Solidarity is one of the most important universal and fundamental values and one of the most recent human rights. It is based on equality, inclusion and social justice and entails a mutual commitment and obligation. Solidarity connects the individual to others in need and unites people in pursue of a common goal.
In the context of the CERV programme, solidarity is undoubtedly the core value guiding each and every funded action. One notable example is Town Twinning, which has become a driver of solidarity, cooperation, economic and socio-cultural exchanges. This initiative contributes substantially to bringing together citizens to debate issues on the European political agenda.
Town Twinning is an expression of European unity and identity formed from the grassroots and community engagement. Municipalities that benefit from CERV get the chance to address common problems, joint brainstorming and introducing concrete measures for specific issues.
The key role of municipalities, cities and regions in a multi-level governance is more prominent than ever. Indeed, in the current European context facing multiple crises such as post-COVID recovery and the war in Ukraine, twinning stands out as a unique tool to promote cooperation, exchanges and solidarity among local and regional governments which are at the forefront in responding to shared challenges, while continuing to reliably provide services to their communities.
For instance, the project Town twinning in times of solidarity allowed seven municipalities from four countries (Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and Rumania) to exchange experiences and ideas on different aspects of the European Union.
During the project, participants discussed past and present challenges (e.g., Covid-19 pandemic, effects of the war in Ukraine, and discrimination against women) and the possibilities of its future development.
This initiative facilitated the establishment of peaceful and cooperative relations between citizens of different countries, enabling municipality to exchange best practices and develop new ideas.
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