BALKAN FORUM
Civil Association
About the organization
The BALKAN FORUM Civil Association is a
Bulgarian Non-government Organization /NGO/, registered according
to the Bulgarian legislation "Persons and Family Law",
Verdict of the Kardjali Regional Court No. 194, according to the
Case No: 106/ 21.03.1997. Tax Registration No 1096400329 / April
04/97. Statistic No. 108026585 U. The Association was created in
January 97.
Prominent persons from the spheres of culture, art, education
and business, reached an agreement to unify their possibilities
and they founded the "Balkan Forum" Association. They
are all highly respected and educated persons, with high social
prestige, and with considerable practical experience in resolving
important problems in all aspects of life. Knowing well the
problems of the population in this Region,
the founders decided to help create better living conditions and
to assist the building of a stable democratic civil society.
The main goals of the association are to improve and encourage
the interethnic relations in the regions with mixed religious
population. According to the rules of the Association our efforts
are accomplished by:
- The creation and realization of projects for the
integration of the bright spectrum of all different
ethnic societies in the field of business,
communications, arts, culture, environment and education;
- Stimulating the population for creating democratic civil
structures, and in this way to participate directly in
the social work of the local power;
- Working out a model for harmonious ethnic relations in
the Eastern
Rhodopes;
- Opening human rights consultation and information centres
in all municipalities of the region;
- Social protection for children, youth, disadvantaged
people and disabled, and their families;
- Creating civic structures and social councils in the main
cities and villages of the region;
- Practice exchange in the field of democratic experience,
human rights, market economy, arts, culture and folklore;
- Organising seminars, training programs and
requalification courses for local citizens;
- Publishing Newsletters, brochures and materials;
- Collaboration and partnership with many NGOs in the
country and abroad.
The "Balkan Forum" Civil Association enjoys a very
good collaboration and relations with The Municipality of Kardjali;
the Government and governmental institutions; The National
Assembly of Republic of Bulgaria; and many NGOs inside the
country and abroad.
The Association members accepted a five-year program for their
activity development, which involves institutional stability,
tracing out the strategic aims and realization of 25 top
projects, directly concerning the citizens of the Rhodope
Mountain Region.
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Realized projects last year
(short description)
- Project: "CHILDREN'S THEATRICAL STUDIO "
- including free training in actors mastery and
stenography for talented children from poor families and
children from different ethnic groups. 24 children are
separated into two groups of 12. After the training 12
performances will be played in various towns and villages
in the Region. King Baudouin Foundation (Belgium) and Open Society Foundation
(Sofia) donate the project.
- Project: "INTERETHNIC RELATIONSHIPS IN
CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE CIVIL DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY" -
including: creating a "Model for harmonious
interethnic relationships in the Eastern Rhodopes"
and a Program for the decrease of the migration
processes. The Democracy
Network Program (USAID) donated the project.
- Project: "INFORMATION NETWORK ACHIEVEMENT
ABOUT THE ETHNIC GROUPS PROBLEMS IN THE EAST RHODOPES AND
THEIR PRACTICAL RESOLUTION" - Fulfilling this
project, our Association assists for establishing,
training and practical support of eight Social Councils
in East Rhodope Region. Easier resolving the problems of
the local citizens is the main aim of the project. Here
we worked in collaboration with all Mayors of main
regional cities. Democracy Commission Grants to U.S. Embassy in Sofia
donated the project
- Project: "SELF AND MUTUAL AID FOR DISABLED
AND FOR SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS" - This is a new,
alternative approach for the help of socially needy
people and disabled persons in the Region, through
production processes. The Balkan Forum CA has bought a
stock of textile from The Union of Blind in Bulgaria. 18
work places available only for the disabled from Kardjali
were opened. These people had produced several kinds of
household linen and baby diapers for a six-month period.
This production was donated to The Homes of Orphan
Children, and Hospitals. Civil Society Development
Foundation (Phare Program) donated the project.
- Project: "CHANCE OF EDUCATION" - This
project helped the preparation of candidate students from
poor families, living in outlying districts of Eastern
Rhodopes. We invited six associate professors from Sofia
University for a 12-day period to teach them. The Balkan
Forum Association organized this project with our own
resources, volunteers, and representatives of private
business circles.
- Project: "DAILY CENTER FOR DISABLED
CHILDREN" - In association with the Municipality of
Kardjali, the "Balkan Forum" created a center
where eight children live. Professional psychologists and
teachers look after them. Charity Know How Fond Great
Britain) donated part of the project.
Forthcoming:
- The Association is organizing /with own funds/ the
participation of Children's' dancing group / 25 children
from minority groups/ for taking part in International
Ethnic Culture Festival in Zemia, Poland.
- Project "Teenagers Media Workshop": Working
together, 30 teenagers will study TV, radio and press
journalism. During a period of a year they will
practically collaborate and publish their materials in
different local media. The project was approved on
National Jury and will start at the middle of 1998.
- "Training Programme for Municipal Administration
(Staff)" - for working out and managing projects.
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Important Note - New
Association:
During the realization of the Balkan Forum project activities
the staff of the Association and the teams of the projects had
the chance to meet and talk both with the common people, managers
and leaders from the region. The unemployment and the lack of
economic stability are the basic reasons for the interethnic
tensions and migrations. At all meetings opinions were shared
about the immediate necessity to concentrate many efforts for the
regional economic and small and middle size business development.
Paying attention to the basic needs and desires of the local
population, Balkan Forum Civil Association took a decision to
create a new main department - Regional Economic Development.
Because Balkan Forum Civil Association works in many different
spheres and has different kind of activities, we want to separate
this department. In our opinion, the best way for building up
this section is to create a new type of organization. That's why
we initiated creation and legal registration of new, independent
Organization named "Regional
Economic Development and Investment Agency - Kardjali",
where Balkan Forum participates.
Contact Information
BULGARIA, 6600
Kardjali, 23 "Trakia" Blvd., Block "Nov
jivot", entrance B
Phone: 359 361 / 3 83
85, 2 27 21; 359 799 62427;
Fax: 359 361 / 2 27 21
E-mail:
ilko@kardjali.ttm.bg
and balkanfor@hotmail.com
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Staff
Ilko
Vakarelov - Executive Director
Anita
Tagarova - Chief Accountant
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Pavel Petkov - Co-ordinator
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Krasimira
Nedeva - Office Assistant
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Margarita
Karamihova Ph.D. - Consultant
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Stanislava Georgieva -
Public Relations
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Diana Marinova - Translator
|
Peicho Pashov - Program
Co-ordinator
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Dimitar Ignatov - Project
Manager
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Email us:
ilko@kardjali.ttm.bg
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Last updated: June 03/1998
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