Innovative practices in Bulgaria
Sharing innovations for improving local self-government
What can an Information Point do?
Information Point of the Council of Europe - Silistra
Background
In 1999, owing to the joint efforts of the Regional Information Center of the Council of Europe and, later, of the European Union, Information Points opened in several cities in Northeastern Bulgaria. A receiver of the one in Silistra became the Bulgarian Women s Association Silistra.
People are dissatisfied with what they are not prepared for was the lead statement of the working team, formed entirely by volunteers. Therefore civil society needs building of information and human capacity so that the process of European integration could reach all sectors of society. If knowledge and skills proved insufficient, then the information structures of the Regional Information Center in Veliko Tarnovo should actively provide its resources.
In 1999, owing to the joint efforts of the Regional Information Center of the Council of Europe and, later, of the European Union, Information Points opened in several cities in Northeastern Bulgaria. A receiver of the one in Silistra became the Bulgarian Women s Association Silistra.
People are dissatisfied with what they are not prepared for was the lead statement of the working team, formed entirely by volunteers. Therefore civil society needs building of information and human capacity so that the process of European integration could reach all sectors of society. If knowledge and skills proved insufficient, then the information structures of the Regional Information Center in Veliko Tarnovo should actively provide its resources.
Practice
Information events on priority topics seminars, trainings, and promotions - have been organized each year. A leading theme in 1999 was the application of European legislation in the sphere of Human Rights Protection, and in the year 2000 Women s Rights.
Six ladies from Silistra participated in a regional meeting The role of women in societies in transition held at the Arbanassi Resort near Veliko Tarnovo by the Regional Information Center. The creation of a network uniting the efforts for seeking the best programs and practices was the primary task of the meeting. The six representatives initiated several meetings with women from Silistra in search of support for initiatives regarding the assertion of women s role in public life. The seminar Women and lobbying as a civil activity found great approval. Over thirty women working in state and municipal institutions, municipal councilors, and members of non-profit organizations discussed the idea of lobbying as a way of communication and received training in specific lobbying techniques and methods. Printed materials presenting the successes of women s non-profit organizations in the European Union were distributed.
In 2001 efforts were directed towards promotion of the brochure Europe is more than you think among teachers and students. The team chose an interactive way for presenting the materials, which would provoke teachers to include them into the school schedule.
Together with students of the Alexander School, the Information Point team prepared multi-media presentation of the history of creating the European Union.
The year 2002 was dedicated to young people. An example of the policy of actively disseminating information about the European Union among young people was the Discussion on the grass The youth of Silistra and Europe . Guests of the meeting were Mayor Ivo Andonov and Member of Parliament Silvia Neicheva. The program included a competition Do we know Europe? and a role game bassed on the European Convention for Human Rights Protection. Sustainable development and the municipality activities in this field had an important place in the discussion.
The team of the Information Point supported the efforts of the municipal administration to make a recreation zone of the Danube Park by organizing a children s assembly The future of my park dedicated to 1 June.
For the first time in its practice, the Information Point team organized entertaining information games for the participants in the International Children s Folk Dance Festival Peace of Tomorrow Begins with Friendship Today , conducted annually in Silistra. Children of five different nationalities, speaking five different languages (Bulgarian, Russian, Turkish, Italian, Polish) were encouraged to get familiar with their different cultures and find out what would bring them closer together. The motto "All equal, all different found large approval among the children and the festival committee decided to include it as a permanent activity in the yearly program.
A new activity for the Information Point were the seminars for socially disadvantaged people. The participants were acquainted with the social policy of the European Union and the existing funding programs. The Information Point was invited as a partner of a project entitled From passive subjects to active participants by Friends of the World Association. In this way it expanded its target group and began distributing information about the European Union and the Council of Europe among ethnic minorities and socially disadvantaged groups more efficiently.
Information events on priority topics seminars, trainings, and promotions - have been organized each year. A leading theme in 1999 was the application of European legislation in the sphere of Human Rights Protection, and in the year 2000 Women s Rights.
Six ladies from Silistra participated in a regional meeting The role of women in societies in transition held at the Arbanassi Resort near Veliko Tarnovo by the Regional Information Center. The creation of a network uniting the efforts for seeking the best programs and practices was the primary task of the meeting. The six representatives initiated several meetings with women from Silistra in search of support for initiatives regarding the assertion of women s role in public life. The seminar Women and lobbying as a civil activity found great approval. Over thirty women working in state and municipal institutions, municipal councilors, and members of non-profit organizations discussed the idea of lobbying as a way of communication and received training in specific lobbying techniques and methods. Printed materials presenting the successes of women s non-profit organizations in the European Union were distributed.
In 2001 efforts were directed towards promotion of the brochure Europe is more than you think among teachers and students. The team chose an interactive way for presenting the materials, which would provoke teachers to include them into the school schedule.
Together with students of the Alexander School, the Information Point team prepared multi-media presentation of the history of creating the European Union.
The year 2002 was dedicated to young people. An example of the policy of actively disseminating information about the European Union among young people was the Discussion on the grass The youth of Silistra and Europe . Guests of the meeting were Mayor Ivo Andonov and Member of Parliament Silvia Neicheva. The program included a competition Do we know Europe? and a role game bassed on the European Convention for Human Rights Protection. Sustainable development and the municipality activities in this field had an important place in the discussion.
The team of the Information Point supported the efforts of the municipal administration to make a recreation zone of the Danube Park by organizing a children s assembly The future of my park dedicated to 1 June.
For the first time in its practice, the Information Point team organized entertaining information games for the participants in the International Children s Folk Dance Festival Peace of Tomorrow Begins with Friendship Today , conducted annually in Silistra. Children of five different nationalities, speaking five different languages (Bulgarian, Russian, Turkish, Italian, Polish) were encouraged to get familiar with their different cultures and find out what would bring them closer together. The motto "All equal, all different found large approval among the children and the festival committee decided to include it as a permanent activity in the yearly program.
A new activity for the Information Point were the seminars for socially disadvantaged people. The participants were acquainted with the social policy of the European Union and the existing funding programs. The Information Point was invited as a partner of a project entitled From passive subjects to active participants by Friends of the World Association. In this way it expanded its target group and began distributing information about the European Union and the Council of Europe among ethnic minorities and socially disadvantaged groups more efficiently.
Results
As a result of the three-year program, participants in trainings and discussions about human rights and European integration reached over 500, among who are teachers (women mostly) and young people; over 1000 units of informational materials have been distributed to schools, the Police Department, and the Court House. All that shows how an Information Point, supported by the information and human resource of the Center in Veliko Tarnovo, could turn to be an important vehicle for the dissemination of knowledge about intercultural, national, and political issues in United Europe.
As a result of the three-year program, participants in trainings and discussions about human rights and European integration reached over 500, among who are teachers (women mostly) and young people; over 1000 units of informational materials have been distributed to schools, the Police Department, and the Court House. All that shows how an Information Point, supported by the information and human resource of the Center in Veliko Tarnovo, could turn to be an important vehicle for the dissemination of knowledge about intercultural, national, and political issues in United Europe.
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