Trondheim, 2023 European Volunteering Capital

On 5 December, the Centre For European Volunteering (CEV) announced which city will be the European volunteering capital in 2023. The lucky one is the Norwegian city of Trondheim, after a close call with Asti, Oerias and Birgu. 

Trondheim, a municipality with more than 182.000 inhabitants, will take over from the Polish city of Gdansk, which will hold this position during 2022, after Berlin (2021), Padova (2020), Kosice (2019), Aarhus (2018), Sligo (2017), London (2016), Lisbon (2015) and Barcelona (2014). 

In choosing Trondheim as the European Volunteering Capital 2023, the jury has recognised that "the city is making outstanding efforts in prioritising quality volunteering and to publicly recognise volunteers and the contribution they make to the community".

Furthermore, the jury highlighted that Trondheim's "high volunteer-engagement rate is an extraordinary testimony to a long-term commitment and the creation of a strategic and regulatory framework that has been highly effective".

Asti, Oeiras and Birgu, excellent candidatures

The Jury also had a few words of thanks for the others three candidates: Asti, Oeiras and Birgu and appreciated the efforts to ensure quality volunteering based on inclusive engagement processes and the engagement with, and interest in volunteers and volunteering.

This competition was created in 2013 by the Centre For European Volunteering (CEV) with the aim to promote volunteering at the local level, by giving recognition to local municipalities that offer support and close collaboration with organizations and associations of volunteers or that promote altruism, as highlighted by the recommendations set out in the Policy Agenda on Volunteering in Europe. 

The competition is held every year and the winning municipality is chosen by a jury composed of many personalities from the European volunteering sector.