The “Local Development” Programme, at the start: 82.3 million euros for local development, reducing poverty, enhancing the inclusion of Roma

The Programme “Local development and poverty reduction, enhancing the inclusion of Roma” (Local Development), financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021, was launched on Thursday, September 13, in an official setting, at the Hotel Marshal Garden from Bucharest. The launch event enjoyed increased interest among potential beneficiaries, 115 representatives of central and local public authorities, civil society, but also participants from Norway and the Council of Europe honoring the invitation to take part in this inaugural event.

In her address to the participants, Mrs. Mihaela Toader, State Secretary at the Ministry of European Funds, described the “Local Development” Programme as an extremely important one within the EEA and Norway financial mechanisms. We are talking about considerable sums allocated to areas of great importance for Romania, from local development to social inclusion, supporting young people in risk situations and strengthening partnerships with donor states. All are equally important and all require increased attention both from the authorities and from those who implement the projects, said Mihaela Toader.

For her part, Ms. Lise Kleven Grevstad, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway in Romania, wanted to emphasize the importance of education and investments in social inclusion for the trajectory of a state, in this sense even offering the example of Norway. One of the most effective ways to promote social inclusion is education. That is why education is one of the fundamental investments of this program. Access to education was crucial in the development process of my country, said Mrs. Lise Kleven Grevstad.

It is the most complex and extensive program from a financial point of view in the entire portfolio of programs financed by the countries of the European Economic Area, with a budget of 82.3 million euros. In addition to the general objectives of the Grants, the Programme proposes a number of specific objectives, such as increasing access to services for the Roma population, developing anti-discrimination tools, supporting children and young people in risk situations, strengthening the capacity of the educational system to to offer inclusive education and to increase the quality of services, but also the implementation of the recommendations of the European Court of Human Rights, stressed, for her part, Mrs. Mihaela Peter, Executive Director of the Romanian Fund for Social Development, the organization responsible for the management of the Program .

The program is implemented by the Romanian Social Development Fund, in partnership with the Council of Europe and the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities.

The launch conference of the Program was an opportunity to promote among the participants the financing opportunities offered by the Program, in the next two years it is planned to launch 7 calls for project proposals, in areas such as local development, poverty reduction, Roma inclusion, children and young people at risk, good governance, human rights. Also presented during the conference were the 4 predefined projects to be financed through the Program, projects whose implementation is responsible for the Association of Romanian Municipalities (ACoR), the General Secretariat of the Romanian Government (SGG), the National University of Physical Education and Sports (UNEFS) and the Council of Europe (CoE).

At the same time, the importance given by the Program to the strengthening of bilateral relations between Romania and the donor states was also emphasized. Thus, the Program will finance bilateral initiatives aimed at contributing to the development of sustainable relations of cooperation, partnership and exchange of experience between entities from Romania and entities from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway that are active in the areas of the Programme.

Details about the “Local Development” Programme are available on www.frds.ro and on the Program’s Facebook page.