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You Have a Vote, You Have a Choice |
contact: maszglos@batory.org.pl
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The aim of the program is to make the citizens interested in the problems of their communities and encourage them to get involved in public life, including local elections, as well as build a sense of shared responsibility of both the voters and the elected authorities for the decisions made during the election. In the preparation to the local elections in 2006 we launched a public campaign aimed to get the electorates interested in the problems of their community and prepare the voters to the conscious act of casting a ballot. 339 non-profits from all over Poland joined the campaign. They organized a series of meetings with the residents on the problems and needs of their communities and 137 public debates with candidates for voits of communes and city mayors during which they confronted people’s expectations with candidates platforms and promises. In October the Foundation launched a national Get out the vote campaign. The campaign was run together with local non-profits in 246 towns and cities. It was supported by many national and local media (including Gazeta Wyborcza daily, Polityka weekly, Polish Public TV channel 3, Polish Public Radio Jedynka, Polish Press Agency PAP, NGO portal: www.ngo.pl, opoka.org.pl, Local Press Association), was accompanied by vote-encouraging clip broadcast in 7 national TV and 42 radio stations and shown in 23 movie theaters, wide distribution of electoral posters and stickers, street happenings and contests. In 2007 we continue our campaign. This time our aim is to persuade the residents to maintain their interest in the activities of the elected local authorities during the whole term thus mobilizing them to fulfill their electoral promises. We invite non-governmental organizations and informal groups – both those that had cooperated with us in 2006 as well as new ones – to join the campaign and organize a series of debates on local problems with the participation of residents and local authorities representatives. We offer them: technical support in the form of a cycle of meetings and trainings devoted to themes such as e.g. the functions of local government and monitoring its activities, diagnosing social needs, and activization of local communities, manuals and promotional materials, experts counsel, support in contacts with regional media and local authorities. Additionally each organization may apply for a microgrants to re-fund the costs of organization of debates in its community. Copyright © Fundacja Batorego
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