NGO Forum in Latvia

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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 10:02:57 +0300 (EET DST)
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Subject: NGO Forum in Latvia

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: Dimitrijs Alehins <[email protected]>

NGO Forum in Latvia


REGIONAL NGO FORA IN LATVIA
 
Regional NGO Forum Project Coordinator: Ms Ilona Kunda
e-mail: <[email protected]>
 
Background on NGO Centre
 
NGO Centre (legally established in 1996) is an information and
technical resource centre supporting non-governmental organisations in
the realisation of their aims and promoting the development of civil
society in Latvia.
 
One of the NGO Centre's major programme in 1998 is Regional NGO Forum.
 
Program Description/Purpose
 
NGO Centre is coordinator of preparations for Regional Non-Government
Organisations Forum - a series of regional NGO meetings. NGOs of each
of the four regions of Latvia and the capital will convene a two-day
Forum in August and September 1998. The project Regional NGO forum
will be building upon the results of the highly successful national
NGO Forum (1997). Following the national Forum, there has been a
marked increase of NGO networking activities outside of the capital.
These efforts need to be structured and developed through a nationally
coordinated project. At the same time, a topical third sector issue -
basic principles of cooperation between NGOs and the state (all
levels) - should be examined at all regional meetings to voice the
experiences and attitude of the third sector and further the dialogue
on various aspects of partnership.
 
The objectives of Regional NGO Forum project are as follows:
� to promote local consolidation and cooperation of NGOs in all
regions of Latvia;
� to raise the awareness of local authorities, businesses and general
public about the role and potential of NGOs and promote NGO
partnerships with these sectors.
 
It is expected that each Forum will have the following components:
� an exhibition reflecting cooperation projects of NGOs (NGOs will
display information about the projects they are implementing in
co-operation with other NGOs, the local government, businesses)
� a dialogue with local authorities and businesses (panels, plenaries,
workshops)
� a dialogue within different focus groups of NGOs
� a cultural event for the local community.
 
The project Regional NGO Forum aims at involving ~600 NGOs and ~ 80
representatives of local authorities in the discussion about the ways
to develop partnerships among the different sectors of local
communities. NGO Centre prepares the framework of the Forum programme.
Local co-ordinators, in co-operation with local NGO support centres
organise the preparation for the local Forum. After the Regional
Forum, local NGO networking activities/dialogue with local governments
will be continued through other projects implemented by NGO Centre:
local NGO support centres programme (13 local centres will be in
existence by the end of 1998) and training programme, as well as
through existing NGO networking initiatives started in collaboration
with NGO Centre (e.g. cultural NGOs that have quarterly
meetings/workshops and others).

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