Comunicat
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PRESS RELEASE
September 21st, 2009
Future Search Conference
The Access of Local Communities to European Funds
How to better respond to Citizens’ Real Needs?
PACT Foundation – Partnership for Community Action and Transformation (www.fundatiapact.ro)
organizes during September 23rd – 25th 2009, in Căciulata resort, Vâlcea county, Romania, an original event in the
format of a Future Search Conference on The Access of Local Communities to European Funds. How to better
respond to Citizens’ Real Needs?
The Future Search Conference is a participatory planning method which sets the premises for change by
creating a common vision and work frame for various stakeholders within a sector, organization or community.
The Conference is enlisted among a wide range of events taking place during Citizens Participation Week
(September 21st – 27th, 2009), an initiative of Central and Eastern European Citizens Network (www.ceecn.net)
of which PACT Foundation is a member taking upon itself an active role to the purpose of „promoting citizens
participation within the political environment and the civil society”.
The event brings together participants from South Muntenia and South West Oltenia development regions in
Romania where PACT Foundation works through its programs and projects. Among the guests there are
representatives of central and regional bodies holding responsibility to plan and manage European Funds, as well as
representatives of beneficiary local communities – county councils, local public authorities and institutions, local NGOs
and inhabitants of those communities – beneficiaries of public services and NGO services as well. The participants will
bring along various points of view and different interests, as well as specific knowledge regarding the planning,
administration and monitoring of European Funds, on the one hand, as well as implementing, managing and
evaluating projects financed through these funds at local/regional level, on the other hand.
„In the context of the current economic crisis, which already determines an extension of poverty layers,
bringing an even larger exposure of already existing vulnerable groups, and also the emergence of new such groups,
European Funds’ absorbtion appears to be probably the most effective and efficient method to support these citizens
and the Romanian society in general. We aim, through this event, to work together to find the most appropriate
measures to redirect European Funds towards the real needs of socially and economically disadvantaged people”,
declares Ruxandra Sasu, Executive Director of PACT Foundation.
The Future Search method is applied for the first time in Romania by PACT Foundation within the
project Community Based Organizations - Centers for Community Mobilization (December 2008 – October 2009)
financed by the European Union through the PHARE 2006 Program „Increasing the Role of Civil Society in the
Process of Romania’s Integration”, Component 3 – „Developing the NGO Sector and Civic Education”. The project
aims to increase the capacity of 12 community organizations in the counties Argeş, Călăraşi, Dolj, Gorj and Olt, in
view of enhancing their sustainability through developing participatory work abilities with community members and to
mobilize human, material and financial resources to develop activities to the benefit of their community.
PACT Foundation – Partnership for Community Action and Transformation is a non-governmental and
non-profit organization active in the field of community development and social economy in Romania. PACT
Foundation’s mission is to contribute to the sustainable development of communities by promoting and supporting
local and regional initiatives, partnership and social responsibility. PACT is located in Bucharest and works mainly in
rural and small to medium urban communities in South Romania, providing training, consultancy and community
facilitation services and small funding to community based groups. One of the partners supporting PACT Foundation
in this initiative is the European Think Tank Pour la Solidarite (PLS), Brussels (www.pourlasolidarite.eu). PLS, a think
tank that aims at enabling citizens’ participation to decision making at the EU level, will be represented by Magdalena
Tancău (magda.tancau@pourlasolidarite.eu) who will make part of the team facilitating the event.
Contact Person: Ruxandra Sasu, Executive Director – PACT Foundation; tel. 031/6900961, mobile
0728844696, facsimile 021/4101058, email office@fundatiapact.ro or ruxandra@fundatiapact.ro.
For any information or claims related to PHARE projects, please contact cfcu.PHARE@mfinante.ro
The European Union represents a political, social and economic entity made of 27 countries. The Member States
have jointly decided, along an extension process which lasted for 50 years, to build an area of stability, democracy
and sustainable development, maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union
aims to share its achievements and values with countries and peoples beyond its borders.
Project financed by the
EUROPEAN UNION