Success stories

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

The project provided significant benefits to our organization. The visit to Växjö offered valuable insights into urban development, sustainability, and public-private partnerships, which we can integrate into our own projects, especially in terms of building energy efficiency and sustainable infrastructure.

The trip to Tampere was especially beneficial, particularly in relation to their tram system. As Kaunas is currently in the research phase of determining whether to implement a tram system, this visit provided us with highly relevant and practical insights. We were able to dive deep into how Tampere planned, financed, and executed their tram project. The discussions covered essential topics such as scheduling, operational costs, infrastructure requirements, and the long-term benefits of the system for urban mobility and sustainability. This knowledge will be instrumental as we assess the feasibility and potential advantages of a similar project in Kaunas.
Additionally, during our visit to the newly developing Hiedanranta district, we gained valuable knowledge on how Tampere utilizes and attracts EU project funding to support their urban development. Understanding how they leverage these funds and partnerships for large-scale projects gave us new perspectives on how to approach similar initiatives in Kaunas. Seeing firsthand how the tram integrates with Tampere's transport network, coupled with insights into their funding strategies, has provided us with valuable perspectives to inform our own decision-making.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

The project strengthened Nordic-Baltic cooperation by fostering deeper connections between Kaunas and its sister cities, Växjö and Tampere. Through our discussions, we identified shared goals in sustainability, public transport, and urban development, which I believe can drive future collaborations within the NB8 framework. Additionally, the discussed opportunity to align Kaunas' series of events Scandinavian Days with new sustainability initiatives further demonstrates the potential for ongoing cooperation between our cities, benefiting the entire Nordic-Baltic region.

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

Yes, for my home organization. The mobility project highlighted how Växjö and Tampere are a step ahead in urban and architectural planning, particularly in sustainability and innovative public-private partnerships. However, in the transport sector, we also shared valuable insights from our experience in Kaunas, contributing to a productive exchange of knowledge.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

We were particularly pleased because we selected specialists who rarely have the opportunity to travel to Scandinavian countries. This made the experience even more valuable in gaining new perspectives and fostering collaboration.
For me personally, as someone working closely with Kaunas’ Nordic and Union of Baltic Cities projects, it was extremely valuable. I believe meeting in person fostered deeper connections

Contact: Gailė Partikaitė, project manager of the project "Study Visit_Sharing the valuable experience"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

The project provided significant benefits to our organization by sharing practical insights and best practices from Iceland and Denmark in project management across multiple sectors. Key impacts include:

Improved Project Management Skills: We gained a deeper understanding of advanced project management models, particularly the importance of a strong PMO (Project Management Office), as demonstrated by ON Power and Reykjavik Municipality. These insights will help us implement more structured and efficient project management processes.

Stakeholder Engagement: Learning about stakeholder management strategies from the University of Iceland and public institutions highlighted the importance of long-term collaboration and open communication. These practices will foster better relationships with stakeholders and ensure smoother project execution.

Risk and Resource Management: Exposure to risk management practices used in large-scale projects, such as the Reykjavik hospital project, provided tools for better risk management and resource allocation, crucial for complex projects.

Innovation and Adaptability: Insights gained through Prof. Inga Minelgaitė’s training will enhance our organization's ability to manage change and adapt to new conditions, improving resilience in dynamic environments.

Sustainability and Cultural Integration: The Reykjavik Library's approach to serving diverse communities offered valuable lessons in sustainability and inclusivity, which will help us focus on these aspects in future projects.

Overall, the project strengthened our organization’s ability to manage complex initiatives, foster collaboration, and implement sustainable, efficient solutions.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

The project strengthened Nordic-Baltic cooperation by promoting knowledge exchange and collaboration in areas such as energy, project management, and public services. Key benefits to the partnership include:

Enhanced Cross-Border Collaboration: The project created opportunities for organizations in both regions to address shared challenges, including energy sustainability and urban development. This exchange of best practices helped build stronger relationships and laid the groundwork for future joint initiatives.

Knowledge Transfer: Baltic participants benefited from the advanced project management models used in Nordic countries, such as Iceland’s PMO (Project Management Office) framework. The transfer of this knowledge can be applied to improve efficiency and project management capabilities in Baltic organizations, enhancing the overall competence of the region.

Sustainability: The project highlighted sustainability efforts, particularly through initiatives like ON Power’s renewable energy projects. These lessons support the shared Nordic-Baltic goals of advancing green energy solutions. The cooperation in this area will help both regions in their transition to sustainable energy practices.

Cultural and Social Integration: The project addressed key social issues, such as migrant integration, through institutions like Reykjavik Library. By sharing these approaches, Baltic countries can implement similar initiatives to foster inclusivity and strengthen social ties between the Nordic and Baltic regions.

The project deepened Nordic-Baltic cooperation by fostering knowledge sharing, promoting sustainability, and supporting cultural integration, laying a strong foundation for continued collaboration.

References in the media

The project and its results were mentioned on our organization's website and social media platforms.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/XWfummgKX4sMrNk7/

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

Cultural Exchange and Understanding: Participants had the opportunity to experience different cultural approaches to project management, collaboration, and problem-solving. This helped foster greater cultural sensitivity and adaptability, enabling participants to work more effectively in diverse, international environments.

Knowledge Transfer and Skill Development: Through workshops and practical sessions, participants gained valuable insights into innovative project management models, such as the PMO framework, and new methods of stakeholder engagement. These skills are directly applicable to their home organizations, improving overall efficiency and project outcomes.

Networking and Collaboration: The project facilitated the creation of strong professional networks between participants from different countries. These relationships will support future cross-border collaborations and joint projects, promoting ongoing exchange of best practices and resources.

Sustainability and Innovation: Exposure to sustainable practices, especially in sectors like energy and public services, emphasized the importance of integrating sustainability into project planning and execution. This value will guide future initiatives, encouraging environmentally responsible and innovative approaches.

These experiences and values will have a lasting impact on participants, helping them apply new knowledge, skills, and attitudes in their personal and professional lives.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration met and exceeded our expectations in several key areas. It provided invaluable opportunities for knowledge exchange, fostering collaboration between Nordic and Baltic public administration professionals. The programme offered access to innovative project management practices, particularly through workshops and hands-on experiences, which will be directly applicable to our work. Moreover, the networking opportunities helped establish long-term professional relationships that will support future cross-border projects. The programme's focus on sustainability and best practice sharing was particularly beneficial, allowing us to integrate new approaches into our public sector initiatives. Overall, the programme fully delivered on its promise of enhancing cooperation and capacity-building.

Contact: Gintare Puckoriene, project manager of the project "Experience exchange with Iceland and Denmark, adaptation of best practice in the fields of project management"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

The benefits of the project - Municipal employees, who usually do not have the opportunity to see good examples live, like those of the Scandinavian countries, had the opportunity to go to Sweden and Finland and visit municipalities, educational centers, special institutions working with children with disabilities, and many other institutions. They not only had the opportunity to see with their own eyes how what is established in the law is applied in practice, but also made useful contacts. For example, during the visit to the Jonkoping Kålgården's adapted preschool, the specialists of the Education Department established a cooperative relationship and the arrival of the specialists of this school to Kaunas is currently being planned in order to see the experience of the city of Kaunas, as kindergartens and schools are adapted for children with disabilities. Also planned in Kaunas is a seminar of Swedish and Lithuanian pedagogues, the aim of which is to share each other's good experiences.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

The project undoubtedly contributed to the cooperation between the Baltic States and the Scandinavian States, as specialists from different countries had the opportunity to share their long-term experience on the mentioned topic. Contacts were also exchanged, from which a visit to Kaunas and further cooperation in the field of inclusive education is planned in the near future. Therefore, it was definitely an invaluable experience for the Baltic countries, and specifically in our case - for the employees of the Kaunas city municipality, to see how the Scandinavian countries have already implemented the integration of children with special needs in kindergartens and schools in their practice.

References in the media

During our first visit to Jönköping, the information about Kaunas delegation and all the project was made public in Jönköping newsletter. Here is link to it's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/InternationellaRelationerJkpg/?fref=ts

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

New valuable contacts were made; during live visits, you can actually see with your own eyes how everything is in reality, not just in theory.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration exceeded expectations, because Kaunas city municipality specialists from different fields had the opportunity to visit municipalities, educational centers, schools and kindergartens with their own eyes and experience everything themselves, see and communicate with the people working in them. This gave them new motivation and self-confidence to do what they do next, somewhere applying the experience of the Scandinavian countries.

Contact: Karolina Šidiškienė, project manager of the project "Study Visit: Sharing the valuable experience in inclusive education and Personnel management issues"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

The knowledge and good practise gained during the mobility visit to the Nordic countries will be successfully applied in Jonas Lankutis library. Eight competent and motivated library specialists, which have improved their qualification during the mobility visit, will share the acquired knowledge with their colleagues to provide new cultural services. New educational programs for children, youth and senior people will be created, actively aiming to attract the local community to the library. Librarians competences and international colaboration between Nordic and Baltic public libraries were strengthened. The good practice acquired in the Nordic countries will encourage specialists of the Jonas Lankutis public library to provide new innovative services. Volunteering at the library by local community residents is very popular in the Nordic countries. This will be applied in our library as well. There will be interest in the basic principles of community involvement in educational activities, reading promotion programs, book clubs, the involvement of children and youth to library activities. Experiences about library buses was shared: what services are provided in the Nordic countries and how activities are organized. Lithuanian librarians had learned about sustainable use in the Nordic libraries too. The goal of the project- exchanging knowledge, promoting, sharing experience and strengthening cooperation, international relations was achieved. After the trip, an "idea bank" was already created, where we collected all the experiences, put together a plan of actions and priorities. We"ll start step by step to realize the ideas we have seen, which can be applied in JonasLankutisLibrary.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

Nordic and Baltic libraries, participated in the project had the opportunity to establish inter-institutional international relations. Organizations shared experience of their traditional and innovative services, working methodology, reading promotion programs, non-formal education for adults and youth. The visited countries have very similar cultural policy, law and structure as in Lithuania. Activities and project initiatives carried out by the Jonas Lankutis Public Library was presented to partner libraries in the Nordic countries. The project was useful for our library because participants were able to see Nordic libraries examples of cooperation with Family, Youth, Culture Centers and other city institutions. The Swedish and Danish colleagues were impressed by the activities carried out by our library, such as Robot LABIS, Reading Start, Writers' Club, the publicity strategy carried out by the library and the creation of our own production. Contacts were also exchanged between specialists of various departments. After meeting and chatting live, we gained potential partners for further projects. Colleques from Sweden libraries will come to Jonas Lankutis public library to gain experience.
The goal was achieved -cooperation between Nordic and Baltic libraries was implemented, knowledge was exchanged between libraries. It will help to facilitate the coordination of more efficient public sector work methods in library work. We managed to establish close relations with representatives of libraries in the Nordic countries. Nordic and Baltic libraries will try to work together in the future to ensure inclusive, equal and high-quality non-formal education to provide lifelong learning opportunities for all.

References in the media

https://www.facebook.com/lankuciobiblioteka/posts/pfbid02fA2JpAHVWwEDeRzKPeaDHpcX1LncYsaJM1fk782K7bJa7UM14MGaafgEmDkgCZzCl

https://www.facebook.com/lankuciobiblioteka/posts/pfbid02DPvL6hPvLGwWoqr6Sh6CjJQJYe6e542yMhAPFKBPLSfLhnUfdFnLWp9ZCZXM4q4ml

https://www.facebook.com/lankuciobiblioteka/posts/pfbid02Vw19tXUhGh1Euv3ojNhYRmfF8sgx9TcUtKEUyYThU4o1qeYTvq1sejsBEmC5if4ul

https://www.facebook.com/lankuciobiblioteka/posts/pfbid0x8mj2qdU4CFxCDhHi56UL8rixqUyQcJySbU7dtJWTCFRmizZMUvbMSJJQ3LtmMTml

https://www.facebook.com/lankuciobiblioteka/posts/pfbid0a5vQPbgar6Zx5xew68DAqbCPpdgMJ2XMUomnta8W9g9zkR74RPibQmQC9QzA47P1l

https://www.facebook.com/karlskronabibliotek/posts/947149144118486?ref=embed_page

https://www.gargzdaivb.lt/naujienos/5/bibliotekininku-vizitas-danijos-ir-svedijos-bibliotekose:666

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_vGEJxIKNZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_-e1dbt6XC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

https://mano-gargzdai.lt/component/k2/item/32930-bibliotekinink-vizitas-danijos-ir-svedijos-bibliotekose

https://gargzdai.lt/bibliotekininku-vizitas-danijos-ir-svedijos-bibliotekose/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SgmGfbJJtLJhQM9oS403aLwpJvAhzpaO/view (a video created by our library specialists presenting the ongoing activities).

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=949634783869505&set=a.462871959212459 (start organizing individual digital literacy training for residents on the days and hours set).

21 stories were uploaded to the library's Facebook account.

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

The project has strengthened the competences of Jonas Lankutis public library specialists, which are necessary for creating non-formal education programs. Active work will be done on these priority areas - gender equality, sustainability, social inclusion. International cooperation of cultural organizations was promoted. Nordic libraries were an excellent example for us of how local community members and their needs are taken into account when organizing library activities, and how community members themselves are included in the organization of events, clubs, and activities. Innovative services, reading promotion for visitors of all ages, will be developed in the library. Mobility participants were interested in reading clubs, mobile libraries, the main principles of community involvement in library educational activities. Discussions took place about practical aspects of children and youth activities in library work. The development of the public sector in the field of library work was promoted in order to implement new innovative practices. After gaining good experience, mobility visit participants will strive to introduce sustainable, innovative services in the library, improve the effectiveness of the use of existing resources, and reduce the digital divide. The Nordic countries have long been known as tolerant for all nations and races, all age groups, all sexual orientations. This principle is also followed in Lithuanian libraries. Volunteering by local community residents is popular in Nordic countries. It will be tried to be implemented in the Jonas Lankutis public library. Also, Nordic libraries lend books according to a doctor's prescription (for example, for children with reading difficulties) and for specialists who work with children with various health problems (dyslexia, autism, etc.). This experience will be made to apply in Jonas Lankutis library.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

The mobility program met all the expectations of Jonas Lankutis public library specialists. International cooperation of cultural organizations, exchange of best practices on traditional and innovative services in the libraries of the Nordic and Baltic countries was successfully implemented.
The project has strengthened the competences of Jonas Lankutis public library specialists, which are necessary for creating non-formal education programs. Lifelong learning services will be provided to library visitors, the social and digital divide will be reduced, giving everyone equal opportunities to improve. The strategy of gender equality in the library will continue to be followed, without dividing users according to gender identity, age, disability, ethnic origin, religion. Various activities will be organized for community members. A sustainable lifestyle will be promoted and book exchange funds will be developed (Book Houses will be established in the library branches and remote areas). Innovations will be applied in book clubs, in the activities of the mobile library, and the main principles of community involvement in the Jonas Lankutis library's educational activities will be actively implemented.
An open, advanced, communal informational and cultural space will continue to be developed for local residents, promoting reading, self-education, communication and lifelong learning.

Contact: Daiva Stasaitiene, project manager of the project "Development of librarian‘s competencies in international practise"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

The outcome of the project is significant for three departments within Valmiera Municipality: 1) Tourism Department, 2) Department of Culture, 3) Sports Department. The knowledge gained in the project is passed on to other colleagues within the departments in order to be able to work on the same line to reach better results.

First of all, the experience and knowledge about tools and platforms, how local society can be involved in the creation of cultural, sports and tourism content in the city and region. To be able to engage, locals can strengthen their sense of belonging to the community, city and region - they feel heard and taken care of. This is a huge step to strengthen social resilience in Valmiera City and region. This message is important to address to chairmen and be sure that they have understand it.

Second, we learnt about the management of youth sports system, about the motivation programmes, budgeting. Quite many ideas already implemented in Iceland and Finland might be adapted also to the sports development strategy of Valmiera region.

Third, during the visits quite many new contacts were established, which might transform into new project applications. Also new aspects of collaboration in ECoC activities and contemporary art development projects elaborated.

Fourth, international experience, best practice and knowledge share is important both for organisation and individual participant to be able to grow and easier addapt to new challenges and situations.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

It is important to strengthen Nordic-Baltic cooperation, and within implementation of this project,
definitely the partnership between Valmiera (Latvia) and Oulu (Finland) were raised to a new level. There was previous contact between ECoC teams at both cities (Oulu 2026 and Valmiera2027 candidate city), and this visit allowed to open new cooperation windows also in sports and tourism field.

Although Reykjavik is capital city, it has only 3 times more inhabitants than Valmiera region, and it allowed to be on the same page during the meetings, as both cities face similar challenges. Before the visit to Reykjavik we did not encounter how close the cooperation between Iceland and Latvia already is in various fields. As tourism is the most exportable economical sector in Iceland, we were able to identify similarities and struggles which allowed to think about further collaboration.

References in the media

Up to the date of submission of project report, Public Administration mobility activities didn't attract the media attention. But there is going to be a short news story on local TV Re:TV in November.

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

In Nordic countries the bottom up involvement of the society/ community is in a very advanced level. The engagement of the locals in order to create events, develop their ideas for better and more resilient life for the citizens, makes the city more attractive place where to live, raise the kids and spend the free time, which allows the city to grow and accumulate knowledge and talents. The knowledge transfer of tools, how society is involved in the development of the social resilience within the city, was valuable for the whole team, for example, the municipality can give a platform for locals (city festival) and they can apply to implement their idea/ event/ project.

Once again we were surprised, how Nordic countries educate their people, and thus the locals trust their governments and are eager to stay in place and make it better home for their families, neighbours and community.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration equally met our expectations. It provided valuable opportunities for knowledge exchange, networking, and professional development between Nordic and Baltic countries. The programme's structure, support, and the collaborative environment were well-aligned with our goals of the project. Additionally, the quality of participants and experts, as well as the relevance of the topics covered, ensured that we gained both practical insights and strategic perspectives. The budget distribution is fair and equitable. Overall, it exceeded our objectives, contributing to both organizational growth and regional cooperation.

Contact: Vineta Puce, project manager of the project "Mutual interaction of tourism, sport and culture to ensure and maintain social resilience"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

Meetings with specialists from similar offices have made it clear that the advisers in the offices of the committees of the Lithuanian Parliament are more involved in drafting the texts of legal acts and preparing arguments in the performance of their duties. In other countries, parliamentary advisers carry out more technical tasks. Since working on the content of legislation is the largest part of our work, we see the project as having a major benefit in terms of broadening our knowledge of the educational systems of other countries that are considered to be exemplary.

1. Participation in this project was very valuable in broadening the knowledge of the legislative procedures of the countries visited, the dialogue between the offices with similar functions and the public authorities and the interested intermediaries in the formulation of legislation implementing education. Meetings with the offices of similar committees in both the Norwegian and Icelandic parliaments have shown that in Lithuania, the advisors of parliamentary committee offices are more involved in the drafting of the content of the legislation, and we conclude that it is very important to ensure that the advisors' resistance to potential political influence is maintained when participating in the drafting of the content of the law.

2. It was very valuable to learn more about the education systems in these countries, their specificities and the means to address the challenges in education. In Lithuania, inclusive education is just starting to be implemented in the education system, so we had the unique opportunity to

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

The Office of the Committee on Education and Science of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania has established close and friendly relations with the offices of similar committee of the Norwegian and Icelandic parliaments, and we have been assured that in the future, if we need information about an institution or an educational system, we will receive it.
The exchange of knowledge about the functions of the advisers of the counterpart offices led to the conclusion that the Lithuanian Parliament's advisers need to strengthen their resilience against political influences, as we work more with the text of legislation.
The newly established relationshipwill allow us to contact each other directly in the future for specific examples of the regulation of the education system, when there will be a major debate in the Education and Science Committee of the Lithuanian Parliament, and we need examples of good practice, or the reasons for why other countries prefer or do not prefer a certain direction.

References in the media

The meetings did not receive media coverage. However, we plan to share the success of the project with the Lithuanian Seimas Chancellery community in order to encourage them to also participate in the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration.

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

The project is of great benefit both for the quality of our own future work and for other colleagues in our organisation.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

The programme fully met our expectations. We had a great opportunity not only to establish collegial relations with similar offices, to learn about the legislative procedures in other countries, but also to have lively discussions with the actors of successful education systems. The opportunity to not only see a presentation on a topic of interest, but also to ask questions, make clarifications, and inquire about details that have not been presented, is invaluable from a professional perspective.
The knowledge gained will be applied to working on draft legislation and preparing arguments for or against various initiatives.

Contact: Deimantė Žegunė, project manager of the project "A successful education system: education policymaking, national individuality, actors and their interconnections"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

The project "Smart Green Works!" has provided significant benefits to our organization by facilitating the adoption of best practices in the sustainable management of Riga's public parks and green areas. Through exchanges with experts in other Nordic countries, we gained valuable insights into innovative, smart, and digital solutions for managing green spaces. Specifically, the following benefits were realized:
1) Improved Knowledge and Skills: Our team was able to directly observe the application of cutting-edge technologies in green area management in Turku, Finland, and Oslo, Norway. This included digital systems for tree accounting and maintenance, and innovative planning strategies for large-scale green areas. These experiences equipped our staff with new skills and knowledge that can be applied to the context of Riga’s parks and gardens.
2)Adoption of Smart Solutions: By learning from the cities of Turku and Oslo we identified digital and innovative solutions that can be adapted to manage Riga’s green spaces more efficiently. The examples from these cities showcased how smart technologies can optimize resource allocation and enhance the sustainability of urban green areas.
3)Development of Recommendations for Sustainable Management: Based on the study visits, each memeber of the stuy developed actionable recommendations for "Riga's forests" on how to implement smarter and more sustainable management practices from her work perspective. These recommendations will help streamline operations, reduce environmental impact, and improve the long-term health of Riga’s parks and green spaces.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

The following key benefits emerged from the collaboration:
1) Knowledge Exchange: The project facilitated the sharing of expertise between Nordic and Baltic countries, particularly in the areas of smart and sustainable management of urban parks and green areas. Through study visits to Turku, Finland, and Oslo, Norway, our team from Riga was able to observe first-hand the innovative practices employed in these leading Nordic cities. This cross-border exchange of knowledge fostered mutual learning and encouraged the adoption of best practices across the region.
2) Collaboration on Sustainability Goals: The project aligned with broader regional sustainability goals by promoting the use of smart technologies and sustainable practices in urban green management. This collaboration supports the common vision of a greener, more sustainable future for the Nordic-Baltic region, where cities work together to combat environmental challenges and improve the quality of life for their citizens.
3) Strengthened Institutional Partnerships: The interactions with experts and institutions in Finland and Norway helped to establish and deepen partnerships between public bodies in Riga and their Nordic counterparts. These relationships pave the way for ongoing collaboration and future joint projects in areas such as digitalization, environmental conservation, and urban planning.
4) Promotion of Regional Innovation: By sharing and implementing innovative methods from Nordic cities, the project contributed to raising the overall standard of green space management in the Baltic region. It highlighted the potential for innovation in the public sector and demonstrated how technological advancements can enhance sustainability in urban planning, benefiting both regions.

References in the media

Rigas dārzi un parki Facebook account:
- https://www.facebook.com/RigasDarziParki/posts/pfbid02XFZVYJU1aYR7VQqdMHyfthpGr2X6YwnrLGFy242dp1BJNxFzj9D922Wu74jqNgntl;
https://www.facebook.com/RigasDarziParki/posts/pfbid0mdi3SGPg4HkqszEFZ6f3siKWtxxZswYMu3M6sSmVy3okffFiFdHTmkrdC7RGbErkl;

https://rigasmezi.lv/ziemelvalstu-un-baltijas-valstu-mobilitates-programmas-valsts-administracija-granta-projekts-smart-green-works-tulk-viedais-zalais-strada;

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

The primary experience and value gained during the mobility program was the opportunity to meet and observe the work styles and practices of colleagues from the Nordic countries who perform similar roles to mine in Latvia. It was highly rewarding to connect with my counterparts and recognize that we share similar perspectives and ideas. Moreover, it was reassuring to see that they face comparable challenges and that we are aligned in our concerns and priorities.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

Yes, the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration met my expectations and provided valuable inspiration for future work. I sincerely hope that our Nordic colleagues will accept the invitation to visit us in Riga soon, allowing them the opportunity to become more familiar with our work and to experience the beauty of our parks.

Contact: Arta Krūmiņa, project manager of the project "Smart green works! (Exchange of knowledge in the field of maintenance urban green areas)"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

Latvian municipalities are very much interested in joining the UNICEF's Child Friendly Municipality initiative. Among the participants of Latvian delegation was Vice Chairperson of the Jelgava City Council Mrs. Rita Vectirane, who is also the Chairperson of the Education and Culture Committee of the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments. Mrs. Vectirane is interested in Jelgava City as well as other Latvian municipalities becoming child-friendly municipalities. Mrs. Vectirane will introduce the experience of the Nordic countries gained during the study trips both to the members of the Jelgava City Council and to the members of the Education and Culture Committee of the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments. With this, Latvian municipalities will be encouraged to assess the situation of children, prioritize actions and include them in the local development plans.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments (LALRG) established contacts with the Association of Municipalities of the Faroe Islands and discussed further opportunities and directions for cooperation. LALRG has always actively supported the cooperation of twinning municipalities, and such study trips, in which the leaders of municipalities participate, contribute to the formation of new municipal cooperation. Latvian local governments are willing to start and expand cooperation with local governments in Nordic countries that promotes sustainable development.

References in the media

https://www.klaksvik.fo/news/5838/ferdalag-ur-lettlandi-vitjadi-klaksvikar-kommunu

https://www.lps.lv/lv/zinas/eiropa-un-pasaule/8168-kuopio-pilseta-somija-tiecas-klut-par-labako-vietu-berniem-un-jauniesiem

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klaksvik.fo%2Fnews%2F5838%2Fferdalag-ur-lettlandi-vitjadi-klaksvikar-kommunu&h=AT2cZsEkxcF1yfrGvjb8JwVhpfQ9sPA3q-9qgLCnCmr8LHrUoQVlNxEzsRcIpPTORiCc90m8wrzJdQ0w7Z9lLcUoX52lQH_oCdr6AxYVzzgLfKno1fY3QJ4PX433gv1IwqQO&s=1

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

During the study visits, it was useful to learn in practice how to become a UNICEF child-friendly city. It turns out that it takes three to five years before a municipality is officially recognized as a child-friendly city. The municipality must develop a comprehensive analysis of the situation and propose a plan on how it will change the situation of children for the better.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration is a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with the experience of other countries in solving various issues and to borrow innovative and best solutions.

Contact: Elita Kresse, project manager of the project "Development of the child-friendly municipalities"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

1. The project offered an opportunity to benchmark our work with the model examples of the Finnish Committee for the Future and the Grand Committee and with the committee organisation of the Storting. Discussions with Finnish and Norwegian collegues helped to identify both our strengths and achievements and prospects for further improvement. In particular, strong links with strategic governance system and good staffing were identified as advantages of Lithuanian practice; focusing of our activity on shortlisted priorities and supply of evidence appeared to be main avenues for improvement.
2. Meetings with the Office of Prime Minister of Finland and with the Eduskunta helped to understand the importance of well orchestrated interaction between the Parliament and the Government in futures governance. The Finnish process of reporting on future challenges and securing the continuity of futures policy across the electoral cycles is an instrumental example for our current work.
3. Meetings at the University of Turku and at the University of Oslo confronted us with breadth and depth of futures-related scientific research and with hands-on examples of its application in policy development and implementation. These meetings helped to acquire a more detailed understanding of global futures ecosystem; we got suggestions for participation in relevant events and fora; and contacts for personal connections.
4. At all visited institutions we had opportunities to discuss areas of personal responsibility of our team members, such as innovation governance; sustainable development; artificial intelligence; demographic policy; migration, etc. Insighs we got will be channelled into our day-to-day

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

1. At all institutions visited we have presented the Committee for the Future of the Seimas and its work, in particuliar the development ot the Lithuanian National Strategy “The Vision of the Future of Lithuania “Lithuania 2050”. Both persentations were commended by the collegues of host institutions as contribution to exchange of policy innovation among Nordic-Baltic countries. In Finland, it was acknowledged that Lithuanian parliamentary Committee for the Future has gained its individual profile which challenges the Finnish predecessor and fosters its renewal. In Norway, a mutually enriching exchange on necessity of futures governance and innovation in Parliaments’work took place with participation of the Member of Storting, members of the Standing Committee on Education and Research, Ms. Lise Selnes. Joint input of Nordic and Baltic parliaments to global Summit of the Future was also discussed.
2. Members of Lithuanian delegation benefited from close examination of specific Nordic practices of anticipatory governance that are beint constantly adapted in (some) Baltic countries. Of particuliar importance were dives into work processes of the Finnish parliamentary Committee for the Future and its office; into model and process of Finnish Government futures reporting; as well as into the functioning of Finnish Futures Research Centre with its connections with national and international futures policy making. This examination will help to streamline the development of Lithuanian futures ecosystem with broader Nordic-Baltic context.
3. Mutual connections were developed with the representatives of parliamentary administrations and with research centres visited. Possibilities of future networking and mutual learning identified.

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

Exchange of best practices of futures governance and discussion on opportunities of future cooperation with officers of the Eduskunta and the Storting and with researchers at futures research institutions. The Finnish process of reporting on future challenges and securing the continuity of futures policy across the electoral cycles is an instrumental example for our current work. We had opportunities to discuss areas of personal responsibility of our team members, such as innovation governance; sustainable development; artificial intelligence; demographic policy; migration, etc. Insighs we got will be channelled into our day-to-day work at Seimas.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

At all institutions visited we have presented the Committee for the Future of the Seimas and its work, in particuliar the development ot the Lithuanian National Strategy “The Vision of the Future of Lithuania “Lithuania 2050”. Both persentations were commended by the collegues of host institutions as contribution to exchange of policy innovation among Nordic-Baltic countries. It was acknowledged that Lithuanian parliamentary Committee for the Future has gained its individual profile which challenges the Finnish predecessor and fosters its renewal. Joint input of Nordic and Baltic parliaments to global Summit of the Future was also discussed.
We benefited from close examination of specific Nordic practices of anticipatory governance that are beint constantly adapted in (some) Baltic countries.
Mutual connections were developed with the representatives of parliamentary administrations and with research centres visited. Possibilities of future networking and mutual learning identified.

Contact: Kosma Gulbinskienė, project manager of the project "Exploring parliamentary anticipatory governance practices in the Nordic countries"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

During the study visit, the delegation of the Estonian Ministry of Culture, consisting of ministerial integration, early adaptation and state language learning policy and services´ makers and advisers, has received a thorough overview of Norwegian and Swedish integration, adaptation and language-learning policies and services on all four available levels:
1. state policy-makers;
2. implementing state agencies, departments, and local governments;
3. universities and research institutes studying, evaluating and making forecasts for migration, integration, adaptation, etc;
4. local communities, e.g. services´ recipients and migrant-background communities (e.g. Malmö Muslim community).
During the study visit, the Estonian Ministry of Culture has accumulated a pool of contacts, effective practices, state-of-the art data and research on the above-mentioned topics in both Norway and Sweden to use:
1. to develop and reform the Estonian adaptation services (a reform that is under way);
2. organise joint initiatives / projects and expert consultations / conferences / state policy-makers trainings;
3. and keep a viable network of contacts to exchange ideas, practices and expertise among Estonian, Norwegian and Swedish counterparts on a daily working basis.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

During the study visit of the delegation of the Estonian Ministry of Culture to Norway and Sweden, Norwegian and Swedish state integration and adaptation policy-makers, implementing state agencies, departments, and local governments, as well as universities and research institutes have all received contacts of relevant counterparts in Estonia and have been invited to participate in joint projects and keep a viable network of contacts to exchange ideas, practices and expertise among Estonian, Norwegian and Swedish counterparts on a daily working basis.
For instance, two examples of immediate results of Nordic-Baltic cooperation after the study visit:
1. participation of Nordic colleagues, e.g. Prof. Göran Larsson, University of Gothenburg, in the international Integration Conference organised by the Estonian Integration Foundation in Tallinn in November 2024;
2. A course on societal radicalisation for relevant ministries and agencies, organised by the Ministry of Culture of Estonia, Estonian Ministry of the Interior and the University of Gotheburg, in Autumn 2024.

Also, all participants have been actively exchanging contacts, conference invitations, presentations and other relevant professional data within the newly formed network.

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Estonia, responsible for the state policy-making and policy-development in the fields of integration, early adaptation and Estonian language services provided to adult new migrants (and adult residents of Estonia with no or poor Estonian-language skills), currently looking for best international practices to further develop and reform these areas, has found several matrixes of these services in the Nordic countries worth examining with the aim to possibly implement them in Estonia, e.g. individual adaptation services design that takes into account the limitations of different customer groups, including but not limited to people with little or no prior schooling, stay-at-home /women/working and single mothers/different communities.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration met our expectations to the fullest. Indeed, the subject-matter of the study trip that was organised with the support of Norden exceeded our expectations as it provided valuable and very timely input and expertise that we shall use to reform early integration services in Estonia.

Contact: Oksana Talisainen, project manager of the project "Study visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Estonia to Norway and Sweden"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

The institutions we visited all had very different profiles, which we also considered when choosing partners for the project.
Karolinska Institutet is one of the world´s foremost medical universities. They were kind to very openly share their various experiences in designing research support, alongside the decisions that had over time proven not to be very successful. They provided useful information on what to keep in mind when wanting to become more successful in applying for NIH grants and well as shared their experience of using a content creator to help design resources for academics. Their homepage, specifically the part created for internal use mainly, will defnitely be a benchmark for us when creating our own, in terms of how good visuals and an effective and logical way of structuring information cane mahe a huge difference.
The University of Bodo provided useful lessons on external engagement. Their profile as a regional university has enabled them to gain insight on how to cooperate more closely with the local community and other local parties. We have a lot to learn from them, even in our close cooperation with the ciry of Tartu.
The University of Iceland is an attractive employer of foreign academics as well as a desired study destionation for foreign students. They have set up systems to make coming to them as easy and painless as possible, and they have based all of that on good communication.
The visits also provided a chance for team building and increased collaboration between colleagues.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

It is no news that the Baltic countries often look at the Nordic countries and think of them as the more developed older brothers or sisters from whom they have a lot to learn. However, within the framework of the project, we learned and also taught the places visited that we also have a lot of knowledge and know-how to share and offer. The digital solutions we have developed to maximize our results and make our work more efficient impressed all the partner universities, and we have kindly invited them to all visit us in turn, so we can more thoroughly introduce the system we have put in place to provide high-quality services to our researchers and to succeed in bringing home as much external funding as possible.
We have now established good contacts within all three partners of the project.

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

Unfortunately, I could only choose one option for question nr.5, but in reality, the mobility project was valuable in terms of the development of personal skills, for my home organization and for the host organization. One unexpected value that resulted from the project was the opportunity it provided for team building and creating collaboration and mutual understanding between colleagues outside of the typical work situations. This brings value to the home organization and, in many ways, also contributes to participants' personal growth and skills.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

It certainly did and actually even exceeded them. We would definitely advise others to use this greta opportunity.

Contact: Tene Viiburg, project manager of the project "CO-STARS: Communicating Outcomes in Science, Technology, And Research to Society"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

As our team is working with same goals in the development of policy making, we had several fields where we got useful information and practices from the experience of Norway. For example, we have started running with large scale innovation projects in public sector and the experience of the StartOff was very useful to hear. We have the prototype of data-driven tool being developed, so the example of the use of data in the transport system was relevant. We are starting compiling voluntary national review of sustainable developement goals for 2024, so the experience of the engagement of stakeholders in the SDG-s in Norway, was good example to know.

Regarding Icelandic experience, the project introduced advanced methodologies for scenario planning, helping the Government Office Estonia to build up its system of anticipatory governance: anticipate future challenges and opportunities, thus improving strategic resilience. The integration of data-driven approaches empowered the Government Office Estonia to make more informed and transparent decisions, enhancing policy effectiveness and accountability.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

Our every teammember had at least one discussion in their own professional interest so they had new contacts from Norway and Iceland for future cooperation. Overall, the project fostered a more integrated, strategic, and forward-looking approach to regional development, enhancing the effectiveness and cohesion of Nordic-Baltic cooperation.

References in the media

We made linkedin post of our trip: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7083007541177200640/

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

One of the biggest value of the study visit is the expanding the network.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

Yes, it did met the expectations. The main need is to find out the most necessary topics to be discussed and find the corresponding persons who can share relevant experiences.

Contact: mari-liis sööt, project manager of the project "Strategy Unit´s study visits to Norway and Iceland "

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

The main conclusion was that the structure in which crime scene experts and laboratory experts work within one institute, especially under the leadership of the police, is effective not only in Latvia, but also in other countries, which was confirmed by colleagues from both countries.
Latvia's experience is effective, because the police are under the supervision of the Ministry of the Interior, the experts at the scene work in close cooperation with laboratory experts who carry out expertise in various fields.
In Latvia, the government plans to separate the laboratory and place it under the Ministry of Justice. On this issue, both countries expressed different opinions and there were long discussions about the best scenario that could happen. Because in some countries such a division has already been implemented. And the connection between crime scene experts and laboratory experts has disappeared.
A big difference between the two countries and Latvia is in conducting expertise in the structure. In Latvia, expertises are mostly written in the institutions of the Ministry of the Interior. Only in some of the most specialized expertises are sent to foreign countries.
The countries of Iceland and Denmark are outsourcing their practice by concluding contracts and agreements with other countries where expertises are sent and written.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

The exchange of experience during study visits to Iceland and Danish has been organized in cooperation between the Latvian State Police and forensic experts from the Nordic countries. The main benefit of the project for Nordic and Baltic cooperation is the opportunity to compare the quality of Latvia and the Nordic countries management system implementation, crime scene investigation procedures in each country and investigate the management process. As well as the possibility of exchanging DNA and fingerprint database information, especially with Iceland.
The study visits provided an opportunity to view various quality management systems methods and processes, especially when transitioning to an electronic environment.

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

The visit showed a great example of how to train staff how detailed the process is
are and which are the most important points in the preparation of specialists.
Seeing how the quality system working in another country provided insight into the directions our organization needs to take, what can be improved and what should be done differently.
As our organization has struggled with implementing and maintaining quality systems,
the visits revealed the struggles of other countries and also provided some solutions to solve it
similar struggles.
Methods, procedures, quality procedures, laboratory environment, equipment, cooperation, best practice.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

During the implementation of the project, all expectations were met and even exceeded. Contacts both institutionally and individually, will be very valuable moving forward implementation of quality management systems, and the lessons learned have already provided additional ideas on how to solve certain problems that have already arisen, especially regarding digitization of many processes.
The support and knowledge base gained from this exchange is very important for the future cooperation between all participating countries and each other understanding between forensic institutions, as well as the exchange of information and data, will to be very valuable in the process of improving security in the entire Nordic and Baltic region.

Contact: Viktors Semjonovs, project manager of the project "Experience exchange with Iceland and Denmark, adaptation of best practice in the fields of forensics, crime scene investigation and quality management"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

We have already implemented some things we brought back from our visits. One example is the homework sessions where older students help younger ones. Our lecturer, who was part of the trip, has also organized advanced science experiments to spark curiosity among students and inspire colleagues to adopt a more hands-on approach to teaching. Through our Erasmus+ accreditation, a preschool and six technology teachers from the city have been on job shadowing in Tallinn, and in the fall, the city’s principals will also make a study visit there. Discussions are ongoing in the city about how we can involve citizens and businesses more extensively in our activities.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

Our visits have led to good relationships that we hope will result in continued collaborations. It is valuable for us at the central administration to have good contacts with school organizations in other countries. We want to expand our Erasmus+ network, and the Nordic-Baltic project has helped us advance in this regard.

References in the media

Yes, the press in Valmiera:
https://www.valmierasnovads.lv/valmieras-novada-viesojas-sadraudzibas-pilsetas-solnas-izglitibas-darbinieki/

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

Good contacts for further cooperation in Erasmus+.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

It was a great possibility for public administartion to be able to see how the Baltic countries organize the education.

Contact: Lena Lundström, project manager of the project "Nordic -Baltic perspectives on systematic quality development in education, from pre-school to upper-secondary school"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

Participation in the Northern and Baltic Countries Public Administration Mobility Program during the Shielding Strategic State Assets: Good Practice of a Comprehensive Security Framework project strengthened the international collaboration capabilities of the officers involved in the project and improved their skills in information exchange.
Officers propose considering the possibility for the Public Security Service to participate in foreign training programs on an exchange basis to enhance the skills and knowledge of the officers. This may include training on preventive measures, innovative technology usage, and other areas.

Through participation in presentations, discussions, and site visits, our officers gained valuable insights into the operations, procedures, and best practices of the Finnish and Swedish law enforcement agencies. This increased knowledge and expertise enhance our organization's capabilities in various areas, including emergency response, tactical operations, and protection of critical infrastructure.

Overall, the project significantly benefited Public Security Service by enhancing collaboration, increasing knowledge and expertise, improving preparedness, and strengthening security measures. These outcomes contribute to our organization's mission of ensuring the safety and security of our personnel and assets.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

The project significantly contributed to enhancing Nordic-Baltic cooperation in several ways:

Strengthened Relationships: By facilitating collaboration between the Public Security Service and law enforcement agencies in Finland and Sweden, the project fostered stronger relationships among Nordic and Baltic countries. This increased cooperation lays the foundation for future joint initiatives and exchanges of best practices.
Shared Knowledge and Expertise: Through participation in presentations, discussions, and site visits, officers gained valuable insights into the operations and procedures of their counterparts in Finland and Sweden. This shared knowledge and expertise create opportunities for cross-border cooperation and mutual learning among Nordic and Baltic countries.
Enhanced Security Cooperation: Discussions on common security challenges, such as drone-related issues and risk assessment, provided a platform for sharing experiences and developing joint approaches to address shared threats. By working together to enhance security measures and response capabilities, Nordic and Baltic countries strengthen their collective resilience against emerging security challenges.
Improved Information Sharing: The project facilitated the exchange of information and best practices among participating countries, enabling more effective cooperation in areas such as emergency response, tactical operations, and protection of critical infrastructure. This improved information sharing enhances situational awareness and coordination across borders.
Overall, the project served as a valuable platform for promoting Nordic-Baltic cooperation in the field of security. By fostering relationships, sharing knowledge, enhancing security cooperation, and improving information sharing, the project contributed to building a safer and more secure region for all participating countries.

References in the media

These are links to the publications about Baltic-Noridic project and officers visit:

https://vstarnyba.lrv.lt/lt/naujienos/viesojo-saugumo-tarnybos-pareigunai-lankosi-suomijoje-vykdant-siaures-ir-baltijos-saliu-mobilumo-programos-projekta-shielding-strategic-state-assets-good-practice-of-a-comrehensive-security-framework/

https://vstarnyba.lrv.lt/lt/naujienos/viesojo-saugumo-tarnybos-pareigunai-lankesi-suomijoje-ir-svedijoje-vykdant-siaures-ir-baltijos-saliu-mobilumo-programos-projekta-shielding-strategic-state-assets-good-practice-of-a-comrehensive-security-framework/

https://www.facebook.com/viesojosaugumotarnyba/posts/pfbid04UdRmdr8bpFeNDjAFA8iRhHBjexjrWwUAXhdVeF687achPcS6ZECpyrE8yurowxzl

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6gXvkgCoFu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

Participation in the North and Baltic Countries' Public Administration Mobility Program during the Shielding Strategic State Assets: Good Practice of a Comprehensive Security Framework project enhanced the international collaboration skills of the participating officers and improved their skills in information exchange.
After visits officers suggest considering the possibility for the Service to participate in foreign training programs on an exchange basis, aiming to improve the skills and knowledge of Service officers. This may include training on preventive measures, innovative technology utilization, and other areas.

The Swedish police employ modern technologies such as data analysis tools, mobile applications, and internet platforms to more effectively monitor crime and respond swiftly to incidents. Afetr visit officers propose considering the implementation of modern technologies to enhance officers' productivity in Public Security Service.
Officers suggest exploring the possibility of using drones to monitor secured facilities. Drawing on the shared experience of Swedish police officers, incidents captured by drones ensure faster dissemination of information. Drones are an effective means to properly survey an area and swiftly prevent potential breaches or criminal activities. Additionally, footage captured by drones can be utilized for training purposes.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration exceeded our expectations. The opportunity to engage with counterparts from Nordic and Baltic countries provided valuable insights and best practices that we could adapt to enhance our own public administration practices. The exchange of knowledge and experiences has greatly enriched our understanding and capabilities, contributing significantly to our professional development. We look forward to continued collaboration and further participation in similar programs to continue our growth and learning journey.

Contact: Ingrida Stragienė, project manager of the project "Shielding Strategic State Assets: Good Practise of a Comprehensive Security Framework"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

Participation in the project and the opportunity to visit Nordic cities Stockholm, Copenhagen, Frederiksberg and Horsens, whose public health policies, guidelines, and best practices have a significant influence on the implementation of public health policies and activities throughout Europe, including Latvia, was very inspiring and productive. It should be noted that the main cornerstone of Scandinavian public health policy planning is to create better living conditions and equal opportunities to achieve one's best health potential for every inhabitant, regardless of their socio-economic circumstances.
The program was broad and diverse, providing information on both public health and social services, their planning, and organization. One of the most interesting parts of the assignment was visits to various organizations. It was fascinating to see how these institutions operate and how they use innovative methods to improve public health.
Currently, the Welfare Department, the Health Administration, and the management of the Riga Children, Youth and Family Social Support Center are evaluating opportunities to develop a public health and reproductive health support unit within the the Riga Children, Youth, and Family Social Support Center's existing unit "Youth Support Center." This initiative could be a good example of cooperation between the social and health sectors. A meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Health is planned soon to assess the costs and potential implementation opportunities of such initiatives. The project provided insight into how such good practices could be adopted and integrated into the Riga municipality.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

The Project provided an opportunity for representatives from two Nordic countries, Sweden and Denmark, and a Baltic country, Latvia, to meet, share experiences, and learn about common issues in the areas of youth and social welfare. The experience gained and professional contacts made during the visits will promote collaboration in the future and the possibility of implementing new, possibly joint projects. It should be emphasized that the project strengthens both professional and personal connections between collaboration partners, improving mutual understanding and relationships. It is worth mentioning that both Denmark and Sweden are pioneers in public health and social welfare policies in Europe, and for the employees of the Riga Municipality, a valuable gain is the establishment of professional relationships between partners. Both Danish and Swedish colleagues were interested and willing to learn more about Riga's experience in implementing equivalent services, and there was also an opportunity to collaborate more extensively and invite Danish and Swedish colleagues to visit Riga. The project provided partners with the opportunity to communicate directly, without intermediaries or electronic communication constraints, thereby fostering trust and openness between partners for future collaboration. Furthermore, this closer collaboration provided an opportunity to get to know each other's culture, values, and work styles. For example, by visiting partners' offices, a deeper understanding of their work environment, organizational culture, and values could be gained.

References in the media

Yes, the project has attracted the media attention. Please see links to the media sources:

1) https://ld.riga.lv/lv/aktualitates/rigas-pasvaldiba-iepazistas-ar-socialas-atstumtibas-riskam-paklauto-jauniesu-sociala-darba-novitatem-zviedrija.html

2) https://www.riga.lv/lv/jaunums/rigas-dome-sadarbojas-ar-daniju-jauniesu-problemu-risinasana

3) https://veseligsridzinieks.lv/pieredzes-apmainas-brauciens-uz-zviedriju/

4) https://veseligsridzinieks.lv/pieredzes-apmainas-brauciens-uz-daniju/

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

Participation in the project not only provided additional knowledge and strengthened international cooperation, but also reinforced practical approaches for future work with young people at risk of social exclusion, particularly in collaboration between the public health and social services sectors. The assignment was diverse, and when considering the long-term perspective for the potential development of new services in the municipality of Riga, the experiences of Stockholm and three Danish cities are unquestionably valuable and integrable. The experiences of these cities confirm that immediate service provision for social risks, including addiction prevention and rehabilitation, has a significant impact on effectiveness, the accessibility of low-threshold services, cooperation with the healthcare service financing sector for providing such services, creating opportunities for new services, reducing the prevalence of risk factors in society, and leaving a positive impact on public health.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

The Nordic – Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration has met our expectations, and the participation in the project is highly appreciated by the Riga Municipality. The programme has provided the opportunity to visit two Nordic countries and four different cities (Stockholm, Copenhagen, Frederiksberg and Horsens), allowing us to become acquainted with social services provided for young people at risk of social exclusion.
The programme has offered opportunities for deeper understanding, stronger communication, and closer collaboration between partners. These factors are significant in the long term to improve partnership relations and achieve common goals in strengthening the Nordic and Baltic States region.

Contact: Andris Izinkevics, project manager of the project "“Integrated services for youth at social exclusion risk in Nordic Countries”"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

National Library of Latvia is initiating the planning of storage optimization. The opportunity to go on a mobility trip to NLF and NLS has allowed us to reconsider issues related to collection preservation, storage, and conservation, in order to more effectively develop the optimization of the Periodicals Department collection and address specific issues regarding physical collection conservation. The unique experience of examining microfilm collections and getting acquainted with the work of the Microfilm Reading Rooms at NLF and NLS confirmed that, from the perspective of preserving original materials, this collection remains relevant in the digital age, and as a service, it is highly valuable.
Acquired knowledge and ideas were discussed and presented to NLL management, colleagues and responsible specialists.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

During the exchange of experiences, we clarified that both NLF and NLS have publications available in Latvian in their digital collections, as well as certain collections available in both physical and digital formats, which are relevant to researchers in Latvia. Additionally, a representative from NLS expressed interest in NLL's photograph collection on zudusilatvija.lv.
During the visit, Scandinavian colleagues showed interest in visiting NLL in Riga and would like to visit the Castle of Light in person.

References in the media

Within the framework of the National Library of Latvia, in April, we shared our impressions of the trip to Finland as part of the event series "Encounters in the Librarian's Floor”. In may we are planning to share our impressions of the trip to Sweden as part of the same event - "Encounters in the Librarian`s Floor". We are planning to share our experience and valuable conclusions of visiting NLF and NLS in publication for web resource for professional information in the library sector - ww.biblioteka.lv.

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

During the mobility program, we conclude at several significant insights. Firstly, that we are on a similar path together with our Scandinavian colleagues and make similar decisions regarding the preservation of the Periodicals and microfilm collections. Exchanging experiences and listening to experts in this field encouraged us to reconsider a couple of areas of operation in order to fulfill the duties of the collection keeper more effectively. We concluded that our Scandinavian colleagues carefully plan and consider cost-effective use of funds in activities related to collection preservation.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

Yes. The visit to the National Library of Finland and the National Library of Sweden was very valuable, as we not only saw the work of our colleagues firsthand but also had discussions on interesting topics, gaining a pleasant and positive experience by opportunity to meet new people and learn more about the history and culture of these countries.

Contact: Karina Bandere, project manager of the project "Professional knowledge and experience exchange for more advanced services and smart solutions in the field of long-term collection preservation and access to periodicals"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

All three concert halls are using streaming services and digital technologies. It was important to explore and compare the technological and digital aspects of streaming devices and services used by teams in Helsinki and Stockholm. The project allowed us to learn the latest updates on the digital streaming aspect of the industry and find the more suitable digital marketing tools to connect with our audience. Moreover, every member has a chance to talk with colleagues from Sweden or Finland. It improved the knowledge exchange on the maintenance of the building, lighting design, marketing innovations, and product development. After the visit, we might implement a few innovative technologies that are used by our Nordic colleagues.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

The project benefited from the knowledge exchange and experience shared between the employees of the 3 concert venues. The main goal was to improve the knowledge of digital streaming technologies and digital marketing programs. Our colleagues showed different solutions like ticket selling platform Tix.is from Iceland and the audience development platform Markethype widely used in Sweden. We agreed on mutual information exchange on the development of streaming technologies to provide better access to the digital content for our audiences. All this knowledge exchange makes the industry more resilient. Moreover personal contact might allow us to plan future possible projects.

References in the media

It was more administrative visits so we didn't announce it publicly

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

Liepāja Concert Hall "Great Amber" team improved their experience in innovation solutions for audience development including streaming services and technologies, and digital marketing tools. The marketing department of "Great Amber" already made an appointment with digital service providers used in Sweden and Finland to understand better their offer. Our team also discussed the quality of the digital products (better light design, camera set up, etc) and the best tools to reach larger audience in a short and long terms. Such an informal network facilitates information exchange and improves resilience of the cultural institutions.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

Definitely. This is a great opportunity to foster changes in our organisations by following the positive example of our Nordic colleagues. Moreover, digitalisation and innovations are one of the priorities of the region and the mobility program provides more effective information exchange, learning process and motivation for our team to grow and to improve.

Contact: Timurs Tomsons, project manager of the project "Innovation in performing arts and new audience development"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

• Creation of new strategies to inter-sector and regional cooperation on different levels to improve quality of public services:
ideas on how to implement and audit education processes in schools;
need for deeper and strategic cooperation with local vocational training school;
improving strategies on building more voluntary activities;
development of more extended strategy for non-financial cooperation with local buisnesses;
closer cooperation with other municipalities to build strategies on solving common issues;
• Learning about sustaining high-quality services and meeting the needs of various social groups in digitalization process:
close monitor of digitalisation processsess to assure equality of accessibility to services;
• Increasing interest in public government activities:
new ways and ideas on how to increase public interest via voluntary work, community based activities and closer public-private sector cooperation activities.
• Gain of new progressive ideas within other EU funding projects from experience gained in experience sharing visits

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

Improvement on Nordic-Baltic region cooperation by developing new partnerships and contact with various organisations in Finland and Norway and creating plans for future cooperation on discussed topics.
Review of current programmes and development of ways to include new partners in activities in Druskininkai municipality

References in the media

https://druskininkusavivaldybe.lt/projektai/tvarios-ekonomines-sistemos-pletojimas-turistiniuose-miestuose-diversifikuojant-verslo-sakas-ir-keliant-viesuju-paslaugu-kokybe

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

Increasing community value of local vocational school;
Improving private-public sectors relationships via community based activities/initiatives;
Strategies on how to evaluate the need of certain projects or activities;
How to build digitalistaion process strategies;
How to cover certain comunity/residents' needs via voluntary activities;
How to improve cooperation between various administrative levels (from national-to regional -to local);
Development of means to attract bigger variety of economic activities to municipality

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration met our needs and activities exceeded our expectations. Nordic countries have build very high standart for public services that can be widely applied in Baltic countries as well. Including some of these practicies or principles in our work will help build stronger and more positive policies

Contact: Dalia Gustaite, project manager of the project "Development of sustainable eco(nomy)-system in high-tourism areas and increasing the scope of business activities via high quality of public services"

Please describe how the project benefited your organisation

During two study visits to Finland and Norway it was a possibility to visit different types of institutions and organizations working in the filed of elderly policy measures, to get informations about the recent reforms in social, helath care and administrative levels.

Please describe how the project benefited the Nordic-Baltic cooperation

Demographic changes and aging of population is a common challenge for Nordic and Baltic countires. Study visits to Finland and Norway is a mutual learning possibility for both sides and a possibility to exchange formally and informally the best practices and challenges.

Do you consider your mobility project valuable in terms of sharing experience?

Yes, for my home organisation

Please give an example of experiences/values gained through the mobility project

Possibility to get informally information about the newest political developments in social and health sector, to meet in person and with social servants from central and municipal level, experts, social partners working with the topic of senior citizens, visit partner institutions.

Please describe briefly whether the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for %s met your expectations

Yes, it was a good possibility to establish new contacts and strengthen existing contacts that could be used for the future cooperation and new projects.

Contact: Audra Mikalauskaitė, project manager of the project "Social inclusion of elderly people in aging societies"