MINELRES: ECMI Newsletter, Spring 2004

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: William Mckinney <mckinney@ecmi.de> 


ECMI Newsletter No. 33
Spring 2004
 
CONTENTS

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1. Upcoming Activities and Events in March 2004
2. Highlights up to March 5, 2004
3. We introduce... Defusing interethnic tensions and promoting regional
integration - the Javakheti Region of the Republic of Georgia
4. News from ECMI Regional Offices
5. New Entries on the Ethnopolitical Map of Europe
6. New acquisitions in the ECMI Library
----------------------------------

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1. Upcoming Activities and Events in March 2004
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First Technical Expert Seminar on Complex Power-Sharing in Divided
Societies: The Case of Cyprus, Antalya, Turkey, March 6-7.
http://www.ecmi.de/doc/events_press.html?id=108

Workshop for developing Project Proposals for the members of the
Regional Centre Skopje, premises of the Association of Romani Youth and
Women "Lluludi", organized by Organization of Turkish Women in Macedonia
"Derya", March 10. 
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Workshop "Identifying and Overcoming Stereotypes and Prejudices" 
as part of the project "Way to the Common Life", at primary school of
the village Rogachevo, organized by NGO "Happy Life" - Tetovo, March 11.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Workshop on Lobbying for the members of the Regional Centre Skopje, at
the premises of the Association for Information, Training and
Sustainable Development ORT, organized by Organization of Turkish Women
in Macedonia "Derya", March 15.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/
 
Workshop on writing Financial Reports for the members of the Regional
Centre Skopje, at the premises of the ECMI Regional Office Skopje,
organized by Organization of Turkish Women in Macedonia "DERYA", March
19.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Framework Convention Project, Second Meeting of the Team of
Commentators, Cambridge, 19-21 March.
http://www.ecmi.de/doc/projects_research_10.html

Workshop on writing Narrative Reports for the members of the Regional
Centre Skopje, at premises of the Association of Housewives of Macedonia
- Skopje, organized by Organization of Turkish Women in Macedonia
"DERYA", March 24.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Workshop on developing Project Proposals for the members of the Regional
Centre Skopje, at premises of Regional Office Skopje, organized by
Organization of Turkish Women in Macedonia "DERYA". 

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2. Highlights up to March 5, 2004
------------------------------------

Kosovo study visit to ECMI, supported by Schleswig-Holstein Minister
President Heide Simonis, Flensburg and Kiel, December 16-19, 2003.

The training was attended by 13 members of the Kosovo Standing Technical
Working Group (STWG). The aim of the training visit was to show the
participants the Danish-German border region as an example of peaceful
co-existence of four minorities, together with background lectures on
minority protection within the various levels of federal and state
structures. Presentations were held at the ECMI head office and the
Aktivitetshus of the Danish minority in Flensburg, as well as at the
Landeshaus in Kiel.
http://www.ecmikos.org/

Open Forum "Membership in the EU - hope and reality for the South
Eastern Countries" at the main hall of Tetovo municipality, 13 January.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

ECMI Internal Summit Meeting, Kompanietor, January 17-18.

Radio debate on Breast Cancer on Pro-Fm Radio in Albanian language
organized by the Humanitarian and Charitable Association of Roms
"MESECHINA" - Gostivar,  January 20,
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Radio Debate on Breast Cancer on "KOMETA" Radio in Macedonian language
organized by Humanitarian and Charitable Association of Roms "MESECHINA"
- Gostivar, January 21.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Radio Debate on Breast Cancer on "Rumeli" Radio in Turkish language 
organized by Humanitarian and Charitable Association of Roms "MESECHINA"
- Gostivar, January 22.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Radio Debate on Abortion and Contraception on "Roma" Radio 
in Roma language organized by Humanitarian and Charitable Association of
Roms "MESECHINA" - Gostivar, January 24.

Radio Debate on Breast Cancer on "Roma" Radio in Roma language
organized by Humanitarian and Charitable Association of  Roms
"MESECHINA" - Gostivar, January 26.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Radio Debate on Abortion and Contraception on "Pro-FM" Radio
in Albanian language organized by Humanitarian and Charitable
Association of Roms "MESECHINA" - Gostivar, January 27.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Radio Debate on Abortion and Contraception on "Kometa" Radio
in Macedonian language organized by Humanitarian and Charitable
Association of Roms "MESECHINA" - Gostivar, January 28.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Radio Debate on Abortion and Contraception on "Rumeli" Radio
In Turkish language organized by Humanitarian and Charitable Association
of Roms "MESECHINA" - Gostivar, January 29.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Members of Regional Centre Shtip developing Action Plan for 2004,
Vinica, 30 January
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Members of Regional Centre Skopje developing Action Plan for 2004 
30 January
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Open Forum "Our application for EU - good or bad timing, organized by
Citizens' Association for Democracy, Peace and Tolerance "AURORA" -
Bitola, Bitola, February 16.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Skopje, Presentation of the new ECMI
Program Kit by the ECMI Program Managers, February 18.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Meeting of the Regional Centers Coordinators with the ECMI Team 
at the Regional Office Skopje, February 19.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Gostivar. Presentation of the new ECMI
Program Kit by the ECMI Program Managers, February 20.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Expert group supported by ECMI under the Moldovan Delegation to the
Joint Constitutional Commission: Organizational Meeting, Chisinau,
Moldova, February 20.

Senior Analyst Priit Jarve gives speech on Russian minorities in the
Baltic States at the EBLUL Partnership for Diversity Forum, Flensburg,
February 20.
http://www.eurolang.net/news.asp?id=4432
http://ww2.eblul.org:8080/eblul

Presentation of ECMI to participants of the international semester
program of the Danish School of Journalism (Aarhus), Kompanietor, March
2.
http://www.ecmi.de/doc/events.html
http://www.djh.dk

Meeting with local stakeholders to discuss report resulting from needs
assessment conducted in Macedonia from September to November 2003
"Toward Regional Guidelines for the Integration of Roms", Skopje,
Macedonia, March 3.

Expert group supported by ECMI under the Moldovan Delegation to the
Joint Constitutional Commission: Session on Principles of Future State
Organization in Moldova, Chisinau, Moldova, March 5.
 
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3. We introduce�Defusing interethnic tensions and promoting regional 
integration - the Javakheti Region of the Republic of Georgia
------------------------------------------

In November 2003, ECMI was granted funding for its project on "Defusing
interethnic tension and promoting regional integration - the Javakheti
Region of the Republic of Georgia". By establishing a network consisting
of civil society actors that includes representatives for most
ethno-religious groups as well as government officials in two
predominantly Armenian districts in Georgia's Samtskhe-Javakheti
Province, the project seeks to improve inter-ethnic relations, to
broaden the consultative process of decision-making, and to increase
effective public participation and public awareness on local governance.
The project will promote regional integration of the region by involving
province and state level policy-makers in the network, thereby creating
firmer links between regional actors and central levels of authority. In
conjunction with the network, the project will enhance the capacity of
less advanced regional communities through capacity building training
and community mobilisation efforts in order to encourage broad
participation in the consultative process.  

The project grants, amounting to 35,000 EUR by the Danish Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and 35,000 EUR by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, has been provided to cover the initial 3 month project phase.
Due to the revolutionary events in Georgia in November 2003, the
initiation of the project was postponed to February 2004. 

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4. News from ECMI Regional Offices
------------------------------------------

ECMI Kosovo/a Civil Society Project
http://www.ecmikos.org/

Members of Standing Technical Working Group participate in
study visit to ECMI headquarters in Flensburg, December 16-19, 2003.

***************************************************************

ECMI Network for the Improvement of Interethnic Relations in the
Republic of Macedonia
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk

ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Bitola develops Action Plan, Bitola,
February 6.

ECMI Regional Resource Centre Bitola Open Forum "Our Application for EU
- Good or Bad Timing", Bitola, February 13.
 
ECMI Regional Office Skopje, Presentation of new ECMI program kit,
February 16.

ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centres, Presentation of the new ECMI program
kit, [Gostivar -19 February; Kumanovo - 20 February; Bitola - 23
Feburary; Shtip - 25 February, Tetovo 26 February]

ECMI Regional Office Skopje, Training for the Technical Assistants,
February 24.

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5. New Entries on the Ethnopolitical Map of Europe
----------------------------------------------

New Entries on the Ethnopolitical Map of Europe
http://www.ecmi.de/emap/

The Ethnopolitical Map of Europe is a major ECMI documentation Project
that will over time highlight minority issues across Europe. The Map is
designed to offer quick and easy access to comprehensive Information on
background, population and socio-economic statistics, international
response to crisis situations, and links and bibliography. The most
recent additions to the Map are Northern Ireland and Chechnya, as well
as three sections on Kosovo. 


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6. New acquisitions in the ECMI Library
-----------------------------------------------

New acquisitions in the ECMI Library
http://ecmidb.dimast-services.de

Rose, Richard and Neil Munro (2003). Elections and Parties in New
European Democracies. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 309 pp.

This book reports the results of free elections and analyses electoral
Competition in eleven new post-Communist democracies. It emphasizes the
initiatives of political elites in creating a floating system of parties
by launching, merging, splitting and dissolving parties. The first
chapter outlines a supply-and-demand model showing how election laws and
the supply of parties limit the choice of voters.

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We hope you enjoyed this thirty-third issue of the ECMI Newsletter, and
we hope you will remember to tell interested colleagues about it.

If you have any comments or suggestions for improvement of this
newsletter, please contact William McKinney at: mckinney@ecmi.de