The Mental Disability Advocacy Program (MDAP)
and the Network Media Program of the Open Society Institute in collaboration
with participating Soros Foundations are launching two Call for Proposals for
coalitions of NGOs interested in developing and leading public awareness
campaigns on:
1). the rights of people with mental health problems. Coalitions of NGOs from
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Georgia,
Hungary, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania,
Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, and Ukraine are invited to apply.
The deadline for submitting applications is February 20, 2004.
2). the rights of people with intellectual disabilities. Coalitions of NGOs
from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kosovo, Kyrgystan, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro, Tajikistan,
Ukraine, and Uzbekistan are invited to apply.
The deadline for submitting applications is March 5, 2004.
The Calls for Proposals and Guidelines are available in English and Russian on
MDAP's website
Wider Europe Open letter to Verheugen
As you might know, earlier this year the European
Commission launched the 'Wider Europe - New
Neighbours Initiative' (WE-NNI), to develop the relations of the enlarged
European Union (EU) with Russia, the Western NIS and the southern Mediterranean.
Attached you will find a briefing note providing more information on this
initiative. A number of NGOs, including the Stefan Batory Foundation and Open
Society Institute - Brussels, has drafted a letter to Commissioner Verheugen,
who is in charge of WE-NNI, expressing concern about growing divisions between
the new EU members and the people living in countries left outside. It contains
several recommendations to the Commission to be taken into consideration in the
process of implementing WEI. The objective is that NGOs from all countries
concerned (acceding, accession and new neighboring states) sign on to this
letter to reinforce the message. Thus, NGOs from the following countries are
encouraged to add their name to the list of signatories: Belarus, Bulgaria,
Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia,
Romania, Russia and Ukraine. If you agree with the content of the letter to
Commissioner Verheugen, please
(1) add your name to the list of signatories by sending your endorsement to
the below mentioned contact person; and
(2) circulate this message to as many NGOs as possible.
Signatories should provide their first and last name, position, the full name of
the organization, the town and country where it is located, as well as contact
information.
Please have declarations sent to Pawel Krzeczunowicz, from the Polish NGO Office
in Brussels via e-mail (pawelk@eu.ngo.pl)
or fax (+32 2 280 27 78). Please keep the words "Wider Europe open letter" in
the subject line.
The deadline for signatures is Monday, 8 December 2003. Once that date has
passed we can deliver the letter as well as arrange its eventual publication.
Any additional signatures after this date will be welcome, of course. Please
feel free to contact me or Pawel if you have any questions.
Best regards,
Viorel Ursu
Open Society Institute-Brussels
26 rue des Minimes
1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32(0)2-505 46 46
Fax: +32(0)2-502 46 46
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AN OPEN LETTER From NGOs and foundations working in Central and Eastern Europe and the NIS
on the European Commission's proposed Wider Europe policy
Dear Commissioner Verheugen,
We are writing to you as a group of non-governmental organisations and
foundations working in Central and Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent
States of the former Soviet Union. We support eastward enlargement of the EU
wholeheartedly and we believe it provides an opportunity for the whole of
Europe. We are, however, deeply concerned about growing divisions that we are
witnessing between the new members of the Union and the people left outside.
Through our work on the ground, we try to mitigate the negative effects of
enlargement using our own resources and knowledge of the region. We are worried
about problems that EU policies are causing and hope to suggest some solutions.
Given the leading role we continue to play in democratisation and reform, as
well as our commitment to the EU's own development, we wish to contribute
substantively to the Union's new Neighbourhood Policy. Based on over a decade of
experience in building friendly neighbourhood relations, we make the following
recommendations for the new policy:
1. Learning from the mistakes as well as the successes of the accession process
of the current enlargement, the EU must establish a clear game-plan and goal for
relations with its neighbours. Where EU membership is not feasible in the near
future, the Union must provide interim incentives that neighbours can attain on
meeting key EU conditions that actively foster democratic institutions, the rule
of law, human rights, the respect for and protection of minorities as well as
economic reforms. Leverage will be particularly strong if the incentives include
substantial economic and trade benefits. The EU must be clear, consistent and
committed. It must speak with one voice and its policy must apply equally to all
neighbouring states. Otherwise the Union's conditionality will lack credibility
and its policies will be seen as measures designed to keep some or all of its
neighbours at bay.
2. Friendly relations between the EU and its neighbours cannot rely on
government-to-government links alone. They require daily contact between
ordinary citizens of the Union and the peoples of neighbouring countries. This
is, after all, one of the most valuable lessons of the post-war reconciliation
fostered by European integration. The EU should therefore fund exchanges among
the peoples of the wider Europe, including youth and student exchanges,
scholarships and internships support favouring joint actions by civil society
organisations, as well as targeted assistance to opinion leaders. There is no
more cost-effective, far-sighted measure to the development of good relations
and mutual understanding than regular person-to-person contacts. Such exchanges
also favour the development of democracy and sound economic behaviour among our
neighbours. Support to contacts between ordinary citizens is especially valuable
for countries where the EU's relations with the government are difficult. Many
ordinary citizens from the Communist satellite states travelled to Western
Europe for decades prior to 1989, and they have played an important role uniting
Europe since. This experience attests to the importance of keeping borders
permeable.
The EU already assists in such exchanges, but its overly complex and
time-consuming procedures deter participation by the people who most need to be
involved, such as key local actors who may lack language skills or familiarity
with the Union. The EU must fundamentally revise the mechanisms and procedures
used in its assistance programmes. More flexible funding mechanisms (a 'European
Democracy Fund') must limit the burdens on the end recipient and avoid the
rigidity of current approaches.
3. The expansion of the Schengen regime and the application of visas to our
immediate neighbours constitute the greatest set-back to contacts between
peoples in recent years. The way that this visa regime and the security measures
on our external borders are handled will largely determine whether the EU is
seen as engaging in a legitimate exercise to guarantee its security, or an
unfriendly neighbour abusing its superior wealth and power to discriminate
against the people left outside. Softening the harsh impact of the Schengen
regime requires easier access to visas for ordinary, law-abiding citizens. In
particular, the EU must urgently:
· Reduce the cost and time involved in obtaining the visa. The price
should be commensurate with local income. Member state consular offices,
especially if located outside capitals, should handle visa applications for
travel to any member state. Proximity and a consistent approach to issuing visas
through joint regional consular services will make the Union both more
accessible and more visible.
· Ensure the respectful treatment of individuals by officials at the
consulates and border posts. They are the Union's most important ambassadors.
The impression the public in neighbouring countries has of the EU is determined
far more by the way border guards and consular officials treat travellers, than
by the visits of European politicians.
· Design border infrastructure to enhance not only the rapid passage of
goods, but also the safety and comfort of travellers. Millions of people rely on
crossing borders for their livelihoods and they constitute a vital public
service. Borders need to be designed for purposes beyond just stopping illicit
movement of people and goods.
· Facilitate local border traffic to allow continued contacts between
communities, whose re-establishment in the past decade constitutes one of the
most positive developments in Europe after 1989. The maintenance of links
between citizens living along the Union's external borders is key to the
economic and social development of these areas, as well as to peace and security
in all of Central Europe.
4. The Union must use a variety of its policy tools in ways that give our
neighbours incentives to integrate with the EU. Various programmes (the proposed
Neighbourhood Instrument, other community programmes, Structural Funds and
cross-border measures) must be made to interact not only administratively, but
their purpose has to intermesh. Trade relations cannot be designed to favour the
stronger partner and cannot exclude the issue of agricultural products. EU
infrastructure projects should be designed to improve transport links with
destinations outside the Union. At the same time, far from just encouraging
constructive relations with neighbouring states, the EU must through its policy
offer tangible benefits to the citizens of neighbouring countries so as to gain
their support for the European model.
Over the coming months, a number of the signatories of this letter will provide
more detailed suggestions regarding the issues raised here, including specific
proposals on a flexible approach to the new Neighbourhood Instrument and
improving visa policy. We would be delighted to meet with you, individually or
collectively, to offer our co-operation both on the principles of the new
Neighbourhood Policy and our expertise on specific technical matters.
Advocates for Youth (AFY) is seeking to interview organisations and individuals
about youth reproductive and sexual health advocacy programmes in Central Asia &
Eastern Europe. AFY is currently adapting an advocacy manual for this region and
would like to highlight model advocacy programmes in the region as case studies
in the publication.
We are a leading NVOCC and freight forwarding company, located in Shanghai,
China. Due to our development demand, we are looking for reliable agent for
long term partnership.
For suitable partners, we will route our nomination cargo via them and/or send
free hand shipment to them. Regularly, we will exchange freight rate and
shipping info with our partners to explore the markets together. Also, we expect
routing or free hand cargo via our parnters. Anyway, we are prepared to intiate
business relationship with potential partners.
For your reference, please check our company introduction as below.
Brief Introduction
HANSA INTERNATIONAL, the overseas business division of BEIJING PRO-DE INT'L
FREIGHT AGENCY CO., LTD SHANGHAI BRANCH, has been established since 1995, with
Class A freight forwarding license. As a leading NVOCC (Non-Vessel Operating
Common Carrier), HANSA INTERNATIONAL works with all shipping lines and airlines
closely for securing space and competitive freight.
With strong finance support, experienced professional, fully own facilities,
good reputation in the market, HANSA INTERNATIONAL grows rapidly during the past
few years. Moreover, HANSA INTERNATIONAL utilizes computer network software to
arrange all export and import goods. Offices staff and warehouse staff can
share the common data within our network, which can provide our customer prompt
and efficient information. Unlike other NVOCCs, HANSA INTERNATIONAL also
continuously commit to
promote SUPPLY CHAIN LOGISTIC in our own facilities, which is a somewhat new
industry in mainland China.
HANSA INTERNATIONAL's team is devoted to meet individual need of our customers
or overseas partners, even some "mission impossible" considered by other
forwarders.
Line of Business
-NVOCC consolidation export to worldwide destinations
-Import consolidation destuffing and distribution to inland China
-FCL management export and import
-Airfreight export and import
-Sea and air combined transportation via Korea or Dubai to worldwide
-Customs clearance for both import and import
-Warehousing - bonded or none-bonded
-Breakbulk/ container trucking
-Cargo insurance
-Logistic management
-Trading sourcing
We may not receive your email from sender's email address.
****** Please return your email to our address:
shipping@hansa.com.cn ******
Look forward to hearing from your positive comment.
Best regards,
Maggie
HANSA INTERNATIONAL
Room 301, Yuan Fang Business Center
No.18, Lane 126 Si Chuan (M) Road
200002 Shanghai
China
Tel: 53500046, 33130656, 63210045, 63219210, 63511226
Fax: 63219212
Email: shipping@hansa.com.cn
CALL FOR WORKS ON SOCIAL CAPITAL IN Central and Eastern Europe - an opportunity
for dissemination The Centre For Policy Studies, CEU, Budapest is preparing an annotated
bibliography and review of all works (both academic and practitioner's, that is,
academic analysis as well as development projects and their reports seminars,
etc.) on social capital in Eastern Europe.
The resulting review and bibliography will be distributed to all interested
stakeholders via internet and as a report in a special brochure. It will also be
used as a guideline for future research and practice.
We would welcome any contributions prepared by the World Bank or other
institutions (as well as individuals) in your country. We would also welcome any
contact information for other institutions or individuals that you are aware of
and who also work on social capital in your countries. Please be kind enough to
forward my e-mail to anyone you know who might be interested.
Please send all materials as soon as possible via e-mail to:
dimitrina.mihaylova@l...
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely
Dimitrina Mihaylova
CPS Consultant dimitrina.mihaylova@linacre.oxford.ac.uk
ISCA
University of Oxford
Oxford, UK
I am an experienced architect / construction
manager with additional experience in civil engineering / surveying, structural
engineering, and real estate transactions. Some of my work emphasizes solar and
wind energy, water catchment, graywater systems, composting toilets, recycled
materials, and non-traditional construction techniques. I want a position to
utilize these skills in the reconstruction of buildings damaged by conflict or
natural disaster in the Balkan Peninsula. Please contact me at
rylang@mind.net for a resume and additional
information. Ryan LangemeyerAshland, OR, USA
