Welcome to the training session about the EUSBSR on 9th November 2021 at 9.30-15.15 CET, Online. The event will be organised by the Umbrella 2.0 partner – Union of the Baltic Cities.
The overall aim is to shift the paradigm from taking part in international projects to becoming an active player in the EUSBSR process. The goal is to share the knowledge on how to build a process for the implementation of EUSBSR at the local level by local authorities and civil society organisations.
Please see the draft programme in the attachment here:
”UMBRELLA 2.0-Boosting transnational cooperation capacities for multilevel actors in the Baltic Sea Region” goal is to increase awareness and knowledge of transnational cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region. More specifically, the project aims at initiating a process for the development of strong multi-actor and multilevel governance partnerships that can undertake cross-sectoral sustainable solutions while following the principles and objectives of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EU Green Deal and UN SDG.
Project partners:
Association of Polish Communes Euroregion Baltic (ERB) – the applicant
Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC);
Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation (BSSSC) – Associated partner
For any additional questions, please contact UBC Secretariat: info@ubc.net
Over 125 participants joined us on Tuesday, 27th April to learn more about the cooperation possibilities in the Baltic Sea Region! More than 90 participants stayed also for the thematic workshops part and enjoyed the discussion with the experts from all BSR countries. On behalf of Umbrella 2.0 Partnership: Euroregion Baltic, Union of the Baltic Cities and Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation, together with Swedish Institute, which is funding our initiative, we would like to thank everyone for your presence, comments and great inputs!
Our event started with a presentation on the Umbrella 2.0 project given by Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło – Project Coordinator and Head of the International Permanent Secretariat at Euroregion Baltic, which you can also see here:
This part was followed by the presentation of 3 project partners, their organisations and the possibilities they offer to the Baltic Sea region smaller actors and institutions eager to start transnational cooperation.
Finally, Gabor Schneider presented the Swedish Institute offers for the Baltic Sea Region actors, coming from all over the Baltic Sea, but also available to participants from Russia and Ukraine.
The second hour of the webinar part was dedicated to knowledge sharing – Olga Zuin, Programme Coordinator of the CBSS Baltic 2030 Unit presented her great input on Sustainable Development Goals and their implementation measures in the Baltic Sea Region. She mentioned two important reports prepared by the CBSS:
Finally, Sebastian Magier from Vestanda AB, Umbrella 2.0 Expert presented the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region “entry points’ for small and local actors based on 14 interviews with EUSBSR Policy Area Coordinators. The full report will be provided in May and available to all Baltic Sea actors.
The whole webinar part of the Umbrella 2.0 Awareness Raising Event was recorded and is available online here:
After the break, the event continued with the Q&A Session, where experts related to BSR cooperation answered the questions we’ve received from our participant before the event. Q&A session was related to the Baltic Sea Cooperation related to EUSBSR, SDGs and EU Green Deal.
Questions that were taken live: COMING SOON!
Is the EUSBSR action plan updated from time to time? How often? And how does the negotiation work? Can local actors contribute to it? How?
Our expert: Anders Bergström, EUSBSR Policy Area Education Coordinator
2. Who’s in charge of monitoring the SDGs achievements in each country of the Baltic Sea States?
Our expert: Olga Zuin, Programme Coordinator of the CBSS Baltic 2030 Unit
3. How do you think the situation in the tourism sector will change after Covid in the Baltic Sea Region, e.g. how the pandemic affected the way of travelling? Will there be any incentives to prefer “green transports?
Our expert: Andrea Krabbe, EUSBSR Policy Area Tourism Coordinator
4. How to find partners for cooperation activities/ international projects?
Umbrella 2.0 Partners – Euroregion Baltic, Union of the Baltic and the Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation are glad to present the draft agenda for the Awareness Raising Event promoting Baltic Sea cooperation scheduled for 27th April.
The main aim of our event 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 cooperation before. We wish to show you the great benefits of working together with similar actors all around the Baltic Sea but also guide you on how to start this kind of initiatives. We have prepared the event’s agenda that will inform you how our 3 organisations – ERB, UBC, BSSSC could support you in your journey, what are the possibilities and “entry points” available.
We have invited experts coming from: Council of the Baltic Sea States, EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, local NGOs and municipalities from different Baltic Sea countries to ask them for their best practices, advice and inspiration. We also plan a Q&A session with our experts, where you will be able to learn more about the cooperation possibilities and find necessary information for your future collaboration.
Please see the draft agenda for the event below. We hope you will find it interesting and will join us in our journey that starts n 27th April and will continue in the next months’ thanks to the support we received from the Swedish Institute. We plan to follow up this meeting by organising smaller events (hopefully they will be also possible in physical format!) related to specific cooperation topics and EU/BSR policies and agendas.
Umbrella 2.0 launches its first event to raise awareness on the current “hot topics in the Baltic Sea Region”. Today we hear a lot about sustainability and it may seem a difficult topic, getting lost in EU policies and strategies, or seen as something the “big” are responsible for, like the United Nations and their Sustainable Development Goals. However, every day, many small actors from civil society perform activities that contribute to the achievement of overarching goals. It may seem not relevant, but even the ocean is made by drops.
Umbrella 2.0 would like to invite and inspire local actors from civil society and the public sphere to undertake actions that can contribute to important sustainable goals. We need to go all in the same direction, together. Therefore, we have invited representatives of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, besides NGOs, to get to know each other and discuss together.
Are you curious? Would you like to know how to get engaged and/ or to start a learning process, involving your staff?
Take part in our online event, get inspired by other organizations like yours and let us guide you!
Interreg South Baltic Programme seeks to stronger involve local, regional & non-governmental stakeholders as well as academia in the programming process. Euroregion Baltic, a Lead Partner of the ”Umbrella – Boosting cross-border cooperation capacities of local actors in the South Baltic Sea” project decided to become an active part of this process. Between October and December 2020 ERB/Umbrella project organised:
Four thematic focus group workshops
•Blue & green growth
•Energy transition & connectivity
•Sustainable & innovative tourism –and
cultural heritage
•Building civil & more inclusive society
Umbrella project final conference on 2.12.2020 with a panel called: South Baltic Programme – Future. Speakers:
Niels Chresten Andersen, Regional Municipality
on Bornholm
Introduction of the panel.
South Baltic programme 2021-27 – state of art
Dominika Butkiewicz, Head of the Joint
Secretariat of South Baltic Programme
Proposed Priority Axes and
specific objectives of the next Interreg South Baltic Programme
Anna Drążek, Director of the Pomorskie EU Office in Brussels, ‘Pomorskie in the EU’ Association
Jens Masuch, GA-MA Consulting
Input on the future of the South BalticProgramme given by the Umbrella beneficiaries summary – report
Direct consultations with the representatives of the Council of Non-Governmental Organizations of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (ROPWWM) and request to provide their written feedback
Organisations actively involved in the
process – their representatives took part in the 4 thematic focus group
workshops:
1. BMUC Innovation & Development, Member of
the Offshore Center Bornholm, Denmark
2. Energy Agency for Southeast Sweden, Sweden
3. Municipality of Västervik, Sweden
4. Symbiosis Kalundborg, Denmark
5. Baltic
Tech Park, Klaiped, Lithuania
6. Warmia
and Masuria University, Centrum Biogospodarki i Energii Odnawialnych (CBEO),
Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie, Poland
7. Pomorskie Voivodeship, Economic Development
Department, Energy Efficiency office, Poland
8. Baltic Institute for Regional Affairs, Gdynia,
Poland
9. Western Ships Agency (legal name in Lithuanian
language UAB ,,Vakarų laivų agentai”) , Lithuania
10. Gate 21, NGO, Albertslund, Denmark
11. “Pomorskie in the European Union”
Association, Gdańsk, Poland
12. Klaipeda Association of Communities, Lithuania
13. Roskilde University, Denmark
14. Municipality of Kalmar, Sweden
15. Municipality of Guldborgsund, Denmark
16. Kalmar County Museum, Sweden
17. New Competence Center., Gdańsk, Poland
18. Netport Karlshamn , Sweden
19. Rotorwerk, consulting company, Germany
20. European Solidarity Center Gdansk, Poland
21. DIALOG Association, Poland
22. Water Users Partnership Oskarshamn, Sweden
23. Kalmar County Administrative Board, Sweden
24. Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of
Sciences (IOPAN), Poland
25. Gdansk
Water (Gdanskie Wody sp. z o.o) , Poland
26. Voivodeship Fund for Environmental Protection
& Water Management in Olsztyn, Poland
27. Masuria Entrepreneurship Agency, Poland
28. Leibnitz Institute of Farmed Animals Biology,
Dummerstorf, Germany
29. Linneus University of Kalmar, Faculty of
Health and Life Sciences, Sweden
30. Region
Kalmar County, Sweden
31. Municipality
of Karlskrona, Sweden
32. Oskarshamn
Municipality, Sweden
33. Bornholms Museum, Denmark
34. Museum Lolland-Falster, Denmark
35. Baltic Sea Cultural Centre, Gdańsk, Poland
36. Tourism Associiation Vorpommern, Germany
37. The Coastal Union Germany (EUCC-D), Germany
38. University
of Gdańsk, Poland
39. CSE
Światowid, Elbląg, Poland
40. CittaSlow
cities, Olsztyn, Poland
41. Pomorskie Tourism Board, Gdańsk, Poland
The Umbrella project was meant to be exactly that – an umbrella to gather other projects and a way to connect people through cross-border projects. It was aimed at newcomers who had not yet been involved in projects in the South Baltic Programme. These included small local and regional organisations with an interest in developing a South Baltic identity. Stakeholders were invited to participate in national training courses in project management and offered tailor-made solutions to help build capacity. Different initiatives and micro-activities such as “meet your- neighbour” has helped break down barriers and spread the concepts and values of cross-border cooperation.
A cross-border project to inspire more cross-border cooperation The overall purpose of this project was to enlighten people that cooperation is important for geographic, economic, and social cohesion and that approaching the field of EU grants and projects can be an advantage in local development policies. A gradual process with great potential This development is not without obstacles, and capacity building should not be seen as a goal in itself, but rather as a process. To build a house you need to lay brick by brick, starting from the foundation. That is why the Umbrella project was introduced with awareness-raising events to say: “Hey you! Change is just around the corner! Go out and see what is going on in the region you live in.”
And for those who were already aware of the great potential of the Baltic Sea Region, well, knowledge can always be increased. We have been looking forward to introducing you to the benefits of cross-border cooperation in the South Baltic Sea region. These 12 Interreg South Baltic projects are here to motivate and to inspire – and we are pleased to include our own achievements – and tips & tips on how to be part of the Interreg South Baltic family.
This is our Success Story Book To inspire. To encourage. To bring the action!
Three years have passed since Umbrella was approved by INTERREG South Baltic Programme and launched by the partnership. This project was needed since research showed that the South Baltic Programme was still poorly available to small organizations because of insufficient institutional and financial capacities, communication barriers, lack of English language skills, lack of competencies and capacities for project development and implementation. What observed in the frame of the South Baltic Programme could be generalized also for other European grants and other local cross-border cooperation opportunities in the South Baltic Sea area. The overall objective of the project was to initiate a process of the capacity building involving small municipalities, NGOs and other local/ regional organizations in order to transfer the knowledge and capacities and to include them in the current cross-border cooperation networks. Today we can finally state that we’ve achieved over expected results.
On 2nd December the final conference of the project was held online as an engaging webinar. Short videos alternated to partners’ introduction and presentation of the results with a look to the future and Umbrella 2.0 that will be launched in 2021. This conference aimed to be also a moment of awareness-raising on the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, Sustainable Development Goals and their achievements in the Baltic Sea Region, and the EU Green Deal- a roadmap for the upcoming years.
To conclude, some hints about the future South Baltic Programme and EU programming period were provided. With the fantastic moderation of Mr Maciej Kautz, we can say that we eventually concluded a great project that, as stated many times, is just the beginning. The seeds have been planted, the process has been started and we are confident that with our contribution cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region will be strengthened. Umbrella aimed at becoming a brand in the region, recognized for its replicable toolbox of tailor-made solutions. Well, we have done a great job.
So, what to expect for the near future? For sure an awareness-raising event, “Meet-your-flagship” activities to connect with the EUSBSR, webinars on project management, training on SDG, EUSBSR and EU Green Deal to really engage local actors and connect them with the strategic levels of cooperation. We look forward to getting started and have you all on board!
Dear Umbrella Partners and Beneficiaries,
We are more than happy to say, that our UMBRELLA Interreg South Baltic Programme project final conference was a great success. Over 100 people joined us online via ZOOM webinar to hear about our project results, to learn about the EUSBSR, SDGs and EU Green Deal, but also to discuss the future cooperation possibilities in the MFF 2021-2027.
You can find below all the presentations given by our fantastic speakers.
And here’s a visual summary of the event:
We also hope you enjoyed the 4 video clips summarising our project! You can check them again here:
Finally, if you missed any part of the event or would like to watch it once more you have the opportunity to see all 3 sessions here:
Some screenshots from our meeting:
Dear Umbrella’s beneficiary,
On behalf of the Association of Polish Communes Euroregion Baltic as Lead Partner of Umbrella Project and on behalf of the whole project partnership, we would like to invite you to our final conference. Three years have passed since Umbrella was approved by INTERREG South Baltic Programme and launched by the partnership. This project was needed since research showed that the South Baltic Programme was still poorly available to small organizations because of insufficient institutional or financial capacities, communication barriers, lack of English language skills, lack of competencies and capacities for project development and implementation. What observed in the frame of the South Baltic Programme could be generalized also for other European grants and other local cross-border cooperation opportunities in the South Baltic Sea area. The overall objective of the project was to initiate a process of the capacity building involving small municipalities, NGOs and other local/ regional organizations in order to transfer the knowledge and capacities and to include them in the current cross-border cooperation networks. Today we can finally state that we’ve achieved over expected results and we would like to share them with you.
Time to sum up our Umbrella project in figures! Did you know that…
① representatives from 5 countries from the South Baltic, i.e: Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Germany took part in our project? ② over 300 people in total participated in the project? ③ in over 3 years we have organized 30 live meetings and over 12 online events?
Looking at these figures, we wonder what the next editions of this project will bring us. We already know for sure that a lot is going to happen! Remember that you can still sign up for the conference closing the Umbrella project, which will be held online on December 2, 2020, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
