Italy
LazioMountainous areas in Lazio, with a focus on civic dialogue, participatory governance and cooperation with local authorities.
Co-funded by the European Union · CERV programme
Mountain Voices for Engaged and Sustainable Democracy
Strengthening civic participation, inclusive governance and democratic engagement in mountain and peri-urban communities across Europe.
- Italy
- Albania
- Portugal
Introduction
Why MOVES exists
MOVES is a transnational project working in Italy, Albania and Portugal to bring citizens, civil society organisations and local authorities closer together. The project supports communities that often face limited access to democratic spaces, public services and decision-making processes.
Through participatory forums, civic education, co-design workshops, local action labs and transnational exchange, MOVES creates practical opportunities for citizens to take part in shaping local policies and strengthening democratic life.
Mountain and peri-urban areas are often rich in community identity, local knowledge and civic potential. At the same time, many of these territories face depopulation, youth outmigration, ageing populations, limited access to services and weaker links between citizens and institutions. MOVES was created to respond to these challenges.
Our purpose
Democracy beyond the centre
MOVES exists because democracy must also work in places that are often treated as peripheral.
In many mountain, rural and peri-urban communities, citizens have limited opportunities to influence public decisions. Public consultations may be weak, local institutions may lack participatory tools, and vulnerable groups are often underrepresented in civic and political life.
MOVES addresses this gap by creating structured spaces where citizens and institutions can meet, exchange, learn and co-design practical solutions for their communities.
Our Approach
Five ways MOVES strengthens local democracy
- 1
We create spaces for participation
MOVES organises local forums, civic dialogue activities and co-design workshops where citizens can discuss local needs and contribute to public decision-making.
- 2
We strengthen civic knowledge
The project develops civic education activities and learning materials to improve understanding of democratic participation, EU values, rights and responsibilities.
- 3
We support local authorities
MOVES provides capacity-building for municipalities and local governance actors, helping them apply inclusive and participatory methods in their work.
- 4
We empower underrepresented groups
Special attention is given to young people, women, elderly residents, people with disabilities, minorities and communities with limited access to decision-making processes.
- 5
We connect territories across Europe
Through transnational exchange, MOVES links communities and partners from Italy, Albania and Portugal to share practices, tools and lessons learned.
Where We Work
Three territories, one European conversation
Albania
TiranaPeri-urban and mountainous areas surrounding Tirana, with a focus on democratic participation, civic empowerment and institutional dialogue.
Portugal
Cinfães & AldeiaNorthern rural and mountainous communities in the Cinfães and Aldeia areas, with a focus on youth engagement, community participation and civic capacity-building.
Take part
The MOVES Local Action Proposal tool
Explore the tool and share your ideas for your community.
Open the toolDeveloped by NOREMA
Explore ActivitiesThe work packages & local activities
Learn more about the work packages, local activities, civic labs, training sessions and transnational exchanges implemented through MOVES.
Access Results & MaterialsReports, toolkits & policy briefsFind downloadable project outputs, including reports, toolkits, training materials, policy briefs and other public resources.