Official Launch of the "ECMI NGO Network for the Improvement of

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Subject: Official Launch of the "ECMI NGO Network for the Improvement of 

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Official Launch of the "ECMI NGO Network for the Improvement
of Interethnic Relations in the Republic of Macedonia" and of the
"ECMI Regional NGO Centres"



ECMI PRESS RELEASE
Flensburg, Germany, 22 January 2002

OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE "ECMI NGO NETWORK FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF
INTERETHNIC RELATIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA" 
AND OF THE "ECMI REGIONAL NGO CENTRES" 



The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) based in Flensburg,
Germany, is pleased to announce the official launch of the "ECMI NGO
Network for the Improvement of Interethnic Relations in the Republic
of Macedonia" and of the "ECMI Regional NGO Centres" in Skopje on
17-18 December 2001. 

The overall aim of the ECMI NGO Network is to enhance the cooperation
of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) towards the improvement
of interethnic tolerance, respect for differences and dialogue among
all those living in the Republic of Macedonia.  The ECMI NGO Network
now consists of about 40 domestic NGOs representing all major ethnic
communities in the country. 

In particular, the ECMI NGO Network aims to strengthen the capacities
of the participating NGOs to generate and implement joint interethnic
projects. To this effect, six ECMI Regional NGO Centres will be
established in 2002 in the following cities: Skopje, Kumanovo, Tetovo,
Gostivar, Bitola and Shtip. The Skopje Regional Centre will also serve
as local headquarters for ECMI and for this initiative. The Regional
Centres will develop projects in close consultation with their local
communities to establish local priorities. The Regional Centres will
also seek the cooperation of local authorities while maintaining full
independence in the design and execution of  projects.

The idea to launch the ECMI NGO Network and the ECMI Regional NGO
Centres builds on the ECMI project "NGO Roundtable on Interethnic
Relations in the FYR of Macedonia" (December 2000-December 2001) which
was made possible through the generous support of the Royal Danish
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FRESTA - Secretariat for Peace and
Stability) and the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This
project was implemented by ECMI together with its local partner, the
Center for Refugees and Forced Migration Studies (CRFMS), Institute
for Sociological, Political and Juridical Research (ISPJR), Skopje. 

For more information on the ECMI NGO Network and the member
organizations, please see the website of the ECMI NGO Network at:
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk or contact Dr. Sunoor Verma, ECMI
Regional Representative in Skopje (tel: ++389-2 361 379; mobile:
++389-70 273 924, fax: ++389-2 364 521, e-mail: [email protected]).
For more information on ECMI, see: http://www.ecmi.de.

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