On 3 March 2022, the opening event took place for the “Integration Related Measures in Mucenieki” project, which is a part of the Local Development, Poverty Reduction and Cultural Cooperation programme of the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2014–2021.
Minister of Welfare Gatis Eglītis, Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Gatis Zamurs, Deputy Head of the Ropaži Municipal Council Haralds Burkovskis and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway in Latvia Kristian Ødegaard opened the event.
The issue of integration has been made even more relevant in view of the current global situation, and in conducting this project, the Ropaži Municipal Council has taken an important responsibility of becoming an example to other local governments, which the Minister of Welfare pointed out in his speech: ‘I view this project in a very positive light, because the Ropaži Municipal Council and other local governments in Latvia can, and should, learn from Norway, and in particularly its Elverum Municipality. The reality is that today, as we watch Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, we will have to think how to accept refugees from Ukraine, and this is something I will discuss in detail later, but in any case, our municipal councils must improve their capacity working with asylum-seekers and refugees, and I am glad that this project takes place in conjunction with the Elverum Municipality in Norway.’ Similarly, the parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, Gatis Zamurs, urged the Ropaži Municipal Council to share the knowledge and experience they gain with other local governments that need it.
Afterwards, the representative of the Ropaži Municipal Council presented the goal of the project, the planned activities, objectives, collaborations and expected results. In turn, as partners of the project, the representatives of the Elverum Municipality talked about it and its history, about the various ways of involving the target audience in various activities, about experiences working on local and international projects, and the planned cooperation as part of the “Integration Related Measures in Mucenieki” project. The Elverum Municipality has had much experience in the field of integration, which the project is associated with, and has a separate Residence and Integration office, sharing their experience of the process of integration.
The final part of the event was introduced by Nauris Bērziņš, head of the Mucenieki Accommodation Centre for Asylum Seekers, who talked about current and planned collaborations as part of the project, followed by the personal integration stories of three families now living in Latvia: Kifan with her husband (Middle East), Natālija (Belarus) and Rana Nur (Middle East).
The vital role of cooperation and sharing experience was reiterated during the opening event, and this is one of the main objectives of the project. The Ropaži Municipal Council is prepared to work with the Elverum Municipality, to listen to their experience, to gain experience of its own, and to share it with others. The Council is prepared to collaborate with partners, including asylum seekers in local society, as effectively as possible though the activities planned as part of the project.
A video of the opening event can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZCgeQK_SPQ
The project is conducted as part of the Local Development, Poverty Reduction and Cultural Cooperation, co-funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway using EEA grants.
