The competition had three effects for us: We took another critical look at our own project, our own targets: What did we want to achieve and what did we achieve? What was the initial situation and what has changed in the meantime? What was the original challenge and to what extent have we contributed to its solution? What is really the core of our (achieved) work? And all this has had huge implications for communication: What should we communicate and how.

The second effect is to look more consciously at other initiatives in the field. How have others approached the challenge and solution? How were they positioned? Are there perhaps any areas of overlap? And we saw it all rather in the light of an invitation to "discover", to "learn" to cooperate instead of "compete".

In concrete terms, for example, a half-day intensive workshop on storytelling and the task of developing our own short "storytelling film" helped a lot. Often projects (including us) very quickly present results and solutions. But whether on a website or in a short explanatory film, it is about clearly presenting the underlying challenge and what we can offer to our target groups, putting our approaches into a clear and easily understandable context. It was not easy to develop and realize our own film idea in a rather short time (and even in the best summertime). But we came up with something that supports us in our communication and external presentation (and which makes us happy, too)!

As the European Week of Regions and Cities in October 2020 was put into an online format, the opportunity of a direct meeting with representatives of other projects, initiatives, programme-designers but also other interested parties was sadly lost. This certainly is a great opportunity and enrichment, and we hope that other will be able to take it up once again in the coming years.

The third effect is more “a feeling”. We think that we have been contacted more often thanks to the competition. Just recently, in mid-February 2021, we received a request for a short film about our project for the series "Smart Regions" from the TV channel Euronews. 

To be chosen as a finalist was really surprising for us. We can't say that this has completely changed our daily project routine. It may sound trivial but it was a confirmation of our cooperation, a recognition of our work and thus a motivation to continue in our way! And to maintain the "treasure": our good partnership.

It would have been great to receive a short message from the jury though about what they in particular appreciated in a project or what could be worked on from their point of view.

Would you have any tips or pieces of advice for other Interreg projects who would be interested in the competition?

Do it! 

It is a good opportunity to look outside the Baltic Sea region and, at the same time, to become better known out there. There is a much larger audience, a greater visibility involved. It’s the opportunity to promote solutions in a campaign, but also to strengthen your own cohesion. 

In the phase of "public voting" it is also a good chance to motivate a wide variety of actors to contact them (again), to inform, to engage. For example, locally in the municipality, in the region, in an institution, in associations... In our opinion, the number of votes is actually secondary - everyone has different circumstances. But there is the great chance for a campaign and to make a mark, and also to receive support, feedback from others.

Take it as fun!

And let yourself be inspired by other projects and their approaches. Get in contact! Through the listed submissions, you are just pushed to projects that have proven to be successful.