EU-WATERRES project expertise partners (Belinda Flem and Lars Stalsberg) from Norway and project’s communication manager from Latvia (Inga Retike) attended fourth annual thematic seminar for projects funded under the EEA and Norway Grants Regional Funds.
The annual thematic seminars are designed to bring together project partners to strengthen their sense of community by sharing experiences and learning from each other. This year’s seminar in 2022 was dedicated to celebrating the “European Year of Youth”, but participation was not limited to projects under the “Fund for Youth Employment”. The goal was to work together for a better future for the next generations, and the planned agenda was intended to offer something of interest to all attendees and project partners.
You may access all the presentation here: https://eu-waterres.eu/nextcloud/index.php/s/rqpnMQdjRqEtKgc
The event was full of new, inspiring talks and project results drawing our attention to the importance of communication – between generation, various disciplines, and each other. Our project made lots of new friends there that can end up a new collaboration points (especially stressing out Circular based waste management project. Visit their homepage: http://circular-waste.eu/index.php/the-project/ ).
Do you want to know more about EU-WATERRES project? Visit project’s homepage https://eu-waterres.eu/
Impressions of expertise partners from Norway
The Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) (represented here by Belinda Flem) and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) (represented by Lars Stalsberg) had, as expert partners in project EU-WATERRES, the pleasure to attend the 2022 annual thematic seminar of Regional Funds projects at the EFTA House, Brussels, during 13-14. December. The seminar was professional and well organized. It was obvious that the participants enjoyed meeting face to face after the long Covid-19 restrictions. Meeting time dedicated to intermingling during the brakes was used to discuss interdisciplinary ideas and problems.
The seminar consisted of two very interesting days with selected projects which mainly focused on youth and employment of the generation which fell behind due to Covid-19. The projects were presented by NEETs in entrepreneurship, DARE – Day One Alliance for Employment, Migrant Talent Garden and Blue Generation Project. The experience and outcomes of these projects could most likely be used in other countries as the issues addressed is common. The second day focused on data collection and result management. This was in our opinion the most interesting part and will be very helpful in the final year of our project, and in any other project outside of this one.
As we were looking forward to discussing needs for improved social development that could benefit from the funds in the future, it was disappointing that neither Lars Børresen (Senior Adviser, The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) nor Grethe Haugøy (Senior Sector Officer of the Financial Mechanism Office) attended in person. Yet, we look forward to meeting them in the future events.
