Burgerplicht Gent

Burgerplicht Gent (Civic Duty Ghent) is a non-profit organization whose field of action is the citizen of Ghent. The organization has its origins in #Burgerplicht, which arose as a citizens' initiative in March 2020 during the first corona pandemic. Burgerplicht Gent is a socio-cultural organization focuses on the solidarity, participation, and inclusion of citizens in Belgium boosting a socio-cultural sense of initiative and entrepreneurship. Through solidarity, participation, networking, and connection, we strive for a better future for all residents. Our mission is to make a sustainable cooperation with parents, students, youths, schools, stakeholders, NGOs, institutions, universities, student associations, municipalities for the solidarity, participation, inclusion of citizens. The award of the City of Ghent's Samenlevingsprijs (Community Award) in 2021 shows that the organization is supported by the broad strata of the population and civil society which strengthens us in our conviction to continue along this path. Our organization supports the needs of healthcare and education institutions, and emergency relief organizations regarding the inequalities in access to healthcare, educational and socio-cultural services, offerings, and skills for students, youths and adults living in a multi-cultural society. In a diversity context, we make projects for the social and cultural inclusion of multicultural societies with a Turkish, Moroccan, Syrian, Algerian, Tunisian, Bulgarian and Roma immigrant background, as well as the more recent Ukrainian refugees, Syrians, Arabs, Afghanis, Iranians etc in Ghent, Belgium. We aim to empower all immigrant and refugee groups in Belgium by means of inclusive and innovative projects. We invest on the mutual understanding among all immigrant communities and the host community through intercultural dialogue. Our organization focuses (mainly) on the 30,000-40,000 people of Ghent through an organizational chart with board of directors and 6 thematic working groups including “culture, education, talent and skills, youths, health, poverty, and solidarity” each with leaders and other volunteers. Our organization with 6 thematic working groups aims to empower immigrants (with a Turkish, Moroccan, Syrian, Algerian, Tunisian, Bulgarian and Roma immigrant background) and refugee groups (recent Ukrainian refugees, Syrians, Arabs, Afghanis, Iranians etc.) in Ghent through intercultural dialogue, inclusive and innovative projects for the sake of mutual understanding among all immigrants, refugees and the host community. Below is a summary of the various fields of our actions/projects of Burgerplicht: -Cooperation with organizations to promote living together in a diverse country. Raising awareness into the social entrepreneurs in Europe. -Developing the skills and talents of youths/adults with a migration/refugee background in high schools/colleges/higher education/market industry and local government institutions. We aim to expand our network through youth welfare associations (Youth Platforms), academics, mosque associations, student associations at Ghent University and colleges and self-organisations according to proposal for 2023 the European Year of Skills by The European Commission. -Stimulating the socio-cultural activities within the community by increasing the participation of migrant/refugee residents in the non-profit sector -Creating a better communication in health care and welfare of the society through webinars, workshops, etc. -Promoting social entrepreneurs and the involvement in the existing poverty issue by sustainable solutions (De Armste Week (The poorest Week) is an Initiative and city-wide action of the Ghent Arts Consultation, Refu Interim, Cirq, The Ghent Solidarity Fund and Burgerplicht, KRAS Ghent, local workers form the City of Ghent, numerous cultural organizations, catering establishments). Our institutional body is recognized by City of Ghent, the Health Department of the city of Ghent, Gents Kunst Overleg (GKO), Local Social Policy Department (LSB), Refu Interim, Cirq, the Gents Solidariteitfonds, KRAS Gent and Citizen Plicht Gent to create a social identity through dialogue, collaboration and social and cultural participation and solidarity. Also, through our sponsors, institutional partners (Flux (https://flux.ugent.be), Rede (https://vzwrede.be), Gents Kunsten Overleg (https://gentskunstenoverleg.be), Enderun (https://www.facebook.com/enderunvzw/), Aktief Studiebegeleiding (https://www.actiefvzw.be), City of Gent (https://stad.gent/en), In. Perspective (https://www.in-perspective.be), and stakeholders (municipalities, universities, student associations, schools, NGOs, local/international initiatives, companies etc.), we try to build an accountable organizational body giving a voice to a well-inclusive society. Beyond this, all volunteering initiatives and contributions create self-awareness in the society which is so initial for our social and cultural participation and solidarity. https://www.burgerplicht.be