6.25.2009
The USAID-funded Civil Society Advocacy Initiative, implemented by the Institute for Sustainable Communities, will organize a press conference to announce the Mobile Advocacy School training for civil society organizations in southern Serbia. The training will be held in Bujanovac on June 25th 2009, in the Nansen Dialogue Center, Sportski centar “Mladost” (B. Radicevica 2) at 12.00. Speakers at the press conference include Aleksandra Veselinovic, Training Director of the Institute for Sustainable Communities and Darko Radičanin, USAID Preparedness, Planning and Economic Security Program.

The one-day training on June 26th will gather 17 local and regional civil society organizations active in the area of human rights, European integration, media, minority rights, and ecology. The goal of the training is to strengthen citizens' capacity in southern Serbia by introducing advocacy concepts and techniques, as well as practical know-how in network and coalition building. The training will also provide a forum for civil society organizations to further develop relations with like-minded partners and potential supporters.

The Mobile Advocacy School consists of capacity building trainings on advocacy for local and regional civil society organizations in ethnically mixed and/or economically underdeveloped communities in Serbia. The first training of this kind targeted civil society organizations in the Sandzak region and was held in Novi Pazar in December 2008. The second training took place in Novi Sad in February for civil society organizations from Vojvodina and in May in Zajecar for organizations from southern Serbia. The Mobile Advocacy School project will continue in September.

The USAID-funded Civil Society Advocacy Initiative is a five year program (2006-2011) which encourages and supports Serbian citizens to take responsibility for determining the kind of society they live in by increasing citizen participation in all aspects of public life. Through grants, training, and networking opportunities, the program assists civil society organizations to communicate their priorities more effectively and coordinate efforts with the government and the private sector to tangibly improve people's lives. Since the beginning of the program Civil Society Advocacy Initiative has trained more than 300 civic leaders and activists throughout Serbia in advocacy related issues.  

For more information please contact Jelena Bekcic, Institute for Sustainable Communities, at (011) 3830-960 or (062) 218-960. For more information about USAID programs please visit http://serbia.usaid.gov.