The theme trail in Mojkovac, the social club for people with disabilities in Nikšić and the viewpoints on the footpath in Zeta are examples of successful initiatives that have shaped communities throughout Montenegro within the framework of the ReLOaD2 program, UNDP announced.
UNDP said that the final event of the second phase of that program was held today in Podgorica.
As they stated, the event highlighted the importance of four years of work on strengthening non-governmental organizations (NGOs), improving cooperation with municipalities and developing local communities.
Referring to the achievements of the program, the permanent representative of UNDP in Montenegro, Ekaterina Paniklova, said that through two public calls, 85 projects led by NGOs were supported, including more than 12 thousand participants from 14 municipalities.
"The ReLOaD program is not only about financing initiatives - it is about harnessing the incredible potential of people to shape their communities and contribute to the development of the country," said Paniklova.
She stated that by encouraging cooperation between local authorities and civil society, they help Montenegro build the foundations for sustainable progress, empowering individuals and organizations to lead transformative changes.
"The essence of our work lies precisely in this – working with people, for people, in order to create a lasting impact for future-oriented development," Paniklova said.
The announcement states that the program was implemented with the financial support of the European Union (EU).
Ingve Engstrom, Head of the Cooperation Sector of the EU Delegation in Montenegro, reflected on the achieved results and emphasized the key role of civil society.
"Civil society enables citizens to express their voice and connect with government institutions. That connection is the core of the ReLOaD program, and now we are witnessing tangible results," said Engstrom.
He stated that there is still a lot of room for improving cooperation between local authorities and NGOs, which, he added, will be a priority in the next phase.
The UNDP said that some of the results include the opening of a botanical garden in Pljevlje, the creation of a digital guide through the Old Town of Budva, the adaptation of a recreation area for the elderly in Andrijevica, the production of a documentary about the natural heritage of Boka.
"The importance of those initiatives, which came from the citizens themselves, is that they continue to live even after the official end of the program," the statement added.
The Minister of Regional Investment Development and Cooperation with NGOs, Ernad Suljević, congratulated the partner municipalities and NGOs on the finalized program.
Suljević pointed out that partnership and inclusiveness must be an imperative of action to ensure overall social prosperity.
According to him, the Ministry's priority is strengthening the capacity of NGOs and active participation in the process of implementing public policies.
"In this regard, in the coming period we will also strive to create a favorable environment for the activities of civil society, and despite numerous challenges, we are determined to pass a new law on non-governmental organizations," said Suljević.
He said that amendments to the law will improve and facilitate the registration of NGOs, their financing and monitoring of implemented programs and projects.
UNDP said that challenges and lessons learned were summarized at the conference, with a focus on continuing work through the new phase of the program.
As it is added, the next phase will be aimed at further strengthening the civil sector and supporting projects of importance for local communities.
The representative of the municipality of Andrijevica, Miloš Čukić, referred to the fact that 1,2 thousand citizens left Andrijevica compared to the last census.
This, he added, is a reminder that resources must be managed more wisely and potentials used.
"The analysis of the needs of young people by ReLOaD, as well as the determination of priorities at the cluster level, helped us a lot to better plan work with young people and strategic development", said Čukić at the panel "How to make every community a better place to live".
Miodrag Karadžić, a long-time activist in the ecological civil sector, believes that there are many tools and space for young people to take matters into their own hands, and that he expects them to do the same.
"For NGOs to grow and play the role we talked about today, human resources are key. However, young people are afraid of working in the civil sector, when in fact it is a place where you can learn a lot and become competitive on the labor market," said Karadzic.
UNDP stated that the event ended with the awarding of recognition to municipalities and NGOs that made a special contribution to the success of the program.
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