25.04.2008
From 1 January to 30 June 2008, Slovenia presides over the Council of the European Union. Presidency represents a great honor and challenge for Slovenia as one of the youngest EU member States. Encouraging and motivating the European family of nations to find common responses and solutions to challenges that we are facing is a demanding and responsible task.
During the Slovene presidency, SLOGA, the platform for international cooperation and humanitarian aid with cooperation with other Slovenian organizations, has been planning activities with the aim to raise public awareness about development education and humanitarian aid. The activities so far have been a success which shows that there is a strong need for more education trough such activities.
Below is the short description of each activity and time when it occurred.
Manifesto, presented on 5th February, gives detailed description of six themes which are developing under the main project ‘YOU TOO’
Climate change and its effects on developing countries
Development Education
Is Migration a threat or an opportunity?
Trafficking of women and girls
Unaccompanied and separated children
Intergenerational dialogue
The political dispute in Kenya has damaged and disrupted Kenyan economy badly and consequently it people, especially the poor and the needy. SLOGA and African center have immediately responded to the crisis and organized conference regarding post election conflicts on 13th February in Metelkova. The aim of the conference was to present other facts apart from presidency voting that has lead to dispute. After the conference the visitors enjoyed debate about role of IMF and the World Bank and evening with African music.
On 20th February, visitors were able to experience amazing exhibition called Darfur/Darfur by Leslie Thimas where she deliver concern and our responsibility to desperately needed humanitarian aid. The exhibition was shown in many museums such as Los Angelesu, Holocaust Memorial Museum-a v Washington, DC, in Jewish Museum-a in Berlin, The Holocaust Centre v Capetownu (JAR) , FORMA v Milanu (Italiji), Musee des Beaux-Arts v Montrealu, The Field Museum v Chicagu, in v New York Historical Society.
The fotographs were taken in Darfur and neighboring Chad by seven world known photographs and one examine commander. The pictures are collection of cruel reality that children, women and men have to face every day. The exhibition has been shown in Slovenia not just due to the presidency, but also due to the humanitarian help that Slovenian offered. The event has been lead by Jayme McLellan who organized and created exhibition and Tomo Križnar.
27th of February has been in the name of the Environment. SLOGA and Focus have organized conference with the topic: Environment and development. The aim of the conference is to discuss environmental change and its impact on developing countries and how developing countries should adapt to environmental change without major negative effects.
Violence against women is one of the most common violations of human rights. According to the studies, every fourth or fifth woman has experiences violence attack, more that tenth have experienced sexual attack.
In Slovenia the topic has become very loud so that at the beginning of March the new law has been established which protects women from violence.
On 8th March, council of Europe and other Slovenian NGO’s have organized campaign with the topic about violence against women. The speakers have underlined the importance of recognition that violence against women and families are unfortunately frequent facts in our society.
SLOGA’s working group for effective development aid, French national platform Coordination Sud and European network of nongovernmental organizations CONCORD have organized conference on 'Aid effectiveness and Paris Declaration' which was held on 10-11 April 2008 in grad Bor, Preddvor.
The objective of the seminar was to exchange views and opinions on effectiveness in development aid between European Commissions, development aid board in OECD, Slovenian Government and European non governmental organisations.
The conclusions of the seminar were that aid effectiveness needs to be further clarified and concretised for practical work. Many areas need to have more attention from civil society and there is a need for stronger coordination and cooperation among European and non European NGO, CSOs and citizens. Recommendations will be then presented in Third High-level Forum in Accra which will be unique political opportunity to agree on strong and decisive action by all donors and partner countries.
On 17th April, Slovenia joined World Volunteer Day where many events took place and nongovernmental organizations had opportunity to present themselves. The event took place in the city centre of Ljubljana. Among many other organizations, SLOGA took its part in three ways: first, it presented to general public about the SLOGA work, second, it involved young people in workshops and those educated them trough games and third, to inform general public about the negative effects of plastic bags by carrying out action called ‘Exchange the bag’.
Each organization had its own stand, where among others, SLOGA was presenting their work by talking to people about SLOGA’s actions, mission and views. Young people had also opportunity to join SLOGA’s working group for development education where workshop was carried out with the aim to inform trough games about global equal wellbeing.
SLOGA had also prepared action with the aim to exchange plastic bags for cotton bag and inform people about the negative consequences of use of plastic bags and how cotton bags can be far more environmental friendly.
