Sites & Stories II, March 2016

2013-14 the project Sites and Stories was carried out, which aimed to develop local democracy by engaging people in local sites and stories and create pedagogical concepts for reflection on contemporary issues, such as democracy, societal challenges and dreams for the future.

The project was a great success. Now Entebbe Municipality wants to take a step further and develop permanent structures for a heritage/cultural center in Entebbe as a democratic arena and meeting place for reflection and cultural expressions. Entebbe Municipality lacks a structure on organizational level to include the cultural heritage in the democratic process.

This project aims to develop a structure, organization and content for a cultural center and Entebbe is positive to implement an institutional change that includes the activities of the cultural center in the municipal organization. The cultural center is suggested to be an integrated part of the Community Based Services Department within the municipality and complement the already existing Municipal Development Forums as an arena for local democratic processes.

The citizens will be engaged in study groups, workshops and two permanent educational programs will be developed and implemented. Kalmar is also planning for a cultural center, which makes the project very relevant. Cultural heritage is not considered being a tool for engaging the local community in democracy- and societal challenges, but this project will highlight and implement this as a sustainable structure in the municipal organization of Entebbe.