NEWSLETTER No. 3

SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA

NGOs in civil society development:

21 Sep. 2002> A one-day  seminar of the Centre for the Development of Non-Profit Sector “Public relations for non-governmental organisations” within the project  “Strengthening the institutions of civil society – NGO capacity building and development of regional networks in Serbia (2002-2004)” was held on 21 Sep. 2002 in Smederevska Palanka. The lecturers were Zoran Markovic, Coordinator of the Public Relations programme by the Centre for the Development of Non-Profit Sector, Slobodan Reljic, Chief Editor of NIN, Cvijetin Milivojevic from the agency Pragma and Ivana Stevanovic from B92. Within the seminar, members of different NGOs had the opportunity to become more familiar with the concept and the role of public relations, concept and content of public information and press conference, interview, communication through the Internet and the characteristics of public appearance in different media.

Contact: Centre for the Development of Non-Profit Sector, E-mail: zmarkovic@crnps.org.yu

21 Sep. 2002> The republic five-a-side football championship of the Deaf Society of Serbia was held. The host was the Municipal Organisation of Smederevska Palanka Deaf Society. The championship took place at the sport fields of the secondary school «Sveta Djordjevic» and the primary school «Heroj Radmila Siskovic». The participants came from Belgrade, Kosovska Mitrovica, Leskovac, Krusevac, Jagodina, Kragujevac, Negotin, Loznica, Pancevo, Valjevo, Vranje, Nis, Smederevska  Palanka - Velika Plana, Novi Pazar, Sabac, Trstenik and Uzice. 

Contact: Slavoljub Konstatinovic, Municipal Organisation of Smederevska Palanka Deaf Society, Tel: 026 313 145

25 Sep. 2002> An adult education conference for Smederevska Palanka was held within the Second Festival of Adult Education in the premises of the Graphic Gallery “SIGMA” of the National Museum in Smederevska Palanka, organised by the  Smederevska Palanka Culture Centre. The motto of the festival was »CATCH THE LIGHT – DISCOVER YOUR POSSIBILITIES«. On the occasion, adult educational programmes were presented by: CULTURE CENTRE - SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA, SOCIAL WELFARE CENTRE – SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA, DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S CENTRE "SUMADIJA", SOCIETY FOR THE MENTALLY DISABLED AND AUTISTIC PEOPLE, EUROPEAN MOVEMENT IN SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA, G17 PLUS - SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA, HUMANITARIAN ASSOCIATION OF CITIZENS "PROLECE", HUMANITARIAN ASSOCIATION OF CITIZENS FOR HELPING REFUGEES AND EXILES FROM CROATIA AND B&H "GOLUB", HUMANITARIAN ASSOCIATION OF CITIZENS FOR HELPING TEMPORARILY DISPLACED PERSONS FROM KOSOVO AND METOHIA "BISERI", INSTITUTE «GOSA» -WELDING INSTITUTE, FOLK ART SOCIETY «GOSA», NEKUDIM, MUNICIPAL PENSIONERS' ORGANISATION IN SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA, WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION "RUŽA".

This manifestation was financed by the participants with the media support from the local media from Smederevska Palanka. 

Contact: Smederevska Palanka Culture Centre, E-mail: tomamit@verat.net, or European Movement in Smederevska Palanka, E-mail: office@evropski-pokret.org.yu

26 Sep. 2002> NGO Chamber of Entrepreneurs «Profit» from Smederevska Palanka organised an entrepreneurship fair from 26 to 28 Sep. 2002, titled «Connections for XXI century» within the Krstovdan Fair, traditionally held in Smederevska Palanka. This is the second year that this fair was organised, and some non-governmental organisations from Smederevska Palanka presented themselves at the stands as well.

Contact: Chamber of Entrepreneurs «PROFIT», E-mail: pkprofit@verat.net

11 Oct. 2002> During “CHILDREN'S WEEK”, on 11 Oct. 2002, the NGO “LOGOS-Creative Centre” from Smederevska Palanka officially opened new children's playgrounds in Smederevska Palanka within the projects “WAKING” (Montesori school “Little children's house” (for pre-school children)) and “Move and go” (for the young in secondary schools). The children's playgrounds were opened by Thomas Garofalo, Head of CRS Office for Yugoslavia.

Contact: LOGOS – Creative Centre, Prvomajska 6, Smederevska Palanka, tel. 026 323 945, email: logos@verat.net 

14 Oct. 2002> At the initiative of the humanitarian association of citizens for helping temporarily displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohia “Bozur” from Smederevska Palanka, there was a meeting at the hotel “Pokajnica” in Velika Plana on 14 Oct. 2002 with the topic of »Support to voluntary return of internally displaced persons to the village Kos, Istok Municipality«. The meeting was attended by Rebecca Samington – UNMIK, Office for the structure of return and communities in Pristina, Matias Rut – UNHCR Belgrade, Nenad Radosavljevic – counsellor of Michael Steiner for return to Pristina, Ljiljana Belos – Coordination Centre and twenty representatives from the village Kos. It was agreed at the meeting to form a work group that would be made up of representatives from UNMIK, UNHCR, Coordination Centre, two representatives of the village Kos and Humanitarian Association of Citizens (HUG) “Bozur”, for the purpose of providing conditions to visit the village Kos, with a view to evaluating the current condition of houses and the need to repair them – reconstruct them or construct new ones. The recorded material will be submitted for  verification to the UNMIK Commission in the hope that voluntary return will commence in spring.

Contact HUG »BOZUR«, E-mail: bozur@verat.net

21 Oct. 2002> There was a public discussion on the topic “NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY- POSITION AND ROLE” within the project "Promotion of pluralism by strengthening NGOs and the civil society in Serbia". The speakers were Milan Milosevic, Ana Stojanovic and Tatjana Miladinovic, who presented the NGO European Movement in Smederevska Palanka as well as the ongoing projects. The public discussion and the project "Promotion of pluralism by strengthening NGOs and the civil society in Serbia" are financially supported by the European Union within the programme of Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights.

23 Oct. 2002> There was a multimedia presentation of the NGO “NEKUDIM” in the lobby of the National Theatre in Smederevska Palanka. The presentation included an appropriate film on this NGO's activities in the previous period, as well as presenting the projects that had started. The second issue of the magazine for nurturing tradition and keeping spiritual values and culture “NEKUDIM” was also presented.

Contact: NGO “NEKUDIM”, E-mail: mdddrag@verat.net

25 Oct. 2002> Through the partnership within the programme “Community revitalization through democratic action”, financially supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and implemented in the territory of Central Serbia by the American non-governmental organisation ACDI/VOCA, the construction of the Smederevska Palanka Daycare Centre for Mentally Disabled and Autistic People was completed.

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