Tailored tools and services
At the heart of “Europe in my region” is the idea that the EU and the regions are stronger together in showing how the EU makes a difference at the local level. To that end, the initiative assists partner regions in the creation of tailored materials and tools, and provides promotional support to their communication efforts.
One of the spectrum of services made accessible to regional partners is the opportunity to transform images of EU-funded projects in action into printed and digital postcards. This year, once again, thousands of postcards have been distributed to citizens all over Europe, showing the EU’s achievements in emblematic places that speak to their hearts.
On the ground
While the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly made the organisation of events challenging, and at times uncertain, partner regions have shown resilience and adapted to unprecedented circumstances. Whether in a physical, online or hybrid form, many engaging “Europe in my region” events have been organised throughout Europe this year, offering memorable experiences to citizens and showing how, now more than ever, the EU is present and active on the ground, in their daily lives.
Through “Europe in my region”, partner regions are supported all year long to offer extra visibility to their local events and activities, notably on social media. This year, hundreds of sponsored posts have been published on social media platforms, generating more than 3.4 million impressions, while nearly 800 events have been advertised on the Europa map of events
From Swedish Lapland to Malta, and from Belgium to Greece, each Member State and programme has defined their own approach to the local events. Some focus on showcasing projects under a specific policy theme, while others display a variety of projects.
Let us take a tour through some of the most prominent local “Europe in my region” campaigns organised this year, with examples from France, Austria and Poland:
In France, more than 500 digital events were organised this year in May during the “Joli Mois de l’Europe”. With a range of activities varying from webinars, e-conferences, virtual exhibitions and tours, to quizzes and contests, citizens had many occasions to take part in “Europe in my region” activities.
In Austria, leisure activities during the summer invited citizens to discover EU-funded projects in their region. Along with a vast “Europe in my region” promotion on social media, maps displaying walking and cycling routes along EU-financed projects were created and distributed to the participating projects and partners, and to public offices such as tourist offices and city councils.
In Poland, the “European Funds Open Days” organised in September in cooperation with regional institutions and beneficiaries were an opportunity to present various projects that have received support from European funds to citizens. Nearly 500 physical and online activities were organised during three days for citizens of all ages, covering projects in fields such as heritage, science and sport.
Ultra-local communication campaigns and activities for pupils
In addition to the continuum of tools and services offered to the 27 Member States, a series of regional communication campaigns is being carried out in eight focus countries between this year and 2023 under the “Europe in my region” umbrella campaign. Each regional campaign is deployed around emblematic places in the regions of Europe, and highlights EU-enabled initiatives. These operations, anchored in local pride, are an ode to the regions and their inhabitants.
Finally, the “Europe in my region” umbrella campaign has not forgotten about the youngest among us. Targeted activities for schools are currently in preparation for deployment during the first semester of 2022. But this is another story, which will lend itself to another article in Panorama soon… Stay tuned!
Learn more about “Europe in my region”
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