A MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER OF THE
 

ECMI NGO NETWORK
FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF INTERETHNIC RELATIONS
IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
 

May 2004, Issue no. 26

 .

 
News

May
ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Gostivar
Humanitarian Organization “UNITETI”
Health education of parents that take care of children with special needs
The implementation of the initiative “Health education of parents that take care of children with special needs” came to its end. The initiative was implemented by the Humanitarian Organization “UNITETI”, Association of Albanian Women, Center for the Protection of Roms' Rights and NGO Handicap.
Increasing the knowledge for health protection and legal rights of persons with special needs was the main aim of this initiative. This was achieved through ten workshops on three subjects: health education, Legal norms and Integration of persons with special needs in the society. 
E-mail: ecmigostivar@ecmingonet.org.mk

May
ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Gostivar
Association for Education and Culture "MILLENNIUM"
“Modus Vivendi”
The Association for Education and Culture "MILLENNIUM" in partnership with the Center for the Protection of Roms' Rights, Youth Center "Rekanski Biser" and Association for the Development of Society implemented the initiative “Modus Vivendi”.
The initiative is aimed to create opportunities for inter-ethnic understanding through appreciation of local cultural and inherited treasures as well as stimulation of economic development in the region. The successful collection of old valuable items from fore municipalities of the Gostivar area contributed to preserving the cultural treasure of the region and attracting tourists. The proposed amendment to the Local self-governments for defining a strategy and an action plan for acting in the field of culture, is one of the outcomes of the implemented initiative.
E-mail: ecmigostivar@ecmingonet.org.mk

01 May
ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Kumanovo
Romani Community Center "DROM"
Seminar “Peaceful conflict resolution”
The three - days seminar “Peaceful conflict resolution” held in Kumanovo is part of the initiative “Mosaic”, implemented by the Romani Community Center "DROM" in partnership with the Humanitarian Organization “El Hilal” and NGO Youth Active. Twenty – five children from different ethnic background attended this seminar, aimed to prevent and overcome future conflict between different ethnic groups in Kumanovo. Through this interactive seminar strong basis for dialog among the youth are created as well as for cohabitation and tolerance towards the others.
E-mail: ecmikumanovo@ecmingonet.org.mk

May
ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Gostivar
Humanitarian and Charitable Association of Roms "MESECHINA"
“Health education of women through radio episodes”
“Health education of women through radio episodes” was a three – months initiative implemented by the Humanitarian and Charitable Association of Roms "MESECHINA" in partnership with the Organization of Turkish Women in Macedonia and League of Albanian Women in Macedonia.
The aim was to increase the awareness on health, inform and encourage the female population for health education and prevention of diseases. In order to achieve this, implementing NGOs had organized radio episodes on topics related to: Genecology, Internist and Dentistry. This initiative has also contributed to establishing sustainable linkage between health sector and media for further initiatives.
E-mail: ecmigostivar@ecmingonet.org.mk

19 May
ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Shtip
Round Table on the issue of Education

The Initiative team on education from the ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Shtip organised a round table with parents of the pupils from I to IV grades. This event was opened with a short introduction of the ECMI Mission and aims and continued with a discussion on the needs and problems children face. All parents agreed that their children should participate in creative activities during their leisure time. The participants also indicated that the lack of knowledge of the Macedonian language and social discrimination are immense obstacles for integration of Turkish and Roma children from rural areas.
E-mail: ecmistip@ecmingonet.org.mk

May
Organisation of Women, Shtip
Olympic campaign “Fear Play at the Olympics games”

The Organisation of Women from Shtip, a member of the ECMI NGO Network, is a partner organization for the Olympic campaign “Fear Play at the Olympics games”, supported by the Clean Clothes Campaign, Oxfam and Global Trade Unions. The campaign is aimed at attracting attention toward poor working conditions in the sport industry. The campaign initiators hope that the International Olympic Committee, the National Olympic Committee, the Associations of athletes and the athletes themselves will join their battle to improve working conditions in the sport industry.
This is an international campaign and everyone can take part by signing a petition or sending a letter on www.fairolympics.org.
E-mail: ozstip@mt.net.mk

21 May
ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Tetovo
Workshop “The existing problems in the education and culture”
A workshop on the issue of the “Existing problems in education and culture” was held at the premises of the Regional NGO Resource Centre Tetovo.  The workshop was organised by the members of this centre in order to investigate the existing problems of work in the field of education and culture. High school teachers, professors, representatives from cultural institutions and NGO representatives attended the workshop.
The problem of spatial separation of students in different schools on ethnic basis, initiated mainly by their parents was raised. Lack of creative interethnic activities and computer skills of the personnel working in the rural areas were perceived as problematic in education.
Culturally problematic is that Tetovo only has one institution that organizes cultural activities (being the House of Culture). The lack of theatre or cinema in this municipality is alerting.
E-mail: ecmitetovo@ecmingonet.org.mk

25 May
ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Tetovo
Press Conference for promotion of the initiative “Guiding final-year high school students to the university”
At the premises of the Regional NGO Resource Centre Tetovo a press conference was held to promote the initiative “Guiding final-year high school students to university”. This pilot initiative is implemented by the NGO “Golden generation” in partnership with the NGO “Multikultura” and the Humanitarian Association of Roms in Macedonia "SONCE", all members of the ECMI NGO Network.
All local media were present at the press conference where the aim of the initiative was explained as well as the three phases of the initiative’s implementation. In the first phase the initiative was presented to the final-year students. In the upcoming second phase support and help for preparation to enter university exams will be given as well as for the gathering of all required documents. In this phase visits to the Tetovo and Skopje universities will be made in order to obtain information about their educational programme and admission conditions of various faculties. In the third and last phase an evaluation of the results will be conducted.         
E-mail: ecmitetovo@ecmingonet.org.mk

Upcoming events

Date: 01.06.2004
Time: 12:00
Exhibition at the Primary school “Dimitar Miladinov”- Skopje to mark the international celebration of the Children day, organized by the Association of Polish people from Macedonia "POLONIJA".

Date: 02.06.2004
Time: 17:00
Round table for revising and amending the Law for citizens associations and foundations at the ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Shtip

Date: 02.06.2004
Time: 11:00
As part of the event “The reflection of the environment in the children’s creations”, implemented by the Citizans Association "AN- BLOK", writing style workshop and lecturing on the issue of “Environment - problem and needs” will be held at the primary school for children with special needs “Idnina”.

Date: 03.06.2004
Time: 14:00
As part of the initiative “Stop the drug”, implemented by the NGO Multicultura, a basketball tournament will be held at the Sport Hall in Tetovo

Date: 03.06.2004
Time: 09:00
Meeting of the Coordinative Body of the ECMI NGO Network at the premises of the ECMI Regional Resource Centre Shtip

Date: 03.06.2004
Time: 11:00
As part of the event “The reflection of the environment in the children’s creations” an eco and art workshop on the topic ecology will be held at the primary school for children with special needs “Idnina”, organized by the Citizans Association "AN- BLOK".

Date: 04.06.2004
Time: 12:30
Joint exhibition of drawings from the two events “Celebration of the 1 of June the International children day” and “The reflection of the environment in the children’s creations”, organized by the members of the Regional Centre Skopje will be held at the Primary school “Dimitar Miladinov”.

Date: 05.06.2004
Time: 11:30
As part of the event “Celebration of the 1 of June the International children day”, a small ceremony will be organized at the primary school for children with special needs “Idnina”, Skopje by the Citizans Association "AN- BLOK".

Date: 07.06.2004
Time: 09:00 – 15:00
Celebration of the second anniversary of the Regional NGO Resource Centre Shtip at the Library “Goce Delchev”

Date: 12.06.2004
Time: 09:00 – 16:00
Third panel discussion for initiating dialog between the Local authorities, Business sector, Media and NGOs at “Petrol Company” as part of the Initiative “Community Dialog and capacity building”

Date: 19.06.2004
Time: 09:00 – 16:00
Two days training for initiating dialog between the Local authorities, Business sector, Media and NGOs in Ohrid as part of the Initiative “Community Dialog and capacity building”
 

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 This is the Newsletter of the ECMI NGO Network for the Improvement of the Interethnic Relations in the Republic of Macedonia . This Network is a result of a joint initiative between the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) , in Flensburg , Germany and members of this Network.
This Network will enhance the co-operation of the member NGOs towards the development and improvement of interethnic tolerance, respect for differences and dialogue among all those living in the Republic of Macedonia .
In particular, this NGO Network aims to strengthen the capacities of the participating NGOs to generate joint projects and other initiatives with a strong interethnic dimension and to implement such initiatives.

 Network Aims

1. Promotion of mutual cooperation through exchange of all available resources.
2. Initiation and implementation of joint projects.
3. Increasing the influence of NGOs in the community.
4. Creation and development of a joint strategy for the improvement of interethnic relations.
5. Expansion of the network.

Previous issues of the Newsletter at:
www.ecmingonet.org.mk/publications_uk.htm

Contact information:


ECMI Regional Office Skopje

Address: Majka Tereza 13a, Skopje

Telephone: +389 (0)2 3215 637; 3215 638

Fax: +389 (0) 2 3215 639

E- mail:ecmimkd@ecmingonet.org.mk

The ECMI project in Macedonia has been funded by generous contributions of :

We hope that you have enjoyed this issue of the ECMI NGO Network Newsletter.

If you have any comments or suggestions for improvement of this newsletter, please contact Verica Grdanoska at:
grdanoska@ecmingonet.org.mk.