Jan 24 2026
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Final conference of the E-LoCUM Project: Reframing Migration: Youth Voices for New Narratives

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INVITATION TO THE FINAL CONFERENCE

Reframing Migration: Youth Voices for New Narratives

Brussels, January 29th, 2026

Schedule: 9:00 – 12:30

La Kop – Rue Coenraets, 72 – 1060 Brussels

We are pleased to invite you to the final conference of the E-LoCUM Project, which will take place in Brussels on 29 January 2026.

 

Μπορεί να είναι γραφικό κείμενο που λέει "Co-fundedby the zuropeat Union Eurepean G Apenzia Rallana pertaGloventú Gloventú Erasmus+ Enriching opening epening minda. minds. E-LoCUM Local Compacts ofthe the United Mates of Europe 28-30 JANUARY 2026 BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) FINAL EVENT & TPM JOIN US! Info & contacts www.e-locum.eu project. project_elocum f ProjectElecum vives windel INAZTONE Insthbl cah Socal FasEurop Europe CEFEC"

E-LoCUM (https://e-locum.eu/) is a project co-funded by the European Union through the Italian National Agency for Youth under the Erasmus+ Programme. The project aims to strengthen democratic participation and active citizenship among young people aged 15 – 25, on the policy issues related to migration. In particular, the project activities aim at enabling them to reframe migration dynamics and co-create new narratives that challenge stereotypes and shape public perception. By encouraging critical engagement with these issues, E-LoCUM seeks to empower young people as informed and active contributors to social change.

Implemented across four European regions along the Balkan route – Italy, Slovenia, Romania, and Greece – the project has actively involved young people, including those with migration backgrounds, in participatory processes that promote migrant inclusion and strengthen civic engagement.

The conference in Brussels marks the concluding phase of the project and will serve both as a moment of reflection on the work accomplished and as a platform to stimulate further dialogue and collaboration. Participants will be invited to reflect on the power of stories and collective imaginaries in shaping public opinion, policy choices and everyday attitudes toward migration, and to explore how more constructive and inclusive approaches can be fostered.

At the heart of the discussion will be the role of young people as key actors in driving change. Through an interactive and participatory dialogue, the conference will highlight how youth can challenge prevailing narratives, bring forward innovative perspectives and contribute to more forward-looking and inclusive approaches to migration policy across Europe.

We would be honoured by your presence and contribution to this important moment of exchange and reflection.

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Apr 07 2025
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How young refugees participated in an inclusive refugees center and an innovative hostel turned ro professionals on sustainable tourism

By | Χωρίς κατηγορία | No Comments

Πώς συμμετείχαν νέοι πρόσφυγες σε ένα κέντρο χωρίς αποκλεισμούς για πρόσφυγες και σε έναν καινοτόμο ξενώνα στράφηκαν σε επαγγελματίες βιώσιμου τουρισμού 

Η Wind of Renewal / Άνεμος Ανανέωση είναι ένας κοινωνικός συνεταιρισμός που ιδρύθηκε το 2014 με στόχο την προώθηση της κοινωνικής και πράσινης οικονομίας, την προστασία του κλίματος και του περιβάλλοντος, τον διαπολιτισμικό διάλογο και τον αειφόρο τουρισμό. Οι δραστηριότητες του οργανισμού καλύπτουν διάφορους τομείς δραστηριότητας, αλλά περιορίζουμε τις πληροφορίες που παρουσιάζονται παρακάτω σε δραστηριότητες που παρέχονται στον τομέα δύο καλών παραδειγμάτων συμμετοχής μεταναστών/προσφύγων στη δημιουργία ενός βιώσιμου μέλλοντος:

– Το κέντρο Welcommon για τους πρόσφυγες – δηλαδή φιλοξενία, ενδυνάμωση και ένταξη ευάλωτων προσφύγων (9/2016 – 2/2018)

– The Welcommon Hoste l, ένας καινοτόμος και χωρίς αποκλεισμούς ξενώνας ανοιχτός σε διάφορα είδη ταξιδιωτών: τουρίστες, erasmus, εθελοντές, νομάδες, μετανάστες και πρόσφυγες (6/2018 – 7/2024).

Welcommon σημαίνει καλωσόρισμα από κοινού, μαζί.

Ημέρες Καλωσορίσματος 

Στόχος και κύριοι στόχοι: Το έργο Welcommon ήταν ένα καινοτόμο κέντρο φιλοξενίας, ενδυνάμωσης και ένταξης ευάλωτων προσφύγων. Στόχος των «Days of Welcommon» ήταν η συμμετοχή των νέων προσφύγων στην αλλαγή της ζωής τους και στην προετοιμασία του μέλλοντός τους. Σε 1,5 χρόνο, από 9/2016 έως 2/2018, το Welcommon φιλοξένησε 600 ευάλωτους πρόσφυγες, μεταξύ άλλων 41 νεογέννητα. Το έργο δεν προοριζόταν απλώς για τους πρόσφυγες, αλλά για τους πρόσφυγες – δουλεύοντας μαζί τους προς όφελός τους, καθώς και αυτό της γειτονιάς και της τοπικής κοινωνίας. Έγινε ένα από τα πιο καινοτόμα και δημιουργικά κέντρα φιλοξενίας, ενδυνάμωσης και κοινωνικής ενσωμάτωσης προσφύγων, με βάση την ιδέα της « ενδυνάμωσης μέσω της δημιουργίας κοινοτήτων χωρίς αποκλεισμούς ».

Η ιδέα πίσω από το Welcommon ήταν να συμπεριληφθούν οι ίδιοι οι πρόσφυγες στην οργάνωση της ζωής τους στο κέντρο φιλοξενίας και να είναι πιο ανοιχτοί σε διαφορετικούς πολιτισμούς, να συνδιοργανώσουν διαφορετικά μαθήματα γλώσσας, φροντιστήρια, κινηματογράφο, θέατρο και μαθήματα τέχνης καθώς και επισκέψεις σε μουσεία και γκαλερί.

Το έργο υποστηρίχθηκε από τον Αναπτυξιακό Οργανισμό του Δήμου Αθηναίων και την Ύπατη Αρμοστεία του ΟΗΕ για τους Πρόσφυγες. Αλλά αυτές οι υπηρεσίες αποφάσισαν τον Ιανουάριο του 2018 ότι οι πρόσφυγες θα έπρεπε να φιλοξενούνται μόνο σε διαμερίσματα, δεν χρειάζονταν μεταβατικές δομές. Το κέντρο έκλεισε τον Μάρτιο του 2018.

Hostel Welcommon

Ένα επόμενο έργο – χρησιμοποιώντας το ίδιο κτίριο – ήταν ο ξενώνας Welcommon, ένας ξενώνας για τον αειφόρο τουρισμό, την προσβασιμότητα, την ένταξη, την ενσωμάτωση στην εργασία. Το Welcommon Hostel ήταν ένα επταώροφο κτίριο εγκαταστάσεων στο κέντρο της Αθήνας – το οποίο διευθύνει η Wind of Renewal.

The idea behind Welcommon Hostel was to offer accommodation for different kinds of travelers, as well as hosting social, cultural and environmental activities, something more than just a nice hostel with social impact. To be a place for social gathering and social experimentation, a center for innovation and art, social and green economy, for social and job integration for Greek locals, migrants and refugees but also a bridge among people who travel for different reasons.

For both projects the aim was the development of a community model for empowerment and inclusion through building communities (welcommon means welcome in common, together) as well as the promotion of coexistence and dialogue between the cultures working with refugees, asylum seekers, tourists, European young volunteers from more than 50 nationalities and ethnicities in a more inclusive framework.

The intercultural courses we offered were more inclusive as all the different travelers could participate in our courses (tourists, guests, volunteers, refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, Erasmus, students, nomads).

The courses were more interactive, all the participants could be at the same time “teachers” and “students”, that means “we learn from each other”, it was not a passive, one way learning process.

Learning from each other 

Learning from each other was an important and interesting part of our social project. As many people with different knowledge and skills come together, we try to benefit from each other. The residents of the Welcommon Hostel as well as the volunteers and the pupils participating in our intercultural courses could “teach” using their different skills, transferring knowledge, enhance their capacities and flourish themselves.

Age group: all the different ages with focus on young refugees and young people in general

Number of participants (min – max): a total of 3000 refugees, the majority of them 16-30 years old and 450 volunteers from all over the world almost all of them young people (18-30)

Duration: 10/2016 – 6/2024

Materials (including annexes as specified in the instructions, if applicable): Material used for  intercultural classes in Greece, Germany etc as well as material prepared by NGOs, the volunteers by themselves, the participants etc. There was also space for innovation and creativity eg using games of roles, audiovisual and art works, etc.

Instructions (step-by-step): As  our work was not only FOR refugees but also WITH refugees, we focused not only on help and support but also on mobilization and empowerment through doing and acting together.

But this community model is interesting not only for refugees but also for other vulnerable social groups.

We work for the empowerment, professional training and promotion of the abilities and qualifications of refugees, especially the young persons, in order to be able to find their way in our societies for the benefit of our society.

We have offered workplaces to young refugees in our innovative Welcommon Hostel. This model is also useful for other young people. caregivers, unemployed persons etc

We invited our guests /travelers, volunteers, personnel, refugees, migrants – pupils of our intercultural courses) to participate in climate actions. We connected our volunteers and guests with climate initiatives and we hosted some meetings and seminars in our hostel.

During COVID-19, we offered in Welcommon Hostel safe accommodation and empowerment courses to many homeless vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers and at the same time we hosted a number of volunteers in Welcommon Hostel.

We promoted coexistence and dialogue between the cultures working with refugees, asylum seekers, and many European young volunteers (more than 450 from more than 30 nationalities and ethnicities) in a more inclusive framework.

Participation and empowerment

Many actors of the social economy, such as cooperatives, social enterprises, work integration social enterprises (WISEs) and associations, include marginalized, vulnerable and disabled people in their daily operation and governance structures, allowing for their participation also in the decision-making of the enterprise or organisation. This is what Wind of Renewal has done. The idea embodies the approach of the social economy in relation to the inclusion of marginalized and often vulnerable individuals: instead of exclusion or relief approach, participation through empowerment. Empowerment is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights. The social economy cultivates this by acting not only for vulnerable people but also, and most importantly, with the community model developed by the social cooperative Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal

Additional info (if needed): Usually in refugee’s camps the people are separated based on religion or origins. Therefore existing stereotypes remain unchanged and the people are not supported in living and working in multicultural societies. In addition, very rarely participate in organizing their daily life and also preparing their future.

Sources:

https://anemosananeosis.gr/en/11-awards_wor/

Welcommon Hostel: www.welcommonhostel.gr

Wind of Renewal: www.anemosananeosis.gr/

www.facebook.com/daysofwelcome

www.instagram.com/welcommonproject

www.Instagram.com/welcommonhostel

www.facebook.com/windofrenewl.socialcooperatives

Social change in our community: www.welcommonhostel.gr/social

Our history: www.welcommonhostel.gr/slider/you-can-feel-the-history-of-welcommon

What the refugees themselves and others told about the role of WELCOMMON (9/2016-2/2018)

– Welcommon, an innovative, model community center for/with refugees

–Documentary “WorkingWithRefugeeCommunities in Greece”, by the “In place of War” (IPOW) in cooperation with Anna Lindh Foundation

–Bibiche, from Kongo, “What you really know about the refugees”

–Beshir, from Syria, “What you really know about the refugees”

–Ghassan, from Syria, “Whatyoureallyknowaboutthe refugees”

– We are more than papers

– An article published by the e-newsletter «Cooperative news»: «Taking steps to meet the long-term needs of refugees»

–Ourhistory:www.welcommonhostel.gr/slider/you-can-feel-the-history-ofwelcommon

– Social change in our community: www.welcommonhostel.gr/social

We worked on a new model of inclusion and empowerment “through building community” (welcommon means welcome in common, together).

– Our courses were more inclusive. ALL the different travelers could participate in our courses (tourists, guests, volunteers, refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, Erasmus, students, nomads)

– Our courses are more interactive, all the participants could be at the same time “teachers” and “students”. The courses are interactive, that means “we learn from each other”, it is not a passive, one way learning process. Learning from each other is an important and interesting part of our social project. As many people with different knowledge and skills come together, we try to benefit from each other.

– Our work is not only FOR refugees but also WITH REFUGEES

– We focus not only on help and support but also on mobilization and empowerment through doing and acting together. We work for the empowerment, professional training and promotion of the abilities and qualifications of refugees, especially the young persons, in order to be able to find their way in our societies for the benefit of our society.

– Even during COVID-19 we continued on offering the lessons for the empowerment of the participants, in a safe environment, implementing the health regulations.

– 450 volunteers from 2016 until today. The activity “Days of Welcommon” is our volunteering project offering Intercultural and inclusive courses and activities open to refugees, migrants, volunteers, locals (3000 participants until today) with the support of 450 volunteers from all over the world:

– Providing free language classes /intercultural courses for refugees, tourists, volunteers and local Greeks

– Offering a full schedule of inclusive cultural activities

– Empower and raising integration through music, art, comedy and film events

– Combining social and green innovation, environmental awareness and respect to others

– Engaging and supporting any and all projects which align with our focus on social inclusion and climate action – from family picnics to seminars on the green economy and everything in between

– Supporting young people to gain professional qualifications in energy reduction and transition.

– We invited our guests/travelers, volunteers, personnel, refugees, migrants – pupils of our intercultural courses) to participate in climate actions. We connect our volunteers and guests with climate initiatives and we host some meetings and seminars in our hostel.

The residents of the Welcommon Hostel as well as the volunteers and the pupils participating in our intercultural courses could teach their different skills and knowledge they know from their previous education or from their home countries.

Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal

Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal was founded as a social cooperative enterprise in Athens in 2014 by a number of environmental and socially active citizens. Born out of a desire to promote social and green innovation and economy, sustainable tourism, climate protection, energy transition, environmental awareness, intercultural dialogue, welcome refugees – providing safe accommodation and social inclusion. The main idea behind the WoR was the implementation of innovative solutions for the social and environmental problems of Greece (and Europe), not only proposals or discussions of them.

For Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal participation, empowerment, accessibility means equal access to social, political, and economic life, to the same tools, services, institutions and facilities for all, leaving no-one behind.

Our guests were all different travelers (tourists, volunteers, Erasmus students, nomads-workers, newcomers, refugees. migrants). Our vision remains to bring close people from all over the world without discrimination, to enable them to communicate, to respect each other, to be entertained, to co-work and co-create. Our guests had the opportunity to participate directly and indirectly in green, social, humanitarian and inclusive – intercultural projects, events and activities, but also to co-organise such activities. They could also contribute with their ideas and experience. WELCOMMON Hostel means welcome in common – together. We communicated about our offers at EU and global level as our guests were 95% people from EU and the rest of the world.

We tried to stay innovative and adapt to new requirements, despite the crisis (financial, health, energy, climate, social)

WELCOMMON HOSTEL was named as the most EXTRAORDINARY Hostel Hero announced by HOSCARS awards 2021, organized by the international network HOSTEL WORLD. Why; As of June 2020, even sustainable tourism collapsed and at the same time thousands of recognized refugees and asylum seekers in Greece were left homeless in the midst of a global pandemic. Wind of Renewal decided to host a number of refugees, the most vulnerable between them, such as survivors of sexual violence, torture and ill treatment, the elderly, people with chronic diseases, pregnant and mothers with new borne babies.

At the same time, although the impact of COVID-19 and the restrictions measures had a serious impact on the social cooperative (reducing -80% of its income, almost zero tourists, restriction of in person activities, need for increased and costly health protection measures etc), Wind of Renewal continued on offering in the Welcommon Hostel social empowerment and non-formal education courses with the participation of refugees and volunteers.

All this time Wind of Renewal offered interactive, inclusive, intercultural, non formal education and courses (language lessons, art, environmental and climate awareness, music) and green and social economy workshops open for all: volunteers, refugees, migrants, travelers, nomads workers with the volunteers and migrants / refugees be the protagonists of the activities, not only the participants.

Our services were designed to be accessible to everyone. Our vision was to offer appropriate accommodation and room for interaction and participation, but not only this. Our vision was to bring close people from all over the world, to enable them to communicate, to be entertained, to offer and gain knowledge and experience, and to explore the creative side of Athens. Everyone can contribute with his/her own ideas and experience.

Anemos Ananeosis/Wind of Renewal has a strong commitment to building a better world through social and green innovation and the cooperative business model.  We try to improve the working environment as we always have a diverse workforce (unemployed persons, refugees, long-unemployed persons, young persons without job-experience) and many volunteers with different backgrounds. This diverse workforce as well as our model of sustainable tourism is an added value for our Hostel; there are many clients who decide to book a room or organise an event in our hostel because of this socially responsible model.

As a social cooperative enterprise. Wind of Renewal has experienced exclusion and unfair practices related to covid-19 support measures by the national and regional authorities. Therefore, Wind of Renewal tries always to be flexible, innovative and responsible in its plans and practices,

Η πιο ακριβή επένδυση αφορά την εκπαίδευση του προσωπικού μας που πρέπει να συνδυάζει επαγγελματικές με κοινωνικές και περιβαλλοντικές δεξιότητες, ικανότητες και γνώσεις. Κατά τη διάρκεια του COVID-19 η πιο ακριβή επένδυση ήταν να μην απολυθούν οι εργαζόμενοι, κρατήστε το εργατικό δυναμικό, καθώς τα έσοδα από τον τουρισμό ήταν σχεδόν μηδενικά.

Η WoR θέλει να επηρεάσει την κατεύθυνση της κοινωνίας μας ώστε να γίνει πιο βιώσιμη και οικολογικά και κοινωνικά δίκαιη. Και αυτός είναι ο λόγος που το Welcommon Hostel ήταν ανοιχτό για όλους τους ταξιδιώτες και τους ανθρώπους και ήταν περιεκτικό. Παράλληλα, το όραμα είναι να «διδάξουμε» και να «μάθουμε».

Το κοινωνικό μας μοντέλο, οι αξίες μας και η καινοτόμος προσέγγισή μας είναι τα δυνατά σημεία της εμπορικής μας επικοινωνίας. Στις 26 Απριλίου 2021, το Welcommon Hostel αναγνωρίστηκε ως ο « πιο ΕΚΤΑΚΤΟΣ Ήρωας του Ξενώνα » και ένας από τους 5 «Εξαιρετικούς Βιώσιμους Ξενώνες » από τον κορυφαίο Online Travel Agent (OTA) που εστιάζει στην αγορά των ξενώνων, τον Hostelworld .

Εκπροσωπώντας την Ελλάδα, το Welcommon Hostel στέφθηκε ως ο πιο ΕΚΤΑΚΤΟΣ Ήρωας του Ξενώνα από μια επιτροπή ειδικών ταξιδιωτικών κριτών και με περισσότερες από 20.000 ψήφους από ταξιδιώτες ξενώνων σε όλο τον κόσμο. Από το 2016 έχουμε λάβει 11 διεθνή και ευρωπαϊκά βραβεία, βραβεία, διακρίσεις, ειδικές αναγνωρίσεις.

Mar 01 2025
0

WISE, 5/3/2025 the largest multi-lingual online event on energy poverty, women and the right to energy

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🌍 On 05th March 2025, WISE will organise the largest multi-lingual online event ever held in Europe on energy poverty, women and the right to energy!

In 2022, over 41 million Europeans were unable to keep their homes adequately warm. Energy poverty is a multi-dimensional phenomenon, considered to be caused by a combination of low income, poor energy efficiency in buildings and high energy expenses.

💬 In March 2025, WISE will host its first and only Pan-European Online Event, entitled Translating Women’s Right to Energy Across Europe. The aim is the participation of 300 persons in Europe-wide discussions on how to best translate women’s ‘right to energy’ under the EU Pillar of Social Rights into various local and national policy contexts, in gender-sensitive manners.

Registration link here: https://lnkd.in/ePp3c9id

Full programme here: https://lnkd.in/eJHTrN9C

🚀 This two-hour online event offers an exceptional opportunity for participants to educate themselves about the right to energy of women across Europe. They will also be able to:

● Collectively engage with multi-lingual materials that promote clean, affordable energy for women as a basic human right, in line with principles of a just, clean energy transition.

● Identify opportunities for translating the right to clean and affordable energy for women across Europe in local and national policies, in gender-sensitive manners, with attention to the needs of migrants and most vulnerable groups of women.

🎯With Women in Solidarity for Energy (WISE), every word counts! An action of energy solidarity in which EVERYONE can participate! The challenge: Many key pieces of content to support women in #energypoverty already exist… but only in English! Now, WISE tries to make them accessible to everyone in many different (more than 25) languages! WISE is aiming to attract more than 300 participants from all over Europe. In 25 parallel break-out sessions participants will discuss gender and energy poverty and women’s right to energy in their own language or in English. Topics for discussion include gender and just energy transition, energy poverty amongst migrant and minority women, students and young women, elderly women, solid fuel use amongst women in Global North and South, minimum use of energy, disconnection bans, prepayment meters, and inclusive energy literacy.

👉 Wednesday, February 5th: Join the launch webinar and learn all about the project!

🔗Register now ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e8tJ2JU6

Marina Varvesi | Federica Ragazzo | Federica Petraroli | Alice Corovessi | Eleni Papadopoulou | Ana Stojilovska | Sára Szabó Paula D. | Nikos Chrysogelos | Milena Stateva | Marlies Hesselman | Marielle Feenstra | Willemijn BloemOnWomen in Solidarity for Energy (WISE) Groningen Centre of Energy Law and Sustainability (GCELS) Marilyn Smith Marielle Feenstra Ana Stojilovska Alejandra Lozano Rubello Irene González Pijuan María José Aldanas Anna Zsofia Bajomi, Dr. Nthabiseng Mohlakoana, PhD Houria Tourich Batoul Mesdaghi

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More about energy poverty:

https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/markets-and-consumers/energy-consumers-and-prosumers/energy-poverty_en

—————————————————————————————————————————————

A full overview of sessions is found below.

Preliminary Agenda

15:00 – 15:10: Welcome, Introduction of the WISE project

Marilyn Smith, The Energy Action Project (EnAct)

15:10 –15:15: Ice-Breakers

● Where are people attending from?

● Do you think the EU protects the right to energy?

● What does the right to energy mean to you?

15:15 –15:25: Why women’s right to energy?

A gender perspective on European energy poverty

Marielle Feenstra | 75inQ

● Right to Energy in EU Pillar of Social Rights

● Some key statistics / issues on gender and energy poverty in EU

15:20 – 15:40: Translating Women’s Rights to Energy Across Europe

Marlies Hesselman | Faculty of Law, University of Groningen

● Results from the WISE Translate-A-Thon

● Materials for Promoting Women’s Rights to Energy in Europe

● What is the Right to Energy? Right to Energy Toolkit

● How is and can the Right to Energy be Promoted across Europe?

● Join us for a Discussion!

15:40 –15:45 Introduction of the Breakout Groups

Choose one of 25 Parallel Break-Out Groups in English or Other Language

Multi-lingual sessions

English language sessions below!

Translating the Right to Energy for Women Across Europe!

In many sessions, participants will discuss how to best use available WISE materials to translate women’s right to energy and energy poverty alleviation measures into locally relevant languages, national and cultural contexts, with attention to gender-based sensitivities. Participants will learn more and discuss specifically about questions such as:

● What may women’s right to energy mean in your national context?

● How to translate relevant ‘right to energy’ concepts in national languages and practices, including in cultural and gender-sensitive manners?

● What are priority tips or actions for promoting women’s right to energy?

1. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Bulgaria (български)

2. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Croatia (Hrvatski)

3. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Denmark (Dansk)

4. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Finland (Suomea)

5. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in France (Français)

6. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Germany (Deutsch)

7. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Greece (ελληνικά)

8. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Hungary (Magyar)

9. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Italy (Italiano)

10. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Netherlands (Nederlands)

11. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in North-Macedonia

12. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Norway (Norsk)

13. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Poland (Polski)

14. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Portugal (Português)

15. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Romanian (Română)

16. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Slovakia (Slovenský)

17. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Spain (Español)

18. Translating the Right to Energy for Women in Sweden (Svenska)

19. Translating the Right to Energy for Ukrainian Women (українська)

20. Translating the Right to Energy for Arab Women (اللغة العربية)

21. Translating the Right to Energy for Roma Women (Romani)

22. Translating the Right to Energy for Turkish Women (Türkçe)

English sessions

23. Translating the Right to Energy for Migrant & Minority Women across

Europe (English)

Hosts: Houria Tourich (Language & Energy Coach Rotterdam) and Batoul

Mesdaghi (Energy Justice Scientist, TNO)

This group discusses how to best engage women from different migrant and minority backgrounds on their energy rights as related to energy poverty and participation in the energy transition. What challenges do different women face in terms of living in energy poverty, and/or participating in the transition? What are important needs and (language) barriers to tackle energy poverty and improve energy (rights) literacy? How important is it to speak the right “cultural language”?

How to engage women with a diversity of backgrounds? Come and discuss in this breakout session, hosted by expert women with lots of experience and insights on these questions.

24. Translating the Right to Energy for Older Single Women across Europe

(English)

Host: Artemis Westenberg (Dutch Association for Women’s Rights)

This group discusses how to best engage older women across Europe on their rights to energy. What types of direct or indirect discrimination do older women in Europe experience when it comes to their energy consumption, bills, income/pension gaps or housing situations? How is this captured in the language of women’s rights? How to empower older women with targeted rights-based programmes or policies? Come and discuss the lived experiences of older women across Europe,

25. Translating the Right to Energy for Students and Young Persons across

Europe (English) Host: European Youth Energy Network

This group discusses how to best engage or educate students and young persons living independently, in precarious (rental) housing or in shared housing, on their energy rights. Are students and young persons across Europe facing inequality or discrimination when it comes to their energy consumption, bills, income status and housing situation? How to enforce tenant rights vis-a-vis landlords? How to empower students and young people as future energy consumers? How to speak young persons‘language’ when it comes to engaging them on energy solidarity, clean transition and the right to energy?

26. Women’s Right To Energy Across Global North and South: Solid Fuel Cooking and Heating (English)

Hosts: Anna Bajomi (FEANTSA); Nthabi Mohlakoana (TU Delft); Teresa Cuerdo Vilches (Spanish National Research Council – CSIC). This group compares practices of solid fuel use by women in households across Global North and Global South, with a special focus on Europe, Latin-America and Africa. Globally still 2.1 billion persons rely on solid fuels for heating, cooking and lighting, including a substantial number across Europe. This includes fuels such as wood, coal, dung, but also plastics. Household solid fuel use is widely understood to impact women disproportionately. How is their health harmed by such practices? Is this a matter of the right to energy, for example under the UN Women’s Rights Convention or EU Pillar of Social Rights? What could and should be done to phase out household solid fuel use? Which type of fuels should be prioritised? How to achieve inclusive transitions to clean, affordable, healthy energy services?

27. Women's Right To Energy: Gender Equality, Human Rights and Just

Energy Transition Principles (English)

Host::Alejandra Lozano (GI-ESCR)

This group discusses key principles for the just energy transition from a perspective of human rights and gender. The room is led by GI-ESCR, which is currently actively developing a set of new global principles for the gender-just energy transition, including phase out of harmful fossil fuels, women’s right to energy, women’s participation in the energy transition, and decent work. This group will take a closer look at relevant human rights principles and discuss how they can be put in practice as well as guide further activism across Europe.

28. Women’s Right to Energy: Banning Household Energy Disconnections

(English)

Host: Maria Jose Aldanas (FEANTSA)

This group will specifically discuss household energy disconnections as a violation of human rights, including the right to energy and the right to adequate housing. It will debate how households, including women-led households, boys and girls are negatively affected by power cuts, and what types of protections can be put in place. The group discusses recent developments in human rights case- law as well as ongoing implementation of new EU legislation that obliges EU Member States to prevent disconnections amongst European households. How can women benefit from such legal developments?

29. Translating Women's Right to Energy to Pre-payment and Budget

Meters: A minimum right to energy? (English)

Hosts: Sam Foley (University of Groningen)

This group critically discusses the practice of prepayment and budget energy meters, which are used in several EU countries to deal with arrears, including in Ireland, UK and France. In some countries, ‘power limiters’ are also used. Are such practices in line with the idea of a right to affordable basic energy services for all, including vulnerable households and female-headed households, with children? How to deal with self-disconnections? What is a minimum right to energy? This group discusses the practice of prepayment, budget meters and limiters from a perspective of women’s right to energy services of a certain quality.

30. Translating Women & Right to Energy: Enhancing Women’s Energy

Literacy in an Inclusive Manner (English)

Hosts: Marilyn Smith (EnAct) / t.b.c.

Women have a right to information about their energy consumption and the energy bill. However, many people are not sufficiently ‘Energy Literate’. How does energy (il)literacy affect women and men differently? Is information about energy consumption and energy transition reaching everyone equally? This group gathers and discusses alternative ideas for accessible and inclusive energy literacy materials; e.g. visuals, art, music, audio, video, theater and other forms of expression. What is the role of educational peer-to-peer women’s initiatives and Suggestions for suitable information or education campaigns? How to improve literacy on women’s energy rights?

16:40 –16:55 Plenary: Wrap-Up Session

During the plenary wrap-up we may hear from some break-out rooms on their main activities, insights and findings, as well as recommendations for the WISE project going forward. All information from the Breakout Rooms will be collected as part of the Translate-A-Thon effort and be used to guide further development and implementation of our project activities.These activities will include training for women across WISE target groups, film screenings, awareness and discussion events, solidarity days and story-telling workshops.

We also hope to generate new knowledge, insights and ideas for people to put into practice themselves.

16:55 – 17:15 Lessons learned & looking forward: How to engage with WISE after today?

● WISE future activities:

○ film events / discussion evenings

○ dissemination of Translate-a-Thon materials

○ solidarity days

○ story-telling

○ closing event

● EU CERV Questionnaire

WISE Consortium Partners

🌍 Bulgaria / The Orion Grid

The Orion Grid works for a democratic and caring world free from oppression and trauma, where autonomous individuals-in-communities can develop and enable everyone to participate fully in social and political life. The organisation works by amplifying and bringing together the energy of the bearers of the democratic impulse. We commit ourselves to: a)democratisation of political and socio-psychological knowledge; b) specific support to individuals, organisations and movements to address challenges and unlock their potential as democratic actors; and c) identifying and addressing fissures at the community and systemic levels through educational, consultative, artistic, public and other interventions.

Orion Grid provides three main services: a) consultations (one-off and on-going), both organisational and group (process facilitation to address blockages, problem solving and organisational development) and individual (coaching and role analysis); b) education related to feminist epistemologies; democratic, civic and political education; training for facilitators; training for primary psychological care; and digital skills; and c) research including monitoring and evaluation of social systems and institutions; developments on grid theory and practice; and socially and politically significant issues through mixed methodology. Orion Grid’s focus is on tackling the most pressing issues faced by Bulgarian society, especially climate change communication, gender-based violence, far-right trends, discrimination, blockages in the processes of migration, structural and systemic violence.

🌍 Croatia / Green Energy Cooperative (ZEZ)

Green Energy Cooperative (ZEZ) is a non-profit cooperative & social enterprise based in Zagreb. It focuses on community renewable energy projects and empowering local communities. Established in 2013 as part of the project Development of Energy Cooperatives in Croatia implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Croatia, ZEZ has been supporting community energy in Croatia and across borders. The Cooperative’s 20 members have vast experience in coordinating and working in green energy projects and energy poverty on European and domestic scale, as well as on developing projects, designing policy recommendations and carrying out educational activities. ZEZ has an excellent background in the energy sector and understanding of the complex interactions of energy and economy, society and the environment. ZEZ promotes active involvement of stakeholders, particularly policy makers and citizen groups, in policy elaboration and implementation processes. The cooperative has a large network of specialists to carry out the research, innovation activities and implementation of solar PV projects. Its approach is based on experience and professional work in the field of energetics in Croatia, the Western Balkans and Central Asia.

🌍 France / The Energy Action Project (EnAct)

EnAct is internationally respected for its ability to produce engaging and informative content about energy poverty and effective means to tackle it. It has led or been directly involved in campaigns to raise awareness of access to energy as a basic human right (through podcasts and editing/ production of a Right to Energy Toolkit). EnAct has also researched and verified a wide range of energy-saving tips that all EU citizens can apply in their daily lives to use energy more wisely and participate in reducing consumption and emissions. Additionally, EnAct substantial experience in coordinating projects with multiple partners.

Notably, in relation to WISE, EnAct is focusing action in its own neighbourhood’ – the Paris suburb of Aubervilliers, the fourth poorest city in France. With a population of 95 000, citizens represent ~120 nationalities. Single mothers (mostly migrants) make up ~20% of the population and most live in social or substandard rental housing. The City of Aubervilliers is keen to collaborate to tackle widespread energy poverty among women, recognising the need to collaborate with multiple CSOs that have earned the trust of women.

🌍 Greece: Wind of Renewal/Anemos Ananeosis & INZEB

Wind of Renewal (WoR) is a social cooperative focusing on social and green innovation, the just energy transition and energy poverty, climate protection, and intercultural dialogue. Its activities boost empowerment and social inclusion. WoR has worked closely with refugee and migrant communities in Greece as well as with diverse EU social and energy networks. It has developed a community model (welcommon, which means welcome in common, together) for empowerment and inclusion through building communities to promote coexistence and dialogue among cultures, working with refugees, asylum seekers, tourists and young volunteers from 50 nationalities and ethnicities. To date, WoR has offered accommodation to 2000 refugees and empowerment and/or information education to more than 3000 refugees from 25 ethnicities and nationalities, mostly from Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Africa. It has worked closely with Ukrainian women and children in Greece who have fled the Russian invasion. WoR seeks ways to create jobs or co-working opportunities related to the energy transition and sustainable living.

INZEB is a non-profit, independent organisation with a focus on a sustainable and energy- balanced future, working in the areas of: energy efficiency in buildings and the built environment; innovative financing for energy efficiency; energy poverty mitigation; and evolution of energy communities. INZEB aims are achieved through an interdisciplinary team of experts who generate and disseminate scientific insights, research results and innovative solutions. INZEB endeavours to encourage and support the constantly evolving energy sector through research, documentation, consultation, and implementation of plans and capacity building programmes for national, European and international projects. By working closely with an extensive network of EU institutions, national, regional, and local authorities, NGOs, and academic and business sectors at national, European, and international levels, INZEB has built valuable partnerships that enable knowledge exchange and empower the ability to implement, disseminate and exploit scientific-based project outcomes towards sustainable energy transition and climate change mitigation. INZEB has published numerous reports regarding energy poverty mitigation in Greece and the EU. It has an extensive track record in EU-funded projects, including POWERPOOR H2020 (2020-23). INZEB provides technical assistance to 20 municipalities in Greece (5 technical assistance contracts) for diagnosing energy poverty and organising awareness events to engage and inform citizens, civil society organizations, and the technical and social services of the local authorities, and provide the latter with options for mitigation actions.

🌍 Hungary / HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences (CSS)

CSS is the flagship research institute of social sciences in Hungary. More than 200 researchers conduct disciplinary and interdisciplinary research in sociology, political science, computational social science, network science, minority studies, and legal studies. CSS Budapest is dedicated to building collaborative, trans-disciplinary, and cross-sectoral networks both within Hungary and internationally. The Centre regularly hosts public events, engages citizens, and conducts research with social impact. Researchers at the Centre have actively participated in EU-funded H2020 and other international projects. The Centre coordinates the H2020 Research and Innovation Action project DEMOS, which won a €3 million grant from the European Commission. The Centre also acts as a work package and task leader in several ongoing H2020 projects such as BRIDGES, OPTED, RE-DWELL, ESS-SUSTAIN-2, and RURALIZATION and leads an EEA grant (CODE Europe). In the past, CSS took part in a variety of other H2020 and FP7 projects (such as MIME, MOPACT, FAMILIES & SOCIETIES), COST actions, and Visegrad grants. In the area of energy, research includes the study: of energy poverty in Europe; the status of vulnerable groups in the energy transition; and new governance models of participation.

🌍Italy / RETE ASSIST

RETE ASSIST is a national network created to consolidate, strengthen and carry on the work started within the European ASSIST project. RETE ASSIST aims to be a point of reference for all those involved in promoting the just energy transition and the fight against energy poverty. RETE ASSIST proposes multi-layered, holistic approaches in line with complex and multidimensional problems, embracing aspects ranging from the social to the technical.

RETE ASSIST is the result of a research path carried out to define, test and subsequently scale an innovative model to address the problem of energy poverty. The ASSIST model is based on awareness that energy poverty does not fall exclusively within the energy sphere but has causes and consequences with strong social connotations. SMART-UP, a European project (H2020), has considered social workers – who already provide assistance to peopl in socio-economic difficulties – as potentially suitable to provide direct support on problems connected to the energy sphere, such as the inability to pay energy bills or living with only partial satisfaction of one’s energy needs. SMART-UP trained social workers on energy issues and integrated their knowledge on technical issues, thus developing their assistance skills on energy poverty. The SMART-UP experience concluded that helping people in energy poverty requires both knowledge and soft skills. The latter includes empathic sensitivity, the ability to dialogue and to transmit trust. In turn, the ASSIST project profiled

TED and built the TED-centric model for tackling energy poverty and improving the conditions of people in vulnerable/energy poor conditions. The project concluded that the TED, with horizontal skills on social and communication issues, and with vertical skills strengthened on a technical level, is a key player in the fight against energy poverty.

🌍 The Netherlands / 75inQ & University of Groningen, Faculty of Law

The 75inQ Foundation accelerates the transition to sustainable energy by promoting gender equality in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It specifically focuses on the convergence of SDG7 and SDG5; the crossroads of the transition to sustainable and affordable energy and gender equality. These goals converge from the boardroom to the living room; i. Boardrooms within the energy sector are dominated by male directors; ii. Consequences of energy poverty are predominantly borne by women; iii. The gender component in the energy transition becomes more visible when the growing labour shortage and faltering labour participation in the energy sectors are viewed through a gender lens as a result of which innovation, strength and speed lag behind the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and reduce CO2 emissions. 75inQ has a membership community of over 700 female professionals working in the energy sector. 75inQ has written policy reports for the JRC of the EU, the Femm committee of the EU, EIGE, the UN, Asian Development Bank, Ministries of the Netherlands and ActionAid.

The University of Groningen is one of the oldest and largest universities of the Netherlands. Its Faculty of Law comprises six law departments and is well-known for highly-ranked bachelor and master programmes in the areas of Public International Law, Human Rights and Energy and Climate Law. At the Transboundary Legal Studies (TLS) Department, researchers investigate key transnational legal challenges and boundaries of law in the 21st century. In a highly technological and strongly internationalising society, many complex social issues and problems now transcend borders, including questions of achieving a (just) energy transition, climate action, protecting human rights and environmental health. One-dimensional approaches to such challenges and related legal questions are often no longer possible: cooperation with other disciplines and with those working in practice is vital. The Faculty is home to the Groningen Center for Energy and Sustainability Law and Groningen Center for Health Law, the latter also strongly focusing on the underlying determinants of physical and mental health, such as decent housing, access to water, energy and clean air – with a strong correlation to energy poverty. Dr. Marlies Hesselman specifically studies the emerging legal mobilization around the notion of the right to energy and she regularly advises on recent legal developments to national, EU, UN and other international institutions, and cooperates closely with civil society.