels; different policy areas; Macroregional strategies; and different stakeholders.

Keywords of the event: revitalise, recover, recharge

The motto of the Annual Forum 2021 is REVITALISE. RECOVER. RECHARGE. The health crisis has had a huge impact not only on health systems but also on economies, social systems, education and our way of life. While still trying to prevent the spread of new variants of the virus and accelerate the vaccination, it is already possible to draw some lessons, cooperation and common action being among the most significant ones. Therefore, the Annual Forum 2021 aims at revitalizing more active involvement of the political level in the implementation of the EUSBSR; making the Strategy contribute to the post-pandemic recovery of the Baltic Sea Region and recharging for the green and digital transition.

We very much look forward to cooperating with all the stakeholders and wider society and hope you will join us for the EUSBSR Annual Forum 2021.

The main aim of the UMBRELLA 2.0 event on 27.04 is to inspire and raise awareness on the importance of cross-border and transnational cooperation for all local actors – including the smaller ones and those who never took part in any international collaboration before.

We have invited experts coming from: Council of the Baltic Sea States, EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, Euroregion Baltic, Union of the Baltic Cities, Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation, local NGOs and municipalities from different Baltic Sea countries to ask them for their best practices, advice and inspiration.

We will have experts answering your questions LIVE during the event.

Send your questions to us now, and we will ask the most suitable expert to answer them.

Type your question here: https://forms.gle/WukYrjhBUWevmNUVA