The bilateral cooperation initiatives that have been approved under the Fund for Bilateral Relations are the following:

Partner: Drug Free Treatment Unit, Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, University Hospital of North Norway (Norway) Summary: The aim of this initiative is to develop a partnership between Lithuanian and Norwegian organisations working in the field of human rights and mental health. Lithuanian experts will visit Norway in order to share good practice examples and knowledge about modern human rights-based mental health services. Also a joint project proposal to Active Citizens‘ Fund will potentially be developed. Implementation period: 21/02-03/03 2020

Partner: Oslo/Fusion International Film Festival (Norway) Summary: This partnership building visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and contentful cooperation between Lithuanian and Norwegian NGOs – Association “In Corpore” and Oslo/Fusion International Film Festival. The results to be achieved: • Widened cooperation possibilities and higher level of satisfaction with the partnership. • Shared strategies, plans and ideas which could be applied in representation and empowerment of LGBT+ community individually and in partnership, improved conditions for further cooperation. • Developed and submitted concept of a project aimed at better representation and empowerment of socially vulnerable groups and involving cooperation of the organisations to ACF. Implementation period: 27/02-03/03 2020

Partner: Norwegian Neighbourhood Organisation (Norway) Bodø Commune Summary: Genius loci – local urban planning Genius Loci is a project that aims to create an urban neighborhood plan for the Šančiai community. The aim of bilateral co-operation visit is to establish partnerships among the Lower Šančiai community in Kaunas and Norwegian organizations in order to get to know their activities and discuss possible co-operation when applying for the Active Citizens' Fund. The community of Lower Šančiai is experiencing aggressive urbanization, resulting in conflicts between the community and the authorities, and threatening to lose cultural heritage and district identity. New solutions are needed to strengthen fundamental democratic values such as solidarity, dignity, equality and social justice. During the meetings, we will seek to identify the values shared by partner organizations, will share good and bad experiences, and find common ground in addressing the challenges of gentrification. Implementation period: 05/02-05/03 2020

Partner: Multiple Sclerosis Society of Iceland (Iceland) Summary: The aim of the bilateral cooperation initiative is to establish and foster partnership between Lithuanian and Icelandic multiple sclerosis organisations. The initiative includes a visit of representatives of Lithuanian multiple sclerosis union to Icelandic counterparts. During the visit, meetings with MS society of Iceland will be held to discuss Lithuanian and Icelandic experiences in social integration of MS patients (who due to the specifics of the disease face higher social exclusion risks than the rest of population). Additionally, opportunities for bilateral cooperation will be discussed to identify possible cooperation directions for the future. The initiative is expected to bring new knowledge and lessons from Icelandic experience, ideas for further cooperation between Lithuanian and Icelandic MS organisations and agreed project concept for enabling MS patients. Implementation period: 07/02-07/03 2020

Partner: Associasion Blå Kors Norge (Norway) Summary: The Bilateral Cooperation Initiative aims to support and strengthen bilateral cooperation with existing partners Blå Kors Norge. During the initiative, the charity support fund Dienvidis traveled to Norway for new ideas and approved public inclusion practices. Also, the search for new methods of working with a vulnerable group - young children from families at risk, thus strengthening the qualification of specialists. More information about the initiative. Implementation period: 11/10 – 17/12/2021

Partner: Bjerkaker Learning LAB (Norway) Summary: The main aim of the bilateral cooperation initiative is to exchange practices of SOCIAL SMART in Lithuania and BLL in Norway in developing adult education, methods applied, and to find common practices and ways to apply peer methods to our trainings (both online and face-to-face) in a long-term partnership, especially in working with vulnerable groups living in the regions and/or remote areas. Results: exchange good practices of NGOs and their activities for adults, older people in the social, educational field, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic benefited for more than 10 experts in Lithuania and Norway. More information about the initiative. Implementation period: 07/01 – 07/04/2022

Partner: Bjerkaker Learning Lab (Norway)

Summary:

The main aim of the bilateral cooperation initiative is to analyse the study circles method in practice.

The bilateral cooperation initiative foresees the exchange of practices between Social Smart in Lithuania and BLL in Norway in developing adult education. Representatives of Social Smart will analyse and apply in practice study circles‘ method in Lithuania, especially when working with vulnerable groups in remote areas.

Results: exchange of good practices between the NGOs will benefit more than 10 experts in Lithuania and Norway.

More information about the initiative.

 

Implementation period: 31/08/2022 – 28/02/2023

Partner: Samtökin ’78 – The National Queer Organisation of Iceland (Iceland)

Summary:

This bilateral initiative aims to strengthen the partnership between LGL and Samtokin78 by exchanging best practices in the field of LGBTI rights and identifying strategic partnership directions.

Results: after the project LGL and Samtokin78 employees will be better informed about the situation of LGBTI rights in Lithuania and Iceland, the priority directions of the organizations' activities and will be able to identify the strategic directions of LGL and Samtokin78 partnership when submitting joint applications. The representatives of the organizations participating in the project will be more motivated to strengthen the long-term partnership between LGL and Samtokin78 and will feel more satisfied with the partnership.

The main target group of the initiative is employees of LGL and Samtokin78. As a result of the activities carried out during the project implementation period, representatives of the public will indirectly benefit and be better informed about Iceland's best practices in the field of ensuring LGBTI rights and the situation of LGBTI people in Lithuania.

Implementation period: 01/12/2022 – 31/05/2023