NEWSLETTER No. 4

SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA

Networking of NGOs and institutions of civil society

30 Oct. 2002 – There was a training in Smederevska Palanka for members of non-governmental organisations from North-East Serbia, titled "VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT"                 within the project "Strengthening institutions of civil society – NGO capacity building and development of regional networks in Serbia (2002-2004)", financially supported by the European Commission within the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. The training was held by Jelena Pavlovic, Coordinator of the Belgrade Volunteer Centre, within the Centre for the Development of Non-Profit Sector, Ruzica Dabic, Coodinator of the Regional Centre for the Development of Non-Profit Sector in West Serbia and Melanija Kolosnjai Nenin, Assistant in the Centre for the Development of Non-Profit Sector in Vojvodina.

Contact: CENTRE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NON-PROFIT SECTOR, Belgrade, Tel/fax: (011) 3283-308, 3283-309, E-mail: info@crnps.org.yu, 

30 Oct. 2002 – Rehabilitation works on part of the water supply network in Smederevska Palanka are completed. The realisation of this project, which is in its importance and level of investment the biggest so far in Palanka Municipality, has been made possible within the programme "Community revitalization through democratic action" (CRDA), 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 water supply problem as one of the priorities was identified by the citizens of Smederevska Palanka through the CRDA Community Board. The Community Board was supported in implementing this project by the local government and institutions.

8-10 Nov. 2002 – THE SEMINAR "EDUCATION OF JOURNALISTS ON WORKING WITH NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS" was held in the hotel "PLANA" in Velika Plana and organised by the Centre for the Development of Non-Profit Sector, in cooperation with the Centre for the Development of Non-Profit Sector of North-East Serbia. The goal of the seminar was for the journalists and editors to become familiar with the role and work methods of non-governmental organisations, and to improve the communication between NGOs and the public through the dialogue between the NGO representatives and the media. 

The seminar was supported by the "Project for reintegration and management development", sponsored by Freedom House through USAID funding.

14 Nov. 2002 – EUROPEAN MOVEMENT IN SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA held a public discussion, titled "NETWORKING OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS OF CIVIL SOCIETY". This public discussion is the second one within the project "Promotion of pluralism by strenthening NGOs and the civil society in Serbia" realised by 12 NGOs from Serbia and the NGO from Greece "European Perspective". The speakers were Milan Milosevic, Ana Stojanovic and Tatjana Miladinovic from European Movement in Smederevska Palanka. 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 European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights.

Contact: EUROPEAN MOVEMENT IN SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA, Email: office@evropski-pokret.org.yu,

23-24 Nov. 2002 – A TWO-DAY SEMINAR FOR CAPACITY BUILDING OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS TITLED "ESTABLISHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS" was held in Smederevska Palanka and organised by the European Movement in Smederevska Palanka. The seminar was held within the project "Promotion of pluralism by strengthening NGOs and the civil society in Serbia", financially supported by the European Union within the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. 

The project " Promotion of pluralism by strengthening NGOs and the civil society in Serbia" is realised by 12 non-governmental organisations from Serbia and the Greek NGO "European Perspective" as the principal applicant. European Movement in Smederevska Palanka is one of the partner organisations in this project. The workshop topics are: Basic concepts of civil society and non-governmental organisations, NGO life cycle, Establishment and functioning of NGOs in FRY: Legislative programme on NGO functioning, Establishment and functioning of NGOs in FRY: Financial and tax aspects of NGO operating, General concepts on NGO management, NGO volunteer management, NGO marketing, Fundraising for NGOs through sponsoring activities, NGO public relations, NGO strategic planning, NGO partnerships and networking. The training was held by our members Milan Milosevic, Tatjana Miladinovic and Ana Stojanovic.

Contact: EUROPEAN MOVEMENT IN SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA, Svetog Save 8/I, 11420 Smederevska Palanka, tel: 026/312-821, email: office@evropski-pokret.org.yu 

26 Nov. 2002 -  On the occasion of the International Day of the Disabled, the SMEDEREVO PARAPLEGIC SOCIETY organised a public forum titled "PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY TO INFORMATION FOR THE DISABLED". The forum was held on 26 Nov. 2002 at the Smederevo Culture Centre. Apart from activists from the societies of the disabled, the forum was also attended by professors from the Association of Architects of Serbia as well as by representatives of humanitarian organisations, who had financed the Paraplegic Society projects.

Contact: SMEDEREVO PARAPLEGIC SOCIETY, Tel. 026/231-536, 026/224-698, 064/161-20-72, Email: parasd@ptt.yu 

5-7 Dec. 2002 – The Society of the Mentally Disabled and Autistic Persons from Smederevska Palanka attended the seminar “Action days of parents and experts” organised in Jagodina by the Association of Societies for the Mentally Disabled of Serbia (MNRL). The seminar was attended by the Societies’ Secretaries, parents and experts. On the occasion, reports were made on the work of the Societies during the past year and guidelines were presented for further work. Daily activities in daycare centres were also discussed, and experiences were shared on working in daycare centres for mentally disabled children.

Contact:  SOCIETY FOR HELPING MNRL - Smederevska Palanka, Andjelka MiIicevic, Tel: 026 321 904

7 Dec. 2002 – The Municipal Deaf Society and the Municipal Blind Society from Velika Plana hosted a one-day chess tournament on the occasion of the International day of the Disabled, 3 December. The tournament took place on Saturday, 7 December 2002 in Velika Plana, and apart from the host, the Municipal Deaf Society from Smederevska Palanka, the Municipal Blind Society from Smederevska Palanka, the Inter-Communal Paraplegic Society "Jasenica" from Smederevska Palanka, and the Municipal Pensioners' Organisation from Velika Plana also took part.

Contact: MUNICIPAL DEAF SOCIETY, Smederevska Palanaka, Slavoljub Kostantinovic, Tel: 064 18 52 665

17 Dec. 2002 – A public discussion in an extended form of a press conference, titled "ENTREPRENEURSHIP – EXPERIENCES FROM SLOVENIA" was held in  Smederevska Palanka and organised by the EUROPEAN MOVEMENT IN SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA. The gathered citizens and the media representatives were addressed by Milan Milosevic, M.A., President of European Movement in Smederevska Palanka, Dr Milan Zdravkovic, President of Association of Agronomists DOMACIN and Slobodan Ivkovic, B.A. in Economy, President of Centre for the Development of Agriculture, Water Resources and Forestry "Jasenica". The occasion for the public discussion was attending the Summer School in Entrepreneurship, organised by GEA College from Ljubljana in September and October this year. Attending the Summer School in Entrepreneurship was supported by the Republic Development Institute, Smederevska Palanka Municipal Assembly, PALANACKI KISELJAK, S.C., GOSA - FOM, s.c., GOSA - ZASTITNA SOLKO, s.c, GOSA - ZAJEDNICKI POGONI, s.c. and SP LASTA.

Contact: EUROPEAN MOVEMENT IN SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA, telephone 026/312-821, Email: office@evropski-pokret.org.yu, Web: www.evropski-pokret.org.yu