The final Conference of a Cross-Border Project was held

On 16 March, the final conference of the cross-border project “Social Enterprises for Economic Development and Social Inclusion” was held at Europe House Kriva Palanka. The conference opened with the welcoming addresses of the organizers, following which the project partners, together with the Mayor of Kriva Palanka – Mr. Sashko Mitovski, and Ms. Blagorodna Peshevski from Europe House Kriva Palanka – event host, planted eco-cards with moss rose as a symbol of further cooperation. The event presented the project results, while both countries were seen as genuine friends with opportunities to cooperate and advance through the development of social entrepreneurship.

The first panel discussed the state of affairs of solidarity economy, European experiences, the legal frameworks that are being planned (Barbara Sadovska, President of the Barka Foundation from Poland and a Team Leader of Support Social Enterprises Project) or applied in the neighboring countries (Zorana Milovanovikj – Coalition for Solidarity Economy Development and Snezhana Milisavljevikj – “Putokaz Kragujevac”). Government representative Nola Ismajloska Starova (National Coordinator for Regional Cooperation and European Integration) presented the opportunities for placement on common markets and the economic potentials offered by the Open Balkan program.

In the second panel, participants heard the experiences and recommendations of current and future social entrepreneurs, participants of the Academy of Social Economy held within the project. Attendees were thrilled by the stories of rural tourism development in Kumanovo, of the lawnmower offered as a landscaping reward, of the designer handbags made of waste leather material the production of which includes women on the margins of society, of persons with intellectual disabilities who are seen as workers integrated into a social enterprise, of organic cosmetics, of the ranch that offers autism therapy that will put Kriva Palanka region on the global map of inclusive tourism, thanks to the equipment obtained through the cross-border project.

“This project is the result of the nine-year cooperation between ARNO and Trag Foundation from Serbia, as part of the regional green ideas competition. The idea to apply for the first call for cross-border cooperation came naturally, and we are grateful for the European donor support. Our citizens need social entrepreneurship; the region is facing similar challenges, and there are also clear signposts where the region should be heading towards – towards inclusion, stable markets, Europe. This is neither the beginning, nor the end; this is merely a part of a story that we need to tell loudly, to resonate on both sides of the border and inspire an increasing number of social and green businesses. We’ll reap what we sow – let that be knowledge, assistance and solidarity!“– said Irina Janevska of ARNO.

All attendees received a seedlings card that is a promotional eco-material of the project developed by a Macedonian green business, eco-pencils from a Serbian green business, and a calendar with images and messages of the 12 Macedonian and Serbian social enterprises participating in the project.

The project “Social Enterprises for Economic Development and Social Inclusion” is being implemented in partnership among the associations “ARNO” from North Macedonia, Optimist from the Republic of Serbia and Trag Foundation (Coordinator) funded by the European Union through the Department for Contracting and Financing of European Union Funded Programs of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia (IPA 2 Cross-Border Cooperation Program Republic of Serbia-North Macedonia 2016-2020).