Joint meeting of CEBSD and CEE CN
Strengthening relationships between European NGO-s
Sofia, May 21, 2009
Present:
IlonaVercseg, Kirsten Paaby, Tatiana Puscasu , Petru Botnaru, Krzysztof Leonczuk, Helmut
Hallemaa, Dmytro Koval, Lies Beunens, Feny Gerrits, Gianni Orsini, Mirela Despotovic,
Mate Varga, Chuck Hirt, Giorgi Meskhidze, Hans Andersson, Nicu Cuta, Helen Animashaun,
Anna Karailieva
Agenda:
Welcome from Chuck and brief info about the program and background of our relationship.
1. Story telling activity to build the relationship further
Gianni explained and led the story telling/ story creating activity. He pointed that we should
take it as a process that is just starting and we will continue during our next meetings.
Everybody told one story to the group - one of his/her great/most memorable experience of an
East – West experience. Then in groups of 4, people created one story made from individual
stories. Videos were made from the performances and with 10 lines from each group it will be
posted on the web site.
1. group: Ilona, Kirsten, Tatiana, Petru
2. group: Lies, Anka, Dmytro, Helmut
3. group: Mirela, Mate, Giorgi, Chuck
4. group: Nicu, Krzystof, Hans, Gianni
2. Brief summary of the European Dialog project and its follow up
Mate briefly reported from the European Dialog project with the focus on the issue that it was
not just one event but longer-term cooperation between our two European networks. We
concluded the seminar in Kunbabony with a plan for our common activities that gave us some
perspective for our future cooperation.
3. Information about the conclusion from the joint meeting of the executive
committees of CEBSD and CEE CN in Palermo
Kirsten noted that it is very important to document our history. She gave us a brief report
from the meeting in Palermo. We started get to know each other in the meeting of our
executive committees as personal relations between people who wants to work together is
essential.
4. Basic topics for discussion:
We worked in 4 groups – each group discussed one topic.
 1. Gianni led discussion on the topic:
CEE CN and CEBSD should clarify their objectives and discover what they have
in common; further on establish clear objectives for their common work.
Summary: as common objective - joint promotion of participation we will try to jointly
participate in different activities to try to be more proactive on lobbying on EU level (e.g. on
Social platform)
 2. Hans led discussion on the topic:
How can our networks influence the use of community development as a working
approach and as a discourse at the EU level (Budapest Document and other...)?
Summary: We have EU approaches, Budapest declaration, Standards on CD, Method and
techniques of CD – maybe we can put it together as one document.
 3. Kirsten led discussion on the topic:
How can the two networks best activate member organizations through common
events, meetings, workshops, conferences?
Summary: We tried to identify what could be common issues – Ukraine model shows that it is
possible to work in cooperation with government - having seminar on practical examples of
success stories
 4. Chuck led discussion on the topic:
How can we access together EU and other types of funds for active networks?
Summary:
we need to spend much more time on this topic
we need to be clear about our strategy – what we need money for
we should use the advantage of our two networks forming a pan-European group
CN was invited into a number of different technology projects where citizens’ voice is
important. This can be expanded.
 Future cooperation between our two networks
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Study of level of Citizens Participation
Citizens Participation Week
Joint advocacy activities and exchange on resources for community development
and active citizenship
Formulation of policy for Community Development and development of civic
skills for regional or national government
Follow up of the TLCD project based on the results/conclusions/ideas from the
Sofia seminar
Project promoting innovations in community
We should make some concrete steps together. Possibilities for next meeting could be:
Hungary – The HACD 20th Anniversary event – October 28 – 30.
or
NGO forum related on EU presidency – October 27 – 29 in Sweden
or
Forum on the Future of Democracy – October 21 -23 in Ukraine
Concerning activities, we should focus on TLCD project.
We agreed that our priorities for next period would be:
1) Follow up of the TLCD project
2) CPW – ELDW
3) Study on CP
Working groups for these priorities:
1) Follow up of the TLCD project: CEBSD working group + Mirela and Mate
2) CPW – ELDW: CEE CN working group + Kirsten
3) Study on CP: CEE CN working group + one or more country from CEBSD
We will find a way how our leadership groups will meet together in a year.
Mate raised the issue of international school for CP/international training centre that are one
of priorities of both of our Networks.
Lies suggested as a topic for the international school for CP three basic issues:
1) Vision and theory behind CP
2) Method of CP
3) To look back on previous CPW and think how to organize it in the future
Ilona raised the question how we can put on the table the document that we have. Lobbying is
very important but we should have some joint event represented by 25 countries and draw the
attention of the European public and European decision makers to our work. Perhaps the
theme of CPW should underline the necessity of dealing with people in this difficult
economic situation that we are facing.
Giorgi: Exhibition of Citizens agenda during ELDW in the CoE building
Mirela: Analin Foundation will support this kind of exhibition – Croatian Network could
apply.
Lies: After the EU election maybe there will be some program that will support this kind of
action.
Mate: CPW creates for us possibility to have a common action with different networks (CEE
CN, CEBSD, PEP-NET, etc). Mate will create the web site where he will invite everybody to
join us on September 21 – 28.
Conclusion:
We concluded our meeting with understanding that we are committed to building this special
relation for us.
Gift from Hans to Chuck: pen from Sweden with values from their new charter.