Supported by European Union through Operating grant for CEE Citizens Network
Agreement n. 2011-0424/001_001
Strategic leadership meeting of CEE CN and CEBSD
Brussels, October 1- 3, 2011
Minutes
1. Review the past two years progress in our work together
Kirsten presented the timeline of our cooperation as we already had quite a long history.
The “heart of the start” of our cooperation - HACD - became a member of CEBSD in 1991 and
joined CEE CN in 2002.
2002:
Conference in Moscow 10 years of CD in Russia – Russia was included to European
Networks.
2004:
160 delegates in the conference in Budapest where we agreed on the Budapest declaration
– base of our future work.
2007:
Preparation for the European Dialog project
May:
CEBSD representative joins the CEE CN Conference in Tallinn
November: Preparation the meeting of the ED workshop in Budapest
First consortium meeting for TLCD project in den Haag
2008:
Spring:
relay visits within TLCD project
May:
International workshop of ED project in Kunbabony including press conf on
EUROPA boat .
June:
Evaluation meeting of ED project in Kunbabony – we realized that we have a
very different background and agreed that we need to know each other
better.
September: workshop CEE CN/CEBSD at the European Social Forum in Malmo
October:
TLCD laboratory in Malmo
November: TLCD consortium meeting in Palermo and first JOINT MEETING of our
leadership groups – the possibility for our future work. We worked together
on the SWOT analyze and identified some important actions to take.
2009
May:
Sofia seminar of TLCD project
Second JOINT MEETING – “life stories”
We should look for possibilities to have more exchanges
October:
third JOINT MEETING in Orebro
Strategic leadership meeting of CEE CN and CEBSD, October 2011
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2010
Spring:
July:
November:
2011
June:
September:
October:
preparation for the CALLDE project
the first CPU (Citizen Participation University) in Kunbabony
first expert group meeting for the CP study (part of CALLDE) in Berlin
second CPU in Kunbabony
second expert group meeting for the CP study (CALLDE) in Berlin
Citizen Participation Week (part of CALLDE) project
fourth JOINT MEETING in Brussels
Comments:
Elena:
I have a very mixed feeling. I just realized how much I missed because of the visa problems.
At the same time I have a feeling that now we do not have capacity – real organization (after
the Citizens Foundation was closed) to be a strong member of CEE CN. For Russia it is very
important to have all material translated into Russian.
Hans:
We should carefully examine all possibilities for our cooperation so we do not lose
opportunity
Gianni:
We should organize kind of ceremony where we will in a creative way recognize all steps and
members from our history.
Chuck:
There is one more network connected with ours – European Community Development
Network – ECON.
Mate:
We have long and nice history together but we do not have a long term program for our
relationship
Lies:
Maybe we can organize a workshop where our organizations can present their projects but
not in 5-10 minutes but for 2-3 hours – a kind of NGO market but to see real products of
concrete projects (Eastern market and Western market).
Hans:
We should look at what are the main points that we learn so we will not lose activities,
projects that are important for our work and how we can use it in the future cooperation we need reflection.
Chuck:
In the field of our commitment to influence policy we did not do very much yet
Lies:
Lies explained activities of her organization in the field of citizen participation
Mate:
Strategic leadership meeting of CEE CN and CEBSD, October 2011
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We can see that people are in the streets in most of European cities fighting for participative
democracy. People are demanding to have policy for real participation. Our Networks could
be active in that movement.
2. CALLDE project and remaining activities (include specific conversation
about CP University, CP Week and CP Study)
Chuck presented the CALLDE project and updated us with activities that were already done.
CP Study – Comments:
Hans:
We can use the CP Study as a preparation for the Active Citizenship Year.
Kirsten:
We can also use CP Study as a document for policy influencing.
Chuck:
You are welcome to have input to the conclusion section – deadline is October 10.
CP University – Comments:
Gianni:
CPU should be recognized as a big European event.
Lies:
It is different if CPU is the project of one Network or if it is our joint project.
CP Week – Comments:
Elena:
Maybe we can give certificates to the most active participants during CPW.
Lies:
Involve students and youth generally
Gianni:
How we can make this event in that way that will strengthen our Networks? It should be
seen as a strategic element of our cooperation.
Hans:
We need to have a good working platform with different themes where we want to
cooperate.
Lies:
CEBSD should put it on the agenda for our next Board meeting in Ireland as well as CEE CN
on its membership meeting.
Anka:
It is important to work together on all phases of the project (especially on the preparation
phase) not only on implementation. Otherwise there is no real ownership of the project.
Lies:
Let’s try to do it better at least at one of these three activities.
Strategic leadership meeting of CEE CN and CEBSD, October 2011
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3. Update on membership situation of both groups
Lies updated us with the CEBSD membership situation and Anka did the same about CEE CN.
Chuck added info about ECON which is a CEE CN project of Community Organizing.
4. Plans for CEBSD for the coming two years
Gianni:
It is quite hard to talk about plan for next two years because we are doing some
reconstruction of the Network. We wanted to transform CEBSD from Foundation to
Association to be open for more members. Orebro meeting (autumn 2009) was starting
point for change of structure. In Barcelona (spring 2010) we change our mind and agreed not
to change CEBSD from Foundation but to focus on internal changes and we started second
phase of the transition. In Prague (autumn 2010) we put strategy of change into action. In
Warsaw (spring 2011) we prepared the concrete steps that need to be taken in order to
finish CEBSD transition. Gianni described then the main parts of this plan (see Warsaw
minutes). He added: It is very crucial for us to have somebody who will help us with
proposals writing. We already made initial steps in that issue. So our future plans depend on
how these things will go on.
Chuck checked if CP Study and CP University organized by CEE CN could be included to
CEBSD plan. Hans and Gianni said that these events have to be defining precisely including
the target groups, etc. and we should put them in the join plan.
Kirsten described CPU as a bridge between theory and practice.
Mate: CPU can serve for many different elements for both Networks.
Lies: CEBSD will come up with the plan after Board meeting in Ireland.
5. Plans for the Citizens Network for the coming two years
 Citizen Participation Study: phase 2, 3 and possibly 4
 Citizen Participation University: we established a permanent date – the second week
of July; CP Study will be connected with CPU and 8-9 US community organizers will
participate in 2012 event
 Citizen Participation Week: in 2013 we can do it in broader way with the EU money
from Active Citizens Year program
 ECON project: organizing project in 7 countries is part of CEE CN since 2008
 Activities connected with Council of Europe: policy influencing with primary emphasis
on implementation of the Code of Good Practice
 E-participation: web site development for CPW plus three pilot projects
 Youth project: develop a strategy how to work with young people
 Cooperation with CEBSD
 International Conference funded by ALDA on theme of community development
 Participatory budgeting is in strategic plan but no concrete activities planned as yet
6. Longer term perspectives for our future relationship
Strategic leadership meeting of CEE CN and CEBSD, October 2011
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Refresh Budapest Declaration
European Future Forum
Common training and learning project
Standard of Community Development
Influencing policy
Mapping study – Citizen Participation in Europe
Citizen Participation University
Citizen Participation Week
Joint assembly – CEBSD, CEE CN and ECON
EU Year of Active Citizenship
ALDA project – Conference on Community Development
Document of common history
Timeline of joint activities:
2012
January
Spring
July
September
2013
Spring
July
September
Leadership teams meeting of CEBSD, CEE CN and ECON in Budapest in
January to prepare for Active Citizenship Year
ECON Annual meeting in Bucharest
CPU
CPW (study published)
ECON Assembly
CPU
CPW
Plan of actions:
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Discussion within individual Networks
Leadership teams meeting – January 2012 (CEBSD, CEE CN, ECON) in Budapest
Share info about members /actions/events/web sites
Appoint CP University planning group
Start draft of the common history (Kirsten)
Feedback about the meeting:
We had heavy but constructive meeting. Next time we should focus more on the planning
process.
Strategic leadership meeting of CEE CN and CEBSD, October 2011
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