The new programme cycle marks two important moments of the world history: the 70 years from the D-Day and the Battle of Normandy and 100 years from the World War I. These historical moments were taken in consideration when defining the priority themes of the cooperation:
- memory, peace and reconciliation
- cultural and natural heritage and
- human rights
The new programme cycle has changed the methodology of work and implementation of the programme, where as the previous working of thematic axes implemented by French – Macedonian tandem organisation was replaced with the following structure:
- Institutional development
This programme part is dedicated to decentralization, regional development and EU integration on two levels: direct cooperation between the Region Lower Normandy and the Macedonian Ministry of Local Self-Governance and strengthening the network of the 14 twined-cities from Region Lower Normandy and Macedonia.
Territorial projects implemented by local actors from the both territories on the subjects: memory, peace and reconciliation, cultural and natural heritage and human rights. The projects are selected on yearly basis, with possibility some of the projects to be extended in three year period.
Promotion of mobility and exchange of actors from both territories: youth, professors, artists, cultural workers etc.
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LOKOMOTIVA’S ACTIVITIES
Lokomotiva maintains in active role as participant in the programme and will be involved in each of the structural lines of cooperation programme. In this programme cycle the organisation continues its successful collaboration with its local partner – Centre for Development of Pelagonija Region and the French partner - Syndicat Mixte du Pays de la Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel.
In relation to the structural line of the programme in the part dedicated to Institutional Development, Lokomotiva is involved as coordinator of the cooperation between the Pelagonija Region, represented by the CDPR and Pays de la Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel, represented by the Syndicat Mixte du Pays de la Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel. This cooperation should open possibilities for linking and establishing contacts for future direct cooperation on political and activities-based level between both territories as well as between municipalities from both territories. In order to discus the mutual interests and possible area of cooperation in September, 2014 a delegation for Pays de la Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel will have an official visit to Pelagonija.
In relation to the structural line for mobility and exchange Lokomotiva coordinates the part dedicated to artistic exchange between artists from both territories. Lokomotiva is responsible to giving information, developing constants and providing conditions for residencies in Macedonia for artists from Lower Normandy. In 2014 Lokomotiva is engaged in communication and coordination of Barouf Orkestar and its guesting in Macedonia. Additionally this year Lokomotiva has arranged a residency for the visual artist Alexis Debeuf in the NU Centre for Culture Bitola and its presentation at AKTO – International Festival for Contemporary Arts, which will happen in August 2014.
Lokomotiva is most engaged as initiator, programme editor and coordinator in the Territorial project’s structural line. In this programme part Lokomotiva has developed the three year-project (2014-2016) project:
MUSEUM OF FEMALE STORIES IN THE 20TH CENTURY HISTORY OF PELAGONIJA REGION
In respect to the aforementioned themes of the cooperation of the programme, Lokomotiva developed this project with aim to provide a new and different view of the 20th century history of Pelagonija Region, seen from the prism of women and her role in certain social developmental moments in history of this territory.
Throughout history women play important roles in civil and political movements through their roles of a mother, a fighter, a teacher, an artist, and an organizer of various initiatives important for the community in which they live. Unfortunately often the official historical narratives that relate to certain key moments in history and development of a community and territory neglects or fails to take into account all these women roles. Hence, through this project we want to find, document, contextualize and share the role of women in the Pelagonija Region in the 20th century. Project will be implemented in the following phases:
2014 - Research (archives, museums, interviews; and discussions organized in the frame of specially created film screenings)
2015 - Development and implementation the conceptual - discursive presentation of selected narratives of women in the form of multimedia exhibition and physical and virtual mapping of narratives and related objects, places and events.
2016 - Presentation of the exhibition in other cities in Macedonia and Lower Normandy.
Project Activities in 2014:
Project activities in 2014 will comprise an extensive research on the selecting significant women (as individuals or as women associations) who had different roles important for the community and the territory in different periods of the history. Lokomotiva’s team in collaboration the visual artist Hristina Ivanovska and other invited collaborators will conduct the research.
The fist phase of the research will include: materials, documents, books and archives from institutions, such as University Library "St. Kliment Ohridski", National Institute of History and the History department at the Museum of Macedonia; meetings and discussions with historians, theoreticians, curators relevant for the subject in focus.
The second phase will continue with the research on the ground in Pelagonija Region, with several visits to the region for the purpose of: researching materials, documents and archives from the State Archives - Department Bitola and historical department of the Institute and Museum – Bitola; as well as meetings and discussions with historians and curators from Pelagonija. It will also comprise meetings with people familiar with certain narratives associated with women, and women who are related to or have a recollection of certain events in the history of this territory. During the visits meetings will be organized with representative of Kontra Kadar – Debate cinema, the collaborators on the final phase of the research.
The final phase of the research
This phase of the research comprises discussions on the subject in focus by organizing film screenings as public events in the frame of the manifestation - Regional Days for Culture in Pelagonija Region. The events will take place in three cities in the region: Bitola, Prilep and Krushevo. Each city will host an event on which a film, previously defined and related to the subject of the research, will be screened. After each screening a discussion will follow moderated by an invited guest and the representatives from Kontra Kadar – Debate cinema. The aim of this public events/screenings is to open possibilities for more extensive reflection on the relevant women issues from the participants and general public, which will at the end provide beneficial imputes on the research.
The research will be finalized in November 2014, and on the basis of the obtained results the programme for 2015 will be developed.
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