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Description
Kuusalu is home to the international human rights organization Little Black Fish and to the grassroots organization Roheline Kuusalu which has spent the past years increasing the impact of civil society and activism in the community. Kuusalu is a typical Estonian rural area. Its population is spread over a large region, and for decades the same people have run the local. For these reasons, the region is not attractive to the young and its “activism” is limited to hobby groups. As the leaders of civil society, LBF and Roheline Kuusalu feel isolated. Human rights and the environment are uncomfortable subjects. They challenge existing power relations and the traditional ways the community has always functioned. Project K.A. is a unique 12-month partnership between 20 active citizens, 2 local organizations, 5 specialists from Estonian NGOs, a researcher, the municipality and the community. Project’s first phase will map the community''s active citizens and organizations. Then LBF will adapt its “artivism” (activism through art) model to the local setting. In phase two artivism, co-design workshops, a social media campaign and a public event will increase citizen participation, create a better power balance, increase youth engagement and improve the visibility of local civil society in the community. In the third phase, we will create working support systems that can be used elsewhere.
Summary of project results
The pilot project "K.A" goal was to strengthen citizen activism and support systems of non-governmental organizations in rural areas through codesign and creative activism. Its aim was to increase the number of civil society participants in rural areas of Estonia by promoting cooperation between local NGOs, community members, and professionals. The changes sought by the project were as follows:
1. Activating the community and increasing the number of participants in rural areas
2. Increasing participatory democracy in the community
3. Establishment and development of citizen activism and NGO support systems.
The project began with extensive preparations, including the creation of informational materials, development of an impact evaluation strategy, and organization of a large-scale awareness campaign. The first public event, Kuusalu Activists'' Summer Days, was held alongside a community collage-making workshop, with 20 participants attending. An information collection map for Kuusalu was developed and distributed across major settlements, totaling over 50 maps.
As the project progressed, efforts were made to continue community workshops and creative activities. However, challenges arose in engaging participants and finding individuals willing to travel to Kuusalu. Despite this, the second public event, "Community Power," was held with 10 attendees.
The final phase concentrated on documenting and presenting project activities to a broader audience. Interest in the initiative was evident during the third community event, "Make Your Organization Visible," attended by representatives from two organizations, along with Green Kuusalu and LBF. Two online panel discussions, "The Possibility of Political Activism in Small Communities I & II," exceeded expectations, attracting speakers from across Estonia.
To conclude the project, key activities and discussions were compiled into the "Green Kuusalu" magazine, with 200 copies printed, ensuring the project''s impact reached a wider audience.
The project successfully contributed to activating the local community, though the results fell short of expectations. Despite an extensive campaign and four planned community events (one of which was canceled due to lack of interest), only 17 local participants, including three young individuals, engaged with the initiative. Most participants and support came from outside the community, an unexpected but valuable outcome that highlighted the challenges of mobilizing passive communities. This experience underscored the need to develop strategies for sustaining grassroots movements in such environments.
The second goal, increasing participatory democracy within the community, received less focus as most efforts were directed toward community activation. The relationship with Kuusalu municipality remained distant, with no officials attending any events. This was partly due to local activists and organizations seeking a space free from municipal influence to openly discuss their concerns.
The third goal, creating and developing support systems for citizen activism and NGOs, remained a priority throughout the project, with a focus on adapting activities to the Estonian context. Despite challenges locally, the project gained traction with nationwide organizations such as Hoiame Loodust, Loomus, and Eesti Metsa Abiks, which provided support through participation, organization, and moral backing. The experience demonstrated that sustainable support structures for activism would be most effective at the national level, leveraging online and social media platforms to create broader opportunities for engagement.Top of Form