Task Force: News 2000

ITC - International conference and exhibition
12/2000 - "New Modern Technologies and their impact on Education and Training in the South Eastern Europe." 3-5 December 2000, Sinaia/Romania. Veranstalter: Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe: Task Force Education and Youth - Enhanced Graz Process and Romanian Ministry of National Education. Homepage: http://www.e-ducation.wht.ro

The European Comission:
The Declaration of the Zagreb Summit - Final Declaration
24/11/2000: Following is the full text of "The Declaration of the Zagreb Summit" which heads of state or government of European Union member-states and countries covered by the Stabilization and Association Process adopted in the Croatian capital. Website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/see/sum_11_00/statement.htm
and Message by Mr Romano Prodi

Conclusions of the Inaugural Conference of the MP Network
for South Eastern Europe Zagreb, Croatia
7,8/11/2000 - The MP Network for South Eastern Europe is the parliamentary track for the practical implementation of the goals of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, particularly Working Table 1. The Network is made up of delegations of the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro, Romania, and the European Parliament. On November 7-8, 2000, the inaugural meeting of the MP Network for SEE took place in Zagreb with parliamentarians from South Eastern Europe and the European Parliament, chaired by Doris Pack, Chairperson for the Delegation for Relations with South Eastern Europe of the European Parliament.
One of the key topics discussed was the role of education in the stabilisation process in SEE. In the conclusions of this meeting, participants stressed the high priority of education and youth for the development of South Eastern Europe and the importance of investment in the long-term improvement of educational systems. The network expressed its full support for the promotion of education, especially for the activities of the Stability Pact’s Task Force on Education and Youth and appealed to the Council of Ministers and the European Commission to include education within the objectives of the CARDS programme. These conclusions have been signed by Doris Pack and former President Martti Ahtisaari of Finland, the Co-Chairman of the EastWest Institute's Board of Directors. The signed document has been sent to the heads of state who participated in the EU Summit in Zagreb at the end of November. read more... / rtf-download

Task Force Education and Youth Meeting, Brussels October 11, 2000
The meeting of the Task Force Education and Youth provided participants with an update on recent activities of the Task Force and the Stability Pact. Two members of the Task Force’s newly constituted Board for Excellence, Ms. Doris Pack, Member of the EU Parliament, and Ms. Sonia Licht, OSI Belgrade, also attended the meeting. The Stability Pact was represented by Mr Donald Kursch and Mr Robert Zeldenrust. Ms Pack underlined the need for increased lobbying for education and youth , especially with respect to the new EU programme for the Western Balkans (CARDS). Sonia Licht gave a short update on the latest developments in Serbia. She highlighted the need for rapid support to civil society in Serbia, however, warning against diminishing support for the regional dimension. Participants also discussed short and medium term objectives of the Task Force, e.g. instruments for implementation and monitoring of projects. For details see next update of the homepage.

Stability Pact: Working Table I -
Bucharest Meeting, October 26-27, 2000
The Third Meeting of the Stability Pact Working Table on Human Rights and Democratisation will take place in Bucharest on October 26-27, 2000. agenda coming soon via: http://www.stabilitypact.org/

Survey of Pledges for Quick Start Projects
Working Table 1 - Task Force Education and Youth
This survey is based on the pledges submitted to the Stability Pact. Release of funding is conditional to the successful completion of the respective contractual procedures between submitting and donor institutions (currently ongoing).
The projects on education and youth within the Quick Start Package are handled by the Enhanced Graz Process with the help of the Office of the Special Co-ordinator. The Graz Process is also expected to play an important role in the monitoring and co-ordination of the projects. Projects are presented according to the six priority areas within the Task Force on Education and Youth (Education for Democratic Citizenship, Vocational Education and Training, General Education, Higher education, History Teaching, Young People) read more...

Stability Pact Newsletter No. 5 (rtf download)
Contents: Meetings and Events / Website Update / meeting of the SC with NSC of SEE / Support of Independent Serbian Media / Media Task Force / Assistance to Local Governments in FRY / Regional Return Initiative / Trade / E-Initiative / Business Advisory Council / Regional Environment and Reconstruction Porgram / Imvestment Compact / Human Ressources Development / Meeting on Support for Novi Sad / Disaster Prevention Preparedness Initiative / Anti Corruption Initiative / Organized Crime Initiative / Regional Arms Control Verification / Visits by the Special Co-ordinator. Stability Pact Newsletter No. 5 (rtf download)
Homepage: www.stabilitypact.org

Conference: "Foreseeing the Future of SEE.
One Year After the Stability Pact
"A Policy Outlook from the Region", June 24-25, 2000, Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia. First Annual Meeting of the South East European Information Network. read more...
link: http://www.seein.org/

Open Society Institute: South East Europe Education Conference
Zagreb, March 29-31, 2000
The Institute for Educational Policy and OSI Croatia hosted a conference of OSI Foundations in South East Europe, March 29-31, 2000 in Zagreb, Croatia. Participants included representatives of OSI Foundations, Board members, and Foundation partners in education. There were several interconnected goals of the conference. First, to explore the role that OSI may play in supporting educational reform and its potential impact on long term stability and prosperity in South East Europe. Secondly, the conference covered the most recent developments in the Stability Pact in education and offered an opportunity for Foundations to consider the role of the OSI network in the process. Thirdly, discussions were held on ideas for cooperation across the region in education, thus fostering stronger links for mutual support and benefit. Finally, the conference provided some practical information on the strategy review process in education and allowed time for country teams to work with IEP on their individual strategies. Institute for Educational Policy Nádor utca 11., H-1051 Budapest, Hungary, tel (36 1) 327 3862, fax (36 1) 327 3864, e-mail iep@osi.hu Read More...

Sofia Conference Papers
The final version of the conference Papers is available for download now. The pdf-file (860K) is including all contributions, speeches, recomendations and workshop-papers of this international expert-meeting. "Educational Co-operation for Peace, Stability and Democracy", in the framework of the Enhanced Graz Process Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe - Working Table. Nov. 12th – 14th 1999, Sofia Bulgaria.

Extended Task Force Meeting of the Enhanced Graz Process
Graz, 9th/10th March 2000. The latest developments in the Stability Pact efforts in education and youth were at the centre of discussion at the Graz meeting. Around 120 participants - bilateral, international and private donor institutions, experts from the region as well as government representatives - met to discuss priorities for action and possible forms of delivery in the framework of the Stability Pact. In his key note Mr. Donald Kursch, Deputy Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact, Working Table 1, stressed the importance of education and youth for the overall efforts of the Stability Pact and highlighted the need for long-term investment to ensure sustainable reform, combined with quick start projects in response to urgent needs.
Education and the Stability Pact:
Priorities, Funding and Partnerships in South Eastern Europe

Regional Funding Conference
Brussels, March 29-30, 2000
The EIB, the EBRD, and representatives of Working Table I (democratization and human rights) and Working Table III (security issues) of the Stability Pact presented proposals for regional projects and initiatives to be financed. These included a quick-start package of priority infrastructure projects. Regional Funding Conference More info via: http://www.seerecon.org/

International Donors to Meet on Balkans in Brussels
BRUSSELS, Mar 28, 2000 -- (Reuters)
International donors start a two-day meeting in Brussels on Wednesday to pledge economic aid to the Balkans which they hope will cement regional cooperation and help make the Kosovo conflict the last of its kind. Stability Pact coordinator Bodo Hombach would also seek unspecified support for programs in areas such as education, media support, respect for human rights, justice and home affairs, the letter said. Support for some projects has already started. Read More

Extended Task Force Meeting of the Enhanced Graz Process
The Task Force on Education and Youth of the Stability Pact organises an extended Task Force meeting on ”Priorities, Funding and Partnerships in South Eastern Europe”, which will take place on March 9 and 10 in Graz, Austria. New approaches are needed to meet the great diversity of funding requirements in education and youth, from small scale funding for grass roots initiatives to larger, longer term support for regional programs for systemic change. The program would include focused discussions on each of the working group areas of the Enhanced Graz Process, as well as special sessions on the situation of education and youth in Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. Read more...

Guidelines and an Information Sheet
Information Sheet for Project Submission avialable
Guidelines and an Information Sheet will be provided by the Task Force Office and the homepage (see-educoop.net) Project proposals should be submitted to the chair of the Task Force, Mr. Anton Dobart, Austrian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, Minoritenpl. 5, 1010 Vienna; fax: 0043 1 53120-99-4239; email: catherine.danielopol@bmuk.gv.at IMPORTANT / DISCLAIMER: No new deadline for the second round of project submission has been set yet.The new deadline will be announced on our homepage as soon as it has been fixed. Please, note, that project proposals sent before this date cannot be considered for application. We thank you for your understanding.

Democratization and Human Rights, Budapest, 21-22 February 2000
Annotated Agenda for the Meeting of Working Table I

Background Information
Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe: Workplan

2003 - 2002 - 2001


Calendar of Events 2000
ITC - International conference and exhibition 12/2000 - "New Modern Technologies and their impact on Education and Training in the South Eastern Europe." 3-5 December 2000, Sinaia/Romania. Veranstalter: Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe: Task Force Education and Youth - Enhanced Graz Process and Romanian Ministry of National Education. Homepage: http://www.e-ducation.wht.ro The European Comission: The Declaration of the Zagreb Summit - Final Declaration 24/11/2000: Following is the full text of "The Declaration of the Zagreb Summit" which heads of state or government of European Union member-states and countries covered by the Stabilization and Association Process adopted in the Croatian capital. Website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/see/sum_11_00/statement.htm and Message by Mr Romano Prodi Conclusions of the Inaugural Conference of the MP Network for South Eastern Europe Zagreb, Croatia 7,8/11/2000 - The MP Network for South Eastern Europe is the parliamentary track for the practical implementation of the goals of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, particularly Working Table 1. The Network is made up of delegations of the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro, Romania, and the European Parliament. On November 7-8, 2000, the inaugural meeting of the MP Network for SEE took place in Zagreb with parliamentarians from South Eastern Europe and the European Parliament, chaired by Doris Pack, Chairperson for the Delegation for Relations with South Eastern Europe of the European Parliament. One of the key topics discussed was the role of education in the stabilisation process in SEE. In the conclusions of this meeting, participants stressed the high priority of education and youth for the development of South Eastern Europe and the importance of investment in the long-term improvement of educational systems. The network expressed its full support for the promotion of education, especially for the activities of the Stability Pact’s Task Force on Education and Youth and appealed to the Council of Ministers and the European Commission to include education within the objectives of the CARDS programme. These conclusions have been signed by Doris Pack and former President Martti Ahtisaari of Finland, the Co-Chairman of the EastWest Institute's Board of Directors. The signed document has been sent to the heads of state who participated in the EU Summit in Zagreb at the end of November. read more... / rtf-download Task Force Education and Youth Meeting, Brussels October 11, 2000 The meeting of the Task Force Education and Youth provided participants with an update on recent activities of the Task Force and the Stability Pact. Two members of the Task Force’s newly constituted Board for Excellence, Ms. Doris Pack, Member of the EU Parliament, and Ms. Sonia Licht, OSI Belgrade, also attended the meeting. The Stability Pact was represented by Mr Donald Kursch and Mr Robert Zeldenrust. Ms Pack underlined the need for increased lobbying for education and youth , especially with respect to the new EU programme for the Western Balkans (CARDS). Sonia Licht gave a short update on the latest developments in Serbia. She highlighted the need for rapid support to civil society in Serbia, however, warning against diminishing support for the regional dimension. Participants also discussed short and medium term objectives of the Task Force, e.g. instruments for implementation and monitoring of projects. For details see next update of the homepage. Stability Pact: Working Table I - Bucharest Meeting, October 26-27, 2000 The Third Meeting of the Stability Pact Working Table on Human Rights and Democratisation will take place in Bucharest on October 26-27, 2000. agenda coming soon via: http://www.stabilitypact.org/ Survey of Pledges for Quick Start Projects Working Table 1 - Task Force Education and Youth This survey is based on the pledges submitted to the Stability Pact. Release of funding is conditional to the successful completion of the respective contractual procedures between submitting and donor institutions (currently ongoing). The projects on education and youth within the Quick Start Package are handled by the Enhanced Graz Process with the help of the Office of the Special Co-ordinator. The Graz Process is also expected to play an important role in the monitoring and co-ordination of the projects. Projects are presented according to the six priority areas within the Task Force on Education and Youth (Education for Democratic Citizenship, Vocational Education and Training, General Education, Higher education, History Teaching, Young People) read more... Stability Pact Newsletter No. 5 (rtf download) Contents: Meetings and Events / Website Update / meeting of the SC with NSC of SEE / Support of Independent Serbian Media / Media Task Force / Assistance to Local Governments in FRY / Regional Return Initiative / Trade / E-Initiative / Business Advisory Council / Regional Environment and Reconstruction Porgram / Imvestment Compact / Human Ressources Development / Meeting on Support for Novi Sad / Disaster Prevention Preparedness Initiative / Anti Corruption Initiative / Organized Crime Initiative / Regional Arms Control Verification / Visits by the Special Co-ordinator. Stability Pact Newsletter No. 5 (rtf download) Homepage: www.stabilitypact.org Conference: "Foreseeing the Future of SEE. One Year After the Stability Pact "A Policy Outlook from the Region", June 24-25, 2000, Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia. First Annual Meeting of the South East European Information Network. read more... link: http://www.seein.org/ Open Society Institute: South East Europe Education Conference Zagreb, March 29-31, 2000 The Institute for Educational Policy and OSI Croatia hosted a conference of OSI Foundations in South East Europe, March 29-31, 2000 in Zagreb, Croatia. Participants included representatives of OSI Foundations, Board members, and Foundation partners in education. There were several interconnected goals of the conference. First, to explore the role that OSI may play in supporting educational reform and its potential impact on long term stability and prosperity in South East Europe. Secondly, the conference covered the most recent developments in the Stability Pact in education and offered an opportunity for Foundations to consider the role of the OSI network in the process. Thirdly, discussions were held on ideas for cooperation across the region in education, thus fostering stronger links for mutual support and benefit. Finally, the conference provided some practical information on the strategy review process in education and allowed time for country teams to work with IEP on their individual strategies. Institute for Educational Policy Nádor utca 11., H-1051 Budapest, Hungary, tel (36 1) 327 3862, fax (36 1) 327 3864, e-mail iep@osi.hu Read More... Sofia Conference Papers The final version of the conference Papers is available for download now. The pdf-file (860K) is including all contributions, speeches, recomendations and workshop-papers of this international expert-meeting. "Educational Co-operation for Peace, Stability and Democracy", in the framework of the Enhanced Graz Process Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe - Working Table. Nov. 12th – 14th 1999, Sofia Bulgaria. Extended Task Force Meeting of the Enhanced Graz Process Graz, 9th/10th March 2000. The latest developments in the Stability Pact efforts in education and youth were at the centre of discussion at the Graz meeting. Around 120 participants - bilateral, international and private donor institutions, experts from the region as well as government representatives - met to discuss priorities for action and possible forms of delivery in the framework of the Stability Pact. In his key note Mr. Donald Kursch, Deputy Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact, Working Table 1, stressed the importance of education and youth for the overall efforts of the Stability Pact and highlighted the need for long-term investment to ensure sustainable reform, combined with quick start projects in response to urgent needs. Education and the Stability Pact: Priorities, Funding and Partnerships in South Eastern Europe Regional Funding Conference Brussels, March 29-30, 2000 The EIB, the EBRD, and representatives of Working Table I (democratization and human rights) and Working Table III (security issues) of the Stability Pact presented proposals for regional projects and initiatives to be financed. These included a quick-start package of priority infrastructure projects. Regional Funding Conference More info via: http://www.seerecon.org/ International Donors to Meet on Balkans in Brussels BRUSSELS, Mar 28, 2000 -- (Reuters) International donors start a two-day meeting in Brussels on Wednesday to pledge economic aid to the Balkans which they hope will cement regional cooperation and help make the Kosovo conflict the last of its kind. Stability Pact coordinator Bodo Hombach would also seek unspecified support for programs in areas such as education, media support, respect for human rights, justice and home affairs, the letter said. Support for some projects has already started. Read More Extended Task Force Meeting of the Enhanced Graz Process The Task Force on Education and Youth of the Stability Pact organises an extended Task Force meeting on ”Priorities, Funding and Partnerships in South Eastern Europe”, which will take place on March 9 and 10 in Graz, Austria. New approaches are needed to meet the great diversity of funding requirements in education and youth, from small scale funding for grass roots initiatives to larger, longer term support for regional programs for systemic change. The program would include focused discussions on each of the working group areas of the Enhanced Graz Process, as well as special sessions on the situation of education and youth in Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. Read more... Guidelines and an Information Sheet Information Sheet for Project Submission avialable Guidelines and an Information Sheet will be provided by the Task Force Office and the homepage (see-educoop.net) Project proposals should be submitted to the chair of the Task Force, Mr. Anton Dobart, Austrian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, Minoritenpl. 5, 1010 Vienna; fax: 0043 1 53120-99-4239; email: catherine.danielopol@bmuk.gv.at IMPORTANT / DISCLAIMER: No new deadline for the second round of project submission has been set yet.The new deadline will be announced on our homepage as soon as it has been fixed. Please, note, that project proposals sent before this date cannot be considered for application. We thank you for your understanding. Democratization and Human Rights, Budapest, 21-22 February 2000 Annotated Agenda for the Meeting of Working Table I Background Information Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe: Workplan 2003 - 2002 - 2001