Region Gemer (together with the border in gregion/district of Malohonty) isone of the oldest and most important historical and cultural regions of Slovakia. Even if today it is not an administrative unitany more, still represents an informal designation of the correspond ingterritory.
From an administrative point of view it covers an area of 3 districts of Rimavská Sobota, Rožňava and Revúca and also falls within the competence of two territorial and administrative self-governing regions - Regional Government of Banská Bystrica and Regional Government of Košice.
In sharpcontrast to its historical and cultural significance, today the region ranks among the long-term poorest and least developed regions of Slovakia with the highest unemployment rate, population decline with the density of popoluation reaching roughly only half of Slovakia's average (53-57 inhabitants/km²) and the high percentage of Roma ethnic minority (in certain areas the concentration of Roma minority reaches over 31%).
Tuesday 25 April 2017
1/ Rimavská Sobota:
9,30 - 12,00: Partners meeting: Introduction to the region- Meet Gemer
Venue: District Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family
• Presentation of the study report: MoLSAF
• Local Action Group Malohont: local view of the region
• Discussion
12,30 – 13,30: Lunch (in a localrestaurant)
2/ Jesenské
Venue: Municipal Office of Jesenské
14,30 – 15,30/16,00: Meeting witht he mayor of Jesenské Mr. Gabriel Mihályi
• Presentation of the Action Plan for the district Rimavská Sobota (objectives, performance focused on social enterprises; existing framework of social entrepreneurship from the perspective of a mayor belonging to a program for the least developed districts, what is missing and what is needed; financing of social entrepreneurship; what / how can learn from other countries / regions; current problems, etc.)
• Discussion
3/ Rakytník
Venue: Municipal Office of Rakytník
16,30- 17,30h: Meeting with the mayor of Rakytník MrJános Rencsok
• Visit of Rakytník social enterprise: discussion with the mayor of a small municipality on the role, possibilities and importance of social entrepreneurship in poor regions, what we can learn from eachother etc.
4/Salas Zbojská
18,30 – 22,00 h: accomodation and dinner at Chalet– SalasZbojská
Wednesday 26 April 2017
5/ Revúca
Venue: District Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of Revúca, meeting with Revuca district officials and local entrepreneurship development activists
10,00 – 12,00h: Socio-economic situation in Revúca district and employment opportunities by supporting entrepreneurship
• Office for Labour, Social Affairs and Family: Situation in the region in terms of Labour Office: Active labor market policies, and successfully implemented projects to address long-term unemployment, the fight against poverty, social exclusion and fight against discrimination –by director of Regional Labour Office Mr Jaroslav Demian
• Gemer Development Agency: experience of the Agency in supporting young entrepreneurs; opportunities, challenges and limits of the region, how they see the future of Gemer, etc. By the agency director Mr. StefanHorvath.
6/ Muránska Dlhá Lúka
Venue: Municipal Office of Muránska Dlhá Lúka
12,30 - 13,30: Lunch in the Municipal Office canteen of Muránska Dlhá Lúka (the mayor is offers you to taste the local speciality 'Gemer meatballs' – an alternative for vegetarions will be provided.)
13,30 – 14,30 : Meting with the Mayor of Muránska Dlhá Lúka municipality, Mr. Marek Nosko
• Presentation and discussion of possibilities of community development by use of social entrepreneurship, developing employment opportunities forlow-skilled citizens and ways of social inclusion of the Roma minority (eg. visiting local development projects and Roma school in a near by Roma settlement).
Note: Visiting the settelment is quite an experience, as it is very shocking to see really unacceptable living conditions of certain groups of people in the second decade of the 21 century in the EU!
15,00 – 19,00h: Transfer to Bratislava/End of site visit