2 March 2019
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Towns all across Ireland should consider applying for funding for short-term Town Twinning projects. This is according to Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune.
Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael)
Town Twinning is hugely popular around Europe but towns around Ireland can also avail of funding for community and cultural organisations to engage in short-term town twinning projects. Under Europe for Citizens Town Twinning funding, a community or cultural group can apply for a small grant to help fund 25 or more European visitors to take part in a series of events in their locality, celebrating European culture, citizenship, solidarity and debate.
Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune said: “This is a great way for people all around Ireland to forge connections at a European level and promote fantastic work that is going on all around the country. I would encourage towns and community groups to look at what opportunities there might be for them to take park in various projects associated with this funding and go for it. Europe is so diverse with so many various cultures and languages and this could be a great opportunity to show what we have to offer here in Ireland.”
The funding is available for local groups that carry out events fostering the appreciation of culture and history, active citizenship, debate, volunteering, and inclusion, including town twinning committees, local festivals, historical and cultural groups and volunteering initiatives. The types of organisations and applicants that can apply are Local Authorities, Town Twinning committees or non-profit organisations representing local authorities.
The funding will contribute towards the travel costs of 25 plus people to participate in a series of events over at least three days. Events can include workshops, debates, public meetings, and cultural festivals, celebrations and exchanges, etc. The minimum grant you can apply for is €5000. The maximum is €25,000. The grant is based on how many European visitors travel to the host country. Applicants can chose to spend the money in any way they want, as long as it contributes towards their activities, but usually it ends up going towards the travel and/or accommodation costs of the visitors.
Read more about the programme: https://www.europeforcitizens.ie/town-twinning.html or contact the Europe for Citizens National Contact Point, Emma Murtagh, at emma@wheel.ie. The next deadline is 1st September 2019.
