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Annual Report 2004

East-East Program

This is a network program operating since 1991 in all countries of Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe and Central Asia. Its objective lies in promoting international cooperation across the region to help build and strengthen open societies in these countries. Program activities are coordinated by the Open Society Institute’s East-East Network Program that approves and funds all grants awarded for projects implemented in particular countries.

In Poland grants are made for international projects implemented by Polish organizations and institutions as well as for participation of Poles in the projects carried out in other countries of the region. The projects benefiting from such support address different areas of social, economic, and political life; as a general rule, each one must have clearly formulated objectives and specific goals to be attained through its implementation. In another important point, the involvement of partners from the region should not be incidental but, rather, initiate or continue sustained cross-border cooperation of people and institutions, cooperation of the sort which may contribute to perfecting models for social activity and to resolution of problems on a local as well as regional level.

In 2004, the Program helped implement 21 projects developed primarily by Polish NGOs, research and education institutions, scientific clubs and youth associations including 8 long-term ones developed in close collaboration with foreign partners. Most projects implemented by Polish organizations and institutions targeted our eastern neighbours, especially Ukraine. Balkan initiatives have also appeared – with Serbia and Macedonia (educational reform). The subject matter of the projects was extremely diverse and included cooperation of local government and NGOs, activation of rural areas, entrepreneurship and volunteerism. The initiated activities also included issues of the disabled and marginalized groups, and for the first time issues of restorative justice.

214 Polish experts were invited to participate in 49 projects run by foundations from other countries of the region: workshops, seminars, conferences devoted to various aspects of of building a civil society (functioning of the third sector, civic education, local government, marginalized groups, etc.), development of industriousness and stimulating social activity, observance of human rights and monitoring of Ukrainian elections.

As part of the closed grant competition announced in 2003 for long-term projects in the area of stimulating social activity of the youth to which we invited selected organizations specializing in this field, 14 grants were made, of which 8 were paid in 2003 and 6 in 2004. The awarded initiatives focused on developing business skills in the youth community, stimulating their participation in local initiatives and promoting their participation in public life. Ukrainian organizations were the main partners in the projects of this competition.

This Program is funded by the Open Society Institute.

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