We're thrilled to share the exciting start of the Speak Up project, a 3-year Interreg North Sea Region initiative spanning 6 countries with 12 partners. The project focuses on enhancing citizen community engagement and participation, acknowledging the vital need for improved collaboration between citizens and governments. Speak Up embarks on a mission to redefine how citizens and governments interact, addressing pressing challenges that demand our collective attention. The project seeks to provide an effective voice to citizens and communities by developing new frameworks and models for citizen engagement and participation.
G2C and C2G
The aim is twofold: to equip governments with better ways of engaging with citizens (G2C) and to empower citizens with improved means of engaging with governments (C2G). The project started on November 12 and 13 2023 with a kickoff meeting in Groningen, since the municipality of Groningen is the Lead beneficiary of this project. This event brought together all partners to discuss plans and ambitions for the three-year trajectory of the project.
Showcasing: partners take the spotlight
The kick-off meeting delved into essential aspects, including Interreg regulations (by NSR project advisor Femke Boersma) and the establishment of a comprehensive timeline for the project. Additionally, partners engaged in an interactive work session. Adding to the mix, each partner took center stage with a poster presentation, unveiling their plans for the project and shedding light on the unique features of their city or region.
Partner presentations included an in-depth look at the "Voice of Groningen" participation platform. Additionally, the University of Groningen presented their work on "Diversity in participation panels: fueling polarization or empowering communities."
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