The European Confederation of Large Families (ELFAC) has been awarded the European project CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) for the twinning of 4 municipalities belonging to the European Network. Is starts in Alghero (Sardinia, Italy) the 11th of October 2024.
It is called “Better Future Festival”, the festival that ELFAC is going to realise in 4 cities adhering to the European Network. It is an initiative to inspire and involve large families and young people 18-33 in the creation of a more inclusive, sustainable and democratic Europe.
The aim of the project is to organise 5 festivals in Europe, each one focusing on central themes for the European Union such as solidarity, sustainable urbanisation, inclusive growth, demographic challenges, participation. Each festival will feature themed entertainment, seminars, workshops and debates, where young people will be called upon to design the Europe of the future. Each event will be finalised by a final declaration by the young participants, who will thus have the opportunity to make their voices heard.
Over the course of 12 months, a total of 230 people from 4 countries (Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania) will be involved in the twinning of 4 municipalities belonging to the European Network of Family Friendly Municipalities: Alghero, Creixell, Gdyńia and Bacau. The final event will take place in Brussels, in September 2025, when a “Youth Declaration for a Better Future” will be presented to the European Parliament.
The main objectives of the project are: 1- to actively involve citizens of all ages in the construction of the Europe of the future; 2- to promote cooperation and the exchange of good practices; 3- to offer young people a platform for debate, discussion and participation in European politics.
- Event 1: “Festival of the Better Future: The EU We Want”: Large Families in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities; Three Ideas for a Better Future: More Solidarity, More Sustainability, Better and Inclusive Growth.
- Event 2: ‘Welcoming cities, for an inclusive EU’: EU policy frameworks on migration, integration and asylum; Demographic challenges in Europe, migration crisis and EU policies; What is an inclusive EU.
- Event 3: ‘Greener cities, greener EU’: EU policy frameworks on sustainability, green cities, sustainable urbanisation and urban regeneration.
- Event 4: ‘Inclusive family-friendly growth’: EU policy frameworks on demographic challenges and social rights, sustainable and decent work, work-life balance, intergenerational policies in support of children and older people.
The first festival, entitled ‘Festival for a better future: the Europe we want’, will be held from 11 to 13 October in Alghero, the first city to be certified in Italy as ‘family friendly’, co-founder of the Italian network of Family Friendly Municipalities and the European Network of ‘family friendly’ municipalities.
“We are very happy to have been awarded this grant” said Regina Maroncelli, president of the European Confederation, “For ELFAC it is an important step, as for the first time we are the leaders of a European project. This will allow us to gain experience and expertise, and become a reference point for our andassociations and the municipalities belonging to the Network that intend to engage in European projects. Moreover, we have the opportunity to involve citizens and in particular large families and young people in the debate for a more united, more functional and closer Europe.”
Therefore, do not miss the “Better Future Festival” in Alghero, entitled “The Europe we want”, which will take place on the second weekend of October: “it will be wonderful – adds Regina Maroncelli – many international guests will be able to get to know the city and Sardinia’s wonderful sea, while learning their tradition , wonderful food and its great work to put the family at the centre of its future.”