Ancona, Italy, 6-7 March 2024. The GEAR UP! project consortium convened in Ancona, Italy, from March 6th to 7th, 2024, marking the beginning of an ambitious initiative aimed at strengthening youth engagement, fostering cooperation between Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Local Authorities (LAs), and accelerating progress towards sustainable development.
GEAR UP! is a pioneering project focused on promoting Global Citizenship Education (GCE) actions related to sustainable development, with a particular emphasis on targeting young people through financial support to Third Parties, GEAR UP! aims to bridge gaps and empower local actors facing financial and administrative challenges.
The kick of meeting in Ancona was attended by the team of the AIE Secretariat, Carmela Vaccaro, Maria Luisa Esposito and Andrea Di Girolamo and the meeting was hosted and organised by Marche Region, member of the Adriatic Ionanian Euroregion and lead partner of the initiative.
“The kick-off meeting in Ancona marks the beginning of an exciting journey towards building a shared vision of the role of GCE in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda”, admitted Carmela Vaccaro (Project Officer) “Through strategic partnerships and innovative approaches, we aim to empower youth, promote gender equality, and drive positive change at the local and global levels.”
The GEAR UP! consortium, composed of 1 Lead Partner, 10 Partners, and 6 Associate Partners representing 10 LAs, 1 Association of Local Authorities (ALAs), and 6 CSOs from 8 European countries, is committed to working collaboratively to address common needs and challenges. These include limited financial resources for CSOs and LAs, difficulties in engaging youth in global issues, and a lack of technical competencies to access EU funds.
“By improving financial resources, promoting partnerships, and increasing staff professionalization, GEAR UP! seeks to enhance the capacity of local actors to address pressing global challenges,” explained Carmela Vaccaro. “Through targeted activities and capacity building initiatives, we aim to create lasting change and empower communities to drive sustainable development.”
The GEAR UP! project will engage at least 105 Local Authorities (LAs) and 335 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), providing them with the necessary resources, training, and support to implement GCE activities and effectively engage with their communities. Through a sub-granting mechanism, national/regional CSOs will be able to transfer gained knowledge to their communities, while local authorities will gain insights into challenges within their local contexts. The Adriatic Ionian Euroregion will be mainly responsable for supporting LAs and CSOs of three different IPA countries, Albania, North Macedonia, BIH.
“In all involved countries, there is a pressing need to strengthen cooperation and build capacity to address global challenges,” said Natalino Barbizzi, Project Leader representing project Lead Partner Marche Region, Italy.. “Through GEAR UP!, we have an opportunity to foster collaboration, promote sustainability, and empower communities to create positive change.”
For more information about the GEAR UP! project consortium and its initiatives, please contact: Carmela Vaccaro – AIE Project Officer: c.vaccaro@adriaticionianeuroregion.eu
About GEAR UP
This project is co-funded by the European Union. The contents of this publication is the sole responsibility of AIE and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
