ComManaging Municipallity (COMMA) – communication and management for community involvement in municipal governance in Belarus

About of project:

Project Period: 01.05.2015 – 31.10.2019

Budget: €588,089.46; EU contribution - € 441,067.10

Implementing Agency: Administration of the city of Jelgava (Latvia)

Coordinator in Belarus: EKAPRAEKT (International NGO)

Location: Mahilioŭ, Čavusy and Baranavičy

Description

Close interaction between municipal residents, house owners and the State is essential for the success of reforms of the Belarus' municipal governance and utilities. The EU countries' advanced practice helps build such relations.

Goals and objectives: Based on the case studies of three Belarusian cities, demonstrate ways of improving municipal governance and urban residents' wellbeing through efficient cooperation between local authorities and communities, or participatory management.

Intermediate outcomes: Successful practice of participatory management in EU countries was reviewed. The document provides case studies of interaction in the sphere of urban management.

Local authorities and stakeholders defined pilot project themes for each partner city. Landscaping of Padnikollie Park in the historic downtown of Mahilioŭ and greening of Čavusy historic quarters are scheduled for the near future. The project implementation has been completed in Baranavičy: a sports and recreational ground has been built.

Seminars, conferences and consultations are held for experience exchange. Thus, a seminar on Green Municipal Management – Partnership Practices was held in March 2016 in Mahilioŭ; it was attended by representatives of local authorities and communities from the Project partner cities, as well as in Minsk and Viciebsk. Reports of European and domestic reports underpinned discussions of opportunities and challenges of participatory management in Belarus' cities. In 2017-2018, training was arranged on topics of relevance for each city: urban green zone development (Mahilioŭ), IT for urban management (Baranavičy), innovative technology solutions for improving energy performance (Čavusy). Training on communication management and stakeholder engagement was held in Minsk in December 2017 (in cooperation with UNDP) and in April 2018 (in cooperation with the International Facility Management Association and the Ministry of Housing and Utilities). Training of local stakeholders is held during the entire project period. Mini-grant contests have been announced in support of community initiatives.

Green Info Centres – local info resources and discussion groups will open in September 2018 to make urban residents aware of the opportunities of participation in urban decision-making, the latest technologies of green urban development, throw light on zoning and housing/utilities legislation, clearly explain the rights and duties of city administration and residents.

Contacts:

Gunita Osīte, Project Manager,

+371 63005569, +371 29196462, gunita.osite@dome.jelgava.lv

Mariya Falaleeva, Chairperson, Central Board of EKAPRAEKT International NGO

+375 33 395 44 06, komgor.project@gmail.com

Aksana Tarasevich, Belarus Project Manager, EKAPRAEKT International NGO,

aksana.tarasevich@mail.ru

Project Website: http://ekapraekt.by/?q=be/comma

Documents: 

attach.png Analysis of the European experience of engaging the local community in partnering in urban management

attach.png Article in the magazine "Zhivi kak khozyain"