Democracy and civic space in the eye of a health storm
While timely and necessary, the measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 have had an enormous impact not only on our daily lives, but also on our democracies. How has democratic practice been affected and how can we make our future democracies more resilient? Read the interview realized by Democracy International to Mariano Votta, the Director of Active Citizenship Network, on the challenges for civil society. Read more

Our commitment to fight coronavirus
Over 30 initiatives in slightly more than 2 months have been undertaken in pandemic times by Cittadinanzattiva to contribute to the fight against COVID-19. Advocacy activity for chronic patients & therapeutic plans; advocacy activity for cancer & COVID-19 patients; advocacy activity & solidarity for vulnerable target groups; concrete support to the General Practitioners; initiative focused on the citizens’ empowerment; carry out of civic monitoring; political proposals; local initiatives; to update our constituency and the public opinions. Initiatives to restart. To find out more, click here

Italy: The impact of Covid-19 on the immunization plan across the country
A jagged situation, where even within the same regional territory, very different decisions can be found regarding prevention policies. Both for the possibility of accessing vaccines and also for screenings. This is the picture that emerges from the civic survey conducted in Italy by Cittadinanzattiva in the occasion of the annual European Immunization Week (20 – 26 April 2020). Very difficult even to find information, with telephone numbers to which no one answers to and the lack of a single information point, at least for different Regions. Read more (a, b) and watch the video by FIMP, the Italian Federation of Pediatricians. (IT). In addition, the Italian Federation of Pediatricians has drawn up a Vademecum on the management of the child at the time of COVID-19, whilst requesting a greater use of telemedicine to combat the epidemic, and above all the authorization to make tampons and vaccines to children. To find out more, click here (1,2, etc.) (IT). On our side, Cittadinanzattiva and FIMMG (Italian Federation of General Practitioners) have written to the Government and Regions for setting up a flu and pneumococcal vaccination campaign that starts early, in October, and that provides for the lowering of the free administration to 55 years. Indications involving the need for additional supplies of flu shots. Read more (IT). Read the article published by Health Europa Quarterly

Spain: In Estremadura the Internet Day for the fight against COVID-19 is celebrated
AUPEX- Folk-High-School Association of Extremadura, Spanish partner of Active Citizenship Network, launches a complete program of training, information and awareness raising activities which has as its central theme the strengthening of the Internet in the COVID-19 crisis. Read more (ES)

Croatia: Ethical and moral dilemmas about limiting access to healthcare and risk of COVID-19
The reflections written by Jasna Karačić, leader of the Croatian Association for the Promotion of Patients' Rights. Read more

Italy: Open letter to EU leaders
A program for Europe: in April, the European Movement in Italy, in which Cittadinanzattiva is Board Member, published several declarations in occasion of relevant decisions taken by the EU Istitutions. We need more EU leadership and resources to overcome the effects of covid-19 crisis. Only together, Europeans shall overcome the Corona crisis. Read the appeal signed by hundread key actors of the italian civic society and send to the EU leaders.

EU: 70th Anniversary of the Schuman Declaration: Europe’s new challenge
On 9 May, we celebrate an extraordinary Europe Day. Not only does this year mark the 70th anniversary of the Schuman declaration but we also find ourselves in a global crisis that requires our cooperation and solidarity like never before. Read the statement written by European Movement International statement and the one written by the European Movement in Italy “Europe’s new challenge”.

EU: ACN & civic activism experiences in the pandemic era
Many are the types of civic activism in these months during the pandemic. Make your experience known! Continue sending us video messages, stories and testimonies of civic commitment & protection of rights at the time of the pandemic, write to us at brussels@activecitizenship.net

Survey on pain & use of e-health and m-health
The II° Edition of “EU Civic Prize on Chronic Pain - Collection of good practices” promoted by #ActiveCitizenshipNetwork was won by projects centered around apps, which shows the importance of Digital Health M-Health. In line with these results, Pain Alliance Europe (PAE) has decided to launch an online survey about how people use the new electronic devices/services to manage their health. And as a Board member of Pain Alliance Europe (PAE), Cittadinanzattiva/Active Citizenship Network is supporting it.
The results of this survey will give PAE and its members inputs to help improve E-Health and M-Health apps for the benefit of the patients. To learn more, please click here.
The short survey can be completed through this link which is available in 14 languages. The deadline is the end of May.

Active Citizenship Network keeps growing, and not only in Europe. In this newsletter we are going to report a series of agreements formalized in this last period, which testify a growing interest in our work on the one hand, and - on the other hand- our willingness to collaborate in synergy with the many actors of civil society who pursue common purposes.

European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO)
Active Citizenship Network is pleased to announce that an official agreement with the European Association for the Study of Obesity, new key partner on prevention activities, has been signed. EASO is the leading voice of obesity science, medicine and community in Europe and it represents scientists, obesity specialists, physicians, health care practitioners, public health practitioners and patients. In particular, thanks to this agreement, ACN commits to officially support the EASO’s initiative called the Obesity Policy Engagement Network (OPEN), and EASO commits to officially support ACN’s initiative to create an Inter-Institutional Group on “SDGs for Well-being and Consumer Protection”. To know more about the new ACN’s partner, click here.

European Association of Educational and Preventive Health in Epigenetics (AESEP)
Active Citizenship Network is pleased to announce that an official agreement with the newborn European Association of Educational and Preventive Health in Epigenetics has been signed. The aim is to provide more information to the ACN’s constituency about medical epigenetics, that provides a comprehensive study of the importance of epigenetics to health management. To know more about the new ACN’s partner, click here.

(Mariano Votta between Paula Mouta, AESEP-President, and Maria Teresa Flor de Lima,
head of AESEP-Scientific Committee)

Asociación de Universidades Populares de Extremadura (AUPEX)
Increase the protection of citizens’ rights and their participation in policy making process, with particular attention to the support of the internal and rural areas, through the reduction of the digital devise and the implementation of the SDGs: these are some of the common field of actions of Active Citizenship and AUPEX that decided to sign an official agreement. To know more about the new ACN’s partner, click here.

Perù
Active Citizenship Network is glad to announce that an official Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with the Peruvian Association ESPERANTRA to better advocate for patients’ rights and the protection of common goods by an exchange of experiences. The Memorandum was signed after the visit of the leader of the Peruvian Association, Karla Ruiz de Castilla Yábar (in the picture with the Director of ACN, Mariano Votta) to the headquarter of Cittadinanzattiva, located in Rome. ESPERANTRA is a non-profit organization created for the purpose of contributing to the reduction of cancer mortality in Peru, improving the quality of life of cancer patients and advocating for equality in access to quality treatments and to innovative care.  To know more about the new ACN’s partner, click here.

Moldova
An official agreement has been signed between Active Citizenship Network and the Institute for Rural Initiatives (IRI) - from the Republic of Moldova - to increase citizens’ participation & citizens’ rights protection by empowering rural communities.
IRI is a non-profit organization that promotes citizen activism and participation in rural areas of Moldova. The Executive Director of IRI, Ruslan Stanga (in the picture with ACN Director, Mariano Votta), together with a delegation of his association, went in Italy last December 2019 for a study visit. To see the photo gallery of the meeting with ACN, click here. To know more about the new ACN’s partner, click here.

Dominican Republic
Chronic pain patients’ rights have no borders: signed an official agreement between Active Citizenship Network and Lisken Carribean, active in the Dominican Republic, to better recognize the patients’ right to avoid unnecessary suffering and pain, as stated in the European Charter of Patients’ Rights. Thanks to this agreement, Lisken Carribean joins the international network of good practices’ managers against pain promoted by Active Citizenship Network and Sine Dolore European Pain Foundation. To know more about the new ACN’s partner, click here.

Media partnership with Health Europa
Active Citizenship Network is glad to announce a new media partnership with Health Europa Quarterly, a publication established in 2017 and committed to highlighting the latest trends and developments in health and healthcare from across Europe. To know more about the new ACN’s partner, click here.

Media partnership with Innovation News Network
Active Citizenship Network is glad to announce a new media partnership with Innovation News Network, a publication dedicated to innovation & sustainability all around Europe in different fields including environment, energy, mobility, health. To know more about the new ACN’s partner, click here.

Madrid (Spain): 22&23 Sept. EU-JAMRAI Final Dissemination Conference
Active Citizenship Network, stakeholder member of the European Joint Action on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infections (EU-JAMRAI) and member of the Jury of the EU-JAMRAI Antibiotic Resistance Symbol Contest, has been invited to attend the Final Dissemination Conference to the Spanish Ministry of Health. Read more