A study visit to Holland

Gaining experience for making the local elections "greener"

The working group for making the local elections "greener" (RGPLE), an informal group initiated by Milieukontakt Oost Europa, visited Holland from 10 to 17 May this year in order to become familiar with the work of the environmental civic associations and gain more experience in the ways of lobbying during the local elections in Macedonia. Part of the above-mentioned experiences will be implemented in their project for making the local elections that will take place in September in Macedonia "greener". During the stay, the working group visited seven organizations that in different ways contribute to a greater protection of the environment, and its members got introduced to the history of the environment protection movement in Holland and the system and the competences of the local government.

The working meetings were an opportunity for the RGPLE members to become familiar with the work of the organizations that use direct actions and initiatives, lobby-organizations whose target group consists of the politicians and the people who make the decisions for the protection of the environment.

Seeking various forms through which they will popularise the environmental issues and inform the citizens on the need for bigger awareness and consciousness regarding the environment, the members of RGPLE visited the cafe for protection of the environment in Tillburg and the political cafe in Hengelo.

The representatives of the Dutch organizations, together with RGPLE members discussed concrete campaigns related to the environmental protection and exchanged various experiences. 

S.T.