Citizens Participation Week
September 22 – 29, 2008
The CEE Citizens Network has been created to support and coordinate activities in order to
increase the level of participation in the CEE Region. Our main activity to answer this task is
the Citizens Participation Week (CPW). Year 2008 was the fourth year of organizing
Citizens Participation Week.
CEE Citizens Network’s coordinator for Citizens Participation Week, Mate Varga from
Hungary prepared following report from the Citizens Participation Week in Hungary:
Campaign for Citizenship and Democracy
Citizen Participation Week 2008
The Honorary Patron for the event was Mrs. Kinga Göncz, Minister of Foreign Affairs
International organizer and coordinator: Central and Eastern European Citizens Network
(www.ceecn.net)
Main organizers in Hungary:
Civil College Foundation
Hungarian Institute for Culture
Association for Developing Community Involvement
Vocational Network for Supporting Community Initiatives
Hungarian Institute for Culture and Art
Between 22nd and 38th September hundreds of civil organizations ran a campaign for
raising awareness on citizen participation and local action at 152 local, small regional
and regional events.
Similarly to previous years, the programme was following two main threads: a national
random sample survey, and local and national events.
Survey:
The survey was about the highlight the level of citizen’s participation in Hungary. The
HACD collected more than 4000 questioners from all around Hungary. Results soon!
Some examples from local programmes:
Opening event, Szekszárd, 22.09.2008. (street action, demonstration)
Closing event, Kunbábony, 29-30.09.2008. (International seminar on citizen’s participation)
CPW Felső-Kiskunság (school actions, sport programmes, festival, street actions, citizen
meetings)
CPW ZALA dictict (street actions, environmental actions, citizen meetings)
CPW around Komárom (school actions, lectures, village days, cultural events, festivals,
citizen meetings)
CPW – Debrecen (citizen meetings, book exhibition)
CPW Székelyudvarhely ((street actions, university lectures, youth programmes)
Apart from the results of the survey, 45 different media actors published the CPW in
Hungary (articles, TV programmes, Radio interviews, on-line magazines).
Similarly to previous years, the Citizen Participation Week discussed issues that were about
people and their communities, and not about the constantly and artificially generated usual
political and media themes. Local and small regional issues, problems and alternatives were
put on the agenda, while the notions of participation and democracy, and the opportunities
for active citizenship, involvement and local action were also discussed, with an emphasis on
good Hungarian practices.
Full reports in Hungarian and hundreds of photos: www.arh.blogol.hu
The results of the survey, further reports, and the entire media coverage will soon be
published on www.arh.kozossegfejlesztes.hu
A few other examples of CEE CN members´ activities during CPW 2008:
Centers for Civic Initiatives
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Since we had local elections here at the beginning of October, majority of our activities was
adjusted according to that. It was difficult to mix massages just a few days before the Election
Day but at the same time it was our intention to support regional effort of the Network.
Based on all described we have decided to promote CPW during our press conferences which
we have organized for promotion of reports and analysis of governments’ work and results.
More concretely in second part of September we organized 3 press conferences in different
parts of BiH to present findings of the monitoring processes and during these events we stated
that they have been organized as part of joint regional civic society effort for promotion of
citizens participation in decision making.
Additionally to that CCI started our traditional annual research of the status of citizens
participation in BiH during the CPW time – in light of CPW. The results of the research will
be published by the end of the year. For sure we are going to connect this with CPW and
again remind media and public in BiH on CPW and importance of the citizens participation.
C.E.G.A.
Bulgaria
Development of strategy plan of ELIT association in the context of the campaign Citizen’s
Participation Week
ELIT association is newly registered NGO working with CEGA since 2004 when they started
as initiative group. Within the Citizen’s Participation Week C.E.G.A. Foundation, as partners
of CRONO in the initiative, organized 2 day training with youth members of the association
for development of 3 years strategic plan as well as action plan for 2009.
A mission and vision as well as strategy directions and specific aims have been developed
during the training.
Vision of ELIT: Association ELIT is a youth center, works with wide aspect of young people
and supports their personal development. The Association works in partnership
with institutions and shares its experience on local, regional and national level.
Mission of ELIT: Association ELIT works for increasing the educational level, the personal
development and the intercultural dialogue within the youth from different ethnic background.
The members of the association have discussed and the themes of the strategic plan are:
Quality of Education with children and youth from age 2nd to 12th degree; Development of the
Roma women and Intercultural dialogue.
Center for Civic Initiatives
Croatia
This year –2008- the Citizens Participation Week in Croatia was celebrated in Karlovac, the
town which is 50 km away from the Croatian capital Zagreb. Many tourists and travellers
know Karlovac because it is inevitable destination for all those who travel to the beautiful
Croatian coast during the summer.
The Center for Civil Initiatives, PCAP International and Carpe Diem are three organizations
that run the community center for youth in Karlovac and celebrated the week of citizens
participation within the center for youth with the following activities:



Press conference during which the three organizations presented its work in local
community and shared their approach to increasing participation of citizens in decision
making processes in the town
Several youth organizations had cultural and art performances in the Center for Youth
for citizens of Karlovac
Public youth debate took place on September the 24th, 2008 on a topic «Are changes
possible in the Town of Karlovac?» Many young people participated in this debate
and asked the City Mayor of Karlovac questions such as: when will the movie theater
be built, what happened to the city pool and similar questions about potential activities
for youth which might increase the quality of life for youth in Karlovac
We are happy that Mr. Jelic, the City Mayor supported these events and responded to youth in
a positive and optimistic manner. From this year The Town of Karlovac financially support
three organizations that are responsible for activities of youth engagement in community
development and cover all the costs of the Center for Youth.
Center for Community Organizing
Czech Republic
September 22
CCO – Press conference on the occasion of Citizen Participation Week and
announcement of the 6th annual competition “About People with People” held in
Olomouc
Roman Haken - director of Centre for Community Organizing (CCO), Dominika Kovaříková
- member of NGO Duha Olomouc and Monika Mackovíková - council member of Olomouc
take part in press conference as speakers. Director of CCO explained to the guests present at
the press conference meaning and content of the Citizen Participation Week and at the same
time he announced the 6th annual competition About People with People – Award for local
democracy support on cooperation with NGOs.
All participants gave their expression to importance and necessity of participative democracy.
Monika Mackovíková, a member of the Šternberk council said:
“I have always been interested in public events and my dissatisfaction with administration of
public matters became the impulse for my participation in the policy. Primarily along with
other citizens we expressed our opinion of various documents and we signed petitions. I think
we can divide citizens into 3 groups – the first group of citizens is not interested in public
events, the second one is interested in progress, but it is not willing to participate actively and
the third group is the one which actively solves problems and communicates with town hall.
The reason, why we as citizens ran for council, was the fact, that we wanted to affect public
events and find how exactly municipal office works. So at the beginning it was active
participation.”
Dominika Kovaříková from movement DUHA (rain-bow) said:
“Active citizens are base of democratic community. This is a control of politician’s activities
at all levels. Citizens, who are interested in what is going on in their town, have better relation
to the place, where they live and they care about life quality. Participation is important and we
try to support people who want to affect course of events – above all by consultancy on public
participation into decision-making.”
Česká Třebová - Meeting NGOs
On Monday 22nd of September at 4 pm Town of Česká Třebová called together about 100
citizens – members of non-profit non-governmental organizations, schools, interest groups
and clubs to evaluate together Partnership Days 2008. This event was the 3rd annual. It started
on Thursday 4th September and lasted till Sunday 7th September. This international action
always brings together many citizens to cooperate during Partnership Days and it is very
important for contact expanding among children, students and adults at international level.
During the meeting remarks, proposals and ideas how to organize Partnership Days next year
were suggested. Collective participation of interest organizations, schools and clubs in such
extensive action contributed to cohesion of citizens and their mutual cognition and enrichment
in many areas.
Kopřivnice – Public hearing in Vlčovice
Firemen, sportsmen, parents with their children and other users of local playground met to try
to answer questions relating future of sports facility in Vlčovice. Initiator of the meeting was
Committee for local part of Vlčovice. Persons who could answer these questions were invited
to public hearing, which took place in Vlčovice playground on Monday September 22 at 5
pm.
September 23
CCO – Dialogue with Roman Haken, organizer of Citizen Participation Week in Czech
Republic on the Radio Wave.
Within the Citizen Participation Week, speech of the director of CCO Central Moravia and
organizer of CPW in Czech Republic Roman Haken was broadcasted on the Radio Wave on
September 23. He called on to listeners to participate in this campaign and informed them
about announcement of the competition About People with People – Award for local
democracy support on cooperation with NGOs. “This week we are announcing the 6th annual
competition About People with People. Originally Czech competition became international
and last year we could compare experiences of good practice of public administration in
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. We have signals about the interest in our
model of the competition from Slovenia, Croatia, Greece and Ukraine...” Mr. Haken said. To
listen to Mr. Haken’s speech, click here. zde
Radio Wave is a radio station intended for active young people who are interested in actual
events in our country as well as in the world. It focuses on listeners who are looking for
something noncommercial and nontraditional and who are listening to the music, its particular
genres and its new trends. Radio Wave addresses to science, new technologies, fashion and
journalism.
September 24
Town of Most – Public hearing about layout of the Josef Skupa Street
Within Citizen Participation Week Corporate Town of Most organized on September 24 at 4
pm a public hearing about intention of layout of the Josef Skupa Street and its surrounding in
Most.
In accordance to attendance lists 49 participants took part in the public hearing, however
according to a number of occupied seats in a boardroom it is possible to assume, that there
were more participants from public.
Proposal of layouts will be created and adapted on the base of remarks and needs of citizens
in Most. The most frequent questions from public were concerning the preservation of
sufficient number of playgrounds for children, undisturbed housing estates or urban green
areas. Citizens attending the public hearing proposed various solutions how to solve the traffic
problems and how to create larger parking area in particular locality such as angle parking,
one-way traffic in certain streets, a locality for new parking. Present representatives of Most
continuously answered the questions and wrote down the proposals.
Within solving the layout of Josef Skupa Street there will be a public inquiry in Most
newspaper. After the hearing, other remarks and questions were delivered to workers of town
office and recorded into report from public hearing and they will be solved individually.
CCO – Ceremonial handover of certificates to volunteers
On September 24 Ceremonial handover of certificates to volunteers took place in CCO
Central Moravia. Director Roman Haken and representatives of organizations, where
volunteers worked at, thanked to all volunteers for their praiseworthy and honorary work.
This year 80 volunteers participated in volunteer program. 12 of them managed to find a job
thanks to this program.
September 25
Town of Most – Announcement of campaign „30 days for non profit sector“
During the Citizen Participation Week Campaign „30 days for non profit sector“, including
planned activities program, was announced in Most newspaper on September 25, 2008. This
campaign takes place every year since 1998 all over Czech Republic. Its principal aim is to
inform public about role and meaning of non profit organizations. The project traditionally
offers opportunity to individual non profit organizations to introduce their work in all regions
of Czech Republic and to provide their communication with public. Campaign itself will be
festively opened on October 1, 2008 and it will proceed until October 31, 2008.
Ceremonial opening of the campaign and exposition of non profit organizations are parts of
Campaign „30 days for non profit sector”. The exhibition presents non profit sector, that
means non profit organizations existing in Most region and concrete activities of non profit
sector.
During the Citizen Participation Week and within the campaign, action “Night of Scientists“
took place on September 26, 2008 in Culture House REPRE in Planetarium. This action was
organized by Astronomical Society in Most. Research workers were introduced to wide public
in nontraditional way.
Within this campaign individual actions for public will be organized by many non profit
organizations in Most region, such as open door days for public, round table discussions with
public participation, lectures, concerts, etc.
September 26
CCO/Town of Kopřivnice – Press conference about conclusion of Citizen Participation
Week
On Friday September 26 the Press conference of Centre for Community Organizing (CCO)
and the Town of Kopřivnice took place. Its aim was to draw attention to Citizen Participation
Week, at the time in progress, and to increase the interest in public participation in public
matters.
Director of CCO Roman Haken explained purpose of the meeting and pointed on to
announced 6th annual competition About People with People. Last year Town of Kopřivnice
won the international competition and prevailed competitive projects from Czech Republic,
Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. In incoming annuals there will probably be other competitors
from Croatia, Ukraine or Greece who have shown their interest in the competition.
Civitas Georgica
Georgia
In 2008 Civitas Georgica has planned several activities to be conducted during CPW - it
included radio program on participation, the assessment of level of participation in decision
making on local level, student and elderly programs etc. But due to the August event, we have
decided to cancel most of activities - the country was in war, there was emergency situation
declared, big number of internally displaced persons. Besides, Civitas has organized training
for regional NGOs on public monitoring of local budgets on the issue of expenditure of
humanitarian assistance funds.
NGO „Terra-1530”
Republic of Moldova
We publish the independent periodical ADEVARUL (Truth).
Official Opening of Regional Resource Centre for Youth – October 15, 2008 ($15,000.00 U.S. Embassy).
Association “Pro Democratia” and
Association for Community Partnership Brasov
Romania
First event organized in partnership by Association “Pro Democratia” club Brasov and,
Association for Community Partnership Brasov was the Brasov County NGO Forum, on
24 September 2008.
Actually this was a meeting between the chairmen of County Council’s specialized
commissions and representatives of non-government organizations from Brasov.
The aim of this meeting was to identify a few ways of collaboration between the two partners
for projects implementation.
At this meeting participated eight active NGOs from Brasov and the chairmen of the eight
specialized commissions of Brasov County Council.
The main discussions where around the budget allocated by County Council for granting
different projects to be implemented by local NGOs.
Because the participants were satisfied about the results of the meeting, the County Council’s
representatives asked to Pro Democratia and ACP to organize quarterly meetings like this for
the benefit of the relationship between civil society and local public administration.
On 26 September, at Maierus (Brasov County) was organized the first public meeting of the
mayor with commune’s citizens after the local elections in June. At this meeting participated
over 20 persons from 2 villages and elected local counselors. They have discussed the
strategic development directions, one of them being the establishment of a local volunteer
intervention group for emergency situations.
Too, it was agreed the municipality to start a participatory process to plan the strategy for
local development, the citizens being informed about their role in this process.
At the end of the discussion everybody agreed to repeat periodically this kind of meetings in
order to discuss and to solve the problems.
CRONO
Romania
On September 23-24, a Romanian delegation (composed from CRONO members, volunteers
and beneficiaries) visited our colleagues from Civic Initiatives at Belgrade to discuss about
the participation of the citizens in Romania and Serbia.
On September CRONO organized 2 meetings (at Bailesti and Caracal) with relevant
stakeholders for the problem of young unemployed people from their communities. At
Bailesti (where there live almost 5.000 Roma, i.e. 25% of local population) we had as guests
our colleagues from CEGA, who shared some of their experience with Roma communities.
Too, they were invited to talk about the benefits of volunteering to the students from the local
high school.
On 26.09, CRONO organized at Craiova a meeting with representatives of 10 NGOs from the
region to discuss about a method (local forum) to involve citizens in the initiation
of community projects for the European funds.
PACT Foundation
Romania
During Citizens Participation Week PACT Foundation organized together with local NGOs
from South-Wesr Romania 3 meetings: in Malu Mare (in partnership with Pro Euro Young),
Arcani (in partnership with the Association for Community Development and Integration
from Northern Oltenia) and Tismana (in partnership with Tismana Foundation). At these
meetings participated members of the communities and representatives of the local public
authorities designed operational plans for the strategic objectives of the Local Councils
regarding local development.
Institute for Social and Humanistic Initiatives
Russia
Innovative city.
Koryazhma civic initiative.
“Development of the city means that the whole city has to be involved in the development
process” that is the conclusion made by participants of a number events which took part in
Koryazhma. People attended a series of round tables and seminars hold within the framework
of Citizens Participation Week in order to discuss how to develop local initiatives and their
community.
Koryazhma is a small industrial city in the south-west of Archangelsk region (about 43
thousand inhabitants) with a big pulp and paper factory.
These events have rather meaningful results. The city has received new concept of its
development by mean of involvement of the population and empowering local community.
We can say that it is the result of few years of our hard work which make it happen. Public
territorial self-government was growing in the city step by step involving people in decision
making concerning local problems. Nowadays there 8 self-government organs (organ TOS as
they are called in Russian, which means territorial public self-government) and dozens of
tenant cooperatives.
Now it is evident, that local activists united in active groups (TOSes and tenant cooperatives)
can grow into mighty force. Now TOS leaders and activists decide that they can (and should)
set up new goals aimed on new more complicated and tasks. And discussions of the future had
such a consequence: it was decided that city TOS network should become one of the
mechanisms of innovative development of the city. September 2008 has laid the milestone of
new ideology in the city development and the mainstream is population involvement and
community empowerment. It will be turned into special program.
Certainly public self-government (which means involved and motivated population) is not the
main actor in the city development. The main actors are authorities and business. But selfgovernment bodies can find solutions for the tasks often which can’t solve other actors. There
spheres which can’t be developed without involvement of the population. For examples in
such issues as keeping of domicile, landscape design, leisure time and hobbies, work with
children, youngsters, elderly people, of cultural traditions, ecology, prevention of crime,
individual and public security in the city, - can population can make significant contribution.
“Development of the city means that the whole city is involved.
This approach is rather new for Russia. And for many administration offices it was quite
exiting to learn that civic initiatives can serve a locomotive which will promote innovations in
the city. It causes interest. City administrations render public self-government active support
(including growing financial support). Valery Elezov, the Mayor of Koryazhma says: “We are
very interested in the development of local community, and by all means we support people’s
initiatives in solving concrete local problems. Mechanisms of civic engagement in Koryazma
are working successfully; try to create the most favorable conditions for that”.
Koryazhma experience is quite unusual and it can be a case of interest for many other Russian
cities. And the city has real ambition to become a meeting place at least for neighboring
municipalities of Archangelsk region where issues of local development and innovations will
be discussed.
And it is obvious that innovative city development (which is now planned in Koryazhma) can
be much more successfully achieved in cooperation with partners in another cities (including
foreign). And that is why TOS activists are looking for partnership with local groups in
Eastern and Central Europe. We are interested to spread information about Koryzhma
experience and plans around Eastern Europe as wide as possible and at the same time to get as
much as possible knowledge how citizens of Eastern and Central Europe are developing their
cities.
Center for Community Organizing
Slovakia
CKO´s and OM participation in the process of Urban plan approval
The primary activity of the Center for Community Organizing during Citizen Participation
Week 2008 was to promote the participation of citizens at one of the four public hearings set
during the week. The city of Banská Bystrica is in the process of updating its Urban plan.
The last time the Urban plan was updated took place in 1977 which makes it out of date and it
doesn’t correspond with todays urban, transport and ecological standards and needs as well as
Slovak law.
A new Urban plan concerns not only the city councilors and todays or future investors but it
substantively concerns citizens that live in Banská Bystrica.
CKO in cooperation with a city-wide community group, Občania mestu (Citizens for the City)
agreed that their main objective was to incorporate citizens into the Urban plan approval so
they will become an important part of this process. It was important that citizens got the
opportunity to put their own opinions towards the Urban plan.
Approximately a year ago, Občania mestu held a few meetings and negotiated with the Mayor
of Banská Bystrica arguing that the city provide at least three public hearings related to the
proposed Urban plan. The Mayor kept his promise and actuallyset up different public
hearings in four different neighborhoods in the city. Obcania mestu decided it was essential
that citizens be informed and encouraged to attend.
Thanks to an aggressive campaign where our volunteers handed out leaflets, posters and
through information in a local magazine „Bystrický Monitor“ published by Občania mestu,
citizens were indeed informed about the dates of the public hearings. Attendance was
excellent as more than 500 citizens of Banská Bystrica and its neighbouring villages came and
expressed their opinions, ideas and sometimes their bitter criticism with proposed changes.
Občania mestu also put forward their suggestions to city council about the way how the actual
public hearings should be run. Those suggestions were listened to and accepted. The city
shortened the presentation of the Urban plan and prolonged the time for citizens to put their
questions forward.
CKO and Občania mestu provided forms which citizens could fill in right on the site or they
could take it away. CKO and Občania mestu also provided small informative leaflets with
further information and with internet address on which the general public could find and
download the same form.
As the whole Urban plan was more than 700 pages and the maps that are accessible on the
city websites are very difficult to understand, CKO and Občania mestu offered the possibility
that the general public could visit their offices and together with volunteers and employees
could get professional help with access to the maps and their explanations as well as help with
completing the forms with their comments.
CKO and Občania mestu will continue to follow up the whole process of the Urban plan and
help the general public to support their interests and their involvement in public sector
decision making process.
All these activities will in the long term lead to citizen = public sector partnership and that
should lead into a better and more transparent public sector performance. It will also eliminate
the impact of city council’s wrong decisions and increase the acceptance of citizens’
proposals at the local level.
Closing Seminar of CPW
September 26 -28, 2008, Kunbabony, Hungary
People in Politics - seminar organized by CEBSD and connected with the end of Citizen
Participation Week. Besides CEE CN members who are part of the People in Politics
program, Chuck and Anna were invited to present CEE Citizens Network activities and
discuss future cooperation with CEBSD.