3 QUESTIONS | 3 MINUTES
We asked our North Macedonian mapping partner Vlora Reçica, researcher and head of the Centre for Parliamentary Support and Democratisation at the Institute for Democracy, 3 questions on our most recent Mapping civic education in Europe project and her point of view as a practitioner. Here are her answers:
1. You have been one of 21 partners THE CIVICS has had the privilege to work with on Mapping Civic Education in Europe over the past year. What do you think is the added value of such a mapping for a practitioner of civic education?
“The mapping will definitely help many practitioners of civic education to recognize relevant civic actors around Europe. Through the mapping data, we will be able to recognize possible partners and gain new ideas implemented elsewhere. Moreover, we will be able to eventually forge partnerships and projects that will help our work in our respective countries, regions, and wider.”
2. The network visualization of Mapping Civic Education in Europe will present actors from all 21 countries that participated in the online survey. But beyond the pan-European map, one will be able to zoom into the national civic educators’ map. What do you think is the benefit of it locally – who would be interested in the map, and what are ways to put it to work locally?
“While we often tend to be aware of the work of our partners nationally, sometimes we lose track of the work of many local but very important organizations. Through the civics educators map, we will be able to find relevant local partners and have better reach to citizens in smaller communities.”
3. Given your focus on researching attitudes within the North Macedonian society, what, in your opinion, is the civic competence (or competencies) that civic educators should mostly focus on and why?
“Democratic transformation is a long and, at times, exhausting process, especially for civic actors; thus, it is important to create civic partners in citizens. Broadening democratic attitudes among the citizens is crucial in creating a resilient democracy in North Macedonia. As such, civic educators must be skilled in transferring knowledge to citizens not just through non-formal education but through lifelong learning processes, which will be passed on through generations. It is crucial for civic educators to not just use methods of teaching but also focus on community-building work, peer-to-peer exchange, and methods to enhance citizens’ participation in creation and decision-making processes.”
THE CIVICS would like to thank Vlora for her time and valuable insights!