FLGR announces Innovative Practices Competition on the following topic: European Integration providing information and/or successfully implementation of European project. The deadline for receiving innovative practices was April 15, 2005. At the beginning of May 2005 FLGR will award the Innovation Practices Winner at official ceremony on the occasion of Europe's Day.

FLGR received 50 innovative practices from 37 municipalities to participate the contest.

- Providing information about distinct subjects in regard to European Integration process of Bulgaria, achieving better awareness of opportunities and responsibilities, which European Union membership provides are topics of the day for many Bulgarian municipalities. Information campaigns are often implemented in partnership with local stakeholders, engaged in different activities. The competition is open for every municipality, which implemented a project or information campaign, building on EU knowledge in an innovative way.

- Every municipality implemented a European funded project, which contributes to building local capacity and popularizing the European idea for sustainable and equal development, can also participate in the Innovation Practices Competition.

Eligible to participate in the competition are municipalities and non-government organizations, as well as their civil and business partners.

The innovative practices collected within the Subject Innovative Practices Competition will participate at the end of the year in the 2005 Annual Innovative Municipality Competition. The Foundation's award is given to municipalities that shared innovative practices in different areas of local self-government.

For the seventh consecutive year FLGR encourages, collects and disseminates innovative practices, which stimulate inventiveness and best practice exchange in the area of Bulgarian local self-government within Innovative Practices in Bulgaria Project. The project is started in September 1998 with the financial support of Open Society Institute - Budapest, Initiative for Local Government Reform and Public Services Program and US Agency for International Development (USAID). Municipalities, non-government organizations, citizens and government institutions can share information and work experience, making popular their achievements and activities (innovative practices are published by FLGR in Bulgarian and in English).

The innovative practice presents a small improvement in functioning procedures and policy of the municipality or systematic and fundamental changes in the municipal administration work. The innovative practice could be already implemented by some institutions or municipalities, but be a new initiative, operating in a distinct location. The innovative practice contributes to achieving positive changes: improved work results, access to information, cooperation between administrative departments, saved time and money. The improvements should not be implemented with the help of expensive technology or large financing.

Why to participate?

- To become part of an open network for exchange of experience between innovative municipalities

- To represent a community and to be recognized by the colleagues countrywide

- To encourage others, to find followers and to build on achieved results

- To participate in the 2005 Annual Innovative Municipality Competition!

Share your experience!

Participate and win!

Send your innovative practices for the competition till April 15, 2005, to

Nadejda Samsarova ([email protected]) and

Ralitsa Valkova ([email protected]).