The European Volunteering Capital Competition aims to promote volunteering at local level by giving recognition to municipalities that support and strengthen partnerships with volunteer centres and volunteer involving organisations in their communities.
Launched for the first time in the European Year of Citizens 2013 (EY 2013) the competition attracted four candidates from three European countries.
Barcelona (SPAIN) Laval (FRANCE)
Guimaraes (PORTUGAL) Rennes (FRANCE)
The jury of nine key personalities connected with volunteering assessed the candidatures. The judging criteria were the recommendations in the Policy Agenda for Volunteering in Europe (PAVE) and special attention was given to the support and encouragement shown for cross border volunteering.
Commissioner Reding personally welcomed the European Volunteering Capital Competition noting that it “continues to promote and support cross-border volunteering across the European Union. The launch of the European Volunteering Capital initiative in the framework of the European Year of Citizens 2013 clearly shows the strong link we intend to establish between European Years».
Announced in a ceremony at the European Parliament on International Volunteer Day 5 December 2013 the winning municipality of Barcelona (SPAIN) will able to use the title European Volunteering Capital 2014 throughout next year. The Call for candidates for the European Volunteering Capital 2015 will be made in 2014.
The European Volunteer Centre (CEV) is the network of over 80 national, regional and local volunteer centres and volunteer support agencies across Europe. CEV has, for 20 years, promoted and supported volunteering through advocacy, knowledge sharing and capacity building & training. In this way CEV reaches out to the many thousands of volunteers and volunteer organizations who look to volunteer centres a source of support and in particular bringing the European dimension to their work.
More information in www.cev.be
