On the third day of the Study Visit to Lithuania, the Angolan delegation, made up of the PASCAL team, government representatives and civil society organizations, immersed themselves in enriching workshops that reinforced their understanding of governance issues.
The session began with a special focus on Participatory Budgeting, and the delegation explored experiences and learnings from CPVA and its partners. Impactful practices were presented, such as the experience of Transparency International Lithuania, which raised important questions about the implementation of participatory budgeting in Lithuanian municipalities. The session was led by Ingrida Kalinauskienė and Aistė Rinkevičiūtė, who also brought experience from volunteering.
Another panel discussion focused on the topic: “How does participatory budgeting give people a voice in Kaunas District?”, presented by a representative of the Kaunas District Municipality.
The Q&A session followed with a rich exchange of ideas and valuable insights, demonstrating the desire and need to adapt and implement similar practices in Angola, aiming to make the budget more inclusive and participatory.
After the break, the discussions continued at the CPVA headquarters, focusing on the topic “Active involvement of young people in policies”, where they reflected on local network initiatives and the importance of youth in policy formation.
The event concluded with an in-depth discussion on “Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Environment in Lithuania: Achievements and Challenges”, presented by Rytis Jokubauskas, Director of the Institute of NGO Law. This last topic generated an intense debate on the role of CSOs in the legislature. How can they engage with and influence the legislature to pass laws that benefit all citizens equally?
The day was rich in learning and inspiration, leaving the delegation with innovative ideas for developing best practices in Angola.