Aarhus (FO Aarhus, Association for Adult Education) is a non-government, non-profit organization established in 1973 to provide non-formal adult learning and counseling to the citizens of Aarhus. It has its own elected Board of Governors composed of representatives from the private sector, public administration, and the formal and vocational education sector. FO-Aarhus’ basic expertise lies in non-formal adult education for the general public and specialization in programs that help disadvantaged groups – e.g. immigrants, unemployed people, people with learning disabilities, dyslectics, people with mental issues – to enhance their quality of life and to integrate (or re-integrate) into society and the workforce. The aim is to strengthen the participants’ personal, social and vocational competencies as a stepping-stone to re-education, re-inclusion into the job market or further education

The Municipality of Lousada (ML) is an institution of local public administration that manages an area of 95 km2 with about 50.000 inhabitants. This highly populated area, in a periurban region, faces many challenges regarding its sustainable development, life quality, and population literacy and citizenship. Thus, the ML’s mission is to define guiding strategies and execute the resulting local policies through measures and programs in various areas of our competence, promoting the quality of life of all citizens and ensuring high standards of quality services. Our work is directed at achieving sustainable development with benefits and opportunities to all our citizens, in terms of environment, social and economic fields.

Associação BioLiving’s objectives are, among others, to promote sustainability through the engagement in environmental citizenship and public participation for the protection of nature while boosting the social economy and fostering inclusion, peace and solidarity, using education, natural resources, and the protection of nature as leitmotiv. BioLiving’s operating model focuses on the proximity to communities, municipalities, schools, companies and other NGOs. We believe that working in partnership with the stakeholders and populations facilitates the dialogue and the search for solutions for environmental education and nature conservation and their involvement and interest in environmental issues is more effectively promoted.

ALDA, European Association for Local Democracy, is a non-profit association founded by the initiative of the Congress of the Council of Europe in 1999, the main goal is the promotion of good governance and citizen participation at the local level. ALDA is a membership-based organization gathering more than 350 members (including local democracy agencies, local authorities, an association of local authorities, civil society organizations, universities, NGOs, grassroots associations, and public bodies) based in 45 countries over most of Europe and the European Neighbourhood countries, amongst these the Balkans, Belarus, Moldova, the Caucasus area, Turkey and a few countries from the North Africa such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia. ALDA’s offices are based in Strasbourg (FR), Brussels (BE), Vicenza (IT), Subotica (RS), Skopje (MK), Chisinau (MD) and Tunis (TN). ALDA can count at the moment on 40 people in the staff and various interns and volunteers who support the activities of the different offices. Today, ALDA is a key stakeholder in the field of local democracy, active citizenship, good governance, EU integration, human rights, and cooperation between local authorities and civil society. Most of ALDA’s work is based on the method of multilateral decentralized cooperation.

The Environment Agency operates under the direction of the Ministry for the Environment. Its role is to promote the protection and the sustainable use of Iceland’s natural resources, as well as public welfare by helping to ensure a healthy environment. The Environment Agency has the interest of future generations and nature. Among its guiding lights and policies are the following: • The Environment Agency looks to the future, emphasises cooperation and the counting of results as its primary values. • The Environment Agency is a leading agent in environmental issues and nature conservation in the community. The role of the Agency is to closely monitor the development of environmental issues and safeguard the welfare of the public. • The policy of the Environment Agency for the years 2018-2022 is founded upon the position of the Agency and provides oversight over the welfare of residents all over the country. • Working in groups is the main work method of the Agency and works well for formulating the future policy of the Environment Agency in each instance. The Agency counts about 90 full time employees. One of the main roles of The Environment Agency of Iceland, is to manage and protect the Snæfellsjökull National Park and other 115 protected areas in Iceland. According to the nature conservation act a Nature Reserve is an area protected for its importance for wildlife (flora and fauna) and landscape.

CARDET is one of the leading adult education research and development centers in the Mediterranean region with global expertise in adult education, social inclusion, project design and implementation, capacity building, and e-learning. CARDET is independently affiliated with universities and institutions from around the world, such as the Yale University, the University of Nicosia and the International Council of Educational Media. CARDET has completed numerous projects relating to adult education, eLearning, literacies, blender learning, university – community collaboration, MOOCs, digital tools, volunteering and VET. CARDET brings together an international team of experts with decades of global expertise in designing, implementing and evaluating international projects.