Home

The Black Sea NGO Forum 2010 - "Investing in our common future", 21st-23rd of October, Constanta, Romania

The Black Sea Forum was launched in 2008 by the Romanian NGDO Platform (FOND) with the support of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation in the framework of the Black Sea Synergy. It continues in 2009 in cooperation with the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Commission and the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation. In 2008, the first edition of the Forum gathered over 100 NGOs from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russsia, Turkey, Ukraine, other European Union member states and important actors in the wider Black Sea Region.

The Forum aims at increasing the level of dialogue and cooperation among NGOs in the Black Sea Region, as a means of strengthening NGOs and their capacity to influence regional and national policies.

This year the theme of the Forum is "Investing in our common future" and includes a dedicated space for debates for governmental and nongovernmental actors, international institution representatives in order o identify common solutions for local and regional issues, partnerhips, sharing experiences and presenting donor programs.

Find more information about the event from the website www.blackseango.org.

The National Seminar - Promoting Global/Development Education in Romania, 8-9 July, Bucharest

The Seminar was organised by the FOND Development Education Working Group, with the support of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Romanian Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sport. The activity was organised in cooperation and with the support of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and the European Commission.

The purpose of the meeting was to bring together key Romanian stakeholders in the filed and raise awareness on development education among governmental and non-governmental actors.

Among participants invited were: Gordana Berjan - North-Sounth Centre, Council of Europe, Kasia Szeniawska - Global Education Network of Young Europeans (GLEN), Gheorghe Andrei Kiraly - State Secretary, Romanian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Monica Alexandru - Third Secretary, Development Assistance Division, Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rodica Cherciu - General Inspector, Extra-Curricular Activities, Romanian Ministry of Education, Dana Stanculescu - Profesional body of Communicators/ Romanian Municipalities Association AMR/ Bucharest Town Hall, Miruna Covaci - Youth in Action, ANPCDEFP.

The participants were informed on global/development education concepts and differences, best practices at the european and national level and they had the opportunity to discuss on their projects and to create partnerships for future initiatives.

The press release is available here.

The agenda is available here.

The report can be download from here.

Romanian Development Camp, Third Edition, 24th-27th of June, Bucharest and Covasna, Romania

MDGs in Focus: Perspectives from the re-emerging donors

The third edition of the Romanian Development Camp was organized by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in partnership with the Romanian NGDO Platform (FOND), with the financial support of MFA.

The Romanian Development Camp is an annual event bringing together major stakeholders in development cooperation at national and European level: governmental actors, civil society, experts from European and international donors, partner countries, mass-media, academia and the private sector.

The opening session was made by the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Teodor Baconschi, Mr. Viorel Micescu, the FOND President, the EU Commissioner for Development, Mr. Andris Piebalgs and Mr. Paul Hoebink, Professor in Development Cooperation.

This edition brought together more than 100 participants from different countries and aimed at presenting the contributions of the new EU member states as donors. The theme was chosen in the context of the UN Summit which will be held this year in September and will review the progress and the main challenges in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Among participants invited were representatives from central and local authorities, ministries, Parliaments, embassies, civil society, private sector, academia and media.

The presentations covered some interesting topics such as Perspectives of re-emerging donors and recipient countries, the role of donor countries national Parliament, development education and development studies, aid effectiveness, policy coherence.

The full text can be read from here. You can also download the report and the main recommendations.

FOND celebrated Africa Day, 25th of May 2010, Bucharest

This year the event was initiated by the Organization of Refugee Women in Romania (OFRR), with the support of the Romanian NGDO Platform (FOND).

On 25th of May it was organized a debate at Infoeuropa Center regarding the african communities situation in Romania and the NGOs involvement in awareness raising projects on global poverty issues in the context of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The event was  part of an information campaign (during 25th-29th of May) on the values and traditions of the migrants from African countries and represented a good opportunity to discuss on the Romanian NGOs activities in this field and the main challenges. During the three days it were organized street actions, debates and documentary screening.

"Together" - Romania - Republic of Moldova NGO Forum, 3-6 May

The first edition of the Romania - Republic of Moldova NGO Forum took place on the 3rd-6th May in Iasi and Chisinau and it was organized by the Romanian NGDO Platform (FOND) in partnership and with financial support of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

The event aimed at strengthening the relation between the NGOs from Romania and Moldova, being a good moment to define a common agenda for common activities and to establish priorities for a better collaboration.

Among participanti in Iasi were: Doru Costea - State Secretary, Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Titus Corlatean - President, Foreign Policy Commission of the Romanian Senate, Kaido Sirel - EU Delegation in Republic of Moldova, Igor Botan - Association for Participatory Democracy, Republic of Moldova, Arcadie Barbarosie - Institute for Public Policy, Republic of Moldova, Aliona Niculita - United Nations Development Programme in Moldova, Antonita Fonari - National Council of NGOs - Republic of Moldova, and other important representatives of NGOs.

At the event that took place in Chisinau (6th May) were: Marius Gabriel Lazurca - Romanian Ambassador to Republic of Moldova, Eugen Caras - Director, Department of European integration, Caryn Wilde - USAID Moldova, Corina Fusu - President, Parlamentary Commission for Culture, Education, Research, Youth, Sport and media, Stela Mocanu - Prime Minister Counselor, Mihai Godea - debuty, Parliament of Republic of Moldova, President of the Liberal Democratic Party in Moldova, but also representatives of NGOs from Romania and Moldova.

This edition focused on the communication and collaboration between NGOs and the program combined presentations, plenary sessions, workshops and study visits to several NGOs in Iasi and Chisinau.

The presentations covered some interesting topics such as sustainable organisational development of NGOs, the European Union priorities for development, assistance in Republic of Moldova, financial instruments and opportunities, the Romanian experience, challenges and opportunities and offered a general overview of development cooperation. In the second day of the event was organized a debate at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iasi, where students and participants discussed on the role of the universities in development cooperation.

CONCORD Prease Release, April 14 - Broken EU aid promise push Millenium Development Goals out of reach, says CONCORD (European NGO Confederation for relief and development) as OECD announces aid figures

Figures released by the OECD show a reduction in EU overseas development aid in 2009. At current level the European Union will not meet commitments to provide 0,7% of GNI in aid by 2015 to reach the Millenium Development Goals. With EU leaders meeting on 17-18 th June in Brussels to agree the EU's position for September's MDG review Summit, the EU and its member states needs to make good on its obligations to fight for the eradication of extreme poverty.

The prease release can be read from here.

FOND launched the research paper "It's our turn to help - Development cooperation in Romania"

On the 6 th of November the Romanian NGDO Platfom (FOND) organised a conference to launch a research paper regarding development cooperation issues in Romania. The paper was prepared by Mirela Oprea (FOND Board Member/ World Vision Romania) and Rodica Novac (ADO SAH Romania). Among the guests invited at the event there were representatives of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Romanian Ministry of Interior and Administration, the European Parliament, FOND members, embassies in Bucharest, mass-media, private-sector, academia and students. The event was part of a project currently implemented by FOND and financed by Presidency Fund.

The research paper "It's our turn to help" not only reflects the present state of affairs, but it also considers the past, drawing out attention on Romania's pre -'89 policy towards the developing countries. Other issues taken into consideration revolve around the current Romanian institutional framework for development cooperation (local capacity building, the role of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the coordinator of this policy, the Romanian National Strategy on Development Cooperation) and the Romanian ODA projects and initiatives (including the creation of the Romanian NGDO Platform, cross-border co-operation and NGO awareness and development education campaigns).

The conference opened an interesting debate on Romania's past experience with international development matters; for the first time sources showing that before 1989 Romania "was by far one of the biggest donors of foreign assistance in Eastern Europe" were brought into a public debate. This new approach may help define better Romania's role as a "new" donor. Click here to download the report.

Read the full archive from here.