Five projects for the implementation of local civic initiatives from the Vitebsk region received grants
Sociologists say that society usually has no more than 5-7% of active citizens who are capable, in the good sense of the word, of stirring others up and achieving solutions to problems relevant to a specific settlement, without relying on the state or local authorities. By channeling this energy in the right direction, much can be achieved.
At a round table in Vitebsk, representatives of executive committees, councils of deputies, and members of the Lev Sapieha Foundation discussed the experience of promoting and implementing local civic initiatives.
– This topic has been on the periphery of public discussion for some time, – noted Miroslav Kobasa, Chairman of the Board of the public association "Lev Sapieha Foundation". – Today, it is coming to the forefront. It has become obvious that it is difficult to move forward without the interested participation of residents of the regions in improving the quality of life.
The decades-old parasitic stereotype "the state must and is obliged" needs to be changed. Today, there are more than a dozen forms of communication between citizens and authorities, enshrined in law. The most popular is citizens' appeals. Recently, people have increasingly begun to make their proposals for the development of infrastructure in new cottage development microdistricts in cities and other settlements. Some are even ready to invest their own funds in connecting electricity, laying water and heating networks, and arranging roads, without waiting for funds to be allocated from the state treasury. Miroslav Kobasa hopes that such a tool as participatory budgeting, which allows for budget support for the implementation of such ideas, will be legalized in Belarus. This form works in many countries, including Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine.
There are many examples of civic participation in decision-making at the local level. In the "Tandem V" competition, organized by the Lev Sapieha Foundation, 12 mini-projects were presented from the Vitebsk region. This is fewer than from other regions, but our participants excelled in quality: five projects received grants.
With these funds, the storm sewer system in Osintorf, Dubrovno district will be improved, the infrastructure of a multifunctional barrier-free sports and leisure complex will be created in Liozno, a recreational zone, sports and children's playgrounds will be equipped in Dolzha, a sports ground will be completed in Olgovo, Vitebsk district, and courtyards will be improved in Shumilino.
Last year, the project "Let's Preserve Heritage Together" was implemented in Dubrovno. The park in the district center had been neglected for a long time. An initiative group of citizens "Dubrova," consisting of teachers and led by Sergey Titenkov, took responsibility for the fate of the park and wrote a project that received a grant from the Lev Sapieha Foundation.
– Teachers do a lot with their own hands during the preparation of the school for the academic year: they mow the territory, paint walls, repair desks, and therefore, they know how to use internal resources, – shared the head of the initiative group. – We transferred this model to the settlement and proved that by using the potential of activists, we can implement tasks that are important for the entire population. In a financial and labor tandem with partners – the housing and communal services enterprise and the flax factory – we improved the park.
– There are 6221 villages in the Vitebsk region, and 45% of them have up to 10 inhabitants. So that no settlement, even a small remote one, is left without the attention of the authorities, the institution of elders serves as a connecting thread, – emphasized the Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies Vladimir Terentyev. – It is also worth considering so-called local civil initiatives in order to jointly finance and implement projects important for the population.