NEWSLETTER No. 4

PIROT

Civil society activities in Pirot Region CIVIC READING ROOM PIRGOS - 1 November

Author: NGO Pirgos Jevrejska 8, 18300 Pirot   Tel/Fax: 010/335 797  E-mail: pirgos@ptt.yu Web: www.pirgos.org.yu

The implementation of the project "Improvement of the local government in Pirot Region", organised by the Reading Room Pirgos, started on Friday, 1 November. The goals of the project are support to the development of democratic institutions, education and strengthening of the local government, as well as presenting their work, in order to create conditions for stable market economy and a modern democratic state. The goal of the project is also the establishment and strengthening of the relationship among the public, private and NGO sectors, in order to create democratic practice suitable to the prosperity of the civic society. The project stipulates participation and education of about 120 representatives of the local government, entrepreneurs, about 20 directors of public companies and institutions and NGOs from the entire Pirot Region.

“KOLO SRPSKIH SESTARA” - 2 November

At the Fifth Annual Assembly of the Local Committee of the women’s association “Kolo srpskih sestara” on 2 November, the members informed the attendants of their activities in the past 18 months and plans for next year. Since the previous Assembly there have been many humanitarian actions: first of all, support to ill, poor children and the children of refugees and IDPs, poor and large families, talented pupils, the elderly and monasteries. Apart from traditional and regular activities, next year will include an exhibition, on which occasion the five-year work of the “Kolo” in Pirot will be presented as well as the history of the “Kolo” Local Committee in Pirot, founded in 1929. One of the next year tasks is providing premises for the work of “Kolo”. 

WOMEN CAN DO IT - 3 November

The two-day seminar "Women can do it 2002" (starting from 3 Nov.) was organised as a system of guidelines and solutions offered to women active in politics, non-governmental organisations, the media and trade unions, aimed at women’s participation in politics and public life to be more visible in the future and their public activities to be strengthened and supported. The seminar was organised by the Voice of Difference and Women’s Political Network. 

FESTIVAL OF CHILDREN’S ART- 4 November

The Festival of Children’s Art and Skills, which is to last by 8 February, started by presenting creative pupils from the primary school “Dusan Radovic”. The Festival organiser is “Cenepik”, in cooperation with all the schools from Pirot Region, media centres and cultural institutions. The Ministry of Culture and Education should finance the Festival, where about 800 children will have the opportunity to exhibit their work. The goals of the Festival are affirmation of children’s work, development of children’s imagination and creative spirit, as well as directing them towards quality and culture. 

The Ministry of Culture and Mass Communication has commended the project "Festival of children’s art and skills", organised by the Centre for the Development of Science, Economy and Culture - CENEPIK. The idea of such a big festival, with the tendency to spread over as greater territory of Serbia as possible, and which would be self-supporting, is precious and worth of promoting. The Ministry will continue its prolific cooperation with Cenepik, and we hope that others will also realise the value of the project and help according to their possibilities, says the statement from the Ministry. 

PIRGOS SEMINAR - 10 November

The training workshop for non-violent conflict resolution, titled "Shine up" ended on 10 November. The workshop was organised within the project "Promotion of pluralism by strengthening NGOs and the civil society in Serbia”, realised by the Civic Reading Room Pirgos. The project is supported by the Europen Commission, and the lecturers are from  Protekta. 25 secondary school pupils from Pirot participated. "Work with the children of this age is necessary because children are growing up in a post-conflict country and because they know a lot about violence and a little about non-violent conflict resolution” - stated Aleksandar Gavrilovic, a lecturer. The seminar addressed the basis of conflicts, understanding and non-violent communication. This is only an introduction into non-violent communication, non-violent conflict resolution, and something that will offer these children the opportunity for further development, said Gavrilovic.

SOUP KITCHEN - 12 November

The soup kitchen beneficiaries have not had bread for a month because the last flour delivery was reduced by 50%. The donor was the German Red Cross by the end of September. The Red Cross Municipal Board has announced that in a week it will provide bread for the 570  beneficiaries in Pirot. Meals are distributed in the old Army Club and the premises of Tijabara Local Community.

THE RIVER TOPLODOLSKA REKA  - 14 November

At the Pirot Hydroelectric Power Plant, on Thursday, 14 November, there was a meeting between their management and CHF representatives. Based on the information that a CHF representative announced on one of the recently held sessions of the Executive Board, in order for this organisation to participate in the revision of the detailed analysis of flood flow regulation of the Toplodolska Reka by directing it towards the inhabited area, it is necessary to provide the initial documentation. The time frame for the revision completion is two months, from the day of receiving the documentation. Through contacts with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, CHF is presently trying to provide eminent experts who would carry out the revision. After the revision, the project for the flood flow regulation should come up the agenda of the Municipal Assembly.

MUSIC FESTIVAL OF THE BLIND - 15 November

The Pirot Blind Society hosted the XVII Music Festival of the Blind of Serbia on 15 November. There were 33 participants from the entire Serbia. This was the first time for this kind of manifestation to take place in Pirot. The goal of music festivals is the integration of people with damaged eyesight into the local community. The main sponsor is the Municipal Assembly. The music festival took place in the Community Centre hall.

The Blind Association of Serbia is a social and humanitarian organisation with about 12,000 members organised in almost 40 organisations, one of which is the Inter-Communal Blind Society from Pirot. The goal of this organisation is catering to all kinds of needs and overall protection of the blind. Music festivals have been held since 1966, and the first one took place in Nis. The goal of the festivals is for the blind to feel as useful, equal members of the society, i.e., their integration and affirmation in the broader social environment.

STARA PLANINA – 15 and 16 November

The promotional event regarding the mountain Stara Planina and the project of transnational cooperation on protection and management of natural resources of Stara Planina was held on 15 and 16 November in Pirot. The organiser was the Regional Centre for Environment for Central and Eastern Europe (REC). Pupils and teachers from primary schools  from 4 municipalities in Serbia and 4 municipalities in Bulgaria also participated: Dimitrovgrad, Zajecar, Knjazevac, Pirot, Belogradcik, Berkovic, Ciprovac and Cupren. The pupils prepared a cultural programme representing the traditional heritage of Stara Planina. A round table was organised for the teachers, which resulted in the agreement on including lectures and activities on the protection of Stara Planina in the school syllabus. The transnational cooperation project was financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

STARA PLANINA – 17 November

The project titled "Nature will help us turn over a new leaf", was presented on 17 November, at the regional building. The funds in the amount of 34,811 euros are provided by the Regional Centre for Environment for Central and Eastern Europe. It will be realised by the Centre for Ecological Education and Training from Sofia, the Regional Association for the Development of Tourism in the western side of Stara Planina from Berkovica, the Society for Environmental Protection "Stara Planina" from Pirot and the Association of Teachers "Logos".

PIRGOS - 21-23 November

From 21-23 November, there was a three-day seminar in Sokobanja, titled "Improvement of the local government in Pirot Region" and organised by the Civic Reading Room Pirgos. The participants addressed the writing of project proposals and strategic plans. This was a continuation of the workshops held in Pirot, Babusnica and Bela Palanka. The lecturers were Darko Ciric from CHF and Radmila Radovic from European Perspective. The seminar attendants were from Pirot, Nis, Kragujevac and other places in Serbia. The project was financed by the German Marshall Fund and the American Agency for Strengthening Trans-Atlantic Cooperation.

CESID – 22 November

From 1 July 2002 to 1 July 2004, the Centre for Free Elections and Democracy is implementing the project titled "Building trust between the citizens and the local government". The main goals of the project refer to the improvement of communication between the citizens and the local government, increased participation of citizens in activities that directly concern them, as well as to creating a more efficient and responsible government and administration on the local level. Educational panel discussions are part of the project. The first one was held on Friday,  22 November, and the speaker was Jelena Cirlic, Lawyer. Novelties from the law on local self-management were also discussed.

VIOLENCE OVER WOMEN - 25 November

25 November is the International Day against Violence over Women. On this occasion, 16 days of women’s activism started, directed towards violence over women. The goal was to show that violence over women is a crime that needs to be sanctioned and the state needs to bring laws and mechanisms that will protect women. This campaign was carried out in Pirot by the Women’s Association “Cilim”. A booklet titled "Where to go and who to turn to”, intented for all women, was distributed in the premises of this Association. 

On 27 November women volunteers of the  Women’s Association “Cilim” distributed the booklets, flyers and posters in the streets, from which women could learn who to turn to and when, in case of violence. 

WOMEN TRAFFICKING – 26 November

The Humanitarian Association of the Roma, Centre for the Development of Civil Society PROTECTA from Nis and the Network of Roma Non-Governmental Organisations of South Serbia have realised a project aimed at informing the public of the concept and consequences of women trafficking in the world and our country. One of the activities within the project was organising forums in towns of South and South-East Serbia. The forum in Pirot was held on Tuesday, 26 November. The participants were: Biljana Mihic, special education teacher and Miroslav Ilic, sociologist, and Anita Kurtic from the Humanitarian Association of the Roma from Nis was the facilitator.

"FORUM FOR BETTER MEDIA IN PIROT" PIRGOS - 30 November

Within the project "Promotion of pluralism by strengthening NGOs and the civil society in Serbia, the Civic Reading Room "Pirgos" organised an open forum titled "Towards better media in Pirot – what kind of broadcast on the third sector the citizens want". The lecturers were Sanja Boskovic, independent producer and Momcilo Djurdjic, Assistant Manager in IJP Sloboda. After 90 minutes of the forum, the participants selected ten topics that would be interesting for all the media. During next week a letter will be written with proposals on how to meet the citizens’ requests regarding media reports on the third sector and sent to all the media in Pirot Region.