Open call for Participants: Study Session “Green Perspectives on European Security”

July 21, 2023Activities, CDN News, Educational Activities, Newsoffice

Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe (CDN) and Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG) are announcing a call for participants for the Study Session “Green Perspectives on European Security”.

The event will take place during 23rd-28th October in the European Youth Center Budapest (EYCB), Hungary. Travel dates to and from Budapest are 22nd and 29th October.

With this activity, we aim to empower 35 young Europeans in accessing rights via human rights education, by providing participants with a holistic understanding of security not solely in terms of physical security (i.e. safety) but nutrition, housing, stability, etc.

The aim of the Study Session is to rethink and build a common understanding of security in the context of new global challenges and their intersection, guided by the values of democracy, the rule of law, self-determination, human rights and fundamental freedoms.
We will achieve this through meeting the following objectives:

Creating intercultural dialogue between youth from different European countries by providing a space to discuss the concept of security and ways to ensure it;
Deepening the participants’ understanding of the current state of affairs of security in Europe;
Analysing the concept of security at the intersection of diverse societal factors, exploring their interrelationships, and effects of the policy decisions on public security;
Assessing the existing approaches to the concept of security and their strengths and weaknesses.

Who should apply?

We are looking for 35 young people, not older than 35, residing in one of the Council of Europe member states, Belarus or Kosovo*.

We encourage applications reflecting diversity in all forms; therefore, we welcome applications from those who identify as women, LGBT+ people, people of color, with migration background or with a different ability.

Participants who have activism experience in working on the security issues and policy making, as well as those interested in starting working on the topic and having high motivation to learn about the content of the Study Session are highly encouraged to apply.

! We strongly discourage the use of ChatGPT and other AI tool while filling out the application. We want your applications to reflect your experience, opinions, and motivation, and the use of AI tools will be taken as a disadvantage when choosing participants. !

Practicalities:

Language: The main language of this activity will be English. Nonetheless, not being comfortable interacting in English should not prevent you from applying, majority of us at the event will be non-native speakers and the group will be able to help out if there is some term you might not know!

Costs: The full cost of working materials, visa and lodging (accommodation, food and refreshments) during the event will be covered by the EYCB. The participation fee is 50 EUR. Travel expenses will also be reimbursed, and for selection of travel means we encourage participants to combine the most economic and environmentally friendly way (lowest price + travel time + CO2 emissions).

DEADLINE for submitting online applications: 20th of August 23:59 CEST. You will be informed about the results of the selection within two weeks after the deadline. Please add project.coordinator@cdnee.org to your contacts, so that you do not receive our reply in spam folder.

*All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.

Call for Preparatory Team: Cross-Regional Meeting for Women and Non-Binary Political Activists

July 18, 2023CDN News, News, Organisational Activities, Regional Workoffice

We’re excited to announce a call for members of the preparatory team for our cross-regional meeting of youth wings of Green political parties. The event is taking place 22-24 September, Serbia; Hosted by our member organisation Green Youth of Serbia.

About the event:

The meeting will bring together approx. 20 young women and non-binary individuals who are members of green political parties and/or their youth wings; the focus will be on members of our network; however, the event will be open for others as well.

This space will provide a platform for sharing experiences, discussing challenges, and addressing the unequal opportunities and barriers faced by women and non-binary individuals in Eastern European politics.

Simultaneously, we will equip participants with the necessary skills for political participation and running for decision-making positions. By providing comprehensive training and resources, we will empower these individuals to actively engage in political processes, both within and outside the party structure.

Additionally, we seek to foster a network of young women and non-binary political activists and politicians. This network will facilitate exchange, collaboration, and mutual learning among its members, further enhancing their collective impact and political influence.

Through these interconnected efforts, we aim to increase the representation and political influence of young women and non-binary individuals within Green political parties in Eastern Europe. By providing a supportive environment, essential skills, and a network for collaboration.

If you are a young woman or someone not of the gender binary under 35 yo, a member of one of CDN member organisations, are politically engaged and passionate about party politics, and want to contribute to shaping the event, apply to join the preparatory team! Prep-team members should speak English, be available during the preparation period, be responsible for fulfilling their tasks, have good organisational skills, be good team players and be committed to the aims of the event, and be more or less familiar with non-formal education methods.

Main responsibilities of the prep team:

Active participation in the regular online meetings before the event (July-September / 1-2 h a week);
Participation in two extended prep team meetings (online, 5 h);
Other meetings scheduled weekly or bi-weekly;
Disseminating and assisting in the selection process of participants, ensuring that chosen participants are well-prepared and provided with all necessary information regarding the program.
Preparation and facilitation of the programme of the event; designing and preparing sessions based on non-formal education methodology, invitation and communication with speakers, experts and partners in accordance with the project aims;
Assisting with the promotion of the event and ensuring media visibility;
Full participation during the entire event and prep team meeting before and after: 19th of September, departure on 25th of September.
Supporting the finalisation of the outputs;
Helping with the reporting of the event.

Being a prep-team member at this event would offer you:

Working in a lively international environment;
Experience in managing youth projects – preparation, implementation and reporting;
Getting to know political activists from different Eastern European contexts and their work;
A possibility to develop your leadership and group work skills;
A lot of fun!

Practicalities: Accommodation, food, working space, travel and visa costs for the preparatory team will be fully covered by CDN. For the selection of travel means the condition is to combine the most economical and environmentally friendly way (lowest price + travel time + CO2 emissions).

Deadline for submitting online applications is the 23rd of July, 23:59 CEST. You will be informed by email approximately 2 weeks after the deadline.

Practicalities for Delegates and Guests

December 9, 2022Activities, CDN News, General Assembly, News, Organisational Activities, Organizationoffice

You will find detailed information regarding practicalities, financial support and reimbursement rules.

General Information

We would kindly ask all participants to register by January 23.

NOTE: A registration form is not enough to register as a delegate! Delegates of Member, Partner and Observer organisations need to be confirmed by their organisation. Therefore, an official email from your organisation’s email account should be sent to office@cdnee.org confirming the name(s) of your delegate(s).

In order for CDN to be able to provide financial support for the delegates’ travel costs, the above-proposed deadlines shall apply. The deadline is determined by the IRPs “Each member and partner organisation shall inform the Secretariat of the names of their representatives at least 45 days before the General Assembly”

Guests and WG members can register for the GA by filling in the same form and notifying office@cdnee.org if they would like CDN to book accommodation in the same venue.

The delegates are expected to arrive at the venue in location the on 8th in the evening (dinner will be provided) and depart on the 13th in the morning (breakfast will be provided).

Note: We strongly encourage you to follow the good practice of having one experienced delegate (preferably, someone who has been to previous GAs) and one less experienced delegate (to ensure the transfer of knowledge).

In addition, according to IRPs 8.1 Participants of CDN events can’t be older than 30 at the moment of applying. Delegates, whom we will reimburse, are considered participants. Guests, coming at their own expense, can be any age.

For any additional information regarding the financial arrangements, please get in touch with the Secretariat.

To whom will we be covering the costs?

Member Organisations

If you’re coming as the 1st Delegate:

CDN will cover all of your costs (travel, accommodation, and meals) during the GA and Strategic Planning Meeting.

If you’re coming as a 2nd Delegate:

CDN will cover all of your costs (travel, accommodation, and meals) during the GA and Strategic Planning Meeting.

According to CDN IRP’s second delegates of Member Organizations have to pay a participation fee of 10 EUR, unless delegates are younger than 25.

Partner Organisations

If you’re coming as a 1st Delegate:

We will cover all of your costs (travel, accommodation, and meals) during the General Assembly.

If you’re coming as a 2nd Delegate:

CDN will not be able to cover any costs.

According to CDN IRP’s second delegates of Partner Organizations have to pay a participation fee of 10 EUR, unless delegates are younger than 25.

Observer Organisations

CDN will not be able to cover any costs (travel, accommodation, meals), however, there is no participation fee for Observer Organisation delegate.

Executive Committee Candidates

We will cover all of your costs (travel, accommodation, and meals) during the General Assembly.

Non-elected EC Candidates will still have accommodation and meals covered for the duration as if they were elected.

Representatives of the Candidate Organisation

Should get in touch with the office and financial assistance will be decided on an individual basis.

Presidency Members

We will cover all of your costs (travel, accommodation, and meals) during the General Assembly.

Local Prep Team

CDN will cover all of your accommodation and meal costs during the event.

Guests

CDN will not be able to cover any costs of the guests of the General Assembly and Strategic Planning Meeting.

The participation fee for the guests is 10 EUR and is to be paid via bank transfer prior to or in cash during the GA.

Other information about travel and financial conditions

We encourage traveling by land whenever possible and it’s the only option if the journey takes less than 15 hours (IRPs §9.1), for reducing CO2 emissions. Since it might a long way to Warsaw for some of you, flying can be the only option. However, we ask you to organise your travel in the most economic way. Only 2nd/economy class reservations will be reimbursed. This also applies to train reservations.

As a principle, we only cover travel expenses from your place of residence to Warsaw and back. In case you need to travel from or to somewhere else, please contact office.assistant@cdnee.org (cc office@cdnee.org) with a justification of the circumstances, after which we will let you know what to do.

Once you are nominated and registered as a delegate, send your travel proposal to office.assistant@cdnee.org and keep office@cdnee.org in CC. Proceed with booking as soon as it’s approved.

Don’t wait for the last chance to register and purchase tickets as it will get expensive. The deadline to booking tickets is 35 days prior to the GA – 2nd of February.

Travel to Warsaw

– By Land:

Warsaw Central Central is located at the very heart of Warsaw. It is reachable by train from various places in Europe: including direct connections from Vienna and Budapest that makes traveling by land from the Balkans possible. There are also connections from Ukraine and Lithuania.

You can check for the train connections here: PolRail, ÖBB, Rome2Rio, RailCC

You can also reach Warsaw by Bus. Check for routes here: FlixBus, getbybus, and Rome2rio.

– By Air:

Warsaw has two airports, so make sure you check both airports for the cheapest option.

Chopin Airport (WAW) is the main airport in Warsaw with regular flights by airline companies such as LOT Polish Airlines, Wizz Air and Smartwings. It is located 10 kilometers south of the city center. You can reach city by Bus or Train.

Modlin Airport (WMI) mostly used by low-cost airline companies such as Ryanair and Enter Air. It is located 40 kilometers northwest of the city. You can reach centre both by Bus or Train.

We recommend looking for affordable flight options here and here.

Reimbursement rules

There is no participation fee for the delegates and we will be reimbursing 100% of the travel costs.

In order for us to proceed with your reimbursement, we need to receive all original proofs (tickets, bank statements, bills, bank slips, invoices, boarding passes, reservations and other proofs of payments) for the expenses that you are claiming. A cost that doesn’t have its original proof, unfortunately, is a cost that never happened and will not get reimbursed!

Examples:

Train/bus/ferry tickets and reservations, clearly stating the price of the ticket/reservation. This includes local transport, for example a ticket for the bus from an airport to the city centre, including the bill and bank slip (if paid by card).
Invoices of flight bookings (if bought online, it is usually an e-mail which states the total price of the flight) and all boarding passes (all need to be sent to office.assistant@cdnee.org). Online boarding passes are accepted. In case you do the online check in through a mobile application, please make sure to make a print-screen of the boarding pass, as they have a tendency to disappear. The flights should also have the proof of payment attached. In case you bought it through a bank transfer or credit card, it would be a statement from your bank system and if you paid in cash, you should always demand a paper bill.

All the reimbursement will happen via bank transfer after the event.

More details regarding reimbursement and practicalities (venue, accommodation, etc.), will be shared later with the registered delegates through e-mail.

Register for the 2023 General Assembly

Join us in Warsaw, March 9-12, for the most important political and decision-making event for our network.

Click Here

General Assembly 2023

December 1, 2022Activities, CDN News, General Assembly, News, Organisational Activities, Organizationoffice

The 14th General Assembly of Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe, took place 9-12 March in Warsaw, Poland, hosted by Ostra Zieleń (Polish Young Greens).

Throughout the four days delegates engaged in political and organisational debates, adopted reports & plans, voted for amendments and elected the new Executive Committee.

This year’s GA was exceptionally important for two reasons. We updated statutes with several amendments, including a major change of structure in membership – we opened the door for Eastern European organisations from the EU to be more involved members instead of partners. We also took a moment to reflect on our journey and celebrate CDN’s 20th anniversary with a lively panel discussion.

The following documents were adopted:

Reports & Plans:

○ Activity Report

○ Financial Report

○ Activity Plan

○ Financial Plan

Statutes and Internal Rules of Procedure we updated;

○ Stautes

○ Internal Rules of Procedure

Three resolutions were approved:

○ Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups in Eastern Europe

○ CDN-FYEG Relations Paper Revision

○ Resolution linked to Statutes Amendments 2 – concerning the change of the membership structure

Delegates also amended following documents:

○ Political Platform

○ Safe Space Policy

○ Strategy Paper 2022-24

We also welcomed new Observer organisation – Neoi Prasinoi – Young Greens of Greece. While with updating statutes, Ostra Zieleń (Polish Young Greens) and Protests became member organisations.

And finally the General Assembly also elected the new Executive Committee.

Watch: Panel Discussion - 20 Years of CDN

Call for Host Organisation: CDN General Assembly 2023

October 10, 2022Activities, CDN News, General Assembly, News, Organisational Activities, Organizationoffice

9-12 March, Warsaw, Poland

General Assembly 2023

We are happy to officially announce the 14th General Assembly of Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe, which will take place between 9-12 March in Warsaw, Poland, hosted by Ostra Zieleń (Polish Young Greens).

Save the dates, decide on the delegates and your participation.

Check here

Dear CDN Members and Partner Organisations,

The Executive Committee is hereby announcing an open call for a host organisation for the 2023 General Assembly (GA) and Strategic Planning Meeting scheduled for (time is to be decided between the 3rd or 4th weekends of February or the 1st weekend of March).

General Assembly – which is the highest decision-making body – is the most important political event throughout the year for CDN; while Strategic Planning Meeting will determine the future trajectory and development of the organisation.

We are envisioning having a 3 to 4-day event which only adds to our excitement about holding the GA, finally, live and we will be very happy to receive applications from all MOs and POs that believe they have the capacity to host this event.

In order to have a better understanding of what it takes to organise, and what will be the responsibilities as well as the rights, you can access the guiding document HERE. The preparations will be challenging but at the same time very fulfilling and a valuable experience for any organisation of the network. In addition, hosting the General Assembly has several benefits including:

gaining experience in hosting an international political event
having a space to organise a session during the topical part of the GA
visibility via CDN’s social media

If your organisation is interested in hosting the 2023 GA, fill in this application form.

Deadline: Sunday, 13th of November, 2022.

The application includes information regarding the motivation, previous experience with organising events, and possible propositions for the event (location, accommodation, venue, etc.); your answers will help the committee to decide on the appropriate/suitable location.

Of course, we will follow the COVID-19 situation and organise the GA accordingly, to ensure a safe and inclusive event for all participants.

The Executive Committee will evaluate the applications and make a decision during the committee meeting in November and have a decision by the 20th of November.

For any further questions, don’t hesitate to write to us at giorgi.ptskialadze@cdnee.org.

Feminists in the Environmental Movement

August 12, 2022Activities, CDN News, Gender, Newsoffice

Our planet is in danger, and those fighting for their homes daily are not heard! Local Reporters in 7 countries of Central and Eastern Europe have visited the areas harmed by climate change and harsh industries, and listened to the inspiring stories of young women living in rural areas.

Through an ecofeminist lense, this publication explores the connection between feminism, youth, and the environmental struggles in Central and Eastern Europe. As part of the Feminists in the Environmental Movement project, we have explored these concepts within urban areas, but the struggle in rural and de-urbanised areas remained under-examined. While green successes and support often concentrate in urban centres, engaging and mobilising rural communities is crucial to achieve a socially just green transition.

This publication includes extensive research on the lives of young female activists in rural and de-urbanised areas, the stories of their struggles, victories and hopes for the future. It aims to raise voices of people who are usually unheard in the European landscape. While reading the different articles, you will explore the lives of women in rural areas, their perspectives and tools to cope with the local issues, and the multiple forms of oppression they face.

Publication

Download

Call for Executive Committee Member

July 6, 2022CDN News, Member Organizations, Uncategorizedoffice

Dear Young Greens from Eastern Europe,

Following the news that Paula “Pablo” Luīze Pastore is joining Secretariat, we are happy to announce a call for a new Executive Committee Member that will fill in the vacant spot and work with the rest of the EC until the next General Assembly.

This is your chance to contribute to the growing Green movement in Eastern Europe.

The Executive Committee tasks:

Work on the implementation of CDN’s Activity Plan, approved by the General Assembly (including project writing, coordination, implementation and reporting);
The newly elected EC member will be responsible for the Study Session “Green Cities for the Sustainable Planet”; make sure to check out the responsibilities here;
Maintaining close and continuous communication with CDN Member and Partner
Organisations and Network Partners;
Actively following and supporting the smooth work-flow of the Working Groups;
Representing and promoting CDN during its and partners’ activities as well as in the digital
space;
Answering challenges and making decisions throughout the year, between GAs, based on the CDN Strategy and CDN’s best interest;
Actively participating in the regular (biweekly) EC meetings (that usually last around 2h).
Keeping track of the well-being of CDN’s Office.

The candidate for the Executive Committee should:

Be motivated to advance the Green movement in the Eastern Europe;
Be dedicated to the goals of CDN, subscribe to its political platform and the Green Idea;
Be comfortable working in an international environment and have good communication and organisational skills;
Be willing and available for active online engagement throughout the mandate;
Be prepared for frequent traveling, participating in the live EC meetings, CDN activities and likely several other occasions;
Be regularly available on the e-mail for the ongoing discussions, work and decision making, together with regular online meetings;
Have a good command of English (written and spoken);
Have the interest to follow political developments in Eastern Europe and react to them with available tools such as producing statements, organising and supporting campaigns, assisting member and partner organisations, communicating with other Green stakeholders, etc.

More details about the responsibilities of CDN EC members and the election procedure can be found in the CDN Statutes and Internal Rules of Procedures.

The candidate should submit:

Filled Application form;
Candidate’s CV;
Photo (Optional);
Introduction to your candidacy;
Official letter of support from a Candidate’s organisation or any CDN Member or Partner organisation*

*Only CDN Member and Partner organisations can nominate a candidate for the Executive Committee.

Applications should be submitted HERE.

All technical instructions are given on our GA website but you can also access them HERE.

DEADLINE for submitting candidacies is July 13, 23:59 CET. However, the earlier you apply the more chance delegates will have to see your candidacy on cdn.discuss.green.

In case of any questions do not hesitate to write to office@cdnee.org.

Call for Project Assistant

May 23, 2022CDN News, Organizationoffice

Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe (CDN) is announcing a call for the position of Project Assistant in its office in Belgrade, Serbia. This is a paid, full time (40 hours a week) position, beginning from mid-July 2022 (starting date is flexible). The deadline to submit applications is the 31st of May 2022 (23:59 CEST).

Working time: 40 hours/week;
Remuneration: 800 EUR gross;
Contract type: 2 years (minimum) with 3 months probation period;

Location: Belgrade, Serbia.

Our Political Platform lays out the values on which the Network bases its actions. Make sure to get acquainted with it before applying!

We are looking for someone with the following profile:

Basic experience in administrative or financial work;
Ability to work independently and good organisation of one’s work;
Attention to details, good ability to work with numbers and performing administrative tasks;
Strong spreadsheet skills;
Good computer skills and ability to use various softwares;
Fluency in the English language.

Skills that would be an additional asset:

Curiosity towards Eastern European civil society;
Knowledge of the Green movement and Green politics;
Experience in managing finances of a non-governmental organisation;
Knowledge of any Eastern European language;
Use of (open-source) software (Linux, WordPress, Nextcloud, etc.);
Knowledge of design programs (Canva, Gimp etc.);
Knowledge of use of social media and communications ( Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Mailchimp, etc.)

Responsibilities:

Financial management:
Making bank transfers;
Bookkeeping for the projects;
Reimbursements of the participants and prepteams;
Collecting financial documentation from events;
Processing and archiving the financial documentation;
Financial reporting to funders;
Work with the Local Prepteams;
Social media management;
Updating website;
Managing mailing lists;
Managing the EYF Local Actions;
Occasional diverse ad hock tasks.

Please apply by sending your CV and short cover letter (explaining your experience and interest in this position) in one PDF document to project.coordinator@cdnee.org by 31st of May 2022 (23:59 CEST) with the subject “CDN Project Assistant application”. Please add the above-mentioned e-mail to your contact list, to ensure that our reply doesn’t end up in spam. All candidates who submit an application will be notified about the selection result. Shortlisted candidates will be notified by the second half of June and contacted for an interview.

The Future of Eastern Europe Conference

May 11, 2022CDN News, General Assembly, News, Organisational Activitiesoffice

30 years ago a major shift has happened in global politics and Eastern Europe – states dissolved and collapsed and new ones have been established, the system has been changed. During this period there was a promise that after a long struggle we would achieve democracy and well-being.

But as we look back from today it is clear that this has not happened and if it did it was not sustainable.

These last decades have been full of hope and misery, protests and revolutions, conflicts and wars, economic uphills and downfalls, democratisation and backsliding.

This story has not ended, it is developing and continuing, there are more challenges and opportunities ahead. And all of us, Young Greens and activists in Eastern Europe, are part of this.

Therefore we in CDN decided to organise a conference where we would discuss all these issues we are facing.

How did we end up where we are now? What is the role of global powers such as the EU, Russia and China in our region? Should we be hopeful for the future as we see emerging environmental movements and progressive political actors? Can we achieve climate prosperity and what challenges do we have regards energy and transition?

These will be questions that we will ask during the conference and try to find answers to through panel discussions with invited speakers, informal talks and sharing our perspectives.

With this conference, we are aiming to provide a space for Young Greens from EE to discuss what is the common vision for building an authentic Green movement in EE and what is our role in it. We want to explore existing good potentials a have the space to meet with other progressive political actors from the region.

The Conference is a part of the transnational project “Future of Eastern Europe and (Eco)democracy” that we are organising in cooperation with the Green European Foundation, Green Institute of Greece, Sustainable Development Forum Green Window, Green Green Thought Association and Ecopilis Foundation.

Although the Conference was planned to happen prior to the CDN General Assembly in March 2022, taking everything into consideration minding everyone’s concerns and safety, the Executive Committee (EC) has accessed the ongoing situation and has come to a conclusion in agreement with GEF partners for the Conference to be postponed.

Having this in mind, The Future of Eastern Europe Conference will be taking place in Riga, Latvia on 6-7th June 2022.

Location: Rija VEF Hotel, Brīvības 199c, Riga, Latvija, LV-1039

Practicalities:

Language: The main language of this activity will be English. But not being comfortable with interacting in English should not prevent you from applying. CDN strives to create an inclusive atmosphere at the events, where participants are encouraged to express themselves and ask for clarifications or translations from peers that speak the same language.

Costs: Anyone is welcome to take part in the conference with their own expenses. There is no participation fee.

In addition, CDN can cover the participation of a limited number of applications of young greens and activists from Eastern Europe (with a maximum age of 30). Meaning the cost of travel, and lodging (accommodation in multi-bed rooms, vegetarian/vegan food and refreshments).

In any case, take into consideration choosing the most economic and environmentally friendly means of travel (lowest price + travel time + CO2 emissions) and in case the trip would take less than 15 hours only travelling by land (train+bus) is reimbursed (IRPs §9.1).

Deadline: 20th of May (if applying for CDN to cover your participation.)

You will be informed by e-mail approximately 1 week after the deadline. Please add office@cdnee.org to your contacts, so that you do not receive our reply in the spam folder.

In case of having any questions, do not hesitate to write us at office@cdnee.org

Programme

Time Zone: Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) / Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) + 3

Day 1, Monday, June 6

10:00-10:15 Opening of the conference

10:15-11:30 Eastern Europe as a region – a story of turbulent transformation (Live Stream)

Speakers:

– Sonja Schiffers, Director of Heinrich-Boell Foundation, South Caucasus Office

– Anastasiya Dorofeeva, Belarusian Green party, Belarusian anti-nuclear campaign, hub “Green foundations”

Description: For more than thirty years Eastern Europe is a region of independent nation-states. During this period there was the promise that after a long struggle democracy and well-being would be achieved. Looking at it today, it is clear that most Eastern European countries are far from democracy and the well-being of citizens.

In this session, we will try to analyse and reflect on the last decades of Eastern Europe, mainly focusing to find the roots of current problems and possible solutions by looking back at the recent history – what shaped the region, how the democratisation and transition took place.

12:00-13:30 Influence of Global Powers: Eastern Europe at the crossroads between democracy and autocracy (Live Stream)

Speakers:

– Anton Cherepenko, the Free Hong Kong Center in Kyiv

– Zarina Burkadze Associate Professor of Political Science, Ilia State University

– Raluca Besliu, contributor of Green European Journal focusing on Eastern European affairs

– Teo Comet, European Greens

Description: Discussing political dynamics and transformation of Eastern Europe cannot take place without paying attention to global powers and their involvement in the region.

With this session we aim to map global powers: EU – China, Russia and US – and their interests; What role do they play in supporting democracy and progressive agenda or the opposite – encouraging and financing anti-democratic, right-wing and authoritarian forces.

15:30-17:00 War in Ukraine: Context, Present and the Effect on the region (Live Stream)

Description: Russian aggression against Ukraine is continuing. Every day we are witnessing atrocities, war crimes and violations of international law from the Russian side, at the same time Ukraine is bravely defending its people, sovereignty, democracy and even Europe as a whole.

In this session, we will take a look at a few different aspects of the conflict: the context of the war, the historical roots of Russian aggression, the current events, as well as what greens should do to help Ukraine, and how the ongoing war affects countries in the region.

17:30-19:00 Energy – a veto point and/or a chance for democracy? (Live Stream)

Speakers:

Manana Kochladze, Bankwatch Strategic Area Leader – Democratization and Human Rights

Yevheniia Zasiadko, Head of climate and transport department at Ecoaction – Centre for Environmental Initiatives

Workshop:

Sandy-Kyriaki Fameliari, ElectaEnergy Cooperative

Description: The energy we choose reflects the systems we support. In this session, we will discuss energy as the core factor for sustaining authoritarian regimes and the way the energy sector influences political dynamics. As well as we are going to focus on the possibility of democratisation through energy – decentralisation, renewables and the prospect of energy cooperatives in Eastern Europe.

Day 2, Tuesday, June 7th

10:00-11:30 Eco-Democracy as a new paradigm for Eastern Europe

Facilitators:

– Annie Maniadi and Dimitris Papageorgiou, Green Institute of Greece

Description: The Workshop aims to add a philosophical, ethical and institutional dimension to the conversations on the Future of Eastern Europe happening at the Conference. It hopes to bring together the different voices and ideas from the wealth of participants and facilitate a meaningful discussion on how to put Ecology at the Centre of Democracy.

How can we make democracy more ecological? What kind of changes do we need to apply to our thinking about participation, institutions and decision-making to put ecology and the environment at the forefront of our political systems?

These are some of the questions that we’ll be asking and trying to answer at our Ecodemocracy Workshop!

12:00-13:30 Conflicts in Eastern Europe: the theory and beyond

Description: The session aims to provide participants with the basis of conflict theory and conflict resolution and analyze the conflicts in EE through case studies. The session encompasses theoretical and practical parts that will be conducted through non-formal education methods. The objectives of the session are 1)to understand the concept of conflict (origin, causes, consequences), 2) to discuss the mechanisms of handling conflict, particularly, conflict resolution, and 3) to explore the conflicts that happened in EE in recent years, their consequences and current state.

15:30-17:00 Open Mic

17:30-19:30 Movements into politics: Green Wave in Eastern Europe (Live Stream)

Speakers:

– Justine Pantelejeva, Progresīvie, Latvia

– Sopo Shubitidze, Mtsvaneebi, Georgia

– Predrag Momčilović, Ne davimo Beograd, Serbia

– Stefan Vukmanovic, Ura Montenegro

– Koray Doğan Urbarlı, Green Party Turkey

Description: For the last decades, if you checked the electoral map of Europe intending to see how Green parties have been performing, you would see a clear pattern: Greens in the west and north do well – they get elected in national and regional parliaments, city councils, win mayorships and even participate in governing coalitions; while in the east – you would see a grey colour representing either absence of Green parties from the political landscape or lack of support and therefore relevance. However, in recent years the pattern is dissolving and becoming a blur, the Green wave spreading to the East.

During the panel, we will discuss the ongoing Green wave with newly established Green political parties across Eastern Europe with the aim to analyse current success, find the patterns and similarities, understand the importance of grassroots movements and civil society, map challenges, envision the future and their influence on the political landscape.

This event is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of CDNEE and with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation. The European Parliament is not responsible for the content of this event.

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Call for Local Actions: Mobilising Youth for Participation

April 11, 2022CDN News, Educational Activities, Uncategorizedoffice

Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe is happy to announce the third step of the annual work plan “We are the future, but we are here NOW!”. The call for local actions is an opportunity for the youth organisations or a group of young people that participated in the previous stage of the project to submit the applications consisting of the Local Action Plans and Budget.

The 3rd part of the project, “Mobilising Youth for Participation” aims to give space to youth to reclaim fight for democracy by raising awareness about importance of civic education and youth participation. Local actions will contribute to the objectives of:

Engaging young people in shaping democratic decision making processes in their local communities with direct participation of youth in them and promotion of youth inclusion.
Creating a network of activists and organisations for future collaboration and transfer of knowledge.
Raising visibility of young people and mobilising them for a common cause of ensuring a better future for all youth by giving voice and agency to them.

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