Opportunities for a New Dialogue for Change in Ukraine – PASCAL Learning Cities Co-ordinator, Rob Mark, addresses a learning cities forum in Ivano-Frankivisk

Promprylad is a new inclusive learning environment seeking to change a city through providing new kind of learning opportunities for the community. The project, which is in it infancy, is operated by MItOst, an independent non-profit organisation located in Berlin. It is seeking to transform the lives of people in the the city of Ivano-Frankivisk Western Ukraine.

Ivano – Frankivisk is a city of around a quarter of a million people and is located beside the Carpathian mountains in western Ukraine. The city was intensively industrialised under the Soviet Union and had a closed military status. As the state was the only leading force for entrepreneurial development this shaped the mentality and perceptions of the people and took away any feeling of responsibility for development by the local community. Today there is a strong feeling that the local community should influence the development of the city.

Promprylad was previously a gasmeter factory located in the central part of the city with an overall space of around 30000 meters. The factory is currently under re-construction since September 2017 and when completed will provide a cross-sectoral learning space where individuals and groups can meet for educational purposes and for social gatherings. Promprylad is being constructed as a new kind of learning environment for the people of Ivano – Frankivisk and surrounding region. It is hoped it will act as a catalyst for local and regional development and for promoting the city in the global context. It will be a place where people can go to explore new opportunities and to explore, co-learn and thing about the future.. The new learning environment will provide for cultural, educational and business elements and will seek to foster trust, confidence and capability . The pilot project will be operated by national and local NGOS , local businesses and local authorities.

As part of the project which is known as ‘Dialogue for Change’ a 4 day discussion forum (see image below) was offered in December 2017 to enable people from other organisations which work in non-formal education to exchange ideas and learn from each other. Different approaches to promoting learning such as holistic learning, assessing learning competences and facilitation as a tool for learning are all being discussed.

The project is operated by MItOst an independent non-profit organisation located in Berlin, Germany and which promotes cultural exchange and active citizenship in Europe and neighbouring regions . The NGO Insha Osvita, a non-governmental and non-profit supporting is the operator of the project in Ukraine. The programme was attended by approximately 50 people from all over Ukraine, and from Russia and Moldova.

The forum was addressed by Rob Mark, PASCAL Learning Cities Project Coordinator, who spoke about the role which cities can play in building sustainable cities and communities for a global world. Natalya Trambovetska, coordinator of the forum and the trainers group Insha Osvita said:

The work of the forum has shown how important it is to have such meetings together. The forum has not only provided an opportunity to learn new knowledge and skills,  but has provided space for dialogue and exchange of ideas and to consider  how  various partners can work together to promote dialogue  and skills for developing sustainable learning cities.

Website : http://www.dialogue-for-change.org/en/

Rob Mark
PASCAL Learning Cities Networks (LCN) project coordinator