South East European Environmental NGOs Network - SEEENN REPORT Sixth REReP Task Force Meeting...

South East European Environmental NGOs Network - SEEENN

REPORT

Sixth REReP Task Force MeetingSixth REReP Task Force MeetingNovember 7th, 2003, Brussels, Belgium

Sixth REReP Task Force MeetingSixth REReP Task Force Meeting

November 7th, 2003, Brussels, Belgium

South East European EnvironmentalNGOs Network - SEEENN

In Struga, Republic of Macedonia on the occasion of the Regional Conference “Sustainable Development in the Balkans” on 17 of June 2000, representatives of the NGOs from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro and Romania have decided to establish the SEEENN.

The establishment of SEEENN was closely linked with REReP.

Sixth REReP Task Force MeetingSixth REReP Task Force MeetingNovember 7th, 2003, Brussels, Belgium




Keeping and motivating people to work

together, to understand each other –

cooperation and networking was and is not

always easy work.



Different experiences, different problems,

opinions in direction of what should be

done and expectations.




Difficulties

Networking - cooperation

Different level of development

Decision making

Funds

Language





There are NGOs that succeed to go over the problems, to cooperate in the time of wars, to cover the costs in time of economic crises. There were and still are many attempts to establish long term cooperation and open dialogue.

Experienced NGOs succeed to become partners of local, national or international institutions and organizations. Environmental NGOs established the SEE Environmental NGOs Network, Balkan Net, SEE Youth Network.



Cooperation results are worth

to put efforts in establishing and

more hardly to work on

maintaining and development of SEEENN.





Establishing platform of cooperationo Two Regional Conferences, 114 participants;o Summer Youth School on environmental education; o Three Issue Oriented Meetings on Organic Agriculture, Energy and

Bio diversity, 82 participants;o Partnerships and projects on GMO, monitoring the Stability Pact,

Energy, information sharing;o National Environmental NGO Meeting in BiH;




Exchange of informationo Five thousand and four hundred copies of two issues of the SEEENN

Bulletin printed in 6 SEE languages and English distributed;

o Published promotion material;

o Thousand and one hundred visitors per year of the web site:

www.seeenn.org.mk;




NGO Participationo Participation in all REReP Task Force Meetings;

o Participation in REReP GTZ Project Committee;

o Participation in REPC Steering Committee (REReP 2.1.);

o Participation in EU NGO Dialogue Group;

o Participation in the I Regional Meeting on Environment and Security;




Development of SEEENNo Vision, mission, goals

o Structure: Regional Conference, Executive Board, Advisory

Committee, Secretariat, membership;

o Forty two members, seven organisations wait for approval;

o Three Meetings of the Executive Board;

o Further directions of development of SEEENN;

o Agenda - Plan of activities for 2004 - 2006;



South East European Environmental NGOs Network - SEEENN

III Issue Oriented Meeting on Energy, February 2003 - III Issue Oriented Meeting on Energy, February 2003 - Rijeka, Croatia; Rijeka, Croatia;

II Regional Conference, June 2003 – Belgrade, Serbia and II Regional Conference, June 2003 – Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro:Montenegro:

o Conclusions and recommendations on GMO, Energy, Stability Pact, Organic Agriculture and Biodiversity

o Strategy for further development of SEEENNo Concept projectso Regional Expo of environmental civic organisations



SEEENN Further Development

MissionMission::

Monitoring and influencing the regional initiatives relevant for environment as well as

to assist the development of environmental movement in the region.



Goals:Goals:

o To contribute to the capacity building of environmental NGOs;

o To follow and influence regional initiatives relevant for environment;

o To identify regional environmental problems; o To stimulate the regional cooperation in specific

environmental topics;o To exchange information and experience;o To ensure NGO participation;

SEEENN Further Development



Capacity building of environmental NGOs;

Planned Activities:Planned Activities:

o Direct Actions: concerning regional or national environmental issues;

o Trainings: ICT usage, campaigns, education of the public, management and public relations, work with media;

o Statements of positions: Response to the national/regional environmental problems and relevant processes;

o Country Activities: National Meetings, National Focal Points of SEEENN, leaflets and bulletin in local language, meetings with the national authorities;



Regional cooperation in specificenvironmental topics


o Programs: Regional Cooperation, Energy, Stability Pact;o Issue Oriented Meetings: EU Accession - SAP, Stability Pact,

GMOs, sustainable development and pollution prevention;o Regional Conferences – Regional Environmental Exhibitions.o Environmental International Work Camps and Youth Summer

Schools;o Events: Balkan Environmental Day – 17 of June, Regional Green

Week;




o Exchange of volunteers;

o Media coverage: Press releases in local language in local media;

Press Conferences, cooperation with Regional Environmental Press

Center etc.

o Publications: SEEENN Bulletin; issue-oriented bulletins; promotion

materials; reports on SEEENN; translation of books, etc;

o Electronic communication;

Exchange of information and experience



Environmental Education


Comprehensive education program for children and youth will

be developed and implemented in few “SEE Houses of

Understanding” as it is the "Solar Academy for Southeastern

Europe" in Croatia.



Still, we are confronted with problems as finances, human

capacity, lack of effective marketing and management.

REReP played an important role in facing these problems,

especially in establishing and development of regional and

cross-border cooperation.



We encourage the European Commission to continue

support of the REReP.

We welcome the international donors to involve NGOs

in planning and implementing the support programs of

civil society in SEE countries.

We emphasise the need of access to EU funds for

supporting SAP and civil society strengthening.



We greet and support the Joint Statement of the Ministers

of Environment and Heads of Delegations from Albania,

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Serbia

and Montenegro on the achieved progress within SAP.

Civic organisations can play an important role in planning

and implementing activities in recognized priority areas for

international, regional and cross border cooperation, as

well in information of the public on SAP.



We slowly learn to work together, to watch

from other side, to understand what is

happening and to seize the opportunity.

South East European Environmental NGOs Network - SEEENN REPORT Sixth REReP Task Force Meeting...

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