TREE wins RegioStars Award

TREE - Training for Integrating Refugees in the Euregio

The integration project TREE could be summarised by saying it is helping all of those who help refugees to integrate into our region. The project has been implementing needs-oriented training programmes for key players of integration, such as social workers, teachers, and interpreters in the last couple of years and plans to continue its cross-border work in the years to come. 

The Ceremony

Helena Dalli, the European Commissioner for Equality, spoke to all the finalists in the FAIR Europe category and announced TREE as the winner of the jury vote with the words: "Looking at the project that receives this award, as well as all the efforts made towards integration and inclusion, I could not be happier when I see the achievements!"

The host of the RegioStar Awards and European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Maria Ferreira further explained the vote by saying that the judges were particularly impressed with the scope of the project, its cross-border cooperation dimension, the association of Universities, and its focus on the life experiences of refugees and migrants.

Commissioner Ferreira ended her speech by saying  "Among the greatest strengths of the project was its innovative social interpreting programme. This programme trained migrants to become social interpreters between service providers and the migrants and refugees they served. It breached the social gap to prevent misunderstandings. Tell me, isn't this needed in Europe? I certainly think so!" 

We are extremely proud of this recognition for TREE. A big congratulation to the TREE project team for winning this prestigious award that highlights the great work they have done in the last years! 

RegioStars Awards

Launched by the European Commission, the RegioStars Awards 2021 aims to identify good practices in regional development and to highlight original and innovative projects that could be an inspiration to other regions. In the words of Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira: “The goal of the RegioStars Awards is to find projects that are lighthouses of quality and can be inspirational for others to follow.” This year’s RegioStars competition received 214 applications, which is a new record and only makes us even prouder that one of our projects has won an award.