IFIAS Institute for International Assistance and Solidarity
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Ifias organizes training, research, seminars and conferences
Ifias acts as a lobby and consultancy for partner organizations
Ifias formulates projects for advocacy and campaigning
Ifias acts as a network and facilitates civil dialogue
Ifias works as expert for European Institutions and European Member States

 

IFIAS has received support through
Foundations
:
Olof Palme International, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Open Society Institute
National Governments:
Austrian, Belgian, Dutch, German and Swedish Government
European Institutions
European Commission, European Parliament, ECOSOC

 

History

 
    IFIAS e.V. is registered in Germany as a not-for-profit-organisation of public interest since 1982 and was part of the German Peace Movement against the deployment of nuclear missiles. It still continues to coordinate the activities to end nuclear weapons testing (ATOMTEST STOP!). In the beginning mostly supportive of dissidents in the former Soviet Union and other socialist countries, IFIAS e.V. was much involved in humanitarian relief and care of refugees during the war in Ex-Yugoslavia and continued to support refugees in Germany until 2002. Besides the purely humanitarian aspect IFIAS e.V. was always looking into the civil society aspect and self-help-mechanisms to promote integration or dignified return for refugees. Since 1998 IFIAS is also registered in Serbia and has an office shared with our partner organisation Psycho Invest. IFIAS office in Bosnia was active between 1997-2001. In 1997 a legally independent branch of IFIAS was also created in Brussels. The IFIAS in Brussels acts as a consultancy for partner organisations, advocates political solutions in conflict areas and supports particularly civil society organisations in emerging or transition democracies. The main activities of IFIAS are trainings, seminars and workshop organisation as well as reserach on questions of conflict
resolution.

IFIAS e.V and IFIAS asbl are member of the Human rights Network in Brussels and of the European platform for Conflict Prevention in Utrecht and IFIAS asbl Brussels is an affiliate member of SOLIDAR. IFIAS hosts the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) and the Belgian NGO MIROIR
(service center for migrants and refugees)in Brussels.
     
   

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1997

 
    September 1997

Opening of IFIAS Brussels as thinking center and lobby office for the local IFIAS Action Centers in Germany.
The concept involves getting private funds from contract partners by offering consultancy in the field of sustainable development, human rights, free media and civil dialogue.
Official opening in presence of MEPs, MPs, EU-administrators, Local Brussels administration, Mayor of Schaerbeek.
Exhibition of Uzbek art in the IFIAS Gallery.

October 1997

Montenegro project on civil society in co-operation with Minister of Education Zeco Ilich

November 1997

OSCE Mission on local elections in Republika Srbska - participant: Gerd Greune

December 1997

DANAS project - organizing financial and political support for democratic opposition and free newspaper

Project “Refugees help Refugees” (together with LAC Bonn) and participating in the EU funded program Coalition for the Return initiated by the German government office for return of refugees led by Hans Koschnick. Collaborating with i.a. Medica Mondiale

Project Charter 97 for democracy in Belarus

Funds raised in 1997: 25000 Euro
     
   

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1998

 
    January 1998

Opening of the CHARTER 97 liaison office in Brussels representing democratic forces from Belarus; training for young activists from democratic opposition on international law, democracy building and social development; building up a network of Brussels based experts and officials interested in Belarusian affairs; lobbying European institutions, editing the journal “Belarus news” (monthly), organizing training visits of regional activists and linguistic minorities from Belarus.

February 1998

Training of Kazakh scholar on human rights, international law, European institutions and social policy issues. Has since then founded the Foundation for Social Projects in Almaty.

March 1998

Exhibition of artists from Belarus in IFIAS Gallery. Wolfgang Koeth is employed as project assistant for six month to organize training for the first Belarusian stagiaires from Minsk.
Creation of a Belarusian Center of refugees and support of public awareness activities in Brussels and other European cities on the Belarus situation.

Start GLASNOST project: preparing Glasnosts presentation in Brussels, meeting with MEPs, EU-Commission, public participation in Foreign Affairs Committee EP and Delegation to Russia, organizing visit and public speeches for Sergeij Grigoriants

June 1998

Workshop on social rights in Central and Eastern Europe at People’s Europe 98 Conference in London

June 1998

Public Presentation of Ifias Bonn project “Refugees help Refugees” in the 2nd Social Forum Brussels (two days event, public presentation with refugee women from Bosnia, 1500 participants)

July 1998

Becoming affiliated member of SOLIDAR

August 1998

Romania: Training for young NGO activists on European Policy Issues (Medias –Transylvania-, organized by Deutscher Club and the Mayor of Medias)

IFIAS local action centers organize for the fourth time socio-medical rehabilitation programs for displaced children from Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo in Montenegro

Training of Young Journalists in Szeged and Budapest

Septembert 1998

NGO Fair Budapest (with European House Budapest)

Octobert 1998

Organizing visit of Turkish Senior Women from Germany in Schaerbeek (Brussels) together with SOLIDAR, visiting projects run by Turkish women together with Social Mediator from Local Administration/Minority Project

October – Decembert 1998

raining young Hungarian activist from European House in Budapest on European Policy, international law and European programs

Barcelona: Human Rights Training with EBCO

Novembert 1998

Vienna Platform seminar sponsored by the Austrian Presidency, together with Volkshilfe Österreich and SOLIDAR. The Vienna Platform initiative creates a network of NGOs in the accession countries. One core group member per accession country gives access to a database of between 15.000-50.000 NGO per country. The core group also works on EU-political issues that have relevance in relation to the acquis communautaire, organizes training and seminar.

Decembert 1998

Kosovo Seminar in collaboration with EBCO, funded by Heinrich Böll Foundation in the European Parliament with lawyers from Serbia, Vojvodina, Montenegro and Kosovo on military and humanitarian policy and international law.

The lobbying office of the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) is based at IFIAS office in Brussels and has consultative status with the Council of Europe organizes training and seminars on youth questions and lobbies for the right to conscientious objection in Europe. EBCO introduced the question of asylum rights for conscientious objectors in the EU into the Human rights report of the European Parliament.

1998 turnover: 150 000 Euro
     
   

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1999

 
    January 1999

Visit of Belarusian Trade Unionists and Women Organizations to Brussels, Training on European Networks and Institutions and social policy

March 1999

Opening of exhibition of Romanian artist from Transylvania in presence of Romanian Ambassador. Training of four young Romanian activists from women organizations (3-6 months each)

May 1999

Peoples Europe 99: Conference on Fundamental Human Rights in Bonn University
Including a panel on conflict resolution in Kosovo, featuring Serbian and Albania representatives from Yugoslavia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania organized by IFIAS.

July 1999

Organizing public support for regional democratic opposition from Vojvodina, leading negotiations on the reconstruction of Novi Sad Bridges and participation in SOLIDAR Public meeting in the European Parliament. Creating links between Vojvodina activists and European NGO networks, institutions, media.

July 1999

Training of Young Journalists in Szeged and Budapest

IFIAS Bonn and Soltau together with City of Dortmund organize massive financial and hard-ware support for democratic opposition in Serbia: several transports of audio material, loudspeakers, computers and amplifiers for rallies in Serbia. Radio station Novi Sad (pirate sender) is established with this help.
Local Action Center Bonn organizes for the fifth time socio-medical rehabilitation programs for displaced children from Kosovo and Bosnia in Montenegro.
Local Action Center Berlin opens.

Seminar on international law and human rights in Brussels in co-operation with the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for global responsibility.

October 1999

Start Belarus-Support-Group- training of young activists (refugees in Belgium) in monthly meetings on international politics and lobbying

Participation in ETUC conference “Stop corruption on the Balkans”

Start Project with “Nezavisnost” on humanitarian aid and training for activists.

December 1999

Visit to democratic opposition in Vojvodina, opening of the IFIAS Local Action Center Novi Sad in collaboration with Novi Sad City Council. Preparation of representation of Novi Sad City Council in Brussels and training to young local administrators on international collaboration.

Public meeting in Berlin (Parliament) of three IFIAS LACs from Germany and LAC Novi Sad, presenting IFIAS Brussels activities.

1999 turnover: 180 000 Euro
     
   

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2000

 
    January 2000

Visit of Novi Sad City Council representatives to Brussels.

February 2000

Delegation to Council of Europe and European Parliament in Strasbourg on Northern Caucasus in co-operation with Glasnost Foundation

Delegation of Belarus Charter 97 to Brussels meeting EU-Commission, Solana office, European parliament and NATO

Participation of Gerd Greune as keynote speaker in public meeting at German Bundestag political group of SPD in Berlin “one year after the Kosovo war”.

March 2000

2nd Vienna Platform conference in collaboration with the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels
Start of the web-site project of Vienna Platform.

Fundraising for Project “Nezavisnost” for humanitarian aid in Serbia

Starting preparation for “Majority-Minority-Liberty”: a project joining academic excellence, NGO practical knowledge and public administration to focus on political choices for the inclusion of different language groups and cultures in the enlargement candidate countries. Start for the project: 11 September 2000 (Sub-project of “Vienna Platform”.

April 2000

Local Action Center Sarajevo opens. This LAC is sponsored through donations to LAC Soltau. The staff has been involved as refugees in former projects in Soltau and has now returned to Bosnia. The aim of this LAC is to help returning people from Germany to Bosnia with local administration, to give training and to insure a link to the other LACs and Brussels.

May 2000

Project preparation and first activities on a Chechnya Dialogue in co-operation with the Swedish Institute for International Affairs and the Center for European Policy Studies in Brussels

June 2000

Council of Europe conference in Geneva on enlargement, working meeting with Vienna Platform members and devising on ways of networking in the future, preparation of project
Meeting with International Peace Bureau on Chechnya
Meeting with Swiss foreign office
Preparation of “Majority-Minority-Liberty” conference in Schaerbeek Town Hall in collaboration with Public Instruction Services and NGO De Kriekelaar
Several LAC Bonn meeting with local and regional government representatives and administration for refugees in order to ensure better status for traumatized refugee women from Bosnia and refugees from Kosovo threatened with immediate return procedures.

July 2000

EC-Stagiaire conference on Kosovo, speaker Gerd Greune
Participation in the Prometheus-conference on the future of Europe in the ECOSOC
Board meeting in Soltau for German and Bosnian LACs.
Fundraising in Brussels for LAC Belgrade’s project for traumatized refugee children in Serbia
Joint project of IFIAS and Arbeiterwohlfahrt has been approved by German foreign office to sponsor humanitarian aid for hospitals, kinder gardens and psychiatric clinics in Serbia. Local partner is the only independent Trade Union Nezavisnost. This is the first time a political organization has been charged with the distribution of humanitarian help in order to strengthen the democratic opposition against Milosevic.

August 2000

Trip to Serbia to support democratic opposition in the election campaign. Preparing project with Nezavisnost for distribution of humanitarian help. Project to start on 14 September.

September 2000

Participation in PROMETHEUS conference in the framework of the French Presidency in Paris (3000 participants) Speaker: Susanne Drake
Elections in Serbia bring change in Government. Nezavisnost distribution of humanitarian aid starts.
Preparation of BISTRO-Project with EC delegation in Moscow and High Representative for Human Rights in Chechnya.
Opening of exhibition “Serge de Backer” in the Gallery
Conference “Majority-Minority-Liberty?” in Schaerbeek city hall with the participation of Minister-President Karl-Heinz Lambertz, MEP Freddy Thielemans, MP Boris Tsilevich, Dr. Günter Rautz (European Academy Bozen), Dr. Alexandra Bitusikova (University Banska Bystrica) Dr. Vasile Neacsa (ULB), Dr. Rudi Janssens (VUB), Alberto Stenico (LegaCoopBund), Bernadette Vriamont (De Kriekelaar), Miki de Deo Mihailovic (Psycho Invest), Susanne Drake. Opening by the Mayor of Schaerbeek. (Full report).
Opening of Belarusian Center Antwerp, with help and advise of IFIAS.

October 2000

Board meeting – Walter Vermander elected new Treasurer after Paul van Buitenen left Brussels for Luxembourg. The other Board members were re-elected. IFIAS decides on a new look, a new web-site and a corporate identity for all the LACs.
Decision on IFIAS study grant for young activists selected on proposals by LACs. Changes in statutes approved.
November 2000

Start of project: “capacity building in monitoring human rights in Chechnya” (Interim Report)
Various trips to Zhelednovodsk.

Funds raised in 2000: 500.000 Euro
     
   

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2001

 
    January 2001

On 3rd of January 2001, IFIAS received support from Tatjana Nedeljkovic, activist of OTPOR! movement in Belgrade. Tatjana was the first beneficiary of the IFIAS grant for young activists and received six months of  training on project writing, international fundraising and project accounting in order to become a facilitator for partner organizations in her country. Tatjana stayed until June 2001.

Also in
January 2001, our partner Glasnost Foundation from Moscow held a meeting in the Brussels office with representatives from UNESCO, OSCE and Council of Europe as well as with representatives of international media organizations. Glasnost is planning a conference in Paris this fall on "25 year of Helsinki process - the future of Human Rights".

February 2001

Gerd Greune went on evaluation visit to Chechnya.
He met with the Special Representative for Human Rights V. Kalamanov, the Head of Civilian Administration Kadhirov and Head of Military Administration Babichev in Znamenskoye, as well as with representatives of the Council of Europe and the staff of the Office for Monitoring Human Rights in Chechnya. Gerd Greune also went to Grozny by helicopter and visited several refugee camps. Humanitarian Aid for Chechnya is badly needed, as International help only goes to Ingushetia for the moment. Greune agreed to contact different organisations and to collaborate on different projects to support civil society in Chechnya and help the citizens concretely.

March 2001

IFIAS Brussels organized a conference with representatives from Roma organizations on the topic of minority policies in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Information on this issue was given by Dr. Alexandra Bitusikova (University of Banjska Bystrica, Slovakia), Natasa Diatkova (Policy Center for the Promotion of Democray, Czech Republic) and Martina Slobodnikova (KARI – The Association of Roma Initiatives, Slovakia)

April 2001

A new project for Nezavisnost has been filed at the German Foreign Office in collaboration with Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO) The three partners had already run one successful project in 2000 on distribution of Humanitarian Aid in orphanages and psychiatric hospitals. The new project will deal with training. Nezavisnost's membership has grown since September from 200.000 to 600.000 members and will probably reach 1.000.000 by the end of this year.
The project was approved in June 2001 and run successfully until May 2002.

June 2001

An exhibition of paintings by Roma children opened its doors to visitors in the Gallery, rue Henri Stacquet 61. The exhibition was organized by IFIAS Brussels in close cooperation with the permanent representation of Slovakia to the European Institutions and lasted until september. As special guest of the opening-event, Schaerbeek's Vice Mayor for Public Education Mohammed Lahlali made a speech on the role of public education for the integration of minorities. 

The project of IFIAS in cooperation with the Yugoslav trade union Nezavisnost has been approved by the German Foreign Office. The project considers the further education of Yugoslav trade unionists in the field of European social standards. The long-term aim is to support the development of a civil society familiar with principles and implementation of democracy in Yugoslavia after the collapse of the authoritarian Milosevic regime in autumn of 2000. 

Also in June,  IFIAS held its first board meeting of the year 2001. INTERNEWS Europe has decided to cooperate closely with IFIAS Brussels. IFIAS Brussels‘ director Susanne Drake has been asked for consultancy in INTERNEWS‘ current project aimed at the development of independent media in Kosovo.

September 2001

The European Commission approved  both proposals handed in by IFIAS Bonn, ESCAPE and CIRCE, have been approved by the European Commission and can be realized immediately.

ESCAPE concerns the publication of a bi-monthly Newsletter in print and online form dealing with the issue of refugees and asylum rights in the European Union, as well as with the reasons to escape and the preconditions for repatriation. By collecting articles written by several partner organizations working with refugees in different EU countries, IFIAS wants to contribute to the transfer of best practice on a European level as a first step on the way to a common European legislation on asylum issues.

CIRCE (Coalition for Integration of Roma Children in Europe) comprises different measures against discrimination of Roma children in Europe, e. g. awareness raising measures in the public of different European countries, international conferences and seminars for social workers and teachers aimed at the transfer of best practice as well as training programs for Roma adults. These trainings will be held by Roma peers (Roma train Roma). 


Also in September, still affected by the terrible events of 9-11, that happened two days earlier,  Susanne Drake and Gerd Greune went on a fact finding mission to Serbia after the democratic changes of last September. They were received by the President of Vojvodina Parliament Nenad Canak and met with their different project partners in Novi Sad and Belgrade. Between other projects they also visited the Refugee camp of Kosovo refugees in Avala, which received support from IFIAS already last year. 


Finally, in September our new volunteer Andreas Kolb from Germany began his term at the office, staying for 12 months. As a conscientious objector he decided to do his civilian service abroad after graduating from high school. Two years later, another German CO joined IFIAS as a member of the same program offered by the Evangelical Church in Germany.

November 2001

Gerd Greune was invited to Budapest to speak at the Parliament about "Citizens for the future of Europe" on invitation of our partner "European House" in presence of the President of Hungary, Dr. Ferenc Madl.

December 2001

The second Board and Members meeting of IFIAS Brussels took place. It was decided that election of the Board should take place in June 2002. The Boards' work in 2001 including the financial report were approved by the assembly.

In December,  approval of IFIAS Brussels Vienna Platform project by the EC was received.
     
   

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2002

 
    January 2002

IFIAS greeted the Spanish Council Presidency (Jan.-July 2002) with the opening of the exhibition of young Spanish artist Pablo Avendano. The Spanish Presidency, the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, The Spanish Embassy’s Cultural department and the Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, sponsored the opening evening. More than 200 people attended the event. 

April 2002

The Vienna Platform hosted a conference with the title “EU Enlargement - an Opportunity not to Miss". Around 300 participants attended the event that took place at the European Parliament. Speeches and discussions focused on upcoming challenges and opportunities of the EU enlargement for the EU institutions and for citizens in the accession states. The initiative’s website can be accessed here.

May 2002

"Roma children demand future" was the motto of the first of two conferences as part of our CIRCE project. Administrative and NGO workers from Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany met at the City Hall in Bonn under the patronage of the Mayor, Baerbel Dieckmann. Martin Schulz, MEP, and Peter Mueller, Vice-Mayor. The event gave the opportunity to exchange best practice in the integration efforts of Roma children. A second international meeting in Ghent, in October 2002, followed this conference; it was particularly aimed at teachers, doctors and social workers.  

June 2002Faik Kransniqi, Professor at the Academy of Arts in Prishtina, Kosovo had his first exhibition at IFIAS' Gallery in Brussels. More than 100 visitors came to the opening, most of them Kosovarian refugees. Many paintings were sold on the spot: Beautiful bright colors gave an optimistic and positive view on contemporary Kosovarian art.

Summer 2002During the summer time some changes took place at the office: While German volunteer Andreas Kolb finished his voluntary service at the end of July, Hélène Amouzou started her twelve-month-term as an office manager.

September 2002Susanne Drake and Gerd Greune went to Russia for a period of one week. A four-day seminar with members of the security forces in Chechnya and employees of the Chechen Ministry of Education on implementing basic international human rights standards in Chechnya was a great success. International and Russian experts had lively discussion with participants and the Government of Chechnya sent a congratulation letter to IFIAS thanking the Institute for the valuable upgrade of skills for their staff. This seminar marked the end of EC founded project "European Law in Chechnya". Now Greune will organize computers for Chechen schools and has made a basic agreement with the Chechen Government to protect support measures. Greune and Drake also spent some days on project development in Moscow, working with Moscow Psycho Social Institute and the Sacharov Foundation. Then they traveled to Nijni Novgorod where Gerd Greune had been invited to a conference as an expert speaker on behalf of EBCO about alternative service and the Russian Army.
     
   

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2003

 
    February 2003

As partner in the LISI (Legal indicators for Social Inclusion) project, organized by the European Academy Bozen (EURAC), Susanne Drake participated at the high level workshop in Graz (14.15.2.2003), featuring experts from European Commission, Council of Europe, Free University of Berlin, University of Graz and NGO experts from 5 EU member states. The results of the LISI project were published in EUR.AC research "The LISI indicators" Quaderni 44 and can be ordered at:

Accademia Europea Bolzano
Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
Tel.: +390471 055036, FAX: +39 0471 055099
email:press@eurac.edu

March 2003

Gerd Greune participated as a key note speaker in a seminar organized by the Council of Europe on conscientious objection in Bosnia. He further visited IFIAS partner Internews Sarajevo and handed over 1500 DM to beneficiaries of the donations made by IFIAS members for refugee families forcedly returned to Bosnia.

April 2003

A discussion round about Chechnya took place at IFIAS' premises. Under the title "What can we do for peace in Chechnya", Roman Khalilov (Advisor Chechen Foreign Minister), Gerd Greune (IFIAS), Bruno Coppieters (ULB), and Said-Emine Ibraguimov (President of Peace and Right Association) debated on 29 April 2003. Back then, the media were dominated by the war on Iraq while the Chechnya war is continued. Shortly before the event, a referendum in Chechnya had been denounced as unfair and manipulated by Chechens as well as the international community. In the meantime, the elections did not change the deep division between Russian authorities and Chechen citizens; most of them still are refugees in neighbor countries. What can Europe do, to help Chechens and Russians to overcome the dead-end street and unlawful situation in which the citizens of Chechnya are living? 35 invitees, including MEP Olivier Dupuis, Belgian and International NGOs , Journalists and members of the Chechen exile community in Brussels gathered for intensive discussion around the latest events in Chechnya. Laissa Vagapova, IFIAS stagiaire and refugee from Chechnya had organized the event.
Gerd Greune went to a monitoring visit of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus and met project partners and EC delegations to devise on new project proposals.

Mai 2003

Susanne Drake and Luc Dumoulin (of MOSTRA) went on an investigative visit to Moscow, Kiev and Tbilissi. Luc afterwards also continued towards Kazakhstan. They met mainly with Internews local partners but also EC delegation and other civil society actors.

June 2003

IFIAS has organised a study tour for 15 Russian journalists and local Govt. media officials to Brussels and Strasburg. Participants were part of Internews project Promoting Independence of Regional Mass Media in Russia funded under TACIS.

September 2003

Tobias Ehlich (Bochum) and Jeff Katcherian (San Diego CA) have started to work as volunteers in the IFIAS office. Tobias will focus on EBCO affairs as he is doing his alternative service. Jeff will support IFIAS with drafting brochures and publications.

November 2003

Nino Gogolashvili from Internews Georgia has started to work as an intern in IFIAS office. She will stay for three months and be trained in project writing and lobbying the EC delegation.
     
   

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2004

 
    February 2004

Gerd Greune and Susanne Drake participated in a meeting of Internews International in Tbilissi, Georgia and also used this opportunity to liaise with other potential partners in the region.

March 2004

IFIAS has published two new brochure; One is dealing with the creation of a European integration policy, the other with the current situation in Bosnia and what we can do. The flyer about integration is in English whereas the one about Bosnia has been issued in German. You can access both files here as common pdf-files to be viewed with Adobe Reader (you can download the program for free here):
Brochure about Integration (English)
Brochure about Bosnia (German)

March 2004

In March a new project has been started at IFIAS: Young European Media Professionals is an organization registered under Belgian Law dealing with social responsibility of journalists and communication professionals, a European identity of Media and the ban of hate speech. YEMP's first activity was to liaise with the FEJS - Federation of European Journalism Students - at their annual meeting in Tilburg in the beginning of April

May 2004

IFIAS has published an appeal calling for a change in the draft European constitution. In section I, article 40.3 it reads: Member States shall undertake progressively to improve their military capabilities“.
We are collecting signatures to change this absurdity to::
"Member States shall undertake progressively to reduce military capabilities worldwide."
The deadline of the appeal is June 14. The collected signatures will then be handed over at the EU summit in Brussels to the heads of the government. Please support this action by signing and spreading the appeal. It can be viewed and downloaded
here as a pdf-file.

May 2004

On May 26, our first Ukrainian & Belarusian Evening took place at IFIAS' gallery. More than 35 people attended the event, enjoying Ukrainian paintings, music and debate. The future role and the European perspective of Ukraine and Belarus were vividly discussed. Our volunteers Veronika Vashchenko and Olga Stuzhinskaya organized most of the evening, including the greatly appreciated Ukrainian and Belarusian food. Support came also from the Ukrainian mission to the EU.

June 2004

On the 7th of June 15 Iraqi journalists will be met at the Zaventem Airport by representatives of Belgian asbl IFIAS. The journalists will come to Brussels on an initiative of IFIAS and Internews Europe and with the financial support of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The journalists come from all parts and ethnicities of the country and will participate in a seminar in Brussels on Journalistic techniques and European Media policy. They will visit Belgian media outlets, local administrations, observe the European and local Elections, visit the European Parliament and go to the Hague to visit the International Criminal Court. Upon their arrival, they are received by the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Louis Michel and a number of Belgian journalists in the Palais d'Egmont.

June 2004

On June 16, a debate under the title "From parallel monologues to a true dialogue - Europe an Islam" took place at IFIAS' gallery. The panelist were Jo Leinen (MEP), Mohammed Lahlali, (Vice-Mayor of Schaerbeek for education), Ali Daddy (NGO "Miroir"), Anwar Aljebor (Radio Al Nahrain, Iraq) and Gamila Dhari (Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organizations). The event was both in English and French, the moderator was IFIAS' president Gerd Greune. Around twenty participants followed the discussion and took part themselves.

Summer 2004

In July Kostya Kvurt from Internews Ukraine in Kiev visited our summer office in Villefranche-de-Lonchat to prepare a two days visit to the European Commission (Brussels) and the Council of Europe (Strasbourg) for Media support in Ukraine prior to the presidential elections. Meetings were held at Media programme, at Ukraine desk in DG Relex and at the Secretariat General of the EC as well as at the Media division at the Council of Europe.

In
August George Sadowsky, Director of the Global Internet Policy Initiative joined us for the 25th Summer University of Communication in Hourtain (France) to discuss with French government officials and European internet experts the questions of global governance.

Olga, Matteo and Sonia ended their projects at IFIAS in August. Tobias Ehlich finished his alternative service at IFIAS on 30 June 2004.

In
September Susanne Drake spent a week in Turkey to speak at a Women's conference in Istanbul and to meet local partners for the EC projects submitted in July. She met the EC Delegation in Ankara and the German Embassy.

Gerd Greune spent ten days on the Balkans participating as expert at a Council of Europe mission in Bosnia Herzegovina on the implementation of the alternative service for conscientious objection in the region visiting institutions in Sarajevo and Tuzla. He was keynote speaker at the " Regional conference on conscientious objection and civilian service" at the Federal Parliament in Sarajevo on 20 September.

In Belgrade he met with Miodrag de Deo Mihailovic form Psych Invest, longstanding partner of IFIAS in Serbia, to hand over a donation for psychological treatments of traumatized children. Meetings took place with EC Delegation in Belgrade, Media organisations and the European Reconstruction Agency.

On 30 September Gerd Greune participated on behalf of Internews Europe at a Media consultation at the council of Europe in Strasbourg.

October 2004

On 9 October the yearly EBCO (European Bureau for Conscientious Objection) board meeting took place at IFIAS in Brussels. Particularly high on the Agenda was Serbia. For more information please contact: ebco@ebco-beoc.org
On 22 October after long deliberations and back and forth between Suleimanya and Ankara, finally Bestoon Nameq arrived to Brussels. He is to stay for two months as an intern on an IFIAS grant, his travel being financed by the Kurdish regional Government, and will receive training on project writing and project administration according to EC standards. Bestoon will represent IFIAS in Iraq after his return and follow up partnerships and joint ventures between IFIAS and local organisations. Since his arrival he has already met twice with the European Commission, was introduced to MEP Veronique de Kayser and participated in the SOLIDAR General Assembly 2004.
You can contact Bestoon at
bestoonnameq@yahoo.com

December 2004

IFIAS traditionnel Christmas Party took place on the 3rd of December. As an early Christmas present, we were informed by fax this same evening that our project proposal to the German Foreign office had been selected. We were able to implement our project "European Human Rights Standards for NGOs in South East Anatolia" the same month.
Immediately we contacted our partner organisation IHD which very professionally organised for all local needs. They invited two groups of 48 highly motivated participants for the two trainings we came to hold:
"The European Charta of Fundamental Rights and the Rights for Women and Children"
Standards of European Media Law and Freedom of Speech"

The project was embedded into the official human rights week 12-16 December which saw also a number of other interesting activities from IHD. At the formal reception to mark the end of the project, the mayor of Diyarbakir, the representative of the European Commission, the president of IHD Ankara and many other actors of civil society came. Susanne Drake handed over a flag of the EU and expressed hope that the process of becoming a member of EU will ensure full participation and fundamental rights to all ethnic minorities in Turkey. The Ambassador of Germany in Turkey sent a greeting

Click here for the full text (word-doc) / Clic here for Turkish version (word-doc)

Click here for the full text (.pdf) / Clic here for Turkish version (.pdf).
     
   

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2005

 
    January 2005

Requests of Tsunami victims reached us from Aceh in Indonesia where radio stations had been destroyed. Internews organised emergency radio support and IFIAS could coordinate support activities with Deutsche Welle in Bonn, supplying 100 transistor radios, Dutch government giving a major grant and the German organisation "journalists help journalists" offering 5000 EUR cash grant for journalist families victims of the natural disaster which has been sent to local Internewsers.

Susanne Drake's article on violence against women of minority communities has been published in:
Women's feature service, an online news service, accessible under http://www.wfsnews.org

February-May 2005

Nuclear disarmament becomes an issue again in the light of the next NPT review conference in New York in May. The international campaign for the Albert Einstein Year 2005 held two meeting in Brussels, one hosted by IFIAS in the European Parliament the other at Université Libre de Bruxelles. IFIAS promotes again its appeal for a european nuclear disarmament initiative which received support from a number of MEPs. The Belgian Senate voted in favour of the removal of nuclear weapons from Europe. In Germany a wider debate starts how to get rid of the remaining atomic weapons at US military airbases.

For the full IFIAS appeal clic here:

March 2005

Gerd Greune and Susanne Drake were invited to meet  the Iraqi Minister for Human Rights Bakhtiar Amin in Brussels on March 5th  in a very small committee under rather conspiratous conditions for security reasons. They discussed further European activities to support civil society in Iraq and how to ensure the rule of law. Amin encouraged IFIAS ongoing promotion of humanitarian projects aimed at helping isolated women (victims of internal displacement) and training multipliers in institutions and NGOs on international standards of fundamental rights.

IFIAS Bonn and Brussels have started a campaign to promote a European constitution for peace and disarmament on the occasion of the 60th commemoration day of the end of World War II.

April 2005

This month we could celebrate the 25th anniversary of the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO), one of the organisations hosted by IFIAS in Brussels with a workshop on "Conscientious objection and the European Constitution" with MEP Jo Leinen - Chairperson of the Committee for constitutional affairs - in the European Parliament. EBCO President Gerd Greune reminded the audience of the important steps of particularly socialdemocrate Members of the European Parliament to include the Right for Conscientious objection into the Charta of fundamental rights of the European Union

May 2005

On Sunday 8 May German IFIAS members and supporters participated at the "Days for democracy" in Berlin, joined by Gerd Greune from Brussels who later this week met also with former German IFIAS president
Ute Vogt, now German Minister of State in the Ministry of the Interior and former IFIAS president Karsten Voigt, now Coordinator of the German-American Cooperation of the German Government.  He also had talks with representatives of the German Foreign Office on democracy building in Middle East and Turkey. IFIAS Germany also organised a meeting of representatives from civil society in Russia and Belarus to prepare new projects in this region related to EIDHR and other EC programs.

June 2005

Together with Nyteurope and SOLIDAR, IFIAS initiated a citizens' campaign to support "Plan D - for democracy". IFIAS director Susanne Drake urged European Commissioner Margot Wallström to include more finance for training of local journalists and local NGOs. "Until now, the EC has always focussed on the metropolis", said Drake, "but we need to include the people in their regional context and allow for more in depth information on EU matters that touch people directly." Drake is developping training modes for local media including radio with their partner Internews.

July 2005

Belarus was one of the first target's on IFIAS agenda for the promotion of rule of law and civil rights and since 1997 we have been active in the country. After a number of backlashs through the Lukashenka Government, a new opportunity to work with democratic forces in Belarus is now offered through the EIDHR project "Non-Governmental media Dialogue" which has received support through a microgrant of the EC delegation in Ukraine. Our lokal partners are Internews Ukraine and Internews Belarus and the project will see a number of trainings for media and civil society actors. A first fact-finding mission is planned for October 2005. (On the picture: Gerd Greune with the Democratic candidate for the Presidential elections 2006, our friend Aliaksandr Milinkevich from Grodno)

August 2005

BULGARIA: 260 grant proposals have been evaluated under the lead of Gerd Greune in Sofia on request of the EU Delegation in Bulgaria to support local civil society organisations on a call published earlier this year.

August 2005

To commemorise the 60th anniversary of nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, IFIAS and the German Action-Office "Atomtest STOP" have published an appeal for a European nuclear disarmament initiative in the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The text has meanwhile been translated into all official languages of the European Union with the support of the office of Angelika Beer MdEP and is distributed to all European Parliamentarians for signature by the office of Jo Leinen MdEP. ( jleinen@europarl.eu.int)

August 2005

With our partner Mario Gongolsky of Mediaclinic, Germany, we have drafted a number of projects including media components. The IFIAS project for women in Iran will use radio and the internet. 

The IFIAS  project "Young European Media Professionals" (
YEMP) in Germany monitors actually  the use of digitalized media in different German Länder and the related legal framework. A Two-Länder report has already been issued  on a grant by a  German corporation.

September 2005

Susanne Drake travelled to Syria to participate at the EC meeting for applicants of  microgrants to promote Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and to meet with partner organisations. Though under heavy pressure through the Syrian Government, the Human Rights Organisations in Syria, which have to operate without a legal status, are admirable in their humanism and devotion for democracy. Meetings were made with:
Hurriyat, SWASIAH, HRAS, AOHR, CDF, Atassi Forum, Committee for rebuilding civil society, Hamah -Committee for human rights, Human Rights education forum, MOBADARA (women's organisation) and many more. All these organisations want to contribute in various ways to our project. IFIAS has invited a young person from one of these organisations to come to Brussels for training in advocacy and working with European Institutions in our internship program. The project in Syria is linked to our efforts in Southeast-Anatolia and Palestine, where IFIAS will also run civil society projects in 2006 and will create great synergy in professionalising NGO's organisational structures as well as promoting rule of law and international standards of human rights. Since IFIAS' visit in Syria, the report of Detlev Mehlis on the Hariri murder has heightened the pressure by the secret services on our friends. We are concerned about their well-being as some of them had to go into hiding and hope the situation will not worsen in the next months.

October 2005

With great pride and pleasure we received the information that our project for Civil Rights in Southeast-Anatolia has been selected by EIDHR macro project program in Brussels. We have informed our local and European partners and wait now for the contract to be drafted in Ankara and signed by both parties. The project will be implemented over 15 months with the Insan Haklari Dernegi as main partner and contains training for Human Rights activists, journalists and leaders of Human Rights Organisations and Trade Unions, communication strategies with the aim to install Civil Dialogue in the region and free legal advice for women and children. The Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality very much supports the project, which is based on our pilot project in 2004.

October 2005

On his first fact-finding mission to civil society in Belarus in the framework of the microproject "Non-Governmental media Dialogue in Belarus" financed by EIDHR program at the EC delegation of Ukraine Gerd Greune had the opportunity to visit the imprisoned President of the Socialdemocratic Party of Belarus,  Mikalay STATKEVICH. For three hours he was permitted a leave from the detention center in Baranvicy where he serves a two year term of forced labour for having called in an unauthorised  demonstration against the unlawful referendum for the prolongation of the reign of A. Lukachenka in 2004. His wife Valentina and other friends also participated in this meeting.  Mikalay spoke very distressed about his conditions in the camp and hopes to be transferred soon into an open system for the rest of his detention.

Further visits of Gerd Greune included non-governmental organisations and independent media in Belarus.
     
   

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2006

 
    February 2006

In Diyarbakir, the staff for the Human Rights training center has now been hired. The center will be located at the local IHD (Insan Haklari Dernegi) office and will offer 15 computers online as well as a number of training sessions for local NGO activists, as well as free legal advice and training in Kurdish language proficiency. IFIAS was happy to learn, that two local TV stations and one local radio station had now received the formal permission to broadcast in Kurdish language. An intern of IHD will soon be received at the IFIAS office in Brussels for training in project management and reporting, thus strengthening the links between both organisations.

February 2006

In Damascus, IFIAS Civil Society training Center was solemnly opened on 21st february, in presence of IFIAS treasurer Walter Vermander (see picture). The Austrian Ambassador, representing the European Council presidency and Mr. Hesske, Head of the European Commission delegation to Syria and major donor to the project, held the opening speeches. Some 150 NGO representatives and Human Rights activists were present. However, regardless of the fact that this center is a project funded under the European program EIDHR and that Syrian authorities were duly informed, police services closed the center only one week later and before the first group could come for training. IFIAS president Gerd Greune said in an article in the Belgian newspaper "LE SOIR" that he hoped this was just a misunderstanding and that the incident could besolved via diplomatic channels. IFIAS will run the Civil Society Training Center during a period of two years. The center will offer free training for civil society activists on organisational and legal backgrounds for NGO work, particularly internationally accepted fundamental rights, to which Syria is also in many cases a signatory.
For the full
article in "LE SOIR", please click on the link.

February 2006

The training for Belarussian NGO activists on working with local media has continued in Kyiv. The picture shows the last training of 20-24 February."Participants have been trained in using the internet more regularly and more confidently to increase independent communication and information for civil society."

March 2006

Inauguration of the Bertha von Suttner building in Brussels hosting the Committee of Regions and the Economic and Social Committee of the European Union on 8 March 2006 in presence of Robin and Daniel Drake (See picture), youngest children of former President of the German Peace Society and former Secretary General of the International Peace Bureau Gerd Greune. Bertha von Suttner, Peace Nobel Winner from 1906 had been involved in the foundation of these institutions still active today for promoting peace through general and complete disarmament.

March 2006

After months of patient work, our collegue Bestoon Hamzah Nameq in Iraq was rewarded with the information that the Dutch Government was willing to sponsorise a new trip of Iraqi Journalists to Brussels and The Hague. After the successful first event in 2004 when a group of 15 journalists from all over the country came on invitation of the Belgian Government, this time more emphasis will be put on international governmental organisations and the debate with participants will be in phase with the ongoing trial against Saddam Hussein and others in Baghdad. Picture: Bestoon Nameq (left) during his two months training in Brussels in 2004/2005.

April 2006

26 April 2006 - 20 years after Chernobyl catastrophe

This painting is one of several made by Aliaksandr Rodzin (Minsk, 1998, oil
on canvas) to reflect the Chernobyl catastrophe. Rodzin is one of the most
famous contemporary artists of Belarus.

In a commemorating event on 26 April in Münster, Gerd Greune reminded
participants, that after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, politicians all over the
world had vowed to protect this world from the nuclear disaster. The
Chernobyl catastrophe and 2000 nuclear tests since then have made it clear,
that neither military nor economic use of nuclear power is under control and
we and our children are still endangered by it.

19 May 2006

On 19 May 2006 the Russian Federation took over the presidency of the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, ten years after it has
become member. The Chairman of the Parliamentarian Assembly as many NGOs
said on this occasion that they will observe critically the development of
democracy in Russia. "Bon baisers de Russie - from Russia with love" has
been the title of a roundtable at IFIAS featuring Tatjana Ždanoka (MEP
Latvia)and Céline Francis (Chechen Committee Belgium, Researcher / VUB) on
31 May 2006. Ms. Zadonka is the only ethnic Russian in the European
Parliament. She spoke about the 6 Mio native Russian speakers in EU25 who
need recognition of their minority rights as well as Chechens need
protection of their human rights in Russia. "Russophobia" is not an adequate
response to the conflicts that have to be settled in the neighbourhood of
Russia, the MEP said. Céline Francis and others spoke in favour of more
support to Russian Human Rights groups and NGOs by the European Union.

13 May 2006

On the day after his release from prison, and before returning to his home
which he had not seen for six months during the presidential election
campaign, Aliaksandr Milinkevich received Gerd Greune at the office of
Charter 97. "We now have to professionalise our movement" said Milinkevich,
"and should not underestimate still existing independent print press in the
struggle to overcome the illegal regime". He stressed the need to support
print press and not only radio broadcasting from abroad, which now compete
for international support and do not really touch or reach the citizens.

8 May 2006

IFIAS Brussels office was happy to present the documentary film "Together
and apart" realised by internews Georgia in a project funded by IrelandAid
with support of Internews Europe. Nino Gogolashvili and Eteri Sajaia from
Internews Georgia stayed in Brussels on invitation of IFIAS for the show and
discussed with attendants after the film. The film showed an impressive
dialogue between two former colleagues, one of whom is now living in Georgia
and the other stayed in Abchasia. The professionally produced documentary
was both a great piece of unbiased journalism and very emotional. The actors
were able to raise compassion in the participants of the evening who
continued longtime after the film still the discussions about identity and
ethnicity. The film will be soon available for download from Internews
Georgias website:
www.internews.ge

6 May 2006

The first Roundtable with actors of civil society and local authority was
held in Diyarbakir. Moderated by Gerd GREUNE, the roundtable featured the
president of the joint parliamentary Committee EU-Turkey, MEP Joost
LAGENDIJK, the Mayor of Diyarbakir, Osman BAYDEMIR and the coordinator of
the chamber of Commerce, Lezgin YALCIN. The major message of Lagendijk was
that "brave politicians were needed, which are able to bring about political
solutions instead of violence to the region". The mayor of Diyarbakir designed a
roadmap which could bring unemployment from 60% down to 40%, realise Kurdish cultural identity for the people and disarm militant groups in the next five years. The
Roundtables will be continued in the fall.

June 2006

IFIAS Annual report 2005-2006 has been published. You can download it here
as .pdf file
.

June 2006

On 17 May, Anwar Al-Bunni, famous Human Rights lawyer and civil society activist has been arrested as one of a group of 11 signatories to the so-called "Lebanese Letter", an open letter to the Syrian government to fullyaccept the Lebanese state authority, which was signed by more than 200
people both in Syria and Lebanon. FIAS urges the Syrian Authorities to release Anwar Al-Bunni and the other signatories to the open letter.

Read also
http://syriamonitor.typepad.com/news/2006/06/prisoners_of_co.html

June 2006

From 26 June - 1st July IFIAS invited a group of 13 Iraqi journalists with funding thanks to the Dutch Embassy in Baghdad. The main aim was to deliver knowledge on international standards of journalistic ethics and strengthen the commitment for conflict resolution and civic responsibility.

Five topics were covered in half-day workshops for a total of five days of instruction (see full agenda joint in Annex I). The participants had the opportunity to interact with Europe in public settings and to meet a Brussels based local media outlet (RTBF). During each dinner, special guests coming from Brussels based institutions and/or journalists with interest into Iraq were invited.

The Iraqi journalists had meetings in Brussels at NATO, NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the IFJ, the Belgian Senate, journalists from RTBF, RTL TVI, Le Soir, Het Laatste Nieuws and in The Hague, Hilversum and Maastricht the International Criminal Court, Radio Hillversum, and the European Journalist Centre.

June 2006

On 19 June 2006, IFIAS member and volunteer Jens Greune died, aged only 32.

Jens had started at IFIAS doing his alternative service. He was profoundly non-violent and organised numerous rallies against the Iraq war in 1991. He supporte conscientious objectors all around Europe. Jens has been particularly active in IFIAS projects in the Balkans and Central Asia. In the years 1993-1995 Jens had helped to organise a great number of "Holiday for the children of war" in former Yugoslavia. Very fond of music, he had organised events and concerts for the children who adored him. He was also active in working with refugees from Bosnia and fundraised and advocated for the stay of Bosnian trauma victims in Germany. He also organised the famous "Peace and Freedom - Travel on the Silk Road" in 1994 and supported our partners in Kazakhstan and Kirghistan for many years. Recently, he also contributed to IFIAS projects bringing Iraqi journalists to Brussels. Jens was invaluable for helping IFIAS when anything happened with the computers and spent many a night trying to rescue us. We will always miss him and his generosity and warmheartedness.

26 July 1991 - Egon Scotland died 15 years ago

On the car in which the journalist from the Süddeutsche Zeitung went through
Croatia in July 1991 was clearly written in huge letters: PRESS.

Nevertheless he was shot from a sniper. He had wanted to return to Munich a day before but stayed one day longer to search for a colleague who had not returned from an investigation.

A poem about Osiek that was found in his car asks not to report only
the number of deaths: "Because a number has no name / and no robbed future
/ Tell the world / it was Johann and William / and Victor and Francesco /
write as much as you can / my friend." /cwm/

journalisten helfen journalisten
lothringer str.11
81667 muenchen
tel. 089 - 44 70 404
fax 089 - 6 88 77 89
cwmacke@t-online.de
www.journalistenhelfen.org

September 2006

A bomb explosion has killed eleven people in Diyarbakir 14 September 2006. Among them one mother with her four children. Seven children died altogether. A bomb attack prepared to kill Kurdish children near a playing ground. The Turkish government accused the PKK and the Turkish media attacked the Mayor of Diyarbakir. But the attempt to escalate the situation like in March 2006 failed. With a peaceful mourning procession to the park ten thousand citizens of the Kurdish capital in southeast Anatolia spoke out for non-violence and an end of terrorism.

IFIAS opened on 15 September officially the European Human Rights Training centre at the premises of the Human rights Association Diyarbakir branch. Trainings this month included lectures by Gerd Greune (14-18 September), Prof. Erik Franckx from VUB (22-27 September), Yasar Arslan (29.Sept.- 14 Oct.)

September 2006

From 11-16 September, four journalists of the first independent Iraqi Press-Agency ASWAT AL'IRAQ came to Brussels for visits with institutions and potential partners. The visit was sponsorised by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Reuters Foundation and Internews. Journalists in Iraq still face deathly danger at every step they make. However, the journalists of Aswat Al'Iraq are determined to bring faithful, unbiased, well researched information to their fellow citizens as a condition to create a true democracy in the country. Meetings included the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Senate, the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission as well as Reuters in Brussels, the IFJ and several media outlets.

October 2006

A short visit to Kyrgystan (1 - 8 Oct.) proved to be very useful to catch up with the developments in the region and civil society development. IFIAS had talks with various NGOs in Bishkek and will monitor further developments and opportunities for joint projects closely. Kyrgystan, while still struggeling for independent legal institutions and accountable administration is however one of the most stable countries in the region, with little crime and violence but a high degree of skills of the very young population.

October 2006

Helmut HOHM is an artist of many sources and inspirations, but without doubt strongly influenced by Buddhism. He works on paper, usually abstract, very emotional, his colours bright and honest. His works will be shown during one week from 10-15 October 2006 in the IFIAS Gallery, 61 Rue Henri Stacquet, 1030 Brussels.

http://www.musiquepourimages.com/article-3920048.html

October 2006

Anna Politkovskaia was killed on 7 October 2006 in the house she lived in Moscow. Her missions in Chechnya were more dangerous, we thought and we feared for her life when she was as one of the only journalists meeting the desperate women and men in the war torn Caucasus region. Now it looks as if life in Moscow has become more dangerous than in Chechnya. Anna was a lecturer at IFIAS seminars for Chechen Administration in Moscow in 2002. She was furious during her last visit to the European Parliament in Brussels about the weakness of action of the European Union watching the killings in the Caucasus.

IFIAS lost a dear friend.

November 2006

A series of meetings in Diyarbakir including the Vice Governor Erol ÖZER, the mayor of Diyarbakir Osdman Baydemir, Aycan Akdeniz, Sector Manager for Democratisation & Human Rights at the European Delegation in Ankara, lawyers and NGOs took place 21-23 November 2006 in Diyarbakir. The reason was the 2nd public evaluation of the IFIAS project "Civil rights in South East Anatolia". Until now more than 500 human rights activists have been trained in this project. Human rights are still a crucial issue in the region including lack of free organisation, free choice of language, freedom of
expression and press. The President of the Human rights Association (IHD) in Diyrbakir has been sentenced to 2,5 years of prison because of a TV Interview in 2005 where he asked for a dialogue between Kurds and the Turkish government including PKK (see joint IFIAS/IHD press release -
clic here). Further trainings will inlcude other NGOs and local administration. A regular newsletter will be published alongside with the training and the Internet use will be increased. Another conclusion of the roundtable at IHD on 23rd November was to include further cities in South East Anatolia to host training programs. A first training by IFIAS expert Yasar Arslan took place in Siirt (near Batman) from 24-26 November.

November 2006

On 16 November, IFIAS Brussels and IFIAS Bonn held the 9th General Assembly and Board meeting. The Assembly discharged the Board for the year 2006. Alexandra Bitusikova leaves Brussels, so she resigned as Vicepresident but stays a Board Member. IFIAS expressed warm thanks to her for her excellent suppport over all these years and is glad that she continues to be available even if from a longer distance. As new Vicepresident the Assembly elected Farid Ghrich, who has been working with IFIAS for four years now. The other Board members were confirmed. The Assembly also welcomed the presence of Danilo Leonardi from the PCMLP at Oxford University who came for some talks with European Institutions and to tighten links with IFIAS. As a new direction, the Assembly decided to create a working group on Africa to start
and explore potential partners and projects. Contact for the working group "Africa": Farid Ghrich [
ghrichfarid@scarlet.be]

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM BETHLEHEM

We, Sondoss und Haya, live in the Azzeh Refugee Camp 0,5 km away from the Nativity Church in Bethlehem and our wish is a Kindergarden where we and our 45 friends find enough place. The 25 square meters are not sufficient. In the future we want to live like our sisters in Israel behind the huge Wall which is separating us today.

You can send us a letter at

Kindergarden
Azzeh Refugee Camp
Bethlehem, PalestineTerritory

and support our Kindergarden with your donation

IFIAS, KBC Bank in the European Parliament 424-6100951-59
IBAN BE84 4246 1009 5159
BIC: KREDBEBB

Thank you!
     
   

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