Project Background Under the grant support of IFES and a complementary micro-grant support of UNDP, in 2011 the ACEEEO implemented 2 regional training activities for member country representatives of the ACEEEO. A 5-days introductory workshop focusing on Strategic and Financial planning, and a 10 days Train the Facilitator training. Due to further regional necessities identified by Electronic Voting CC, ACEEEO Secretariat offers to implement a BRDIGE showcase under the same grant agreement with IFES to create an opportunity for European decision makers to get acquainted with BRDIGE methodology and broaden their capacity development opportunities.   Objectives • Showcase BRDIGE training methodology in a 2-days seminar• Bring together election professionals from across Europe to share experiences on capacity development, external voting and decreasing• Build new professional networks focusing on and fostering an even broader regional capacity development initiative Showcase Seminar on External Voting, Decreasing Participation and discussing Recommendations and Implementation - an electoral cycle approach The 2-days Seminar in Vienna will perform the showcase dealing with the burning topics of 1) external voting and 2) decreasing participation. Beside these, we are going to discuss and focus on possible practices of implementing OSCE election reports' recommendations in post- and pre-election period from an electoral cycle approach. 1) The topic of External Voting shall focus on a. Principles of external voting (why have external voting and why not? What are the criteria for eligibility as an external voter? What is required to vote?)b. Implementation of external voting including logistical arrangements (What are the voter registration methods for external voters? What are the voting methods? Where do they vote and when?) including also cost of external votingc. Political impact of external votingd. Design of evaluation or reporting process of external voting activities 2) The topic dealing with Decreasing Participation will focus on a. Educate the public and voters on democratic and governance processes (Is it possible? Is it necessary? What are the challenges?)b. How social media and modern tools have an impact on the society (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Blogging). Voting technology developmentsc. Tools to use to increase participation in electoral processes For more information on the Showcase seminar, and/or application please check the ACEEEO site, or contact Ms. Anna Solyom at asolyom@aceeeo.org .

The regional workshop in Bucharest, Romania is being conducted by UNDP in partnership with the UN Romania country office in Romania and the electoral commission (participants will come from UNDP country offices and EMBs from different countries in Europe and CIS region, including: Armenia, Romania, Moldova and Kyrgyzstan) Facilitators: Yvonne Goudie (Accrediting/Lead) Niall McCann (UNDP) – semi-accredited Raquel Rico-Bernabe (UNDP) – semi-accredited Bogdan Popescu Permanent Electoral Authority of Romania – semi-accredited Aleida Ferraya (UNDP)

Customised BRIDGE workshop in the Philippines for COMELEC staff.  Customised from: Access, Gender, Legal, Planning, External, Financing.  Lead facilitator - Alistair Legge (Australia).  Co-facilitators: Sibongile Zimemo (South Africa) and Esmeralda Ladra (Philippines).  Funded and organised by IFES.