Partnership sealed with clay

Project facts

Project promoter:
ANNOGALLERY
Project Number:
SK08-0011
Target groups
Children ,
Non governmental organisation
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€254,900
Final project cost:
€254,724
From Norway Grants:
€ 194,864
The project is carried out in:
Slovakia

Description

The aim of the “Partnership sealed with clay” project is to eliminate the existing barriers to cross-border cooperation by forming new partnerships, and fostering the existing ones, between regional and local stakeholders in the regions of Prešov and Košice and the Transcarpathian region. The submitted project is aimed at cooperation between non-governmental and public, regional and local stakeholders and activities facilitating the availability of information on the other side of the border through common cultural events and the sharing of mutual experience among partners. The meaning of the “clay-sealed” partnership is that all stakeholders will participate in the activities actively and creatively. This helps creating a relaxed and informal atmosphere that strengthens the partnership and causes the relationships to be more intense and sustainable, many a time stronger than merely official contractual relationships. Such partnership is efficient, and motivates and inspires the partners to engage in further activities in different fields of interest, including trade cooperation. The project is expected to create new functioning and sustainable partnerships between ANNOGALLERY and partners in the area of cultural cooperation, education, services, and awareness-building. The partnership will engage a greater number of partners lacking prior Slovak-Ukrainian experience, non-governmental organisations, schools, local public authorities and central authorities. The partnership will be confirmed by entering into cooperation agreements. The project will exploit different types of regional potential – social, cultural and rural potential.

Summary of project results

The aim of the project was to eliminate the existing barriers to cross-border cooperation by forming new partnerships, and fostering the existing ones, between regional and local stakeholders in the regions of Prešov and Košice and the Transcarpathian region. The project focused on cooperation between nongovernmental and public, regional and local stakeholders and activities facilitating the availability of information on the other side of the border through common cultural events and the sharing of mutual experience among partners. During the project, new functioning and sustainable partnerships were created in the area of cultural cooperation, education, services, and awareness-building. The partnership engaged partners from Slovakia, Ukraine, and Norway, mostly lacking prior Slovak-Ukrainian experience, non-governmental organizations, schools, local public authorities and central authorities. The partnership was confirmed by entering into 13 Partnership agreements in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The partnership has created sustainable and cooperating structures and opened up new opportunities for supporting and establishing multilateral contacts and for further development of such activities as the “People-to-People” project, which raise cross-border awareness of the other side of the border and strengthen cross-border cooperation. The project result indicators were fulfilled as planned. 54 different initiatives were carried out: 27 creative ceramic workshops for children and handicapped persons, 3 open creative events for the public, 2 five-day daily camps for children, 2 theater guest performances, 5 cognitive stays for schools and children, 1 ten-day creative stay for artists, 12 exhibitions, and 2 conferences. 3,959 people took part in organized activities, out of which 3156 took part in public events. A contact center in Bežovce was established: the leased building was reconstructed and the workshop was set up with six pieces of technical equipment for work with ceramics, glass and art techniques. After project completion, it will serve for the implementation and development of further activities.Children, adults and vulnerable groups were engaged in the workshops in March/June 2016. 5-day camps took place in July/August 2016 in the ceramic studios in Hôrka and Bežovce. In January/February 2017, cognitive stays were held for Ukrainian children, who participated in creative workshops and explored the cultural, historical and touristic attractions of the High Tatras and Slovakia.

Summary of bilateral results

The Norwegian partner supported the implementation of the project with his expertise, contributed with experience in the field of community work with specific target groups. Partner representatives actively participated in creative activities of the project, in workshops and the final conference. The sharing and exchange of mutual experience and information took place during joint meetings. Exchange and sharing of information also took place through printed brochures, newsletters, visual presentations, web-communication and social networks. The partnership has strengthened the development of cross-border cooperations and cross-border awareness, which can help local and regional actors to develop strategies or overcome barriers of cross-border cultural and social collaboration.