Who we are

WHAT WE DO

The Peipsi Center aims to enhance cooperation between communities, museums, environmental education centers, creative industries, municipalities, school etc in the region and also in the international level. The organization is working to create a more sustainable and prosperous future for the Lake region and these communities.

FOCUS AREAS

Our main focus today is:

Environmental awareness and natural/cultural heritage
Cross-border and development cooperation
Economic development and cultural exchange
Community empowerment

Environmental awareness and natural/cultural heritage

The Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation plays a crucial role in promoting environmental awareness and nature education in the lake Peipsi region. Through educational workshops, nature conservation projects, and eco-tourism development, the center raises awareness about the importance of preserving the region's unique cultural and natural heritage. Center is engaging into its activites local communities, schools, and stakeholders in cultural and environmental education.

Some project examples:

Preserving and promoting Seto- and Peipsiland cultural heritage
Military Heritage (2021-2023) - EstLat project, developing military heritage cross-border tourism routes, joint marketing
Inspiring for Biodiversity - This Erasmus+ project aims to raise awareness on biodiversity through more comprehensive pedagogical practices and methods.
Global education awareness in rural areas - brings global education topics to the peripheral areas in Estonia and develops an understanding of how the world and our community's everyday activities are interrelated.

Cross-border and development cooperation

Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation is enhancing collaboration between stakeholders from different countries in Europe but also in Eaetrn partnership region, Central Asia, also Africa. We are members of global Living Lakes network, EaP Civil Society Forum, ALDA. We have implemented development cooperation projects in Armenia, Georgia, Molodva, Uganda etc. -mainly in the field on social /women entrepreneurship, organic agriculture, environmental education (e.g. various trainings and study tours for rural women, development of organic agriculture practices or social/ community kitchens).

Project examples:

Development of Causeni agri-hub and added value in the agricultural sector, Causeni, Moldova (2021-2022)
Supporting social integration and women entrepreneurship of ethnic minorities, refugees and IDPs in Pankisi valley, Georgia (2020-2021)

Social and cultural entrepreneurship

By fostering cross-border collaboration and partnership, Peiosi center creates opportunities for rural entrepreneurs to access new markets, share best practices, and work with innovative projects. Through initiatives such as business development workshops, networking events, and cross-border cooperation facilitation, the center supports (soicial) entrepreneurship as a driver of economic growth and prosperity in the region. By linking environmental sustainability with entrepreneurship, the Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation contributes to building a vibrant and resilient economy that benefits local communities.

Some project examples:

MAMYFU

Making my future

- Enhancing lives of young people. MAMYFU promotes young people's skills and and social action, especially within the remote communities .

Social entrepreneurship, organic agriculture support in Kakheti, Georgia , in cooperation with TEMI community (2020-2022)
ECOLIT2: „Fresh-up Economics. Towards Economic Literacy in Europe“ is Erasmus+ project where six EU partners create economic literacy learning platform

Community development

By empowering local communities, fostering social cohesion, and supporting grassroots initiatives, the center contributes to building resilient communities. Through projects and programs that address community needs, promote cultural exchange, and enhance quality of life, the center helps to create inclusive communities where people can live, work, and prosper together. The center strengthens the capacity of communities for positive change.

Project examples

Play Europe: EduGames for Active Citizenship; Europe for Citiznes, 2017-1-IT03-KA205-010865
Friendly Cities: Accessible Natural and Cultural Urban Environment for People with Disabilities - is Estonian-Russian cooperation project, lead by our Pskov partner organization- Lake Peipsi Project (2016-2018)

HISTORY

The original "Lake Peipsi Project" was begun in 1994 as an informal organization whose primary focus was research into environmental issues facing the border between Estonia and Russia. The next years we expanded to include social action projects aimed at assisting local people in developing skills related to public participation, in order to help them address local issues as a part of the democratic process. In 1999, "Lake Peipsi Project" was renamed to the "Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation" to indicate that our focus is wider than just Lake Peipsi region.

After Estonia joined EU in 2004 we started to work more with development cooperation: in EU Eastern neighbourhood countries, but also in Central Asia, Uganda, etc.

FUNDING

Our main funding : Interreg programs (Central Baltic, Estonia-Latvia); Erasmus+, NCM, Estonian Development Aid

The scope of project activities continues to expand, with the major emphasis on creating projects that promote sustainable development, widespread cooperation and the pursuit of common goals to enhance the lives of the people living along the border area.