EC seeks proposals for raising public awareness of development issues and promoting development education in the European Union and acceding countries

European Commission has issued a restricted call seeking concept notes at first stage from eligible organizations under the thematic program Non-State Actors and Local Authorities in Development aimed at supporting actions in the EU and acceding countries to raise public awareness of development issues and promote education for development, to mobilize greater support for actions against poverty and for fairer relations between developed and developing countries and to change attitudes to the issues and difficulties developing countries and their peoples are facing.

Specific Objectives

To develop European citizens’ awareness and critical understanding of the interdependent world and of their role, responsibility and lifestyles in relation to a globalised society; and to support their active engagement in global attempts to eradicate poverty, and promote justice, human rights, and sustainable ways of living.

This Call contains three lots corresponding to three distinct categories of development education and awareness raising projects.

LOT 1: Global Learning projects in the formal education system

LOT 2: Global Learning projects outside of the formal education system
LOT 3: Campaigning and Advocacy projects
Applicants must clearly specify under which lot they are submitting the application.

Priorities
In order to maximize the impact and effectiveness of this program, priority will be given to actions covering one or more of the following thematic issues (for all three lots):
·     public support for the MDG agenda, with particular emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa;

·     policy coherence for development, with a particular focus on areas of public interest where common development goals are important such as: migration, trade (especially fair trade), microcredit, security, human rights, social dimension of globalization and decent work.

and
-          One of the following specific priorities:

· >  For Lot 1: close cooperation and complementarity with the national educational authorities of the countries in which the Action will take place.

· >  For Lot 2: complementarity with existing development education efforts in the countries of implementation, or targeting identified development education gaps.

· >  For Lot 3: a strong European dimension. Priority will be given to Actions which seek to produce results at European level, involve coordinated action and a coherent approach in various Member States, and cover 15 to 27 Member States.

Expected results

-     increased public awareness on global interdependencies between the EU and developing countries;

-     changing attitudes and improved public understanding of issues and difficulties facing developing countries and their peoples;

-     increased active engagement of European citizens in attempts to eradicate global poverty, promote justice, human rights, and sustainable ways of living;

-     better integration of development issues into formal and non-formal education systems in Member States and acceding countries;

-     level of engagement to promote coherence of development;

-     support of European citizens for structural long term development assistance, and

-     greater mobilization in new Member States and acceding countries, including through networking, campaign work, exchange of experience and best practices.

All actions should be based on an initiative of an organization from the country/ies where the action takes place and its involvement at all stages of implementation should be ensured.

Last date for submission of proposals is November 21, 2011

For more information, visit this link.