Saint-Josse-ten-Noode is a municipality where more than 125 nationalities live together, a kind of world laboratory of the North-South relations gathered on its territory of 1km².
Despite being the smallest municipality with the lowest income per inhabitant in Belgium, Saint-Josse still remains a local authoritythat is close to the citizens, rich thanks to the mix of cultures and an extraordinary association field, where she aspires to fulfill an important role in the matters of international solidarity, in order to exchange knowledge, experiences and know-how in a number of domains of the local life (services to the population, cleanliness, culture, mobility,...). This effort is essential, based on the shared point of view that we aim to diminish the inequality between citizens for their access to public goods and services, especially to proximity services.
More specifically, the last few years the municipality of Saint-Josse has created close social-cultural exchange relationships with Morocco, Turkey, the Philippines and Palestine and works on projects such as the establishment of services for social action, the improvement of facilities and the implementation of a support program of micro-credits in order to encourage local budgetary commitments. The goal is to fight against deprivation by strengthening the institutions of the South.
A twinning project also provides a solid basis for trust between two municipalities to improve the friendship and the cooperation between two communities, as well as the encouragement for citizens, schools and associations, and to promote ideas that contribute to the connection between the inhabitants.
Morocco
Orienta l Region - ural municipality Bni Mathar, urban municipalit Aïn Beni Mathar & Province of Jerada
Protocol : Signing of an Agreement of Development cooperation in 2011 with 3 political entities
Action domains : social policies
- Creation of a Social Action service
- Development of a coordination of the local actors (elected, functionaries and associations)
- Reinforcement of the competences in Social action (education, healths, professional education, arrangement of a Cultural center and a library, awareness around women emancipation, organization of cooking and crafts workshops, courses to enlarge the competences in social action of the elected and the functionaries, realization of the municipal development plan, exchange visits, school support (library, books, courses, school playgrounds, informatics, school transportation), organization of platforms in Morocco and in Belgium,...
The city of Tanger
Protocol : Twinning since 2014
Action domains : social policies • the two entities agree to make joint efforts, based on equality and reciprocity, in order to enhance close contacts between the inhabitants as well as the exchange of good practices and experience as regards to the future development of the two municipalities in the matters of health, social work, economics, education, art, culture, sports, environment and mobility.
Turkey
The city of Eskisehir
Protocol : Twinning since 2014
Action domains: the two entities agree to make joint efforts, based on equality and reciprocity, in order to enhance close contacts between the inhabitants as well as the exchange of good practices and experience as regards to the future development of the two municipalities in the matters of health, social work, economics, education, art, culture, sports, environment and mobility.
Philippines
Province of Pangasinan – the city of Binalonan
Protocol : Signing of an Agreement of Development cooperation in 2015
Action domains :social-economic policies
Fight against deprivation by actions in the field of social economics, education and health (mobile stalls, informatics, support to the associations by micro-credits, library...)
Palestine
Region East - Jerusa lem – the city of Aïzaria
Protocol : Signing of a Cooperation protocol in 2017
Action domains : The partners undertake to unite their efforts for cooperation in one or several action domains that are considered as a priority. The idea is to transversally create social actions, i.e. actions that can simultaneously concern economics, culture, sports etc.
Network of the Belgian local authorities for Palestine
Joining : in 2014
Action domains : The partners undertake to unite their efforts for cooperation in one or several action domains that are considered as a priority. The idea is to transversally create social actions, i.e. actions that can simultaneously concern economics, culture, sports etc.
European networks
Saint-Josse is a part of several networks within the European community LUDEN, LIAISON EUROPE, INFOS DAY, ALDA, etc. The International Relations participates in all activities organized to present and promote everyday life in the municipality.
Contact
International Relations & Cooperation Service
