The Municipality of Bijelo Polje is hosting a transnational meeting of representatives from municipalities in ten European countries within the Breaking Isolation network, supported by the URBACT IV interregional cooperation program.
Through the exchange of ideas and experiences, partner municipalities are working on developing integrated action plans aimed at overcoming social isolation and improving social inclusion.
The meeting brought together project partners from the municipalities of Agen (France), Isernia (Italy), Serres (Greece), Fót (Hungary), Pombal (Portugal), Roman (Romania), Jumilla (Spain), Škofja Loka (Slovenia), and Tønder (Denmark).
“This network of European cities, as well as other EU-funded projects, is of exceptional importance for the development of Bijelo Polje and Montenegro’s integration into the EU. The vision of the Municipality of Bijelo Polje is to make this a city of equal opportunities for all citizens, by providing high-quality and accessible social protection services, based on a partnership between the public and civil sectors,” said Nermin Bećirović, Vice President of the Municipality of Bijelo Polje, welcoming the participants of the meeting.
The goal of the two-day gathering is to present the results achieved so far in the project and collaboratively design innovative measures that will help strengthen the connections between young people, the elderly, and vulnerable social groups in order to reduce social isolation in these municipalities.
The meeting is also attended by the national contact person for the URBACT program (NUP), Borka Lješković, and a representative of the national body – the Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro, Danijela Anđić who expressed their satisfaction at being able to provide support to Montenegro and other project partners in this way.
In addition to the work activities, during their two-day stay in Bijelo Polje, the partners will visit the Elderly Home, the “Tisa” Day Centre, the Risto Ratković House, and the Pešić farm to connect with the local community and gain insight into the customs and traditions of the region. Moreover, they will have the opportunity to experience the local folklore through a concert by the KUD “Tekstilac” at the Cultural Centre in Bijelo Polje.
The Breaking Isolation project has a total budget of approximately 780,000 euros. Its mission is to make urban areas more social and inclusive through activities that connect people and reduce social barriers.
This meeting represents an important step toward achieving the project’s goals, providing participants with the opportunity to work together on building more inclusive communities across Europe.