CULEMBORG AND INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
The municipality of Culemborg has the Culemborg and International Cooperation Contribution Scheme. This contribution scheme is the result of the International Cooperation policy plan for which the Global Goals form the starting point. The scheme is funded by the fact that €1 per square metre sold is deposited in a fund. This contribution scheme supports projects that contribute to the Global Goals. Residents of Culemborg or organisations active in the town can submit an application. A project to which a contribution is awarded must bring about positive change abroad as well as ensure knowledge transfer and awareness within Culemborg. In this way, the municipality wants to promote "global citizenship" among residents. The application specifically asks about the contribution that the project makes to the Global Goals.
In recent years, various initiatives have been supported with the help of the contribution scheme. For example, two subsidies were recently awarded to Betuwe Worldwide. This organisation collects tools, computers, bicycles and sewing machines, repairs them and transfers them to small training centres and cooperatives in developing countries. This helps the poorest and most vulnerable people there to build a future. Moreover, Betuwe Worldwide also offers opportunities for people who are distanced from the employment market in Culemborg and gives tools and machines a second life. They organise various collection campaigns whereby residents, companies and other organisations in Culemborg are not only informed, but are also enabled to make a practical contribution. This has multiple benefits and also contributes to several Global Goals.
| "Culemborg has a long tradition when it comes to supporting projects abroad. Since one euro for every square meter of land goes into the pot for international cooperation, continuity is assured. With the new contribution scheme, we not only want to support projects abroad, but also work on raising awareness among residents of Culemborg. After all, we are all global citizens!" - Joost Reus, Councillor of the municipality of Culemborg |
The Culemborg and International Cooperation contribution scheme is relatively new. This contribution scheme was established in 2019, as a successor to the Culemborg International Sustainable Development Contribution Scheme (BIDOC). With this arrangement, the municipality of Culemborg has linked its international cooperation to the Global Goals of the United Nations since 2015.
The municipality of Culemborg considers it important that residents are aware of the importance of international development. With this contribution scheme, residents are made aware of the importance of the Global Goals through the applicants. An annual amount of € 25,000 is available for this scheme, which will run until 2022.
https://www.culemborg.nl/internationale-samenwerking