XI BS NGO Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia 16-17.04.2013
“Tolerance and Cultural Diversity in the Region of Baltic Sea”
The Forum will be organized in the framework of the Russian Presidency in CBSS and its priority which is “Civil Security and Human dimension”.
From the speech of Russian Foreign Minister Mr. Lavrov in regard to the Russian CBSS presidency: “We intend to strengthen the active role of the CBSS in providing stability, partnership and good-neighborhood in the Baltic Sea region, fighting against extremism, radicalism, stimulating traditions of tolerance, promoting direct contacts between people”
Start points:
- Due to the main topic of the Forum the complex approach is important –Cross- sectoral character of the Forum - the intention to invite both wide spectrum of NGOs and also Academia and authorities.
- In the Forum’s discussions the Issues crucial for all countries-CBSS members should be taken into consideration
- The special focus should be done on youth and involvement of youth organizations into solution making process in this field
Proposals for Themes of the Working Groups 16.-17.4.2013
CROSS CUTTING THEMES AND INTEGRAL PARTS for ALL WG:
(1) The Role of Civil Society and NGO:s
(2) Social media as a tool in building civil activity, cultural diversity and tolerance
- Multicultural Societies – challenges and expectations
- Role of education in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Methodology for work with children for tolerance education
- Culture as an efficient mechanism of social integration and cultural adaptation
- Participatory Culture
- Prevention of the conflicts in multinational families
- Xenophobia and risks of the religious confrontation in modern societies
- Diversity of the traditional ethnic cultures around Baltic Sea. Preservation of the small indigenous people, national identity andoriginalities
- Historical experience of the interethnic interaction on the regional and local levels as potential for tolerance in the region Baltic Sea
- Harmonization of interethnic, intercultural and inter confessional interaction in the polyethnic Baltic community
- Training of specialists in the sphere of intercultural interactions
- Preventing of the xenophobia and racism ideas in the Internet: promotion of the tolerance and non-violence ideas through social networks and popular Internet portals
- Safe city
- Safe and tolerant cities around BS
- Social Inclusion, Basic Demand of Modern and Stabile Society in the Baltic Sea Region
-Basic Social Rights for everybody
-Health basic element for good living and active citizenship in Society,including accessibility to public and private spaces
-Social inclusion and rights for peoplewith special needs
-Culture as an instrument for social adaption for children with special needs
-Equality for People with special needs, includingspecial educational needs, integration into working life
-Working age
-Social polarization and inequality in health
-People with addictions
- Environment unites people
Challenges of Climate Change
-Climate Changes – common challenge for adaptation and mitigation
-Role of nature ecosystems in climate balance (forest, wetlands)
-Role of Civil Society in climate actions.
-Baltic Sea networking for climate actions – Baltic Sea Ambassadors and Climate Ambassadors
-New actions for Cleaning of the Baltic Sea
Healthy urban planning
-Agenda 21, Safety in City experiments
-Civic participation in City planning process
-New demands for housing, living areas and communication
-Coastal urban planning – opportunity for green development
-Landscape Scenario for city planning
- "Emerging EUSBSR Horizontal Action "Neighbours": Possibilities for NGOs to participate in the framework of SEBA and the Turku process (17th of April 09.30 – 13.00)
Possibilities of NGO participation within the framework of SEBA
In preparation of and during the next Baltic Sea NGO Forum which is going to take place under Russian Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in April 2013 in St. Petersburg, the German Baltic Sea NGO Network plans to carry out a workshop on the topic “Possibilities of NGO participation within the framework of SEBA” (SEBA – Modernisation Partnership for the South Eastern Baltic Area). SEBA is a two-year framework project of the CBSS which aims to promote modernisation with the help of regional cooperation in the areas of tourism, youth exchange, sustainable development, education and private-public partnerships. SEBA is supported by the German and the Russian presidencies of the Council.
Themes of Plenaries and Round Tables on 16.-17.4.2013
Opening Plenary 16th of April
“Human dimension in BSR’s cooperation - role of relationships on the “people-to-people level”
Plenaryon Youth Affairs 17th of April
-Youth cooperation in BSR
-Involvement into Decision Making process
-Dreams and Perspectives of the Young Generation
-Youth Guarantee and other ways to give youth education, jobs and social possibilities in Societies
Parallel with:
Round table “Establishing a Baltic Sea Network on Refugee and Migration Issues”
Plenary and panel discussion on 17th of April
- Legal framework for NGOs in CBSS countries: Baltic Countries, Russia, Nordic Countries
- Financial instruments for support of people-to-people cooperation in the region of Baltic Sea