Interakcia Annual Report 2017

Interakcia Foundation
Annual report on 2017

What we do

We implement sustainable development projects in Belarusian regions with financial support of the European Union.

Interakcia in numbers

12 years

We work for the benefit of Belarusian regions

13 projects

We have already implemented or have been implementing now.

20 regions

In so many Belarusian regions we worked or have been working now.

With which projects we were working in 2017?

Together with partners we successfully finished one project and continued work with three.

From energy efficiency to urban mobility

Motivating Polack citizens to use ecological means of transport and developing Urban Mobility Plan.

PubLiCity: Energy Efficient Modernization of Public Lighting in the City of Polotsk

Changing city lightning on 16 streets in Polack for energy efficient and promoting ideas of energy saving among citizens.

Valozhyn without barriers

Making social and touristic services in Valozhyn district accessible for people with disabilities.

Covenant of Mayors - East

Supporting Belarusian cities which voluntarily committed themselves to reduce CO2 emissions.

Let's look at results!

From energy efficency to urban mobility
(2014 - 2017)

Together with Polack District Executive Committee we successfully finished this project last year. What was memorable in 2017?

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Local authorities submitted first Urban Mobility Plan in Belarus

First Urban Mobility Plan in Belarus was submitted by Polack authorities on May 26, 2017. Plan helps authorities to solve transport problems of their city. It was developed by experts from the Institute of Urban and Regional Planning and Belarusian Association of Transport Experts and Surveyors

12 parkings for bicycles

Were installed on Polack streets in spring 2017. Places for parkings were proposed by locals.

International conference about urban mobility

In the end of March 2017 we held a conference about sustainable urban mobility. More than 200 participants and 20 speakers from Belarus, Italy, Lithuania, Sweden and Ukraine exchanged experience and best practices in sustainable urban and transport development.

Issued 2 collections

Together with specialists from transport, bicycle traffic, urbanistics, traffic safety we analyzed world experience and made recommendations to improve Belarusian legislation in collection "Sustainable Urban Development Planning". Read it online (Russian) >>>

Our recommendations on communication based on experience in Polack are gathered in the collection "How to attract citizens to participate in your project?" Read it online (Russian)>>>

That's not all!

First bicycle lane, European Mobility Weeks, mobile application for transport journeys and so on. Read all the results of project there>>>

PubLiCity: Energy Efficient Modernization of Public Lighting in the City of Polotsk (2015 - 2018)

What is being done to city shine with bright lights and consume less electricity?

Project is being implemented by Polack District Executive Committe and Interakcia Foundation.

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Tender for purchasing and installation of equipment are launched

In December 2017 Polack District Executive Committee launched open international tender to purchase equipment for modernization of public lighting on 16 city streets. Deadline for tender applications - March 5, 2018. More>>>

In the middle of February 2018 Polack state enterprise operating in sphere of housing and communal services announced tender to find the contractor who will install purchased equipment.
Deadline for tender applications is March 16, 2018. More>>>

Energy Days

Together with Polack citizens we were building ecological pavilion with young architects, solving puzzles, learning how to save energy and so on during Energy Days! They took place from May 25, 2017 till June 25,2017. More than 300 people took part in events!

Read report after event there>>> (RUS)

That's how young architects were building ecological pavilion during architectural school "Transformator". Watch video >>>

Answered journalists' and citizens' questions

What progress project has, where Polack takes money for such projects and how citizens take part in changes - these questions were covered during press conference in March 2017.

Preparing for the Festival of Light

What needs to be done to conduct an event like in Lyon? Delegation from Polack was seeking for an answer for this question during world-famous Festival of Light in Lyon to conduct such event for their citizens.

We analyzed Lyon's experience and prepared 6 recommendations to the cities on how to organize a light festival>>>

What's in 2018?

At the end of the project new energy efficient lightning will appear on 16 streets. Look at the map with streets there>>>

Project will be finished with Festival of Light this autumn. Light installations will be placed all over the city as well as workshops, night city tours, flashmobs and contests will be held.

Valozhyn without barriers (2015 - 2018)

How social and touristic services for people with disabilities are being made more accessible in Valozhyn district?

Project is being implemented by Valozhyn District Executive Committe, Interakcia Foundation, Public Association "Belarusian Society of Disabled People", Belarusian Association "Country Escape".

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Business starts in Valozhyn!

Is it real to launch social project in regional city? Finalists of startup school of this project believe that's true.

After three months of work with mentors and lectures from experts 3 projects made it to the finals. Among them are production of oyster mushrooms, inclusive portal about Belarus and manufacturing of hand-made accessories.

What Valozhyn can learn from Bremen?

From 21 to 25 August educational visit of working group within the framework of project "Valožyn without barriers" took place in Bremen. We gathered useful lessons which can help Belarusian cities and towns to become accessible. Read article>>>

How to make tourism and leasure accessible for all?

What is important to remember in work with people with different types of disabilities in toursim? How to make recreational facilities accessible? What should be taken into account in design? You can find answers to these questions in this brochure.(RUS) It was drafted by experts from social, touristic and architectural spheres.

Let's figure out, which difficulties do Valozhyn citizens with disabilities face

In 2017 working group of the project conducted a survey to find out which difficulties do Valozhyn citizens with disabilities face in everyday life. Now respones are being processed and results will be known in the beginning of spring 2018.

5K EUR to make services accessible

Contest for social and touristic business was held in spring 2018. 5 winners received 5 thousand euros each for special equipment to make their services accessible for people with disabilities and will present the results in March 2018. For example, tourists with disabilities will be able to take a ride on horse carriage, boat and learn how to bake bread.

What's in 2018?

Touristic centre for people with disabilities with a hostel for 20 beds will be opened in summer 2018. Look how hostel will look like there>>>

Read all the plans of project for 2018 there>>>

Covenant of Mayors - East (2016 - 2020)

Helping Belarusian cities which voluntarily committed themselves to reduce CO2 emissions.

Interakcia is one of supporting structures of the Covenant in Belarus.

What is Covenant of Mayors?

Covenant of Mayors is an EU initiative where cities voluntarily commit themselves to reduce CO2 emissions on 30-40% by 2030.

There are almost 8 thousand signatories of the Covenant in the world, 42 from them are from Belarus.

EU-funded project "Covenant of Mayors - East" unites signatories from Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine).

Facts and figures

39 active signatory cities

Every third Belarusian lives on the territory of the CoM signatories.

11 Sustainable Energy Action Plans

Submitted and accepted in Belarus.

288 mln EUR

Investments planned for 11 signatories with SEAPs.

Minus 66 thousand cars

Thanks to 11 submitted and accepted SEAPs CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced by 369 690 tons/year by 2020. That is equivalent to annual CO2 emission of about 66 500 private cars in Belarus.

2 mln MWt of electric power

Energy savings to be achieved by 2020. That is equivalent to annual energy consumption of about 118 000 households in Belarus.

3 demonstration projects

Are being implemented in Belarus since 2015. Our PubLiCity is among them together with projects from Chavusy and Braslau. More>>>

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Number of signatories has more than tripled

During 2016-2017 the number of municipalities participating in the Covenant of Mayors has more than tripled. Now there are 39 active signatory cities in Belarus. 10 cities committed themselves to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020 and the rest by 30% by 2030.

Conference for Belarusian signatories

What they are driven by? Where to find financing for such ambitious goals? What progress have these cities and towns reached and which difficulties faced to reach awaited number?

Experts, representatives of European Commission, ministries and city halls discussed these issues at the "Covenant of Mayors - East: Joining Forces for Climate & Energy Action" conference which took place in Minsk on December 13-14 and gathered 200 participants from 6 countries. More>>>

Covenant's National Coordinators emerged in Belarus

National coordinators are government bodies which help signatories to develop and implement Sustainable Energy Action Plans.

Department of Energy Efficiency for the State Committee for Standardization and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection are National Coordinators of the Covenant in Belarus.

В 12 городах прошли Дни Энергии

Летом 12 городов-подписантов присоеднились к Европейской неделе устойчивой энергии и провели у себя Дни Энергии. Городские игры, турниры, экскурсии, конкурсы в социальных сетях, семинары, ток-шоу и велопробег - горожанам было некогда скучать!

Вы уже видели, как отгремели Дни Энергии в Полоцке. А вот так праздник прошёл в Браславе>>> и Вилейке>>>.

Поддерживаем журналистов, которые пишут об экологии и климате

В сентябре 2017 года в Минске прошёл медиа-завтрак для журналистов региональных и национальных СМИ. Вместе с экспертами обсудили, что такое Соглашение мэров и успехи инициативы в Беларуси. Для тех, кто пишет на тему Соглашения, в октябре 2017 года прошёл конкурс статей. Пятеро победителей конкурса в декабре отправились на медиа-тренинг в Грузию.

Новые демонстрационные проекты

В 2018 году запустят два новых демонстрационных проекта - в Березё и Ошмянах.

В Берёзе будут модернизировать уличное освещение. Почти 3 тысячи фонарей заменят на светодиодные и внедрят умную систему для учёта потреблённой энергии. В Ошмянах будут делать энергоэффективным детский сад №3. Здесь установят солнечные панели, модернизируют вентиляцию и освещение и не только.

We support the principle of openness and want to show you how the funding was distributed in our projects in 2017.

Expenditure of projects were Interakcia was / is a leading partner are represented in detail, i.e. under all budget lines. Expenditure of projects were Interakcia wasn't/isn't a leading partner are represented in regard to the foundation itself, i.e. funds which were allocated to the fund throughout the initiative or those it could manage are shown.

All figures are shown in euros.

From Energy Efficency to Urban Mobility

Interakcia Foundation was the Leading Partner in this project.
Budget:€ 334 000, contribution of the EU - € 299 500 (90% of total)
Project was being implemented from March 2014 till April 2017 in Polack, Belarus.

Valozhyn without barriers

Interakcia Foundation is a partner of this project.
Budget: € 1 111 000 euros, contribution of the EU - €999 000 (90%)
Project has been implemented from October 2015 till October 2018 in Valozhyn district, Belarus.

PubLiCity

Interakcia Foundation is the partner of this project.
Budget: € 1 630 521, contribution of the EU –
€ 1 304 417 (90%)
Project has been implemented from August 2015 till November 2018 in Polack, Belarus.

Covenant of Mayors - East

The Project is being implemented by Energy Cities-led Consortium.
Interakcia Foundation is one of supporting structures of the Covenant in Belarus.
Project has been implemented from June 2016 till May 2020.

During 2017 we cooperated with governmental bodies and public organisations, business, mass media, experts, local communities and volunteers.

We are grateful to:

Delegation of the EU to the Republic of Belarus
EU ITA Centre in the Republic of Belarus
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
Department of Energy Efficiency for the State Committee for Standardization
Office for Democratic Belarus (Brussels)
United Nations Development Programme in Belarus
Climate Alliance Association
Office of Covenant of Mayors - East
The European Association of local authorities in energy transition "Energy Cities"
Team of EU Programme "Covenant of Mayors - Demonstration Projects" in Eastern Partnership region

Polack District Executive Committee
Municipal Unitary Enterprise "Housing and Utilities of Polack"
Centre for Urbanistics and Design (Navapolack)
Polack State University
Department of Education, Sport and Tourism of Polack District Executive Committee
City portal 0214.by (Polack, Navapolack)
City portal gorod214.by (Polack, Navapolack)
Newspaper "Polotski vesnik"
TV Channel "Summit+TV" (Полоцк)
Radio station "Europa Plus Polack"
News portal ximik.info (Polack, Navapolack)
Newspaper "Vitebskie vesti"

ETS-Consult
Belarusian Union of Transporters
Institute of Urban and Regional Planning (BelNIIPgradostroitelsva)
Belarusian Association of Transport Experts and Surveyors

Valozhyn District Executive Committee
Valozhyn Local Center for Social Services
Public Association "Belarusian Society of Disabled People"
Belarusian Association "Country Escape"
Valozhyn branch of "Belarusian association of assistance to children and young people with disabilities"
Start.by
Newspaper «Pracounaya Slava» (Воложин)
Newspaper «Vmeste»
Online portal kraj.by (Minsk region)
Newspaper RH.BY (Minsk region)
Newspaper "Minskaya prauda"(Minsk region)

Embassy of Brazil in Belarus
Communication agency PRCI.Storytellers
Communication agency Ezerin'COM
First National Channel of Belarusian Radio
Green Portal(greenbelarus.info)
Online magazine 34MAG.NET
Online magazine citydog.by
Online newspaper zautra.by
Magazine "Energetika i TEK"
Magazine "Rodnaya Pryroda"

Minsk Cycling Community
Green Network
IPO "Ecopartnership"
Centre for Environmental Solutions
Office for European Expertise and Communications

And anyone was with us in 2017! :)

Any questions about our activities? We will be happy to answer!

liashkevich@eu-belarus.net
+375 17 280 13 30
+375 44 749 25 97

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