Trainings on open EC development education call

Before Christmas, the EC launched the Call for Proposal (CfP) 2007 on "Public awareness and education for development in Europe" within the thematic programme "Non-state Actors and Local Authorities". Preference will be given to "cross-border/multi-country and multi-actor initiatives" as well as "special attention will also be paid to awareness raising and development education in the 12 new member states" (NMS).

As the first deadline for the two-stage Call is on February 19, 2008, TRIALOG already in January realised four trainings in NMS on how to develop interesting, innovative and at the same time realistic development education (DE) projects to sensibilize the public in the NMS.

The trainings started with an introduction to the concept of DE and the "Guidelines" of the CfP - the main document on formal requirements, priorities and objectives.

Then the participants discussed the specific situation in each country, the problem analysis included various aspects, such as: history as a challenge, the complete lack of information on the issue of development, the concentration of activities on one specific target region (especially on governmental level), but also the reality of a very different economic situation in the 12 NMS compared to old member states (OMS).

In the trainings, the NGOs elaborated DE projects, proposing different actions, how individuals can contribute to the eradication of poverty and to fairer relations between developed and developing countries.

50 participants from Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania worked on the Logical Framework of their projects, to be able to submitt a well prepared Concept Note to the EC in February.

TRIALOG keeps fingers crossed for NGOs from NMS to be successfull in presenting concept notes, to be pre-selected and invited by the EC to submit a full application in the second stage of the CfP.

For NMS NGOs: If you have any further questions regarding your EC proposal, don´t hesitate to contact our capacity building officer Petra Kreinecker at p.kreinecker@trialog.or.at

For information on NGOs which currently search for partners for a joint development education project, please turn to the section "Partner search for joint projects" in this TIS.

For information on the open EC call, please see "Funding opportunities".