Friday 1 April 2011

International Round-Table - "Together for Sustainable Change"

The Motto of the event was “Encouraging the building of partnerships and respectful discussions among different cultures building on talents, potentials and commitment of individuals, groups and institutions”

As part of a project “Development issues and the way forward” the Slovenian NGDO platform SLOGA organized an international round-table “Together for sustainable change” on 10th March 2011 in Ljubljana (Slovenia). The project builds on a previous project “Rethinking Afghanistan’s Development Perspectives« prepared by a Slovenian photographer Manca Juvan and SLOGA, and broadens its focus also on development challenges in Kosovo.

The aim of the round-table was to raise awareness, encourage and continue discussions in the Slovenian arena about development issues in Kosovo and Afghanistan; to discuss about the role of Slovenian NGOs and opportunities to build partnerships with local NGOs; to critically rethink about (inter)national development strategies and coordination of donors and seek options for improvement; and to promote and strengthen awareness of the benefits and importance of volunteering.

In conclusion, the challenge of reconstructing countries, affected by war or natural disaster, and creating a solid foundation for sustainable development is a complex process which requires a consistent, effective, responsible and coordinated support of all stakeholders – people, government, donors, civil society organizations and the international community. Furthermore, in order to strengthen the society the process has to be designed and based on analysis of local needs, a long-term vision, intercultural dialogue and sharing of knowledge and experiences.

Information provided by Nina Perović, SLOGA

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