The first meeting of the project “30 years of Maastricht: reflections on the past, present and future of Europe” was launched in the city of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) with the participation of 15 visitors from the 8 partners and more than 60 locals who took part in the program of activities.
Estimated number of direct participants: more than 60 people counting local and European visitors from the project partnership. Target groups: although the project seek for the participation of a diverse range of profile, this first event counted with several policy makers. However, there was young people, women, and people with fewer opportunities for geographical, cultural, economic or social reasons.
Program of activities was very dynamic and included workshops and lectures that were very participatory. Main activities as stated in the form approved by EU COMMISSION with comments from the organizers:
- “Presentation of the project to the participants, authorities, media and civil society”. The activity took place in the City of the Culture of Santiago de Compostela and was introduced by the project managers of this first event. Serving as a kick off for the project and introducing the main topics to be discussed during the two days meeting. Journalists, NGO representatives, youth associations as well as policy makers that participated in European programs attended the whole session.
- Conference with experts: “30 years of Maastricht: Knowing the Treaty that changed the EU”. This topic was addressed by three different technicians.
- Ms. Mar Rodríguez Mediavila – Vice director of EU Relations and Xunta de Galicia Regional Autonomous Government. Her speech spinned around the importance of Maastricht at regional levels, promoting commerce and exchange of goods and services.
- Mr. Román Rodríguez – Minister of Culture, Education and Universities of Xunta de Galicia. His speech touched the importance of educational mobility programs to increase the competences and skills of young people and the job insertion.
- Ms. Laura Otero – Councellor of EURES Network. Addressed the historical changes of Maastrich and how it ended facing our today’s Europe.
- Workshop: “Maastricht and the future of Europe: Discovering the rights and obligations of European Citizenship”. Connected to the next point, each partner did a presentation about the impact in its local community of Maastrich, the rights and obligations of their active European citizenship. A handbook collecting its opinions was created and attached to this final report.
- Collection of documents and impressions for the publication of the EBook.
- Choosing the right places to carry out cultural visits around the event thematic. As well as visits to NGO, enterprises, and successful initiatives. The conference rooms were in the City of the Culture, the Parliament of Galicia and the Vocational School of CIFP Compostela. We moved from several places to increase the impact and promote the knowledge of the program in active sectors of the society: educational, political, social and commercial.
- Evaluation: Participants were invited to fill out an anonymous and totally confidential e-form to evaluate different categories related to the meeting. Contact with the promoters, help during the validation processs of their PIC, information during the planning webinars, information received to select participants, logistics and flight tickets, accommodation, activities etc. The result of the evaluation is very successfull and encourage us to continue working and improving aspects mentioned by the participants.
- Dissemination activities: Apart from uploading information in social networks and websites, partners were invited to send press notes to local newspapers and invite radio stations to do interviews regarding the project.
- Others. Extra activities not included in the form:
- Parliament of Galicia: To increase the quality of the program, we organized a session in the Parliament of Galicia to understand democratic institutions and in particular the reality of an autonomous community as Galicia in Spain. Participants had the chance to speak to the speaksman deputy of the party in the government – Mr. Alberto Pazos.
- Vocational School: The students prepared a tour around the vocational schools, giving to know the facilities and explaining the European programs. In the end, two classes attended a session about the Treaty of Maastricht and its impact in laboral mobility. They could also understand how the EURES Network work, its platform and the different information facilitated by the EURES councellors.
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